Round the Island tactics (2002) pt1

Navigator Mike Broughton walks the course up to the Needles

General Information:

HW Portsmouth is 1032 BST - 50% Springs
Pilotage books: Solent Hazards and White Hazards by Peter Bruce
Tidal Information: Solent Tides by Peter Bruce
Solent and Isle of Wight Tidal Streams by 'Check Charts' (half hourly tidal streams)

First Quarter - Start to the Needles distance approx 13nms

Initial Strategy - Plan to aim for Sconce buoy where you can make the most of the 'tidal slingshot' just to the west of Yarmouth. Then continue in the fast moving current towards Hurst Castle, then if you are beating into the expected southwesterly winds, work the area of best current close to the Shingles, prior to peeling off and aiming for the Needles.

A Bit of Geometry -The actual start line is 1.2 nm long (from the Royal Yacht Squadron (RYS) to West Bramble). In simple geometry terms, the shortest distance to Sconce is the perpendicular (rhumb line) to the buoy and is not in the middle of the line, but just a quarter of the distance up the line from the RYS. Starting close to West Bramble is a whole 200m further than at the perpendicular point. There are often good reasons to start elsewhere, depending on the wind, tide and the main body of the fleet, but always remember that extra 200m if you are aiming for Sconce and starting near West Bramble buoy.

Osborne Court Top Window - The RYS start line transits and high intensity lights are never more difficult to see, than on the RTI Race in the final 25 seconds to the start gun, as they invariably get obscured by other boats. Brief your bowman to also be aware of the transit of the RYS Flag Staff, in line with the top window in the tower of Osbourne Court apartments. This transit is usually visible above the height of other boat masts.

The Best Tidal Stream - For those starting between 0800 and 0900, the area of strongest tidal stream, will be around 300m north of the Cowes Green. Look in particular for 'Micky's Tidal River'. On the ebb, this is a local 'river of water' that looks brown and flows between 0.8 and 1.4 knots faster than the rest of the ebb. It is actually a layer of 'fresh water' that is usually only 400m across and sits on top of the more dense salt water. It runs west, just north of Gurnard buoy, prior to swinging over towards West Lepe Buoy and then swinging back towards Yarmouth and merging with the strong tide off Sconce. Note the local mini tidal race just inside Black Rock buoy, as the tide sluices round a mound on the seabed (don't hit Black Rock itself, 200m south of the buoy).

Clear Wind versus Dirt! - Never is it so critical, than on the RTI Race with so many other boats around. Pick your lanes carefully and avoid having to tack too often and getting 'buried' in a pack of boats. With a southwesterly predicted for Saturday slugging it out in a beat along the Cowes Green, works well for the leading boats, but in such a large fleet, those a little further back, end up 'eating dirt' for a long time. If necessary, forego a little of the tidal advantage if it means sailing for longer in clear air.

Beware the Escape Route - Beating against a southwesterly along the 'Green' with a close fleet can easily end in tears! You may be in great shape, as you race in on starboard tack, in clear air, with the fleet lined up on your starboard hip, but you have to be able to plan your escape! If you have larger faster boats inside you, it can be very tricky and if you have a poor tack, you could well end up dipping a lot of sterns as you exit on port tack. If the fleet is close up to you and you approach the shore and have to call for water, start the dialogue early. The boats close by inside may also be trapped on starboard by other boats on their hip. The fifth boat in may not have anticipated the pending problem, as she merrily continues on starboard tack, leaving you sweating as the shore fast approaches. It was here that one Fastnet Race 'favourite' ended their race damaged after only 200m, whilst another boat sailed the whole course, thought they had won, and later got disqualified for an infringement after only 55 seconds of racing.

Winds Bends and shadows - The river valleys in the western part of the Isle of Wight have a marked effect on the wind in the western Solent. With a wind left of 250 degrees, the valleys such as the Newton River, create relatively large lefthanders over a local area, as the wind funnels out of the estuary and then fans out, creating significant gains on port tack. In east/west winds, there is a wind bend around Egypt Point as well as an area of lighter winds close into Gurnard Bay. In an easterly wind, this is created by the hill directly inland, whilst in westerly winds, is created by the wind 'detaching' from the surface to get over that same hill.

