anybody race their oday 23

[bella bu]

i have raced her twice, with two other really good sailors, we have a real good handicap, but the other boats are just smoking us, are these boats really that slow. will a new mainsail, and a bigger head sail (150) make me somewhat competitive? we were 12 minutes behind the leader tonight He was in a columbia 30

 

[HukilauMike]

count yourself lucky at only 12 minutes behind a thirty foot boat. I bought new sails for my Oday 23 and was testing them out when one of my dock neighbors appeared in their J-24. We engaged in an impromptu drag race, and they left me in their spray. This was in about 10 knots of breeze on a close reach. I was flying my new 135 genny and main, and they had a similar set of sails out. I watched them get smaller and smaller and decided then and there that I didn't care what my PHRF handicap was, I wasn't going out on Wednesday night in my boat to always be the last across the line.

 

[hman]

I've done some beer cans and one or two club races, I'm able to beat most of the Cat 22's although the ones that have all the latest gofast stuff and new sails stay out in front of us....Let's face it, maybe back in the 70's The 23 was "nimble and quick" but now it's just a good daysailor/pocket crusier...

 

[RichBone]

i have raced her twice, with two other really good sailors, we have a real good handicap, but the other boats are just smoking us, are these boats really that slow. will a new mainsail, and a bigger head sail (150) make me somewhat competitive? we were 12 minutes behind the leader tonight He was in a columbia 30

Sure, a new main, larger head sail, preferably of mylar or other high tech fabric, headfoil, instrumentation, a slick bottom, periodically scrubbed, and deep pockets will help. Oh, and a knowledgeable crew, plenty of practice and a competitive spirit.

Realistically to be somewhat competitive you'll at least need a good main, a 155 genoa (no roller furling), a working jib and a smooth bottom. You need to know how to sail your boat. Study sail trimming. Spend a lot of time on the "Sail Trim With Don Guillette" forum. A reliable crew that will be there every week.
Practice mark rounding and sail changes. Study tactics and the rule book. You could finish in the middle of the pack. It takes time. You'll probably be sailing against sailors that have been racing, not just sailing for years and have invested in a lot of "go fast" gear. If you don't want to do all of that then see about crewing yourself, preferably on one of the top boats, of course. It's usually more fun winning (unless the skipper's anally retentively competitive).

When you get your new sails, have someone from the loft go out with you and have the sails set up right. Having good equipment and knowing how to use it really increases the enjoyment and makes for safer sailing. Like anything else worthwhile the more you put into it the more you get back.

Keep things in perspective and most of all have a good time. Life's too short. Always remember why you got into sailing to begin with.

Rich

 

[kpgraci]

Always remember why you got into sailing to begin with.

...to win races? :dance:

 

[bella bu]

lol, i know the j boats are fast, i was racing other mariner class boats. they were anywhere from 27 to 30 feet , although this guy in a columbia challenger 24' goes really fast, other were a santana 27 and cat 27.my sails are the 30 year old og's, i just ordered a new main with full battens, and a 150 % genoa. there's one more tuesday night race. left. im really curious to see how we do this time.on the other hand, when we were on the down wind leg, the a and b fleet werent much faster if at all, and they were flying spinakers.i just want to be close, and maybe somre of the cat 22, and cal 20's will come out this week, i've got a chance against them.lol

 

[Don-MT]

Just remeber the definition of a sailboat race: Anytime there are two sailboats in sight of each other, it's a race.

Shine On!

Don

 

[HukilauMike]

i just want to be close, and maybe somre of the cat 22, and cal 20's will come out this week, i've got a chance against them.lol

If there were 22-26 foot boats racing on Wed Nites near me, I'd race too. The J-24's might wax me, but I'll take on any Catalina 22's or 25's. But the smallest boat that regularly goes out is 28 feet, and everybody else is in the 30-42 foot range, with some even bigger. No matter how good a sailor I am (and I'm not that good), longer boats are just faster.

 

[kepeterss]

I have raced my Oday 23 (Mark 2) off and on for 5 of the past 6 years. We have a small club and the boats range from my 23 to a Ranger 28. The best I have ever done is second place after a long spinnaker run. I am usually satisfied if I can finish ahead of one or two boats and have at times beaten a C&C 25, Paceship 26 and Aloha 27. I find I am pretty competitive with these and some of the other boats on a reach or run, but they kill me on the upwind legs. All except the Paceship have deep, fin keels which gives them an advantage to windward. Many times I have been lined up with these guys at the start and it is obvious they can sail closer to the wind. I have to put in extra tacks to cover the same distance. Even though my handicap is 240 and some are as low as 160 (a J24 and Lindenberg 26), it hardly ever changes the order of finish. I've tried a new mainsail, new standing and running rigging, new bottom paint, etc. which all helped to some extent, but not enough to make me competitive upwind against these boats.

During the last race of the season last year, I had a particularly frustrating day, finishing well behind all the others after a lot of beating to weather in cold, choppy seas. I realized that racing my boat ruined a great day for sailing. I decided to take a year off from racing. I didn't buy my boat for racing: I bought it because it was a trailerable pocket cruiser. I have never been happier.

Good luck and have fun.