Boats compete at Cowes Week 2012, off the Isle of Wight. Picture by Martin Neville.
COWES Week fleets returned to their berths just as The Solent disappeared under a shroud of mist and fog off the Isle of Wight on Monday afternoon.
It was another good day on the water for Isle of Wight competitors who revelled in today’s challenging conditions.
The 2011 Dragon class winner, Cowes-skipper Graham Bailey, recorded his first bullet of the week on Aimee, finishing two minutes ahead of Surrey skipper Owen Pat and Hampshire’s Eric Williams.
The Downer family competing on Moonlight in the Etchells also achieved their first win of the week, while another local boat, Defender (Jeremy Preston and Mark Fear), finished third in the Darings.
Isle of Wight boats dominated the Flying 15s with Ffuraha (Mike Boll and Gil McCutcheon) finishing top and Fifty Fifty (Andrew Millband and Tony Hastings) coming third.
Isle of Wight-based Toucan (Colin and Becky Samuelson and Peter Harvey) won today’s Redwing race, while, in the Sonars, Andy Cassell secured third place in a race which was won by Florida’s Kerry Gruson on Blew Bayou 2.
The Sportsboat class held Island success with Glyn Locke, Myles Mence and Alex Locke on Fer de Lance finishing second, less than a minute behind Dorset-based Turbulence (Paul and Natalie French).
Meanwhile, in the Squib class, young Fred Warren-Smith , who sails at the Royal Victoria Yacht Club, finished second behind Hussar
Colin Campbell came third in the J/109s – today’s race was won by Harlequin – and David Franks’ Strait Dealer also came third in IRC Class 4, behind Zarafa (Peter Scholfield) and Alaris (John Howell).
Today’s (Tuesday) entertainment includes a display from the Black Knights, the Royal Artillery Parachute Association parachute display team.
Their display will take place at around 7.30pm when the Black Knights will parachute into the narrow stretch of water between Trinity Landing and Cowes Parade.
Reporter: martinn@iwcpmail.co.uk