My boat is Chasing Rainbows, 1989 Hunter Legend 37. We competed in our 7th Key West race, got a third in PHRF D, 11th of 25 boats finishing in PHRF classes. Got a third last year also. Downwind start, winds light for first 30 nm of this 160 nm race. Then we had 20 knows of reaching wind. We flew spinnaker until we started rounding up too much and switched to asymetrical. Then the halyard shackle broke dumped the spinnaker in the water. Halyard will be tied on from now on! We got it back without tearing (we thought) but when we tried to rehoist, it exploded. Almost hit another boat who rounded up right in front of us. Probably would have sunk him because we he was broadside to us and we could see his keel. Helmsman was able to dodge his stern, we were flying jib at the time. We talked to them after the race and they apologized, they were wrong in coming up on us in the dark (the rules prohibit this) and getting too close under windy conditions. We plan to race Ft. Lauderdale to Charleston (408 nm) in April.
2010 Ft. Lauderdale to Key West race
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Congratulations!!
Sounds like you guys are getting some real good racing in. It sure proves your metal when all hell breaks loose and you can walk away with a smile after.
Do you and your crew brainstorm after races to "de-brief" and make changes for future strategies?
Sounds like you guys are getting some real good racing in. It sure proves your metal when all hell breaks loose and you can walk away with a smile after.
Do you and your crew brainstorm after races to "de-brief" and make changes for future strategies?
Wow, great fun. And excitement! Being real envious here in snowy Ohio. Just last March I was flying along in the Hawk Channel bound for Marathon. Charleston direction should be quite different I would guess.
We do debrief, have 25 items on my action item list for the Charleston race and 2011 Key West race. Spinnaker is repairable and I am considering adding a 1.5 oz asymmetrical cut flatter for reaching in heavy winds.
You are correct, strategies for the two races are exactly opposite. Key West you hug the reef (but not too intimate a hug!) to avoid the current and Charleston you are searching for the fastest current. We use temperature as current indicator and search for highest readings. My navigator has written software that inputs wind and current predictions and uses these in conjunction with my boat polars to give us favored course predictions. Worked great in 2009, we were leading our fleet when we had to withdraw due to wrapping the spinnaker around the forestay.
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