2017 PANERAI BRITISH CLASSIC WEEK COWES UK

 

Melita (6 Metre) and Athena (8 Metre) on the Solent – Panerai Regatta – Photo Credit Nicole Shrimpton

Melita at the RORC Cowes July 2017. Photo Nicole Shrimpton

Melita prepares for Race 1 under the eyes of the RORC July 2017. Photo Nicole Shrimpton

Check out the full Cowes Classic week wrap up with videos and photo’s

Here’s words about the final race of the Regatta from Martin Ryan

Last race fairly predictable . On the start line 15 secs after cannon at full speed with 4 knot tide encouraging us over . From there it was the usual procession. Holding on to the fleet downwind , dropping off up wind and typically following their tide strategy . You can see that from the tracking .
Melita helmed by John except for penultimate day when Philip helmed .Tracker is great but film by 4pm each day is captivating. something we should do for our Regatta. 

Friday night : prize night , 25 tables of 8 with Commodore Tim Blackman MC. A great presentation, Philip and I retired to the Dragons party at RORC .

The day after the Regatta . John , Bob and Philip taking Melita back to the Hamble River ,a 2 hour sail away .

6 Metre fleet – To windward after 1st mark from a spinnaker start

Kite up and chase those boats – “Melita ” charges down the Solent with a shy kite

 

Melita Cover girl of the race 1 video

Melita in action with Martin Ryan trimming. Day 4 at the 42 second mark of the day 4 video

 What the results don’t show is a 1932 six metre  consistently mixing with a fleet of sixes that compete at world series level.

Day 5 images of Melita at play among the six’s

Some race 5 comments from Martin Ryan

Winds of 10 to 14 knots with tide of 4 knots. You can see from the tracking that we sort ourselves out early according to boat speed. We tend to hold on to them a bit longer down wind . St . Kitts is a modern 6 and is obviously fastest. Mena packed up after yesterday’s morning race, off to the worlds in Vancouver.
Highlight of our challenges has been berthing in tide on dying breeze with no engine.
Running off to briefing. Martin

Melita running with the 6 metre fleet

Kite trimming action on Melita

 

Day 4 images of Melita’s crew at work and rest

Cowes Race day 2 comments

Day 2
With a 10am start near the Squadron , Melita skipper called for a change of mainsail in the harbour at 9.30 am. All good until rib operator disappeared , so sailing out the only option. Experienced crew won out …..Sophie (foredeck) first time on a 6 , Martin (trimmer) first time , Philip (main & runners) second time.
In vicinity of start line hoisted the mainsail at the 4 minute signal , as John and Philip digested the course instructions. At 1 min. call from Sophie ” are we starting downwind?” Delayed set exacerbated by twists in still wet spinnaker. No great loss of ground except to 2 fastest(see Philips photo of 3 adjacent 6’s.) The long beat to windward was managing adverse tide vs wind . Melita closest to shore to avoid tide , with Mena and ( Tim?) just below and top 8 coming up on same course ,pointing lower . A comfortable reach , followed by a relatively short windward leg , with the wind getting patchy in the middle . Around the mark , a dry spinnaker sets easily and we run in 15 knots and a following port Philip size wave to the finish. Melita makes up one place on the run from ….. who took a flier. John hugs the shore to limit tide as you can see from the photos. An 8 caught Melita just before the line (see photo).
Crew member of the day: Sophie ,first time on a 6 and going forward , untangling spinnakers and doing everything except shielding us from the waves…they went over her head.

Cowes race 1 pics

Melita pics received today July 8. First race Sunday 9:30 pm AEST

Some status words from Phil Brown

We spent today fitting sails, fixing running back stays, fitting battens, and generally preparing the boat. This evening John is making our Battle Flag  – very creative guy is John. Group decision on the design of Boomerang above stars of the Southern Cross.

We have several headsails and 2 mainsails so very well set up for racing in all conditions. The boat is parked in with 4 other 6 Metres of which only Mena will be racing with us this coming week.

1st Trial hoisting of Main

Bob in commanding Position

Melita at rest after 1st Trial

The battle flag of Malita. Boomerang from the land of the Southern Cross

 PRESS RELEASE # 1

Panerai British Classic Week Cowes UK

We have an Australian entry!

GBR 42 Melita 

Melita is a William Fife designed 6 metre commissioned by the ‘King of Whisky’ Mr Ronald Teacher.  The provenance story of Melita. 

Melita has been chartered by Martin Ryan, CYAA President, to be the CYAA representative Classic Yacht at the 2017 Panerai British Classic Week at Cowes UK.

CYAA members Martin Ryan, Phil Brown and Bob McClusky will be on board and working Melita hard.

Melita was secured by John Mellows ,a local who has participated in this Regatta many times. John is currently ( June 18 ) putting together a suite of sails from other supportive 6’s and will be navigator ,without question, on Melita.

Melita Fife 1934

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