The Round The Island Race is an adventure full of entertaining and memorable experiences for all who cross the finish line in Cowes – Here’s Ben Meakins’ on racing around the Isle of Wight.
The Impala 28 ‘Polly’, moored on the River Hamble, is a remarkable family boat owned by Ben Meakins. Polly is a racer that has been racing since 1999. She has many stories to tell. As a Test Engineer for B&G (Race Marine Electronics Partner) and having completed the race for over 25 years, Ben is a seasoned Round The Islander.
Polly and The Round The Island Race
Ben Meakins: ‘I grew up racing and cruising on Polly before my parents sold her and bought another boat. Eight years later, in 2009, my wife and I bought Polly back along with good friends Adrian and Jo, and we’ve raced all but three Round the Island Races since.’
Why do you return?
Ben Meakins: ‘I love Round the Island Race. It might be hectic and exhausting, with more snakes and ladders than any other race I’ve done, but we keep coming back year after year. It’s got it all – a huge fleet, challenging tactics, a variety of sailing conditions. It’s also a boat-spotter’s dream to see the spectacle of over a thousand sailing boats of all shapes and sizes.’
How many races did you do and what was your best performance?
Ben Meakins: ‘I’ve lost count of how many races I’ve done – I think the first was back in 1999. The best result in our ownership was 13th overall in 2010, but we haven’t quite matched the boat’s best position which was 2nd overall and missing out on the Gold Roman Bowl by only a few seconds in 2000 – I was on the bow for that one!’
What’s special about the race?
Ben Meakins: ‘No two races are the same. One thing we’ve learned is that you can’t rest easy even if things appear to be going well – we’ve had a few races where the wind has shut off at Bembridge Ledge and turned what was a commanding lead to a scrabble at the back of the fleet.
You can find yourself buried beneath a fleet of 1,000+ boats and have to fight for air in some years, while in other years you are able to do your first beat on your own wind and water patch. There’s the nerve-wracking decision as to go inside or outside the wreck of the Varvassi and the often tense short-gybing along the shore at St Catherine’s to keep out of the tide. Flashes of previous races keep me up at night in the week leading up to the race, but once the starting gun fires it’s all forgotten and you’re immersed in the race.
Years in a row we have been beaten by our competitors at the Ryde Sands finish line. We have now realised that it is this leg when we flag both mentally and physically, so we make sure to swap helms regularly around the back of the Island and to stock up on flapjacks at Bembridge to make sure we’re as fresh as possible for the final push.
It’s a strange relationship – we can be saying ‘never again’ after a punishing race, but a few days later that’s all forgotten and we’re looking forward to the next one.’
How did you find your 2023 race?
Ben Meakins: ‘It was a classic, with a windy beat to The Needles followed by a long, exciting spinnaker leg all the way to Bembridge where a strange quartering sea played havoc with the fleet, but we managed to sail past most of the chaos to a decent result in the conditions of 30th overall.
We’ve had races spent all but becalmed, races spent clinging on as the boat surfed down big waves and others where we swapped positions with fellow Impalas all the way around the Island.’
Do you look forward to the race against Polly in 2019?
Ben Meakins: ‘Absolutely! Our crew of family and friends has been sailing together for years, and between us we’ve built up quite a file of reports and notes on the race. This year we’ll be back on the start line in the early dawn once again for another crack at what is a uniquely rewarding, frustrating and fascinating race – see you out there!’
B&G Race Support Blogs
Have you been racing for years and are you planning to race again around The Needles this year? Either way, the Race Partner B&G will offer a helping hand to all the competitors, providing a helpful hints blog series for getting the most out of your electronics.
This month we’ve had the fascinating insights from Ben Meakins. The blogs for this year will focus on calibration with the powerful Triton Edge Processor and chartplotter Race Modes. You can find more B&G race supports blogs You can find their website here.
We can also look forward to a number of Race Interviews in April and May by B&G, where host competitors, including Pip Hare, will cover stories and race weekend memories.
Last chance for early bird entry deals
This is your final call for Early Bird entry to the Round The Island Race 2024 – ending 31st March (11:59pm) – Get ahead! Here’s some Early Birds and How to Enter.
Standard Entries close on 1st July.
For all the latest news on social media – @roundtheisland and #RoundTheIsland #RaceForAll.
Continue reading:
- French Polynesia: the dangerous archipelago of Tuamotus
- Boat Test: C Cat48
- Tom Cunliffe: Fog’s Not What It Used To Be
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