Hunter Racing for Fun
I have raced my Hunter 37.5 twice in the last three years. I don't take my racing seriously and I don't enter highly competitive regattas. The first race was a single handed regatta sponsored by the Galveston Bay Cruising Assoc. I placed first in my division and got squat for my effort (and $45 entry fee). The second place in my division was a C&C 37. I had to give him 20 seconds over the ten mile course. I beat him by one second on corrected time. I would not recommend single handed racing a Hunter 37.5 in an around the buoys race. It is too risky. I will not enter that race again. More than a year later, I heard about a Galveston Bay regatta that is connected with the Houston International Film Festival. The deal is, no entry fee, no protests, free beer (and barbecue) after the race. You take a number of passengers from the Houston International Film Festival. These people are non-sailors in general. You and your crew show them a good time by racing once around a 6 mile triangle course. Although there was a race committee and a formal starting sequence, etc., I would not consider this a serious test of sailing performance. However, it was a good feeling to cross the finish line first. On corrected time, I placed second behind a "race equipped" Sabre 32 that is a serious racer on Galveston Bay. He also had the advantage of watching me search for the second mark which had drifted 1/2 mile downwind from the position published in the race instructions. The second place trophy is nicer than my trophies left over from my previous life as a J/24 racer.Cruiser Don