News - 2013

12:47 Tuesday 6 Aug 2013 Rupert Holmes/CWLA relaxing morning in the sun...

High spirits despite a long wait for the wind. Photo: Rick Tomlinson/CWL

This morning Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week competitors have had a relaxing morning waiting for a sea breeze to fill in. Flags AP over AP – indicated an indefinite postponement – was flying from the Royal Yacht Squadron flagstaff until 1130. The signs of a building sea breeze were in place by then, with cloud building over the mainland and in the central Solent the overnight north-north-westerly airflow had swung to the south.

However, it remained at only 1-3 knots for the next hour, but the committee boat for Black Group Bramble start line was able to lay the outer limit mark at 1230 in preparation for getting a starting sequence underway. Close to the Island shore there was more wind, but with a northerly component to the direction, indicating the main afternoon sea breeze had yet to become established there. This is predicted to build over the next couple of hours, and race officials are still hoping to get fleet racing early this afternoon.