'HUB AND WHEEL' RACE CHALLENGES BOAT CREWS-

Simon Worthington 

Five boats joined the latest event in the CSC calendar - the navigators' race - which meant boats restricted to using traditional means of navigation and not rely on chartplotters or mobile phones.
The event on April 27 was organised by Paul Airey with boats meeting at the start line at East Bramble cardinal and then completing a 'hub and wheel' course which involved rounding seven out of nine marks in the central Solent and returning to the hub mark each time. The racing mark Ben F Wood was the hub and nine other marks as far away as 1.2NM acted as spokes of the wheel. It was a demanding race in the spring tides and the F in Ben F Wood certainly took on a new meaning! Boats enjoyed a F3-4 easterly wind, which died in the middle of the race, but thankfully picked up again enabling boats to finish. Some boats deployed their spinnakers to gain an early advantage. Congratulations to Eagle which clinched first place. The finish line was between Williams and Darling yellow buoys, enroute to the Hamble where most boats berthed at Port Hamble marina and had an enjoyable supper in the Banana Wharf restaurant. Don't recommend the pizza though.
Results: 1 Eagle, 2 Lady of Hamford, 3 Papillon, 4 Zhivili, 5 Polly Agatha.