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Editor's Note: CYC member Steve Travis sails his One Design 48 Flash on Puget Sound. On Feb. 26, he gave a presentation at the Shilshole Clubhouse on his and his crew's experience at the 2009 Cowes Race Week in England. The following article about Cowes 2009 originally appeared in Northwest Yachting.
By Steve Travis
The Flash crew once again set sail for Cowes, Isle of Wight, UK, week (having been there in 2003 and 2006). This time we chartered a Mark Mills designed DK 46 named Dark and Steamy. The owner did not plan to race Cowes Week as he was going on the Fastnet race, which started the day after Cowes week ended. We had raced against him in all our previous European adventures and established a friendship. From this, he felt comfortable chartering his boat to us.
Unfortunately this friendship was tested on the very first day of the event as we were hit at the fourth mark rounding. We were on starboard and the other boat on port - they decided to duck, except forgetting one minor thing - easing the mainsheet. Their prod wiped out a stanchion and the stern pulpit and the port wheel on our boat and threw our driver half way overboard. Their bow fortunately hit us right on a bulkhead, if not for the location, our event would have been over that day!! We were granted redress, which would become the average of our cumulative scores for the next five days. The boat captain and several of the Flash crew worked to get things apart and then put back together. A stern pulpit was borrowed from another DK 46 which was not racing, the wheel was taken to a carbon specialist and rebuilt overnight such that the next day we were back on the starting line!! We tended to stay away from other boats the rest of the week!
Dark and Steamy heading upwind in race six on the Solent.
Due to the Fastnet race, Cowes week was not particularly well attended in the big boat fleet. There being only 17 boats in IRC 1 - these boats ranging from 2 TP 52s, a new Kerr 46 (a pocket TP 52) - down to an old 12 meter - Italia. The diversity in the class quickly separated the three faster boats from the rest and it became a race for fourth. We won this, beating a mixture of Farr 45s, Roger's 46, GP 42s an older Kerr 46 on charter, and the 12 meter! Class Zero IRC had only four boats, but the other 5 IRC classes had 270 boats in them. In total there were close to 800 boats of all types and classes. They also divide the fleet into two overall classes - Black Group for the larger boats and White group for the smaller boats. This adds an interesting dimension to the racing, as the finishes in each class are weighed against the total boats in each class to come up with an overall winner. A string of firsts in class generally guarantees winning you group overall.
The DK 46 was one of the lowest rated boats in our class, which put a premium on clear air starting and maintaining that clear air to the first mark. We were generally able to do that. Due to the nature of the Solent and this year's wind direction, what followed most days were fairly tight reaches with few passing lanes. This helped us immensely against the faster rated boats. On the sixth day we were able to get a clear start at the pin end with one TP 52 to leeward and one astern. On this race we were able to hold on and beat both TP 52's on corrected time. One of them had won every race, thus we knocked him out of winning overall Black group - small claim, but we considered it a good day.
Each race has a different tale. We were rounding forts, sailing in ten feet of water, trying to get around marks with four knots of tide, while trying to stay clear of the other 780 boats that were using some of the same marks. Some memorable experiences involve mark roundings. One with five very different sizes of boats all aiming for the same place. We watched the hole get smaller and smaller as we squeezed through, actually blowing the vang and then sheeting in the main quickly so it would not hit the skipper of a boat to leeward. He had no real idea we were there until he saw the boom pop over his head!
Cowes week is a memorable experience, not only are there racing boats everywhere but there are just as many cruising boats out every day. Some stubbornly will hold their course - as they are on starboard and have the right to do so. They are not about to give way just because you are racing. Ships of every kind and size, container ships, ferries zipping back and forth - most go around or look for a small hole to slip through so as not to interfere with the racing, they speed up, slow down, whatever is required. Everyone shares the water and seems to obey the rules - probably the first one which is common sense!
The Flash Crew on board Dark and Steamy at Cowes Race Week.
On the land side, the crew had taken over a large B & B and 14 of us resided there for the 10 days. The house was great, however not having wireless (or any internet) sent us down to the pub on a regular basis as it was a "hot" zone.
The next event being looked at is the 2010 Commodore's cup - this event, August 15 to 21, 2010 consist of a 3 boat team representing their country. You can have as many teams from each country as you want. The US has not had a team in it for over 15 years. Isn't it time to try it again? There are three rating bands for boats - the larger Class 1 generally range from 40 to 45 ft, Class 2 from 35 for 40 and Class 3 from 33 to 35. The bands are IRC measurements so the size ranges are general.
Any interest out there in forming a US team?