After a long wait of over four hours, racing has started for Day 6 of Skandia Cowes Week with a northerly breeze reaching 12 knots by 2 pm. It must have been a difficult decision for the Race Officer.

It looks like the gamble may not have paid off, shortly after racing commenced, the wind speed at the Brambles Bank had dropped to a feeble six knots. The decision to wait until this time was probably influenced by the timing of low tide.

There will be some interesting starts in so little breeze. In light winds, getting a good start is vital; clear air can give a massive advantage over the competition,however,if your caught in a pack of boats, the wind speed can become non-existant. There is also the prospect of the wind direction becoming variable during the racing; turning a race “inside out” is the phrase.

As this report was written Glenn Bourke was leading the SB3 fleet around the top mark. Perhaps brains rather than brawn will win the day.

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