Some of us had thought of going back over to the Hamblin Round the Isle of Man race at the end of May, but decided not to because of the weather forecasts. Just as well as I just found this report of the race:
The Hamblin Round Mann race started at 8am on Sunday with eight yachts crossing the start line, while two other entrants thought better of it.
The NE wind was already strong and gusty promising a fast race for the bigger boats. The leading yachts rounded Langness at 8.40am and now faced gale force winds and ever-steeper waves as the flood tide started – wind against tide.
Nick Ogden's J.122 Ulula was the first to succumb to serious damage. Its mainsail was ripped apart just off Fort Island. Within half an hour, three more yachts had the same problem.
Jason Corlett's First 31.7 Eauvation blew the mainsail out off Port Grenaugh, followed by Mike Stanton's Sigma 33 Sorcery and Robin Wootton's Reflex 38 Cheetah Cub off Port Soderick.
The smallest boats racing — John Dowling's Westerly Cirrus, Brian Stringfellow's Eyghtene 24 and Chris Hall's Pegasus 800 — had all retired by 10am.
Dowling said that they were making no progress despite being reefed down to the minimum rig as the seas made it impossible to get to windward.
Bobby Moore's Dehler 36 Quantum, which after all the carnage was effectively leading the race, sensibly retired into Douglas because of possible danger to the crew meaning in two hours everyone had retired.
The only record set in 2008 is that this is the first time there has been no finisher in the Hamblin Round Mann.
However, the pre-race party in the IoMYC was as good as ever and Hamblin's consistent generosity with the buffet and event gifts is much appreciated by all competitors and the club.