After months of preparation, training, qualifying races and last minute race preps our intrepid yachts Visit Malta Puma and Playing Around Logic crossed the start line off Cowes at 1400 hrs this afternoon. A very confused weather system left the yachts battling a 25 knot gusting 35 knot west-south-west breeze. Overnight torrential rain and gale force winds left the crews in no doubt that the first few days of the race were going to be a tough start. Both yachts got good starts with Visit Malta Puma 3rd over the line and Playing Around not far behind, amongst the majority of the 22 yacht fleet. Peter Robson, Skipper, rang in after a couple of hours to explain that they had to send Iain Randall up to the top of the mast to retrieve a lost Genoa halyard only 10 minutes to the start, and then promptly tore a sail just afterwards, putting them a little behind where they wanted to be. However, they re-grouped, put up the very effective jib-top sail, and were last reported doing 11.5 knots in the right direction – great going and good to know all is now well.
Visit Malta Puma got a tremendous start, and seemed to have clear water to manoeuvre themselves into a great position to enter the Eastern Solent, and weave their way through the Forts off Portsmouth and out into the English Channel. They are leading class at the moment but only just, with their closest rival, British Soldier hot on their heels. The race committees decision yesterday to change to route to an anti-clockwise rounding of the British Isles, has proved a little controversial, but we feel that it plays to the strengths of our 2 yachts so we are not complaining at this moment in time.
Latest positions indicate that Puma and Playing Around are sailing under spinnakers, with their speeds topping 10 knots average. They are literally hooning along the English Channel and will be surfing downwind in ideal conditions for the yachts.
We have yet to hear from the yachts directly, but know they are concentrating on getting through their first night racing
Dinner tonight on the yachts is home-made Beef Bourguignon for Puma and Thai Chicken Red curry on Playing Around, Both yachts have taken a mixture of fresh meals, plus boil-in-the-bag meals from Tanfield Foods ’Look what We’ve found’ gourmet range, and also some freeze-dried. The further they continue in the race will mean less fresh and more long-life delicacies.
Latest breaking news is that ICAP leopard, the largest yacht in the fleet at 100 feet has retired and is heading back to Southampton. We don’t know at this stage the reasons why.
Allie Smith
