Bit of a fraught build up to the race as the boat had to be repaired after a collision with Gurnard Ledge and was only back in the water on the afternoon of the race.  Late call from the race officers to reverse the start direction as it was forecast for light winds and the tide was against.  West - East start down the Solent to Bembridge which we nailed pretty well despite a Class 5 boat parked on the line.  Kite all the way to the Forts then a short beat to Bembridge.  Looked at Raffles ahead of us tacking into the island directly past the buoy and decided it looked a bit dodgy as they appeared to be going back over the ledge so kept going out.  Later found out that Blazer followed Raffles in and hit the ledge but thankfully without any damage.  Kept going offshore for a bit but the angle was not that good so once level with Culver Cliffs tacked into Sandown Bay to get out of the tide.  Short tacked up the shore and popped out past Denose in what appeared to be a fairly good position to those who had gone out earlier and stayed inshore for a bit to pick up the best of the tide before heading offshore.  Some fluky conditions over night and the next day with holes in the wind and ended up off the Casquets with about an hour before the tide turned against in the Little Russel.  Raffles was just ahead with Longue Piere, Toot Toot and White Night just inside us, kites up in a light breeze.  Just before the wind died completely we dropped the kite and tacked out as it looked like we could get sucked down the wrong side of the Casquets which in the case of the three boats inside us was the case.  Drifted round the rocks and as we started heading South the wind picked up so we could get the kite back up.  Pretty nervous about entering the Little Russel with the tide against but as it turned out we got through pretty well and saw Raffles finish ahead when we were about 1 1/4 off.  Frantic calculations as to what speed we needed to finish in time but as it tuned out we got the win fairly easily by 6 minutes on corrected even with out new higher rating.