Racing in 20 knots of breeze....

[Jackdaw]

Kestrel in first place going into the final day of the AIS Memorial Day Regatta. A wire-to-wire win yesterday helped cement our position. Great close jib-reach home in the 20+ knot conditions. 2 boats behind us blew out kites trying to catch us. We were at 8.5+ knots most of the way back, so we knew a kite would not help us speed wise, and just push us down off the rhumb line. Sail smart!

 

[jssailem]

Why that looks like fun. Way to start your season. More interesting than 2 knot racing.

 

[JohnVTX]

I love Minnesotans, shorts and jackets...

 

[jssailem]

Add sandles and socks and they look like Pacific Northwest natives.

 

[Rick D]

Looks like she's sailing pretty well on her feet for 20 knots. Nice job!

 

[Jackdaw]

Looks like she's sailing pretty well on her feet for 20 knots. Nice job!

Exactly. Active trim on boat sails. Turn down in the puffs, work up a bit in the slight lulls.

 

[Davidasailor26]

Way more fun (to me anyway) than trying to keep the boat moving in the 2 kt conditions of your previous report.

 

[RussC]

Add sandles and socks and they look like Pacific Northwest natives.

Hey hey… I resemble that remark.

Good on ya Jackdaw

 

[kloudie1]

Congrats, Jackdaw!
Shorts and jackets is the uniform of the day for winter sailing here !

 

[Jackdaw]

We ended up winning the regatta.

On the final day only one boat (Evelyn 32) had a realistic chance of catching us, so we planned to loose cover them as we owe them time. Painfully they tried to test our resolve by going right, away from pressure on the left that everyone saw. But I'd rather be with them in case they caught a miracle lift on the right side.

We rounded the windward mark well in from of them, but MILES behind the lead Santana 35 the went left. Then a kite run to a mark, and a screaming reach back to Bayfield for the finish. Very proud of this group, all basically new to the boat and for sure the first time as a group. It was also the first time we brought up our full (and new) BlueJ crew to Kestrel. Day 1 was sketchy but we got way better every day and never gave up. You can always come back if you stay focused. Look for the Santana way ahead of us at the 1:05 mark of the video. We catch them, and finish 3:30 in front of them. We are first to finish but end up in second corrected to a boat we did not care about. Great weekend!

Windward bear-away kite set in 17 knots. Not bad for a rookie crew!

 

[Apex]

makes me want to work the bow.....nice results Jack and BB

 

[Jackdaw]

Congrats, Jackdaw!
Shorts and jackets is the uniform of the day for winter sailing here !

;^)

That combo can show up in any month here. The reason is water temp. This day it was 47F. Breeze over that for too long REALLY cools off.

 

[Jackdaw]

makes me want to work the bow.....nice results Jack and BB

It was fun having our entire crew from BlueJ up working Kestrel. The boats are rigged in a very similar manner (intentional), but of course Kestrel is MUCH bigger. Brendan did just fine on bow, as did Jean who is new to pit this year and had to drink from the fire hose this weekend.

But you are right, bow is a wickedly fun job on the boat!

 

[Scott T-Bird]

On upwind legs during 20-knot winds are you reefing the main and shaking it out for downwind legs?

 

[Jackdaw]

On upwind legs during 20-knot winds are you reefing the main and shaking it out for downwind legs?

In 20knts we are full main, but FULLY flattened. We can make our 3DL sails very flat. At that level of sustained breeze upwind we would swap down for the blade jib, less back-winding the main and we go to wind like a witch. In that picture the breeze built to that level; but were were reaching and the genoa was perfect. Actually a jib-top would have been perfect but sadly we don't have one.

Any more than 20 sustained and we starting thinking about reefing. The goal is to keep the boat FLAT. Flat is fast.