Texas December Racing

Jan 22, 2008
763
Hunter 340 Baytown TX
We raced my Hunter 340 in the GBCA Chili Chase Regatta on December 5th on Galveston Bay. Had a great time, traded position seven times with "Bad Girl", a Cal 33. They were female skipper with all male crew, we were male skipper with all female crew. "Bad Girl" ended up 2nd in class in the shortened race, we were fourth. I know, at 4:50, I should not have let her pass us so easy.
 

PaulK

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Dec 1, 2009
1,222
Sabre 402 Southport, CT
Looking at the difference in your PHRF ratings, you would have been hard-pressed to keep her from passing you. The Cal 33 rates around 147, and the Hunter 340 about 156. How did they get behind you in the first place? And how did you get ahead of them for them to pass you again? The first time they had their asym up & full well before yours started drawing, but you say you traded places seven times? The wind must have been really flukey. We routinely sail through the lee of boats when the difference in our ratings is so big. Trying to keep your boat lined up between them and the next mark might have helped. It puts you in a better position for heading them up if they try to go above you, so they're more likely to go below you and get stuck in your wind shadow. Doesn't work so well with wind changing directions and being flukey, however.

Also, what's this sarcastic "beautiful day" comment - complaining about rain? It snowed here today. 17" expected Wednesday night.

Plus, how did the chili turn out????? Inquiring minds need to know!
 
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Jan 22, 2008
763
Hunter 340 Baytown TX
Pursuit start, we started ahead of her and stayed ahead the first leg. She passed us at 2:07 (1) right after rounding the first mark, we passed her at 2:10 (2), BG passed us at 2:40 (3), SB ahead at 3:44 (4), BG at 4:08 (5), they jibed away to make the mark and clear our bad air, wind shift let us make the mark closer at about 4:40 (6), and Bad Girl took the lead for good at 5:00 close hauled, seventh time we traded spots. I know I made dozens of tactical mistakes in the very flukey winds.
"Bad Girl" has a deep keel, my wing keel can't point with her. But, I still think I would have caught her one more time on the final long downwind leg if the race wasn't shortened.
Sarcastic "beautiful day" comment? Everyday on the water in a sailboat is beautiful, especially if you're racing! It was not as pleasant when the rain was falling, but I'll take a few showers over 17" of snow. We've raced twice since then and hope to race this Saturday, temps actually below normal lately in SE Texas.
Chili contest portion of the regatta was cancelled due to Covid concerns. Normally two classes, chili cooked on shore and chili cooked on board while racing. Last year, Tom on "Hobgoblin" won overall and best cooked on board and he cooked a pot again this race.
This was the last GBCA regatta of 2020, their Icicle Race series starts in January. Five races, we finished third in class in the Icicles in 2020, hope to do better in 2021. I've got to break out of this "in third" rut! We're in third in the Peanut Regatta of Waterford series, just one PHRF class and all kinds of boats. Race #41 for 2020 is this Saturday.
I counted the other day, even taking a month off for the lockdown and a month for my son's wedding, we've been lucky enough to sail in 48 races so far in 2020. And there are 50 different names in the guest/crew log for the year, 52 aboard counting me and Max, my border collie mix, he helped us get a first in a Peanut Regatta.
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Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Yea, the time to keep a boat from driving over you is not when they are a lane up and overtaking, its when they are well clear astern, and you drive up to their lane and show them a clear transom. This is the universal sign that you're going to be a tough out if they wanna drive over the top. Doing it later (like at 4:50) is just a pissing contest.
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
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Chili contest portion of the regatta was cancelled due to Covid concerns. Normally two classes, chili cooked on shore and chili cooked on board while racing. Last year, Tom on "Hobgoblin" won overall and best cooked on board and he cooked a pot again this race.
After a month in Texas, I developed a fairly refined taste for Texas chili. I’ve been working on perfecting my own recipe for ‘red’ ever since.
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Jan 22, 2008
763
Hunter 340 Baytown TX
Yea, the time to keep a boat from driving over you is not when they are a lane up and overtaking, its when they are well clear astern, and you drive up to their lane and show them a clear transom. This is the universal sign that you're going to be a tough out if they wanna drive over the top. Doing it later (like at 4:50) is just a pissing contest.
Tried to stay between the mark and the boats behind and still stay as high as them on the downwind leg in a race last Saturday. Doesn't work real well when the other boats are a Diva 39 and an Express 34 and you're driving a Hunter 340. A lull on the upwind first leg caught me first and eliminated my handicap lead. But, we did finish ahead of a C&C 41 and Jeanneau 54, by keeping our a-sail up on the close reach last leg. Working on the video.
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Am I the only one who races a Hunter 340? Would love to hear how other 336's and 340's do in races. Or even the 356's and 376's with the same B&R rig.
 

PaulK

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Dec 1, 2009
1,222
Sabre 402 Southport, CT
If you are able to race in a Hunter 340 now, imagine what you'll do when you move up to a J/111!
 
