JOG Osmotech Alderney Race 2018

Xara and With Alacrity after the JOG Alderney start © Kate Cope

It was a breezy start at Cowes for competitors in JOG's four classes on the evening of Friday 15th June – a good entry of 35 yachts with just one or two not making the line. The smaller boats in Class 6 were away at 18:00 with some on reduced sail at the start of the new spring tide down to the eastern Solent and through the forts to Bembridge Ledge.

The fresh south-westerly and fair tide ensured swift progress for all with the bigger boats slowly catching Class 6 – they don't come much bigger than the X55 Lutine right on the upper rating limit for JOG racing and she looked quite majestic with a single reef seemingly untroubled by the now adverse tide after Bembridge on her way to line honours at 07:54 on Saturday. No wonder the crew looked rested at Alderney!

It was interesting to see how opinions varied on when to make the jump away from the south side of the island but it seemed that pretty nearly all the fleet stayed inshore tacking into Sandown Bay with some hanging onto the island until St Catherine's Point. Thus there was a big lateral separation mid-channel with navigators weighing up how best to approach Alderney in the monster tides and forecast backing and strengthening wind.

If you wanted an early arrival in Braye harbour it paid to be on a fast boat – slower and smaller boats were hit hard when the second east-going tide of the race came in and could only make proper progress when it went west again. Life was then made more difficult with rain, poor visibility and a need to shorten sail on the final approach. It was useful to get that about right with 5 knots plus of tide just north of the harbour entrance.

As in previous years everyone enjoyed a great welcome at Alderney SC with a free bar and the first three in all the classes were rewarded for their efforts with prizes – grateful thanks to Alderney for good food and refreshment and of course to our sponsors Osmotech who will be pleased to know their support was appreciated by all.

Next up in the JOG programme is the Dean & Reddyhoff Portland race on Saturday 21st July which is the feeder race for The Portal Company JOG Week in association with the Royal Dart Yacht Club starting from Portland to Dartmouth on Sunday 22nd July. A varied menu of coastal and inshore racing runs through to Friday 27th July supplemented by socials through the week. Entry is still available and competitors will enjoy a variety of benefits including free berthing and funded evenings! More information here: www.jogweek.com

Osmotech Alderney Results

Class 3:
1st Minx 3
2nd Old Mother Gun
3rd British Soldier

Class 4:
1st Just So
2nd Juno
3rd All or Nothing

Class 5:
1st With Alacrity
2nd Xara
3rd Longue Pierre

Class 6:
1st Raffles
2nd Snowbound
3rd Thistle VI

Double-Handed:
1st All or Nothing
2nd Bigfoot
3rd Snowbound

Please contact if you have any questions about the route into small yacht racing with JOG (Junior Offshore Group).
www.jog.org.uk
www.facebook.com/JOGyachtracing