Suzanne and Alan share this latest sailing report. Ed
Having decided to use AAM Cowes Week as Round 3 of their 2016 season of regattas the Fast 40+ fleet were determined to showcase their class as well as challenging each other to some fine racing.
For AAM Cowes Week the Entry List was as follows:
Antix | Anthony O’Leary
Girls On Film | Peter Morton
Harlequin/42 S | Jonnie Goodwin INO XXX | James Neville
Invictus | Sir Keith Mills
Jubilee | Tony Dickin
Keronimo | Steve Travis
Magnum4 | Andrew Pearce
Otra Vez | Bill Coates
Pace | Johnny Vincent Rebellion | Stewart Whitehead Tokoloshe | Mike Bartholomew
Zephyr | Steve Cowie
Day 1
After the two hour wait for the wind along with other boats competing at Cowes the Fast 40s got under way, following a recall, for a 25 mile course, predominately in the Western Solent.
Peter Morton’s Carkeek 40 Girls on Film headed straight for the mainland shore, escaping the worst of the tide and into clear air. Peter is well known in sailing circles and more recently has headed up Shemara Refit the firm behind the building of Red Funnel’s new fast ferry- Red Jet 6. On board Girls On Film, Peter and this Cowes based team showed a clean pair of heels to the rest of the fleet and led from start to finish with the boat navigated by local expert Jules Salter.
In bright sun and with winds now gusting to 19 knots Sir Keith Mills’ Ker40+ Invictus came back from a late start to take second place by just nine seconds on corrected time from Jonny Vincent’s KER40+ Pace.
Day 2
This 13 strong FAST40+ fleet had a competitive start in the Central Solent with the lead changing hands four times. Stewart Whitehead’s British Carkeek 40 Rebellion had a pitched battle with Mike Bartholomew’s South African GP42 Tokoloshe and Jonnie Goodwin’s British Harlequin. All three boats chose to head for the mainland shore and Tokoloshe held their position better than the competition.
Bill Coates Texan Ker 43 Otra Vez showed their excellent upwind speed to take the lead as the fleet passed Beaulieu, and held pole position at Hurst Castle. However, Invictus and Peter Morton’s Girls on Film hit 20 knots of boat speed to accelerate to the front. After a terrific duel back to the Royal Yacht Squadron Line, Invictus had the upper hand, and held on to win the race, just over a boat length in front of Girls on Film. Tokoloshe crossed the line a minute later to take third. Otra Vez led the chasing pack to take fourth.
After nearly five hours of racing, it all came down to just 12 seconds with Sir Keith Mills Invictus winning the prestigious Royal Thames YC 1840 Challenge Cup, silverware which pre-dates the America’s Cup.
Day 3
All the FAST40+ class had a change of scenery for the third day of Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week.
A 25-mile course in the Eastern Solent, as far out as the Nab Tower, proved a tactical test for the fleet under lighter conditions with a northwesterly breeze. From the start there were battles and these continued for well over three hours. Bill Coates ‘Otra Vez powered into an early lead.
However, Girls on Film overhauled the leader and extended it for most of the course until the boat experienced a foul tide. This compressed the fleet, but the lead they had built up was enough to secure their second bullet of the regatta.
Girls on Film completed the course in under three and a half hours to regain the overall lead for AAM Cowes Week. Invictus was second in the race and dropped to second overall.
Day 4
The 20-mile race, lasting over three hours, produced close battles throughout the fleet. The top three yachts finished within 30 seconds of each other. Otra Vez took line honours and the victory on corrected time by just 14 seconds from Sir Keith Mills’ Invictus.
Overnight leader Girls on Film, skippered by Peter Morton was third. Anthony O’Leary’s Irish Ker 40 Antix had a solid race and was placed fourth, just one second ahead of Johnny Vincent’s Pace on corrected time.
Day 5
Johnny Vincent’s Pace became the fourth team to claim victory in the FAST40+ Class at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week.
A fast reaching send off, towards the Eastern Solent, added extra spice at the start. Sir Keith Mills’ Ker40+ Invictus was called over the line at the start, and did not return to re-start correctly, and was therefore disqualified. Bill Coates Texan Ker 43 Otra Vez was second to Pace, by just 31 seconds on corrected time. Peter Morton’s Girls on Film was third and retained the lead for the regatta with race winner Pace moving up to second overall and Otra Vez to third.
Five races and four winners-that shows what this class is all about.
Day 6
Bill Coates was full of emotion as his Texan Ker 43 Otra Vez was in cruise control when crossing the finish line. Leading for the entire race, this win secured one of Cowes Week most prestigious trophies; The Britannia Cup. In doing so it meant that the trophy remains in American hands after Bella Mente’s win last year.
After racing Bill Coates said,
“Ed Peel sails on board Otra Vez. He is a member of the Royal Yacht Squadron, tonight Ed will have dinner at the club and he has the honour of the trophy at his table. I see what that means to him and it makes me realise what an honour it is to win the Britannia Cup.”
This trophy was created to re-ignite yacht racing after WW2.
Peter Morton’s Girls on Film was second and with the discard rule kicking in, retained the overall lead at Cowes Week by a single point from Invictus, which was placed third despite a backstay problem hampering their performance.
Sunshine provided a sensational finale to racing at Cowes Week for the FAST40+ Class. A light breeze from the southwest, developed into a westerly touching twenty knots by the end of the 22 mile race in the Eastern and Central Solent.
Otra Vez and Girls on Film had good speed upwind for this race but Invictus although having found a short-term solution to the backstay problem was without the ability to fully power up the boat upwind.
At the end of this race it was Bill Coates’ Otra Vez that came from behind to win the last race of the series and the prestigious New York Yacht Club Challenge Cup.
In the Fast 40+ Series Peter Morton’s Cowes based crew on Girls on Film won the inaugural FAST40+ Class at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week. Bill Coates’ Otra Vez was second and Invictus was third overall.
Image: © Paul Wyeth/CWL
