Impressive organisation of 2010 event sees return to original start line off Cowes
This year’s Cowes-Torquay-Cowes powerboat race will once again start just off Cowes after permission was granted to return proceedings to the town’s waterfront.
Due to health and safety reasons, Britain’s leading offshore powerboat race has for the past three years been forced to start several miles to the west of the Royal Yacht Squadron line at Cowes.
It has meant the fleet being led by a Red Jet high-speed ferry to a point off Lymington where the flag has dropped.
The starting arrangement was altered by local authorities following a period of poor mustering where some racing boats narrowly missed spectating craft off the Medina estuary.
However the 2010 event saw impeccable organisation under the leadership of Officer of the Day, Rob Andrews.
Andrews, a retired Naval Officer, ran the event like a military operation, which has resulted in permission for the race to revert to its traditional starting area off the town.
A buoyed chute (pictured) will be laid as an indication to yachts and cruisers that a race is about to begin. This will require several craft to patrol and warn others of the pending event.
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