‘ROUGHEST EVER’ COWES-TORQUAY RACE SEES ONLY 2 FINISHERS

[Serious News]

 

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

There used to be offshore races in water like that here back the '80s and before. I'm pretty sure '85 was the last year Key West ran around Sand Key on a long course on the edge of the reef. It was 10 miles to the first turn. Notice the open boats would run 98 miles, 98 miles and 156 on Saturday. They were true World Championships.

The red shows a typical modern day course. Not sure anyone runs much more then 98 miles in the entire week.

 

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

Safety gear included an inflatable life raft with capacity to carry the running crew, a sea anchor, first aid kit that must include a leg splint.....It was man against the sea. Top speed was not the most important factor. You had to have run 3 nation events and finish at least 3rd in one of them to be eligible to compete in the worlds. Same was true to run a kilo event. There were actual rules and they were enforced.

A lot has changed since then.

 

[Ratickle]

There used to be offshore races in water like that here back the '80s and before. I'm pretty sure '85 was the last year Key West ran around Sand Key on a long course on the edge of the reef. It was 10 miles to the first turn. Notice the open boats would run 98 miles, 98 miles and 156 on Saturday. They were true World Championships.

The red shows a typical modern day course. Not sure anyone runs much more then 98 miles in the entire week.
View attachment 81702

The two large classes run 41.90 miles each day, (all three days), for a total of 125.70 miles for the week. All other classes run 28.90 miles each day, 86.70 for the week's total.
Your old course was 40.15 miles for one long lap, 28.5 miles for one short lap.

 

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

My first year in Key West was '85 as a spectator. Lilly And I watched the race in a 22 velocity. There were solid 10 foot seas. The most memorable boat I saw Buzzi running his Big red V with diesels Gancia de Gancia. I think it hailed from Argentina. Sounded like a helicopter. Think it was like 50' with 4 propellers sticking another 8 feet or so out the back. It marched across those big seas like it was nothing. The Lambos singing in the Italian aluminum boats was pretty impressive too.

 

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

That was before Rev limiters and GPS. Just to get around the old courses was a challenge. Navigators dead reckoning with stop watches, a liquid filled compass, old water pressure driven speedos, and charts taped on the dash. The old races from point Pleasant to Long island were run even if it was foggy. Imagine trying to find a channel mark in the fog with no electronics on a 30 some odd mile leg.
That's Offshore Racing in the truest sense.