Latest News from the Ideal Stelrad F28 Racing Team
09/07/07
The Two Handed Round the Island Race 2007
After
the rig problem on the crewed JP Morgan Round the Island Race, the
mast was been repaired. Peter and I re-rigged the boat on Friday,
sailed over to Cowes for a bumpy and noisy nights sleep ready for
the Maguire’s 2 handed Round the Island race.
The wind was a fresh 10knots or so and being cautious we set the first reef prior to our start at 0710. The multihulls are the last to start so we have the fun of chasing down and passing the monohulls. With 120 boats on the start it was busy.
We made a good start being right on the pin end and 3 or 5th across the line. It was quickly obvious we where underpowered as the other boats were gaining on us, We maintained out cautious approach (esp as we were ‘settling in’ Peters new 24:1 – 2:1 gross/fine tune mainsheet system using Spinlock PXR jammers) for the first 20 minutes, then as the wind steadied we shook out the reef and set about catching up. We soon got the boat in to the groove making a good 12+ knots up wind. By Hurst Castle we were in the thick of the monohulls, having to be careful with our massive width as we crossed tacks down the narrow Needles channel
Once round the Needles we could see we had a lot of catching up to do…However the sea state was very lumpy form the previous days gales and we again played cautious (the first rule is to finish) and gybed downs wind in the swell making a steady 12 odd knots. As we passed into Freshwater bay we saw a multihull with the mast down. Calling them to offer help – it was the Firebird ‘Hyper’, they were Ok and stated they needed no assistance, so on we sailed.
We gybed in to St Catherine’s point though the very lumpy wind over tide sea state and flatter water. There we felt confident to set the smaller gennaker and we ripped towards Bembridge at well over 16 knots, passing yacht after yacht.
Once round Bembridge we were back on the wind for the long beat past the forts, Ryde sand and up to the finish at Cowes. We made good progress continuing to pass yachts finishing 6th multihull. We were disappointed not to do better, as we felt we had the potential to sail faster then the other boats, but with enforced lack of 2 handed sailing we were very pleased with posting a result for Ideal Stelrad.
Following
the finish Beken of Cowes came over and did a ‘photoshoot’
for some 15 minutes. For the images see:
http://www.beken.co.uk/shoots/display.php?dir=070707
They got some really nice pictures of the boat in action upwind. The we bore away to sail up Southampton Water and promptly capsized!
It’s a long way to fall from the rack to the water (25+ feet) , we were Ok and help soon arrived. An attempted right failed until a second Rib arrived and they were almost successful, apart form eth rope over the mast preventing a successful righting. Whilst we waited we drifted onto the Brambles Bank and the mast cried ‘enough’ and broke – 2m up from the mast base. But it allowed the 3rd attempt to be successful and with the boat upright we towed into Hamble. Brian Wilkinson came down to lean a hand and by Sunday morning we had everything sorted and Ideal Stelrad out of the water. Apart form the mast damage we lost 2 winch handles, broke a small fitting on the boom and a couple of small tears in the main. The boat behaved exactly as it should and with hindsight we have a better understanding of how to right her.
As
the repairs are minimal the boat will be ready for the next event.
27/06/07 JPMorgan Asset Management Round the Island Race 2007
Final preparations and trails were undertaken at Kielder with many
little niggles sorted and solved. The time there allowed this to occur
in a controlled environment ready for the next event – the JP
Morgan Round the Isle of Wight Race on 22nd June
The team (Ross and Peter Hobson, Martin and Jonny Boatman and Will Mitchell – overseen as ever by Dave Boatman, Ross’s long time friend and main prepateur) assembled early Friday morning, put Ideal Stelrad together in double quick time, along side Brasilica and other VX40 catamarans ready for the race. We launched the catamaran late Friday afternoon, ready for Saturday’s race.
With a race start of 0510, the team were up at 0300 and on the water for 0400, sailing rapidly across to the start off Cowes on the Isle of Wight. A mass (over 1800 entries) of boat were moving to and fro jostling for the start line. With a bam of 37ft wide we cause much interest and even confusion as we manoeuvred what is essentially a tennis court in between the massed hoards of everything form 100ft monster monohulls to old gaffers.
At 1 minute to the gun Martin spotted a gap right at the favoured end of the start line and Ideal Stealrad raced into the fray. With full rig and a nice 8-10knots from the WNW the boat was soon up to full speed, pulling a constant 15-16 knots of boat speed hard on the wind. We were just holding onto the much bigger Vx40’s and occasionally making ground on them. Certainly we were charging past any of the other multihulls that had been cheeky enough to grab a better start. The mid- northern side of the Solent was paying off nicely as the team quickly got into the run of manoeuvre, accelerate, watch out, avoid, and race towards the Needles as we pulled ahead of the mass.
Just short of Hurst point there was a bang – game over. A vital rigging fitting failed putting an immediate end to our race. The shroud – mast fitting had broken, no damage to boat, mast, sail or crew But massive disappointment as we believed we could do extremely well and to be thwarted was an unjust cruelty. Although it has taken us a mere 45 minutes to travel so far down the Solent, it took over 2 ½ hours to slowly motor back up to Hamble to slip the boat for reapirs.
