In the early hours of Saturday 19th June 2010 when most normal people are still in the arms of Morpheus, the intrepid guys from Boatshed Cowes past and present, were up and preparing the boat for the J.P Morgan 2010 Round The Island race.

This event is the largest yachting event in the world and the fourth largest event in the UK with 1754 entries of all shapes and sizes and varying degrees of competency and enthusiasm to make the challenge to circumvent the Isle of Wight.

At 05.00 the crew, consisting of Frank Gelder, Jon Roberts, George Couzens from Boatshed Cowes past and present with Suzi Twyman, Miles Booker and Simon Waller to make the healthy crew of 6, gathered at Island Harbour for last minute briefings and tactic talk. Ok, ok that was quick - win and don’t fall in and oh finally, Frank Gelder’s lasting comment ‘dont crump my boat !’

After setting off down the Medina and giving a friendly tow to Richard Coles also from Boatshed Cowes who was competing in a Folkboat (minus the outboard), we passed the chain ferry to be met by a vision full of sails filling the horizon.... you have to see it to believe it. We picked up our jaws- down so far we were in danger of taking on water- and headed to the waiting area for the off, eyeing up the competition as we went.

06.30 and we were off, a flying start and no recall for us and it wasn’t long before we were pushing to the front of the group. Spinnaker up and after all that training – well we had circumnavigated before without wind - we were so slick it was frightening. Then genoa unfurled and away we went working away through the field as we passed Yarmouth.

With a Northerly blowing the wind in our favour, we reached the Needles with ease. After taking a risky short cut where others feared to tread ( we had 6ft under us at one stage Jon Roberts mentioned after the event) we were another 50 boats ahead and continued down towards St Catherines Point.

Blowing 16 – 19 knots we merrily passed boat after boat, noticing a lot of the field were a lot further out. We kept inshore and enjoyed the conditions. We couldn’t believe how well this Hunter Legend 335 was performing as let’s face it, the write ups for the Hunters have not been very complimentary when it comes to them racing. It felt very good to turn that around! Very few boats passed us and it wasn’t long before we were up with the ‘big boys’.

Rounding Shanklin Bay, then Bembridge and onto Ryde again we kept our cool as only a boat making history can. This time we passed through the field and took the deeper water to the North, leaving others to ponder their tactics over Ryde sands !!

The course this year was changed in that we didn’t have to pass between the forts at Portsmouth but could pass to the south of them. Yet again Temerity II didn’t fail us and another turn of speed pushed us further up the field, the finishing line in sight. We couldn’t believe what we had achieved as we took the gun through the line.

Temerity II owned by Frank Gelder who started Boatshed Cowes, and crewed by the current Boatshed Cowes brokers had finished the race and came - wait for it - 3rd in their class and 39th overall taking 7hrs 39 mins to complete. Now who dares to say Hunter Legends are slow ?

A tremendous race and finish and surely the gauntlet is thrown down to the Boatshed Group. Any takers?

Richard Coles sailing a Folkboat did extremely well finishing in 8th in his class so a big congratulations to him, another member of Boatshed Cowes keeping the side up.

A great day and a great evening had by all – well done to us!