Page 17 - Folk Boat Year Book 2022

fractionally earlier than Valhalla and Pickle. Calling that layline is always a tricky
proposition from so far out, but a final scrap of leebow tide just saved any
embarrassment and we slipped past Goose rock and inside Varvassi with a small
cushion of lead.

Tide was initially adverse down the back of the island, so we sailed the shortest
course across Freshwater Bay, before starting to work inshore to pick up the early
tidal turn off Chale. St Catherine’s to Bembridge was the usual challenge of keeping
clear air whilst dead running ahead of larger boats that were finally getting into their
stride after the usual delays and confusion around the Needles. Ahead we could just
discern Madeleine with her retinue of Golden Roman Bowl competitors, whilst behind
the ominous shape and colour of Mistral’s spinnaker.

Unusually, we found ourselves on port gybe approaching Bembridge Ledge but
managed an inside rounding and headed up towards St Helen’s. This turned out to be
a bit freer than the familiar tight fetch and a line of Folkboat spinnakers reappeared
astern, to which we responded with our own re-hoist.

Tension built as the mass of fleets converged on Sandshead post. We followed a
Sonata much further inside this trap than usual and slipped across the outer
extremity of Ryde Sands with a few dozen centimetres under the keel. So commenced
the trial of nerves down the western side of the sands. Tacking out on port tack to be
confronted with a 40 footer demanding starboard rights as it charged into knee deep

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