Canders - Alex Bleasby course


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Alex Bleasby course (most frequently used version)

St.Helier line N to S

East Rock buoy (S)

Diamond buoy (S)

Baleine buoy (P)

Vrachiere buoy (P)

St.Aubins Racing Mark (P)

East Rock buoy (P)

St.Helier line S to N

 

 This is sailing's answer to Mornington Crescent. You start when Harry turns up and sail his choice of course whether or not the buoys are actually there. If you can't hear Harry's laugh you have got lost.

You might think that this is not a serious race, but you would be quite wrong. This is an event where the participants have a chance to watch each other. 

The real action is afterwards when life's small courtesies are observed. Compliments are paid and commiserations shared. Rig enhancements are noted and appraised. Feats of courage are acknowledged.

These latter are inevitable as the starting procedure requires one retired gentleman to stand on the cabin roof to hoist the mainsail while another anticipates the precise moment at which Harry will find and sound the starting siren to turn into the wind and then onto the course. This is as sure an invitation to disaster as you are likely to see afloat.

Etiquette decrees that it is reasonable to attempt to beat Harry's Westerly Falcon Fernweh across the finish line (wherever that turns out to be) but one should not be so ungentlemanly as to hoist a spinnaker. In any case it would be a lost cause. What can you do against a boat with two loos.

Course variations:- You stop when it gets close to lunch time.