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2010 Corby Cup: Overall Winner David & Jackie Riley’s 33 No Retreat

The Cowes Corinthian Yacht Club kindly agreed to run the racing, and because the Solent was even busier than normal due to the Dragons and Farr 45s out in force, we opted for a committee boat start in the Daks area of Osborne bay. This meant light air beating into the tide but with the option of sailing into the bay for tide relief. [large image right img_0636.jpg]
Terry & Debbie Rowe’s 25 Drakes Drum was well suited for these conditions, having the only overlapping genoa in the entire fleet, and they took Race One by two seconds from the Riley’s 33 No Retreat. Once around the windward mark Cracklin’ Rosie really got into its stride with its massive bowsprit and asymmetric ideal for the pole-forward square run, however a navigation error had them gybing around the wrong mark from which they never recovered.

The Octon’s Njos made the best start in Race two when the wind decided to switch off in the final minute, and held on to their advantage to win the race by 20 seconds from No Retreat, again in very light airs which has never been Njos strong point.

The traditional Solent seabreeze kicked in on time and we moved the start for the 3rd and final race up to Gales HSB, which is just off the most northern tip of East Cowes, for a running start down to Norris. The conventionally poled No Retreat wisely decided to dip the bowspritted Njos and run straight down to the mark. Banshee probably wished they had also dipped but instead ended up in a luffing match with Njos who happily took them off to Norris Castle. A reach out to the Ryde Middle area for a short windward leeward circuit saw the toughest conditions of the day but further problems for Banshee when their jib feeder jammed. A beat up to Cowes harbour entrance and reach to a finish off Corby’s house by the Red Jet terminal completed the racing for the day. No Retreat reversed the first race result to beat Drakes Drum by a split second and take the overall Trophy, however because of the closeness in the corrected timings we presented the Wight Vodka trophy to Drakes Drum.