An IOR classic
ROTESAND 2024
- Regatta without wind -
IDEA
The ROTESAND REGATTA is a great classic on the Weser and typically the start of the season. This year it took place for the 54th time. If it can be sailed as planned, the race will go from the mouth of the Geeste down the Weser in the main fairway "Alte Weser" to the ROTERSAND lighthouse and then back, a total of around 50 nautical miles. Since the whole thing is rarely timed so that the field arrives at the turning point exactly at low tide and can then sail with tidal support in both directions, a good knowledge of the area and the tidal currents on the Weser plays a special role here in order to position yourself optimally when "with the current" or "against the current".
Although we had our home berth in Bremerhaven for many years, we had never sailed this regatta before, because the regatta virus had only infected us at FASTNET 2021.
Now back on the Weser after three years away from home, it made sense to finally sail this regatta. And in terms of crew, we had strengthened ourselves with two experienced regatta and area experts, because Frank and Kurt are old hands here.
RACING
But even the best local experts are no help if the wind fails - like this year. It was already clear the evening before the race that we would not be going to the ROTESAND, but would only sail a shortened course.
With the last flood tide, we started off the quay for tourist shipping for a short tack of about 1 nm upstream, and from there the race course went downwind with a planned finish line of about 10 nm downstream. At the start, there was even about 8 knots of wind. However, we messed up our start. To avoid to be drifted over the starting line by the flood tide too early, we kept too much distance and thus unintentionally got the opportunity to roll up the field from behind. This worked surprisingly well at first, because SNIFIX did well under spinnaker even in the light wind and was able to work its way back up.
However the longer the race lasted, the weaker the wind became, and with the tide receding, meaning the wind and current now came from astern, the apparent wind weakened even more. In these conditions we fell back again, an advantage for the lightweights in the regatta field. We tried whatever possible to support our sails in doing their job and finally exchanged our spinnaker sheets for the lightest flag lines that were on board.
The whole thing ended in a complete calm. Even a further shortening of the course did not help; only 9 of around 40 yachts that had started reached the finish line, and we also received our first DNF (Did Not Finish), because we had to use the engine to avoid being pushed by the tidal current onto a stone wall at the edge of the fairway due to a lack of speed while sailing.
It was still a beautiful sunny day on the Weser and we had fun anyway.
Charly
Dirk
Frank
