News - 2014

09:42 Friday 8 Aug 2014 Day 7 preview

Photo – Rick Tomlinson/CWL

The penultimate day of Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week (day 7) looks set to be another light wind affair for the 800 plus boats heading out to the start this morning.

Minimal pressure gradient over The Solent, combined with a lot of cloud due to low pressure systems to the south and west of the area. This cloud is currently preventing the mixing of the air from the upper atmosphere down to sea level that will be needed for a breeze suitable for racing to become established. Any breeze that does fill in is likely to be a light south-easterly.

There is, therefore, a high chance of an AP over AP indefinite postponement for most classes, while race officials wait for signs of a south-easterly wind filling in. An exception to this is for the Black Group classes, scheduled to start from the Black Group committee boat, which will be stationed near Aberdeen E inflatable mark to the west of Gilkicker Point in the eastern Solent.

When racing gets under way for the remainder of Black Group yachts, scheduled to start from the Bramble line, they will head to the east, to race in the eastern Solent, before returning to finish on the same line.

The White Group Committee Boat will be positioned near William, to the east of the entrance of Southampton Water, but classes starting there will initially be kept in port, until there are signs of any wind filling in. When racing does get underway classes starting here are also likely to be finished on the committee boat line.

The remainder of White Group dayboats will start from the Royal Yacht Squadron line heading towards the west, before returning to finish in the same direction.

There is a possibility of the XOD class starting from the Shrape line off East Cowes. If this happens the line may be re-oriented to make it as square as possible to the expected south-easterly breeze.

An amendment to the White Group sailing instructions was published this morning to allow for this: http://aamcw.co/docs

Elsewhere in Cowes there is plenty of activity throughout the day including the legendary Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week fireworks display which blasts off at 2130. The RAF Typhoon display team will be overhead at 1910, followed in quick succession by the iconic Red Arrows at 1930.