THE weather has affected sailors competing this week in the Swan Rendezvous in more ways than one. The racing has been close with good steady winds, but not everyone made it onto their boat, with some sailors, whose planes were delayed by fog, missing the start of the race.

Richard Loftus, the owner of Division A boat Desperado, said that he was determined to get out for the next day’s racing, whether he was on his own or not. One other crew also missed a race.

‘It’s challenging sailing here, but it’s a great location for the French and Dutch, as well as those based in Cowes, and I think they should bring the Europeans back again,’ he said.

The Swan is not a type of boat that is easily handled alone, however, with one of the largest at 56ft, Noonmark, having between 18 and 21 crew.

Several hundred yachtsmen and women are in the island to race and take part in the social events – many were dressed as pirates after the first day’s racing as part of the evening’s entertainment.

The man in charge of the activities at sea is race officer Bob Milner.

He is a national race officer mainly based in the Solent and an international judge.

‘The judging gets you travelling overseas, dealing with protests. As race officer, you tend to use people in the country, but you have to think much faster and make instant decisions, for example, whether to recall a race.’

On the first day’s racing, he sent the boats down to the mark on the Bank and they had to come back to Brehon Tower and then pass between the start line. But the wind had shifted suddenly, from south to south-east, and Mr Milner had to make a quick change of course, radioing the crew to make sure everyone understood the new instructions.

‘What sport in the world would you, halfway through the game, without stopping, switch the course 90 degrees?

‘A few people called up on their radios to check, but it is all about being aware of the wind at all times and it is part of the excitement.’

From the top of Castle Cornet, the starting gun is fired and finishing positions recorded, confirmed later in the day depending on whether there were any protests. Mr Milner first came to the island in 1991 when the European Swan Regatta was most recently held here – it was previously in the island in 1987 and 1989.

‘I was delighted to come back again. I always love it here and I’m out sailing later in the week. You really have to have the experience in sailing and to get out racing to appreciate what goes on out there.’

He has been race officer since the early 1970s.

‘I think they could build this event up in the future and maybe get up to 40 boats coming over.’

The sailing continues today, with the final race tomorrow morning.