C
Cliff Ruckstuhl
We finished our last race of the season last week with getting a 1st,2nd and a 2nd. This gave us a 1st in our class. We were agressive on the starts with being the windward boat at the gun. We race JAM in a very competitive class. Racing our 28.5 has been very rewarding we have good sail's and had good crew for this series. I feel in our class the 28.5 has become a tough boat to beat. I am not saying I am but the boat is a good boat. I have said it before we can out point the entire fleet. We have had some very close racing with a Tartan 30 who before the new rudder rated the same now we give him 3 second's a mile. In any of our races I would say he is my Nemisis. I would say we won based on just being able to out point him and not having to sail the same distance. We were 1st to each mark excipt one and were also the 1st to finish in every race. But on one very close leeward mark rounding the Tartan 30 was right on our transam with in a few feet. He was screaming for room at the mark but had no over lap so we closed the door on him rounding inside of us. We both hardened up for the weather leg with us to weather of him. We were both going the same speed but we were able to out point him. After a while of drag racing up the course we had put allot of seperation between us with us being closer to the mark. I would say that alone is what makes this boat a great boat on the race course. We were able to match ther boat speed on the down wind leg a point of Sail I feel is our worst with the Main being in rig the whole way down wind.I keep learning more about the boat and what makes it go. The 1st race was a Blade Jib and a reefed Main. Boat sailed fast and we were able to keep her in the grove. 2nd Race was delayed by a slower boat and the wind had let down some and we did not notice it. We knew at the start as a slower boat got inside of us and walked us going up wind. We did just not have the horse power we needed. 1st down wind leg we changed out the blade for the 155 and did not lose much but rounded the mark 4th but real close. We then rounded the next up wind mark 1st. We had passed the 3 boats in front of us and needed to put some distance on them but did'nt get enough distance on them and finished 1st but had a Person 30 just too close and he got 1st with us taken a 2nd. 3rd race was the next day and a 155 day with wind in the 15 knot range. Much of the same good start and sailing fast and keeping track of the fleet. We let a Sabre 28 go and he was not a threat to 1st but was threat anyway's. Covering who we needed to and paying close attention to where every one was. The Sabre 28 is very well sailed and very though boat to beat and he is also a very good friend. We had some choices to make and letting him go was one we needed to do. He was not a threat to us for winning over all but was still a threat. We had 2 boats who we needed to cover who could cause us some trouble if we had a bad race and keeping on top of them was the primary concern. Boat is not yet out of the water and I am already looking forward to the next season and making plans to strip the bottom off to bare gelcoat and making the boat faster. New head sail maybe and some other stuff I can't discuss are on the list for next season.Cliff