What have I done!!!

[ian h]

Congratulations Ed,
Sure you will have a blast, Mad yes but would love to do it myself too

Unfortunately unable to watch this year as working all weekend

[shibbs]

So Ed, last weekend of preparation before the big day.
How're you getting on?
Nerves set in yet?

[_Ed_]

Was in Cornwall last week, so Malc did most of the odds and sods. Were there now - we think. Off in the morning to Cowes and the boat will be seen by a scrutineer at some point, and any last moment changes made.

[_Ed_]

Put some of my company sickers on it today. May as well try to get some PR from it??!

I still cant believe we have gone from having the idea 4-5 weeks ago to having training and now entering Cowes Pool Cowes. Amazing!

1-DSC_0107.JPG (68.86 KiB) Viewed 15822 times

[Ianfs]

Interesting, where do you sit? In the back?

Hope you have a loud voice!

PS. Sorry Ed I see there is a seat on the port side!

[shibbs]

Looks great, very envious!!
I'll be over in the morning to watch the start, maybe even tonight to stay over..
Dare I say it, but the weather is looking quite promising!!!
I'll certainly keep an eye for you and get some pictures if I can, I'm planning to be out to see all the boats come out of cowes first.
If I don't post before...
GOOD LUCK and have a good one!!

[mlines]

Looks like James and the boat will be in Mercury this weekend and might pop out to spectate. Not sure I will be there as its a bit early. Anyone thinking of going? James might like some crew?
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[_Ed_]

Don't have long so a quick update.

Arrived in Cowes Sat morning, Malc was leaving with the boat from Calshot, and I got the ferry, as then we had a car and tools etc on the main land.

Our first job was to get passed by the scrutineers, quite daunting, there is a long list of stuff which needs to be checked from the CE markings on the race helmets to the dates of flares. You each need a kill chord and in addition, you both need a spare so we have to show 4. We needed a compass, charts (paper) and had GPS and even more backup on the handheld VHF which can do that too. (The scrutineer loved the VHF radio) in addition we had to have race life jackets, everything secure the list just goes on.

In any case - amazingly we passed!! after this process the boat is not allowed to leave the marina. The idea is that this prevents changes and should reduce cheating etc. We also had to test intercoms. We were going to use PMR style motorbike intercoms but realised that in reality the VOX function is no good (too noisy) and also push button just impractical. So friday the night before I was up till 3.30 am building a small 2 way intercom amplifier from bits I had so we didn't have to do anything. It was a bit last minute to check but thankfully it worked a treat (I don't know what we would have done if it didn't)

We then had our race briefing at around 6pm. A half hour power point presentation by the OOD (officer of the day) clearly a very experienced chap who was easily able to keep control of all the big boats and people with them. It explained the way the start would run, and what would happen at the finish. As new racers we were told at the end that its not worth trying to pick a fight with more experienced racers and that accidents can happen etc so to be careful. Fairly sensible to be honest. Everyone seemed to think that it was a pretty big race to be doing as your first one.

That was all day gone! So off to an evening meal and then early night bed. (with three hours sleep the night before I needed as much as I could get)

Sunday... Up at 6.30, and down to the boat putting back in anything valuable I'd removed. With no overnight security (that I could see!) we did check the boats the night before. I didn't want to take any chances, we then had a weather report at 7.45 which was flat calm smooth etc. Apparently never had a report like that in all the years the race has run. They did a name call and anyone who wasn't present would have been disqualified.

After this the noise began, The larger boats for the Torquay race were told to leave the pontoons and head to muster area from 8.45 after they left we had to follow and stand east of the muster area waiting for our turn. I knew we had limited fuel and so couldn't afford to waste a single drop and so we followed out near the back followed the route fairly efficiently and waited as instructed with the engine off. (turned out it was a very good thing we did this too)

Listening to the radio I heard that boat 1-20 had already broken down (flat battery) and also, they had to get boats in to clear the start run as the public were getting in the way! Shortly after I hear the start is on, and the yellow flat on the start boat went up. The noise from the Torquay boats was pretty immense, a helicopter flew over us and as the start boat crossed the start line, the green flag went up and the race was on.

Now it was our turn!!!!!!!!

