Tops’l Round The Island Challenge

Peter C writes…

The Tops’l challenge to circumnavigate the Isle of Wight has been operating for over ten years. It has not been seriously contested since Covid but was awarded last year based on a circuit of the ‘Old Course’ from the RYS start line at Cowes.

The present rules allow much more flexibility and provide a good opportunity to practise all the skills you might need when sailing including passage planning, weather forecasting, sail selection, accurate helming, crew resource management, catering and patience. I would recommend it to all.

There are several steps needed to achieve a successful finish the first of which is to decide when to start. The first leg from N Sturbridge NCM is best started early in the morning, for the daylight, and must be with a Westbound tide to get you past Cowes and through the Hurst Narrows tidal gate well before low water. At the time when you make this initial plan you will not have accurate weather information but even if you have to tack this leg you will still make good speed with the tide. Do not be tempted to pick the Spring tide because at some point you will be sailing against it (unless you have a really fast yacht) and also, the Spring tides at Portsmouth occur at around midday so will result in a late, dark finish.

If you arrived at the Needles before low water, you may have tide against you after turning the corner. Once round the Needles (don’t cut) you will be on a delightfully peaceful and uncluttered stretch of water towards St Catherine’s Point. A good time for lunch. You will probably be on a reach here given the prevailing SW wind in the English Channel. Choose your sail carefully. There is some tidal advantage inshore as the tide turns in your favour earlier but, on the other hand, the distance is slightly greater.

 

The cliffs at St Catherine’s are quite high but you can go close inshore provided there is enough S in the SW wind to avoid any wind shadow. Maybe not as close as the Marine Traffic track above might suggest.

 

The next leg is direct to Bembridge Ledge WCM, which you must (see Rules) leave to port. You will probably be going downwind here but you might find it faster to achieve this with a series of gybes rather than setting up goose-winged.

After Bembridge you will need to keep to the north of the Seaview anchorage (Rules again) and also Ryde Sands, unless you have a lifting keel. You will almost certainly be sailing against the tide on this leg and you will also have to pass south of the N Sturbridge buoy to finish. This will be time consuming and requires accurate helming and patience to achieve a quick overall result. An opportunity for afternoon tea but make sure you don’t distract the helm.

It is a long day but always a learning experience.

The RTIC full rules can be found in the Members Area of the Tops’l website under Downloads/Sailing/Round the Island Challenge.