Bullets from 'on high'! - A northwesterly wind is often gusty and allows for decent gains, if you can read the wind as it rolls down the racecourse towards you. After a cold front, a northwesterly wind, is unstable polar maritime air that mixes in the lower levels and often creates stronger winds and gusts on the leading edges of clouds. This stronger wind from aloft, is veered by about 20 degrees, creating down drafts that are often experienced as 'bullets of wind' on your boat, giving significant local right handers.

Alum and Totland Bays - don't go there - View the great scenery from afar! There is less tide to help you here and most significantly a lot less wind caused by the high cliffs and hills (140m high) close on the shoreline, that create huge wind shadows.

Newtown Lefthanders
Great gains can be made by understanding the way the wind funnels along the valleys of the western part of the Isle of Wight. In a prevailing southwesterly, the wind is modified a great deal by its land track before fanning out and effecting the southern side of the western Solent. The rule of thumb here to make the most of the available gains is to tack in towards the headlands on starboard and sailing across the bays on port tack and taking the predictable lift. The wind is naturally lazy and tends to funnel down the river valleys and can be utilised to make good tactical gains.



The Needles, plan ahead for your manoeuvre - The tightest hairpin bend of the course, requires early preparation for sail handling and headsail changes. Make sure the team are all briefed early, so that you can concentrate on the pilotage. There always seems to be a wind change here and you are about to turn a blind corner. Check out the wind for the next leg, through the gaps in the Needles as you head for the lighthouse.

Don't forget Indulgence in 1989 - Sailing Giant Panda that year, we rounded the Needles in a really light southerly wind, in a great position. However, we ended up parking under the cliffs near Freshwater Bay in no wind for what seemed like ages, along with nearly all of the rest of the fleet. Indulgence avoided the temptation of going for the making tack, headed offshore in search of the new sea breeze, heading SSW (rhumb line to St Cats - 120 degrees!) and won the race by a country mile.

The Varvassi, inside or outside? - Several boats get badly damaged on the remains of the wreck each year. If in doubt, go outside and don't change your plan half way through because you see others getting away with it. This will certainly attract the wreck to your keel! See the photos of the safe way to round the Varvassi wreck.

Going Inside - The depth at chart datum to get though the gap between Goose Rock and the remaining boilers of the SS Varvassi that got wrecked here in 1947, is between 2.4m and 3m nearer to Goose Rock. Note that the tidal range at the Needles is only about a half of that of the Portsmouth tidal range, so depth is not a problem for most yachts.

The boilers are about 150m west of the lighthouse and lie roughly on a heading of SSW (see diagram 1) and extend about 2.5m above the seabed, hence about 30 cms below the surface at MLWS. The recommended technique for the inner passage, is to identify Goose Rock (usually by the breaking water) and leave it about 10-15 metres close to port. Make sure you don't hit Goose Rock itself (keep the old coastguard station in sight as you line up to round between the boilers and the Rocks off the lighthouse). One well-known Maxi recently managed to avoid the wreck, but hit the Isle of Wight itself and ended up in big trouble. Make sure you brief your helmsman well prior to this corner, if in doubt take a conservative route outside the wreck.



Safe Passage past the Varvassi Wreck off the Needles Lighthouse

Whilst some yachts with a shallow draft will plan to cut the corner by sailing inside the Varvassi wreck, each year some yachts end up hitting the remains of the wreck, causing serious damage. The safe way round is to go outside, by sailing on until the top of the lighthouse appears level with the bottom of the old coastguard station (see second pic down), it is then safe to round the corner and head towards St Catherine's Point.

The photos show the coastguard hut when just north of the transit line, when actually in transit from a safe distance and to the south of the transit and safely past the wreck when heading towards St Catherine's Point.