We were told that smaller boats to keep to the north of the start and the faster U (unlimited) class to be to the south. After a ferry had cleared our path, the start boat put up the Yellow start flag. Its now that you have to form the start line. For a moment I lost track of the start boat, we were quite far north of it and it was quite tricky to know what your looking for. Fortunately Malc hadn't and I clocked it as we began to line up. The start run was faster than I expected too. we never actually made it into line before the Green flag went up and the race was on!!!! (Just far to cautious)

So down the Solent picking up speed and checking the comms were working, and that we could understand each other. So far so good. Boat felt ok, conditions were good, and everyone in front to be honest were flying. Speed very quickly built up to 52-54mph, and not a lot more. We headed down towards Hurst castle and already it was clear we were well off the speed with this backup engine A 2.0 merc V6 which replaced the 2.4 that died a couple of weeks ago. To highlight the point even more, one of Malcs friends decided to follow us down (which I'll be honest annoyed me as it distracted Malc somewhat) With the old engine, he wouldn't have caught us, but this time we actually couldn't even keep with him.

Past Hurst castle our first marker was off the end of Hengistbury Head there are crab pots etc around here fishing boats and all sorts so caution here. We had to pass with the marker to port and that was done without issue, Again we were averaging GPS around 54-56mph.

Now onto Boscombe and Bournemouth pier. The idea of these two were for spectators, but since really the local advertising it seemed was pretty weak, the piers were fairly empty sadly. Sea conditions here were calm, a small chop with a few rollers coming in from the south waves of perhaps 2-3ft. Nothing to worry about. But again, just not enough power. The rest of the group were now almost out of sight, and it was now just our intention to make sure we made it back.

Passing Bournmouth pier we then turned to port about 100deg and headed South about three miles, this maker is about is the furthest point from the start, and our first real big problem. We were now heading straight into the small swell, only about a meter but with a bit of a strange period of perhaps 10m (??guessing) meant you just had to be a bit careful not to land the rear of the boat deep in one and stuff in the next.
I suspect here it would have helped a lot to have had more power as we would have skimmed better across them. We got some good air off a few of these but were landing pretty smoothly. With the next maker about 1/4 mile directly in front we hit another landed and the RPM on the engine shot up. Sounded as though we had broken the gearbox, although to be honest Malc is quite a mechanically sympathetic driver so I didnt think that happened. I had to radio to race control to inform them that we had lost drive and were investigating. I didn't want to put up the orange flag, we had just past another boat who did. I leant over the back of the boat removed the cover to the engine and saw that somehow the gear linkage arm had come off the engine. It seemed to still engage gear ok, but we had to find a way to keep it in gear. So we used a cable tie!!! The only one (we should have had more!!) on the boat, I strapped the linkage in forward and tied it there so it wouldn't jump out. We then put the cover back on and started it.

We had drive again!!! Amazing. This would make it interesting back in the marina, but now we just wanted to complete the course. As a side note I think it was this that may have knocked the camera mount that eventually lead to us loosing the camera. I'm so gutted about that one... It would have been amazing footage.

Back with drive and race control informed we rejoined the race. Again to port and now heading about level with the bottom of studland bay heading back in the direction of the needles.

Some of the rollers here were interesting. Again around 55mph we were still getting some proper air. In fact on two to three occasions the boat entirely left the water into eery silence. Malc would back off the engine and with no water noise no buffeting about it was just a moment of flying.. then BANG back in to the sea and off we went.

Over half way now and with the next marker visible and half a mile from it we continued. This leg was about 8 miles, and so far so good. Another concern began to raise its head that fuel appeared to be going rather fast.. These engines the SST/XR2 should do about 1.5 litre a mile flat out. We were flat out, the engine had no more go but we had 100 litres. So should be plenty! But the gauge was worrying.

Past the needles marker and now the final straight back up the channel. All the markers would now be to our starboard side, and about another 8? ish miles to go.

We headed back up the solent and strangely our speed increased. Perhaps it was when we lost the camera?!!! For the first time of the day we touched 58-59 then 60mph. It could have even been the tide helping us. I've not checked to see, but the finish line was now in sight. We just had to make it across the line.

And we did!! Chequered flag was waved and we passed the line immediately backed off and turned to starboard and headed our way back into Cowes.. Drama over.. well nearly we only had fwd drive.. as we were discussing what to do and had just entered the marina that decision was made for us. We ran out of fuel just as we had entered the marina. Unbelievable how close was that. I pulled off my helmet and caught the attention of some people who helped pull us in with our lines.

Race over. We now had one hour to get our scrutineers card signed and handed in. They want to check the boat to make sure you have not removed anything to gain an advantage. Malc was also desperate for the toilet. I joked that it explained why he was so slow (lol) but he said no he was trying to get back asap to goto the loo hahaha. So with our paper work signed we signed ourselfs back in and all the formalities done the race was finished.

Amazing!!!

[_Ed_]

I'll add more later and some pics. Please if you have any questions or anything just ask

[ChrisH]

whata great write up Ed. I got goose bumps reading that
Wish I had come out to watch now.