News - 2014

09:40 Saturday 10 Aug 2013 Sue Pelling/CWLDay 8 racing outlook

Rick Tomlinson/CWL

Day 8, the final day of Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week sees a ridge of high pressure over the Solent area and a very light north-westerly gradient wind that will back slowly towards the south-west during the day.

Stuart Quarrie, CEO Cowes Week Limited, says conditions are not ideal for a sea breeze to form. Instead two scenarios are possible, depending on the amount of cloud that drifts over the area.

“If there is plenty of sun, then the greater the mixing of the surface wind with the gradient wind at higher altitudes, which will see the breeze build to a potential maximum of 10-12 knots this afternoon.

“However, in the early part of the morning there were moderately thick bands of cloud drifting over the race area on the north-westerly breeze, with a risk of minimal mixing and thermal enhancement, leaving a somewhat shifty breeze of only 4-10 knots for much of the day.

“With the wind speed at the moment of only 1-4 knots all starts are currently postponed, but the intention is to get classes started as soon as there is sufficient breeze to sail, even if it’s relatively unstable."

Today’s racing will determine the overall winners of many of the White Group dayboat classes, including Etchells, Darings, Squibs and XODs. They are expected to start from the Bramble line, heading towards the east.

Black Group yachts are expected to start to the east from the Bramble line. There are two fixed courses for cruiser classes that were fixed last night at 1800, to help give newcomers to racing an easy introduction.

The course for Cruiser Division A is Browndown (rounding to starboard), South Bramble (rounding to port), East Lepe (rounding to port) and then finish from the west on the Royal Yacht Squadron line.

Cruiser Division B will start from the Bramble line, then sail to North Ryde Middle (rounding to starboard), South Bramble (rounding to port) and East Lepe (rounding to port) before finishing on the RYS line from the west. In both cases, if the weather remains very light there is a possibility of shortening the courses at South Bramble.

If the first start is delayed after around 1200, it is likely that race officials will start races on a five minute sequence, instead of the standard 10 minutes.