Tides and weather can be problematic in the Solent in October so this year’s autumn rally is being designed to make all the options possible!

On Saturday 7 October participating vessels will be asked to score points by visiting navigation buoys and yellow racing marks within an alloted time. Some carry more points than others, so it’s all about strategy! The vessel with the most points at the end of the day wins a prize.

Each vessel will be given a list of all the buoys and racing marks for the different racing zones in the Solent. The Lat and Long of each mark will be provided but the names will be scrambled.

Skippers and crews will need to work out a course, taking into account wind, tide, sails and time constraints. There will be no set course or compulsory “visits” so each team will be able to choose their strategy and how they want to spend their day! Bonus points will be up for grabs, and penalties can be incurred!

The exercise will probably start somewhere around Cowes and finish at Yarmouth where we can all relax after a hectic day and enjoy a hearty meal. Sunday will be free for a lazy breakfast, reading the papers and a leisurely sail back to base.

More details to follow!