The boat had created a BIG impact, with the wide racks, prominent hull and sail graphics many press and photography boats clustered around to see the little fly her weather hull with 4 crew perched 10 ft out from the hull, some 12-16ft above the water she looked a terrific sight.
We
must pick ourselves up form the disappointment and undertake the repair.
It would seem that the addition 40% power increase from the new carbon
racks was just too much for the fitting. So some ‘heavy’
engineering is required. The next race is the 2 handed Round the Isle
of Wight in 2 weeks time – so Ross and Peter have their work
cut out to be ready on time.
12/06/07
Tuning on Kielder Water
After the Scottish Three Peaks it was felt that we still had not had
a chance to properly sail the boat since the refit in April. Kielder
water was the perfect place to get the feel of the boat; the sailing
club boasts a large slip way with a jetty making launching and recovery
easy.
Flat water and a strong breeze on the first sail saw us settle into the boat quickly. Sailing five up we soon found our favoured racing configuration for the conditions, however as our confidence grew the wind died and we were not able to drive the boat as hard was we would have liked. The next few days up at Kielder saw only light wind sailing allowing us to 'dial in' the systems and instruments in anticipation of the Round Isle of Wight Race.
The light winds were also the perfect opportunity to give some of the sailing club members that were so good to us a 'buzz' around the lake. It is likely after the warm reception and the ideal training conditions we will get the boat back up there later this season.
19/05/07 The Scottish Three Peaks
Having worked hard to get the boat ready, the team were in buoyant
mood as we prepared Ideal Stelrad for the Scottish peaks race - we
had the boat for what is 'always' a light to medium wind race. The
big racks were fitted - to much bemusement by passers by in Dunstaffange
marina. This sparked rumours about how fast she could go. We kept
quite, hearing 18 knots, 25 knots, and then 32 knots as many watchers
stood and gaped at the massive 37 foot wingspan with the racks deployed.
The
weather forecast in the previous week had been poor. Medium to heavy
winds - 20-28 knows, evener on Wednesday forecast was 21 mph with
0ccaional 30 mph gusts - big for the lightweight Ideal Stelrad, but
do-able.
As we assembled the boat on Thursday the weather picture was rapidly
changing for the worse - force 8 gales, severe gales were being talked
off. Allan Henderson our local PR contact as Liz was on holiday) helped
and photographed as we assembled Ideal Stelard. He too had heard the
wind stories. We 'dialled in' the forecasts on and off during the
day and as evening came the obvious storm was developing off the W
of Scotland - a low of some 970 Mb - deep and very nasty, with winds
building to forces 7-8 with severe 9, dropping off a bit on Saturday
and then building again to severe gale 9.
Dermot and Stewart arrived, inspected the commodious accommodation. Admired the light weight of the boat (being fell runners they know all about the importance of keeping things light). They too had been following the forecast. Various options on how to sail were discussed amongst the team before heading to bed.
Friday morning arrives - forecast was as about as BAD as it gets: Forces8 to 9 is reality. Far too much to take out, what is a lightweight inshore boat. We all as a team very reluctantly agreed not to race. Dermot and Stewart would start the Oban 5 mile run, we would pick them up. Allan would get his photographs; John Collings (marketing director of Ideal Stelrad Group) would see his team in action; We would sail out of Oban bay and retire to the safe haven of Dunstaffange. I informed the race organisers as our intentions so no confusion over safety could occur.
As we left the marina the wind was picking up - blowing a good 25-28 knots outside haven of Dunstaffanage bay with a steep short nasty sea from the SW wind over tide. A quick decision was made - abandon even this short sail. As we had set the small jib it was obvious the boat was way overpowered and potentially dangerous, we were making a good 3-5 knots slightly up wind under the bare poles of the 50ft wing mast!
Safely
back on the marina pontoon I watched Dermot and Stewart finish their
run and a significant number of other boats not start the race. As
we packed up and drove home, were we glad we were not out there, the
wind was blowing the vehicles all over the road with driving rain.
The disappointing, but right decision had been made. The boat and
crew were safe and ready for the next challenge of the Round the Isle
of Wight Race at the end of June
15/05/07
Final Preparations for the Scottish Three Peaks Race
The boat has undergone a refit to bring it up to scratch with UK racing
rules. Larger cabins have been added, along with emergency escape
hatches and berths to the aft of the boat. The boat has also undergone
a diet with new soft rigging and many metal fittings removed.
The most significant modification is the addition of 3m carbon racks to each side, giving us a greater righting moment and therefore the power to carry more power. Our new performance partner Hardys Advanced Composites supplied the carbon tubes, without their contribution this invaluable modification would not have been possible.
With
a new paint job and stickers adorned the boat is ready for the challenge
of the Scottish Three Peaks Race in the coming week.
| The F28 Race Team | |
| Ross
Hobson Dave Boatman Will Mictchell Peter Hobson Martin Boatman |
|
Press
Releases 2007
14/06/07
World class north east company – Ideal Stelrad – supports
World Record winning yachtsman. pdf
18/05/07
Gale force winds batter Scottish Three Peaks racers. pdf
 |
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