Cowes Port Handbook 2014-2015 April 2014 | Page 87
COWES PORT HANDBOOK 2014 - 2015
Race Start Lines
......................
The start line for ‘round-the-cans’ (around the buoys) races is usually from
one of the shore lines depicted in the diagram below. An inner distance
mark may also be laid clear of the fairway and breakwater ‘Construction
Zone’ for the duration of the start sequence, subject to the prior approval
of Cowes Harbour Commission. Always check with the organising
club or the sailing instructions for full details regarding shore line or
Precautionary Area
committee boat starts.
Prince Consort
(ABP Southampton)
Trinity House
Mooring Buoy
Outer
Fairway
X
Snowden
No.2
Moorings
No.1
C2
es
Inn
Wir
chor
X
ay
irw
Fa
RLYC/RTYC Racing Start Line
er
RCYC/CCYC Racing Start Line
An
Ve
(
X
RCYC
X
RYS Racing Start Line
West
Cowes
Small
Craft
Moorings
nel
han
aft C
Cr
mall
S
X
Small
Craft
Moorings
No.4
ISC Racing Start Line
Not to b
Full details on the 2014 Breakwater Construction Programme are on pages 20-23.
Racing Courses
.....................
The Solent offers challenging conditions for all types of yacht, so race
organisers usually set courses a short time before the start and may
sometimes even alter the course before or during a race to reflect changes
in wind direction.
Smaller boats will race shorter courses round the cans, while larger
yachts may sail as far west as The Needles and east towards Portsmouth.
Sometimes committee boat starts are used in and around the central
Solent. The Cowes Keelboat Solent Series is run with shore line starts using
the Cowes clubs’ start lines, whilst the Cowes Keelboat Championship uses
committee boat starts. Races often allow for two or three circuits of the
course, allowing boats to experience a variety of conditions and to enable
organisers to shorten the course if conditions deteriorate.
See the pull out ‘Buoy Racer’ chart inside the back cover of this
Handbook for the 2014 Solent buoy positions.
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