Cowes Day 5: Black sails then colour

by Peter Taylor · 22/08/2022

My Lightning 368 with carbon reinforced mylar sail!

By Wednesday 3rd August I was getting fed up with photographing the larger racing yachts with their ugly black sails! If my memory is correct, black or at least grey sails started being used when mylar sails reinforced by black carbon fibre were introduced. The full-size mainsail for my Lightning 368 dinghy “Seabee” was constructed that way. I actually preferred using the smaller Dacron sail which had more “give” when hit by a gust. I still have that white Dacron sail and use it on my Seafly in it’s “Sealightning” guise.

Now it seems the fashion is for totally black sails, although I was told at the boat show that performance sails can be made in a lighter colour using Dyneema or aramid fibres. But people even buy Dacron sails which have been dyed black because it is fashionable and looks expensive.

Black sails are certainly not photogenic, particularly if the day is dull and misty. It is a relief when the spinnakers appear and add a little colour, although there now seems to be a trend for these “coloured sails” to be created in plain white!

[Back to: Cowes Week Summary] [Previous: Day 4: A Variety of Yachts]

[01] Dark Sails Approach Lepe Spit With The Smaller, Colourful Yachts Off Cowes In The Distance (DSC05649)

[02] Cape 31s At Lepe Spit CM: GBR3113X "Harlequin", USA61567 "Flying Jenny" And GBR3116X "The Bodfather", With GBR7877R ITC2 First 40 "Tilt"(DSC05654)

[03] GBR7877R First 40 "Tilt" About To Give Way To GBR3113X Cape 31 "Harlequin" With USA61567 "Flying Jenny" About To Tack (DSC05661)

[04] IRC Class 1 Fleet: GBR942R J/122 "Bulldog", IRL39000 Mills 3911 "Zero II", BEL4701 First 47.7 "Moana", GBR79R Custon 36 "Skirmisher", And NED8935 J/122E Also Called "Moana" (DSC05666)

[05] IRC2 Yachts: FRA43749 MC34 "Nutmeg Solidaire En Peloton" And GBR4070L First 40.7 "Incognito" With GBR597R IRC1 X 50 "ITMA" (DSC05674)

[06] GBR597R IRC1 X 50 "ITMA" And FRA43749 IRC2 MC34 "Nutmeg Solidaire En Peloton" (DSC05683)

[07] GBR1428R IRC2 First 40 “Rogan Josh” And GBR597R IRC1 X 50 "ITMA" (DSC05684)

[08] IRC2 Yachts: SWE450 Elan 450 "Emily Of Cowes" And GBR6840R First 40 “Lancelot II” At Lepe Spit CM (DSC05685)

[09] IRC2 Yachts: GBR6840R First 40 “Lancelot II” With SWE450 Elan 450 "Emily Of Cowes" On Starboard Ahead (DSC05687)

[10] IRC3 Yachts: GBR3061X Archambault A35 “Arcus” And GBR979R Hod 35 “Malice” (DSC05690)

[11] Beneteau First 40 IRC Class 2 Yachts: GBR8409R “Bordier 2”, GBR1859L “Sfida” And GBR3923L “Bordier 1” (DSC05696)

[12] GBR3627L IRC3 First 36.7 “Animal” And Beneteau First 40 IRC Class 2 Yachts: GBR8409R “Bordier 2”, GBR3923L “Bordier 1” (hidden) And GBR1859L “Sfida”(DSC05697)

[13] SWE450 IRC Class 2 Elan 450 "Emily Of Cowes" (DSC05699)

[14] IRC3 Yachts: Sunfast 3300s GBR927R “ESR On Atomic” And GBR6779R “Kestrel” With GBR960R First 35 “Hot Rats” (DSC05704)

[15] GBR6840R IRC Class 2 Yacht Beneteau First 40 “Lancelot II” (DSC05705)

[16] IRC2 Yachts: GBR6840R First 40 “Lancelot II” With SWE450 Elan 450 "Emily Of Cowes" Passing On Starboard (DSC05707)

[17] GBR979R IRC3 Hod 35 “Malice” Between IRC2 Yachts SWE450 Elan 450 "Emily Of Cowes" And GBR6840R First 40 “Lancelot II” (DSC05709)

[18] IRC2 Yachts: GBR6840R First 40 “Lancelot II” Passes Behind SWE450 Elan 450 "Emily Of Cowes" (DSC05713)

[19] GBR1665 Performance Cruiser (Div A) Swan 65 Ketch “Desperado” At Lepe Spit Cardinal Mark (DSC05715)

[20] HP30 Yachts: Farr 280s SUI003 “Buzz” And GBR005 “Moral Compass”, And GBR4986L Lutra Vi 30 “Jester”, With GBR809 Performance Cruiser (Div A) X 55 “Lutine” (DSC05716)

[21] GBR2091R J/109 "Brown Teal" (DSC05718)

[22] GBR4140L Performance Cruiser (Div A) Dufour 40 Spinnaker Drop At Beaulieu River Mark (DSC05719 24)

[23] GBR4709R J/109 “Jambo” And GBR8478R IRC5 First 34.7 “Warrior” (DSC05721)

[24] USA43545 Performance Cruiser (Div A) Frers 45 "Echo Zulu" (DSC05726)

[25] GBR9034R Performance Cruiser (Div B) X 34 "Minx 4" With Red Spinnaker (DSC05731)

[26] GBR4379L Dehler 34 "Islay" And The Sunsail Fleet With Spinnakers Set (DSC05732)

[27] GBR8396 Performance Cruiser (Div B) Sigma 38 “Sam” And GBR5374L IRC5 A31 “Echo 5” On Port Tack, Unidentified Yacht On Starboard (DSC05734)

[28] Sunsail 41 Yachts On Spinnaker Reach (DSC05736)

[29] Sunsail 41s GBR4103X "Deloitte" (aka Southampton Sailing Week) And GBR4106X "Don't Panik" (aka Sunsail Zephyr) (DSC05737)

[30] GBR4379L Dehler 34 "Islay" Adds Some Colour While The Sunsail 41 Fleet Has White "advert" Spinnakers (DSC05739)

[31] Sunsail 41 GBR4106X "Don't Panik" Drops Her Spinnaker And Then Luffs GBR4103X "Deloitte" Forcing The Latter To Drop Behind Her (DSC05740 44)

[32] Sunsail 41s GBR4107X "Hollis 2" And GBR4108X "Tenzing" (DSC05747)

[33] Performance Cruiser (Div B) Yachts: GBR4562 Contessa 33 “Artemis” And GBR1378L Beneteau First 25.7 “Star Born 4” With Two Sunsail 41s Between Them (DSC05748)

[34] GBR9939 Performance Cruiser (Div B) Sweden 38 "Flame Of Anor" (DSC05749)

[35] Sunsail 41s GBR4105X “Hollis 1” And GBR4112X “Collinson Group” (aka “Spirit Of Ophir”) With GBR1378L Beneteau First 25.7 “Star Born 4” (DSC05752)

[36] Sunsail 41s GBR4105X “Hollis 1” And GBR4112X “Collinson Group” (aka “Spirit Of Ophir”) With GBR9939 Sweden 38 “Flame Of Anor” (DSC05753)

[Back to: Cowes Week Summary] [Previous: Day 4: A Variety of Yachts]