Chernikeeff 2 had a lovely start, currently doing 6 knots in Christchurch Bay and rolling Steve White's Toe In The Water to windward. Banter on "The Chief" is flowing. All on the boat would like to say a massive thank you to Smart Grp. for saving our campaign with 2 day to the start and also to RORC for all their last minute help. Peace out from the Cheif.
champagne sailing down the solent after the start. easterly +- 10kn = approximately 35 jibes upto yarmouth. after a short brake the westerly set in and we were virtually flushed past the needles with the beginning of the tide. we now have the predicted light sswly. glassy water everywhere but all boats are moving steadliy. an interesting night is ahead of us !
regards vineta
1h30 min sailed and we are just passing the Needles. The wind out of the Solent was very shifty. We tried to stay in the current while looking for pressure. We must have changed sails 10 times in the first 30 minutes of the race. We are quite happy with the exit out of the Solent having all the boats in our class well behind us. We are still in close proximity of Leopard as well. The next 5 hours will be critical to make the tidal gate at Portland. It is for the moment very light with only 5knots of wind from SSW.
Just 10 minutes to go and we are all pumped up. We have 10 knots of breeze but it is gusting above that so at the moment skipper Dave Watson is deciding if we will go for a No. 1 headsail or risk a spinnaker start.
We reckon about 4 days to Plymouth and there is a bet on. Whoever gets the finish time correct and nearest will not have to buy a single beer in Plymouth...it will be a huge prize! Can't wait for the off!
Jim Dunn
Well, a year after starting the planning, here we are at the start line. There have been a lot of raised eyebrows over that time at the idea of a Hallberg-Rassy doing the Fastnet. Nick, Mike, John, Chris and Beets aim to show that a windscreen, side plates and wine glasses are part of the sensible approach to the race.
After champagne sailing to Le Havre, on our first qualifier, the hours of kedging and spinnaker hoists on the Eddystone Race may well have set us up well for the first few days of this race. Hopefully, those muscles trained in dragging 80 metres of warp out of the sea on every other tide change will be ready to go. Now, a cold shower in a muddy puddle, courtesy of Cowes Yacht Haven, followed by an excellent bacon baguette have built on last nights beer and curry to set us up for the start. We have lots of water, plus spare water and spare, spare water in addition to all the food - there are 608 miles to go, it isn't dark, but we are wearing sunglasses.
Hopefully, we will get further than John and Nick did last time
