Page 26 - Yachter Autumn 2020

26 RACING REPORTS
RACING ONBOARD MALICE IN THE RSYC 2020 FROSTBITE SERIES
Writing now, it seems strange to remember BC (Before Coronavirus), when going racing was governed by the weather forecast and boat maintenance, and social distancing had not been invented. Yet that is my memory of the 2020 RSYC Frostbite Series.
Race Day One started dry, with a fresh sailing breeze, and warm for January, promising a good day’s sailing. After six weeks on the hard in HYS, Malice’s engine provided more black smoke than impetus. Whilst hastily hoisting some sails to improve our chances of getting to the start line (‘the hardest part of any race is getting to the start’), Jongleur called up so say that they
were towing two further boats without engines and could we take one of them, please? Seems other boats had similar issues. Fortunately, Tigris managed to start her engine so no need. With two races a day, the Race Committee gave us a nice mixture of
a simple windward-leeward course followed by a more passage style race, though still with plenty of turns to keep us busy. Whilst sailing back to Hamble exploring the ills
of our engine, J-Dream, also sailing back engineless, broached spectacularly as her
rudder broke. This time we were able to help with a tow (under sail).
Generally, the Frostbite series has a selection of wet, windy days and calm, icy days. Unusually, Race Day Two was again dry, warm for January, and with a fresh sailing breeze. With the prevailing wind direction, windward-leeward courses in Southampton Water always involve a lot
of sail handling and, with the races run
on spring tides to make the available leg length longer, judging the best place for the wind shifts and tide is key. We liked the contemporaneous J88 report “On the first