wpadmin

8am on a crisp Saturday morning as 13 skippers gathered at the SRA clubhouse for the per-race briefing. The weather briefing showed SW medium breeze, fading to not much from any direction and eventually light NE for Saturday night into Sunday. Boats loaded with warm clothes, fleece hats, more layers, and enough food to cater to a fair sized wedding breakfast were onboard in amongst the mandatory offshore safety equipment, and we were ready for the off. Tactical decision for…

The Trophée d’Autumn kicked off with 55 boats bobbing around waiting for breeze on an overcast and cold day. Eventually a few knots of wind arrived and we prepared for the start. Our perfect start was marred somewhat by two port tack boats blocking our starboard path, shrugging, and ever so slowly turning back to the line. Oh well. Lots of spinnakers were launched, but it looked too tight, so we kept our jib and pulled ahead, now from last…

A challenging race in many aspects! Thursday noon saw over 30 boats on a bumpy start line outside Bonifacio, ready for the 245 mile course, which was simply Corsica to starboard. The night before, the skippers voted unanimously for this clockwise direction. We picked our way through the start and kept inshore in clear air to the first turn then settled into the long legs. As the wind built and the course changed we went through all the sails and…

So that’s a wrap for the 2023 edition of the Coupe Napoleon. This year’s course was out to a scientific mark, anchored in 3km of water, between Antibes and Corsica, and then down towards Toulon. A good start in clear air, up with the Code-0, and we were off. Soon changed to the new A2 monster spinnaker, and glorious sailing away from the coast in sunshine, warm seas, etc. Rounding the mark, and then 65 miles upwind, with the breeze…

72 boats on the line for the first race after the summer break – really the first race of the year as it runs from Sept to June. Isabel, Ella, Domino, Mark and Pete, plus the usual amount of food and water made for a heavy boat in the light conditions. But we wouldn’t have it any other way, and suggestions to leave food behind were received a little frostily. We got away off the star and headed out to…

Day 1. Two handed race from Antibes to St. Jean Cap Ferrat today (tomorrow race back). Big winds (30-34kt), large seas off the Cap, and a quick race! We ended up 3rd out of 18 in class, and was 6th boat out of 47 to cross the finish line. A grand day out.We’ve left Sadiiqi in the very posh port of St. Jean – she was eyeing up a cute Italia Yacht as we left – suspect there’ll be trouble…

Coupe Napoleon – Sadiiqi back in berth safe and sound after 2 days 10 hours of racing round Elba and back to Antibes. Was the wettest race I’ve done in a long while – might as well have swum the course. We had a good start and then made it to the new breeze off Monaco, then sleigh ride through the night to Corsica. Got to the Giraglia Rock at dawn – it’s pretty iconic, then into the big breeze…

Winds of 3-7 knots from the SW and a course down Cap d’Antibes and back (3 laps). Started at the pin and headed out on stbd tack; boats that ran to the shore seemed to gain. After the first mark in the bay of Garoupe it was out to sea for the turning mark at Le Raventurier and a long downwind to run through the start/finish for the next lap. The wind now steadied at 5-6 knots and this time…

The first race of the year and a great turnout of over 60 boats. Got away cleanly off the start and in the leading pack at the separation mark off of Port Vauban. After rounding Cap d’Antibes, circling the Juan les Pins fish farm, and staying south of Isle St. Honorat, arrived at the finish 6th out of 18. The other SunFast in the race was 2 minutes ahead of us.

Just waiting for the 2021 season to start – race after race has been scheduled, then cancelled. Handficap certificates have been issued, crew licences acquired, and the boat has been prepared, and prepared, and then prepared…. We’re ready to go, and hoping that there is pent up demand for racing.