News

09:25 Saturday 8 Aug 2015 Sue Pelling/CWLDay 1 preview

Photo – Rick Tomlinson/CWL

As the sun rose over The Solent this morning, activity around Cowes was already under full sail as final preparations took place for the opening day of Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week.

Although there is currently a distinct lack of wind, a sea-breeze is likely to build later to allow racing for the 800+ fleet to kick off this afternoon.

The weather forecast indicates that a light northerly breeze will die as the day warms up. After a period of calm, an afternoon sea breeze of 6-8 knots will establish, initially from the south-east in the eastern Solent and south-west in the western Solent.

Stuart Quarrie – Sailing Director at Cowes Week Limited – says that by positioning the courses out to the western Solent first, some decent racing should take place. “The plan is for classes starting on the Black Group Committee Boat line, to be stationed to the west of the Beaulieu River in the Western Solent with a one-hour postponement. These classes will finish on the Royal Yacht Squadron (RYS) line, although they will be routed through a gate at the JOG line to the west, where the course may be shortened if White Group classes are still starting on the RYS line.

“All White Group classes, plus the Black Group classes scheduled to start on the fixed Bramble line will initially be subject to a two-hour postponement.

“White Group start towards the east, before finishing on the Shrape line from the east. Black Group boats starting from the Bramble line are expected to finish on the RYS line, without passing through the gate that will be used for the classes starting from the committee boat.”