Home / News / Frostbite Rally to East Cowes, 5th/6th April 2025

Frostbite Rally to East Cowes, 5th/6th April 2025

Published 01:00 on 21 Apr 2025

If this was meant to be a Frostbite Rally, someone forgot to turn off the sunshine! With blue skies, warm breezes, and plenty of vitamin D, our first rally of the season felt more like summer than early spring — not that anyone was complaining. A more apt title would surely be the Sunburn rally?

A few eager crews (ours included) couldn't resist the lure of fair weather and made an early break for East Cowes on Friday afternoon. Leaving Portsmouth with a lively 14 knots from the east, we were all set for a sporty downwind run. But, as is often the case, the wind had other plans — dropping to a gentle 5 knots by the time we reached Gilkicker. While we drifted, it was the perfect excuse to test out the newly greased furling gear and our shiny new autopilot. Every cloud…

Saturday brought the main fleet, and with plenty of room in the marina, most boats were happily grouped in the visitors' section. The sunshine stuck around, encouraging a gentle wander into town, or a leisurely lounge onboard. A huge thanks to Graham and Elaine for hosting a very well-attended pontoon party — it was great to see familiar faces and welcome new ones into the fold.

Dinner at the Island Sailing Club didn't disappoint. After a slightly "invigorating" shuttle ride over (let's just say it was bouncy!), we were treated to top-notch food, friendly service, and a buzzing atmosphere. The journey back? Equally bouncy — but definitely colder. Those in jackets wore smug smiles, while the brave (or optimistic) T-shirt wearers shivered into the night.

Sunday dawned just as fair, and several crews took the opportunity to stretch their legs with a visit to the magnificent Osborne House — a must-see if you haven't been. Some boats departed, while others, unable to resist another sun-drenched afternoon, stayed on to soak up just a bit more of Cowes' charm.

Our own sail home was a punchy beat into a brisk ESE breeze — a fantastic end to a weekend that ticked every box.