Virgin's race guide

Invaluable information for the first time racer to Cowes by Dick Johnson.

If Skandia Life Cowes Week has a problem, apart from the English weather and its unpredictability of course, it is that it is just so damn big.
A thousand boats or perhaps more, tens of thousands of people - some competitors, some educated spectators, some just bemused by the spectacle of it all - there's the boat to look after, the crew to be fed, there's entertainment not to be missed, the class party, the club ball . . . and, oh yes, there's the racing to get on with.

Navigating your way through the week ashore is as difficult as navigating your way through the Brambles Bank's tortuous tides. Organisation and preparation and a little inside knowledge, that's the answer.

First the boat:
Entry - I'll assume that your entry is in on time and that either you comply with your class rules or the rating certificate is in order, but don’t forget that Skandia Life Cowes Week also caters for those who only compete once a year with classes that run on the Island Sailing Club's own simple handicap system. So you can take the family cruiser and have some fun on the same water as those Olympic stars and the America's Cup boys and girls.

Equipment - check on the safety equipment aboard and that you comply with the class rules. If you are in the cruiser classes, remember that you cannot sail with the anchor over the bow - hardly surprising with those crowded start lines.

Navigation - get the navigator to go over the charts aboard and correct them to date - or just buy new ones if you are lazy. The Admiralty Small Craft Folio SC5600, Solent and Approaches is the perfect way to get the right charts, but some prefer the Imray charts - C15 will cover the central Solent and C3 a bit further afield.
Specialist charts also show all the Solent racing buoys and give waypoints to enter into the GPS. Make sure that the waypoints are entered well in advance and get two people to check them against the list - it's amazing how easy it is to make a small error and not notice.
Other essentials in the navigator's armoury are local tide tables, one of the tidal wheels which show the complications of the stream round the Brambles Bank and in the rest of the Solent, and don't forget that absolute essential, Peter Bruce's fourth edition of Solent Hazards. Solent Hazards, the little book that, with amazing aerial photographs, shows every navigational problem that might beset you in racing.

Mooring - have you arranged where you are keeping the boat? It might be possible to sail over from the Hamble every day, but you miss all the fun in the evenings and the camaraderie of the people you race against. Much better to be in the Medina in one of the many berthing sites available.
Check with the Harbour master or get a copy of the Cowes Port directory and Handbook - you should have a copy anyway - for all the essential phone numbers. To start you off, Captain Stuart McIntosh, the Harbour Master, can be reached on +44 (0)1983 293952, or email chc@cowes.co.uk.

Sailing instructions - have you read them? Ideally, designate a couple of crew members to read and understand everything that applies to you. For instance, if you are in the Black Group of classes, memorise the SI that dictates that you have to pass North of Snowden Buoy and a couple of others to avoid the moorings in the Roads and the White Group finish line. It's amazing how many people, many of them old Cowes hands, forget in the heat of the moment. Daubs of yellow highlighter in the vital areas help quick access.

Maintenance - give the boat a full check over from masthead to keel well in advance, have the bottom scrubbed just before the week starts and do remove all that non-essential rubbish that accumulates on even the best run boats. The weight saving can be eye popping.

Local assistance - there are two major chandlers in Cowes High Street, though a visit to Pascal Atkey's is recommended if only for its old world atmosphere. Hunt's Hardware also has a useful selection of more practical stuff.
If you have a collision or a breakage, the first person to talk to is Lawrie Boarer at Lallows, but there are a plethora of experts in just about every boat repair discipline available to you - check the Cowes Port Directory and Handbook for all the details.

Now let's think of the crew

Accommodation - if you fancied living ashore in a rented house of apartment for instance, you will have booked last year. If you haven't, there isn't a snowball's chance in hell of getting anything closer than Brighton.
If you are happily accommodated, get a crew member to sort out collecting the keys, making sure that the beds and bedrooms are allocated and that there is a basic supply of food there for the first days. Like your Mum said, remember to start the day with a good breakfast.

Food - like an army, a yacht's crew marches on its stomach. Plenty of sandwiches or rolls for lunch time - remember that there are always those who won't eat one thing or another and the number of vegetarians is increasing by the hour - and energy bars and snacks should be aboard to give flagging winch grinders a boost.

Make sure that there is plenty of water in litre bottles, but save the beer for ashore. If it is going to be a sunny day, take at least half as much water again.



Racing

Starts - charges of teaching Grandmother to suck eggs might be levelled, but get to the start line in plenty of time, check which start line is being used and which direction the racing is heading. And don-t forget that, if you are in the Black Group, you will be having a Committee Boat start at some stage in the week. Every year there is some poor soul wandering around on the Squadron line looking for their class mates.
For Black Group competitors dedicate a crew member to monitor the VHF on channel 28 for information constantly - there should also be an additional channel for the Black group this year, but at the time of writing it hadn't been allocated.
When the course is read out, have a crew member write it down from the official VHF. A useful (but unofficial) backup is to have a second person write it down from the Cowes Radio (106.2FM) broadcast just in case there are any anomalies. Any competitor with a small radio can make use of this information.

Monitor Cowes Radio for information, as one of their commentators is on the Squadron platform and gets hints of things happening long before any official announcements and often gets the Principal Race Officer up to the microphone to let the fleets know just what is happening.
Have a practice start by all means, but remember to take care not to impede other classes starting. The committee can penalise you if you mess up another start, and that applies to boats coming out of the Medina and interfering with boats in the inner line starting in the White Group too.

Weather Cowes Radio issues a special forecast dedicated to the race area at 15 minutes past the hour throughout the day from 0700, updated every two hours. Ocean Routes is the Official source of Weather Forecast Information for the Regatta and their daily forecasts will be available both on the www.cowesweek.co.uk, at the Regatta Centre and on the numerous results screens around the town.

During the race keep one ear out for the official VHF announcements, as there will be information about course shortenings, etc. Remember also that Cowes Radio also has very useful information about tide and weather conditions all over the Solent that will be of use as you go round your course.

Finish - each of the race Groups, Black and White, have their finishing idiosyncrasies which must be observed. Read the sailing instructions, remember to show your numbers on the rail as you cross if you are in the Black Group - haul in your sails if crossing the White Group line well off the wind - and take the numbers of the boats immediately ahead and astern of you. Finallly don't forget to visit the regatta office just behind the parade centre to sign off.

Results - full results are stuck up on the windows of the Regatta Centre on Cowes parade, so the crew can check on positions while you sign the declaration. Results are also read out on Cowes Radio as they happen and on into the afternoon, and again in the Regatta Report programme starting at 1700. Results will also be on the official Cowes website www.cowesweek.co.uk and the website pages will be transmitted onto the screens around the town.

Prize giving - for the first time this year, Skandia are hosting a special regatta prize giving on the Sunday after the regatta. If you have won a pot for an overall class position, stick around another night for a celebration, go to the bash at the Royal Yacht Squadron's Pavilion and then watch the start of the Fastnet race in the afternoon.

Happy sailing!