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Jan 22, 2008
763
Hunter 340 Baytown TX
If you are able to race in a Hunter 340 now, imagine what you'll do when you move up to a J/111!
That's one way to look at it! I am looking for my next boat, but I don't know if it will be a J/111. That's for a different thread. Another Peanut Regatta scheduled for this Sunday, pretty sure the Express 34 and Diva 39 will be racing again, I hope to be out there, too. I didn't mention there was a J92 and Peterson 34 in the last race that also finished in front us.
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Tried to stay between the mark and the boats behind and still stay as high as them on the downwind leg in a race last Saturday. Doesn't work real well when the other boats are a Diva 39 and an Express 34 and you're driving a Hunter 340. A lull on the upwind first leg caught me first and eliminated my handicap lead. But, we did finish ahead of a C&C 41 and Jeanneau 54, by keeping our a-sail up on the close reach last leg. Working on the video.
View attachment 188295

Am I the only one who races a Hunter 340? Would love to hear how other 336's and 340's do in races. Or even the 356's and 376's with the same B&R rig.

I think your boat suits your program just fine. With your causal mix of crew and amazingly cool 'lets have fun' attitude, moving to something like a J111 might be a mistake. They can bite. And it's a common fallacy to think that a 'faster' boat will improve your results.

While its true that 'race' boats will often sail to its rating in a wider range of conditions, PHRF numbers are assigned for typical racing in 8-12 knots. Most boats, well sailed and well prepared, can sail to their number.
 
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Jan 22, 2008
763
Hunter 340 Baytown TX
I think your boat suits your program just fine. With your causal mix of crew and amazingly cool 'lets have fun' attitude, moving to something like a J111 might be a mistake. They can bite. And it's a common fallacy to think that a 'faster' boat will improve your results.
Thanks for the advice Jackdaw, always look forward to your comments. I really don't think I'll be getting a J/111. I want something a little more future grandkid friendly and like you said, with a more 'lets have fun' attitude. Yeah, I'm having more fun with this boat than the law probably allows in some states. Every time I mention moving up to about 38', family and crew say no way can I sell this boat, too many memories and still too much fun. The only thing I see near my dream specs is a Jeanneau 379, but not real excited about it.
I was thinking about new sails to help upwind, but just checked, they were new in February, 2016. They should still be good.
There's a race on Sunday, but so much to do to get ready for Christmas. Who am I kidding, I'm a race junkie, got to get my fix, I'll be on the Bay.
 
Jan 22, 2008
763
Hunter 340 Baytown TX
Another December race on Galveston Bay last weekend. I had a great crew, again, but we need to work on our spinnaker jibes.
 
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PaulK

.
Dec 1, 2009
1,222
Sabre 402 Southport, CT
Hard to jibe when there's not enough wind to keep the sail full. Looks like you kept her moving as best you could, and remembered to get people out of the cockpit a lot of the time. Hard to stay in front of a J/92 in light/no air. Looks like it may have shifted around a bit too, to throw another wrench in the works. But at least it was warm and sunny! We have 6" of snow on the ground here.
 
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Jan 22, 2008
763
Hunter 340 Baytown TX
Raced again on Sunday, ten boats, no one finished, wind disappeared completely. Figured out the jibe problem, I thought foredeck was doing outside jibes, he was doing inside jibes, holding DDW during the jibe was making it worse. We will stick to outside jibes.
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Thought we locked in third in the series after 41 races, fourth place is 7 point behind us and you only get 5 points for first with one race left. But the club “commodore” decided to have two races on the weekend between Christmas and New Year’s. Forecast is 65 and 15 knots both days. Not sure what the bookies have set the odds at that I do both races if I can find crew.
 
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Jan 22, 2008
763
Hunter 340 Baytown TX
Video of the the race before Christmas,
And we did do both races last weekend, that’s six races in December. And the first GBCA Icicle race is January 2nd.
 
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PaulK

.
Dec 1, 2009
1,222
Sabre 402 Southport, CT
Why late to the start in a pursuit race? If you're going to switch around the video based on where you look, you need to say "clack clack clack" like Jean LeCam when you turn, so we don't get seasick watching. Nice shot of the crossing with the C&C 33. Looks like you need more wind down there. We had gusts to 60+ knots this weekend. Let me know and I'll try to send you some. Good social distancing. Was the autopilot on? Is the outhaul too tight at 9:43? TLE?? Too bad you had to withdraw, but still better than spending the afternoon waxing the car. Happy New Year!
 
Jan 22, 2008
763
Hunter 340 Baytown TX
Why late to the start in a pursuit race? If you're going to switch around the video based on where you look, you need to say "clack clack clack" like Jean LeCam when you turn, so we don't get seasick watching. Nice shot of the crossing with the C&C 33. Looks like you need more wind down there. We had gusts to 60+ knots this weekend. Let me know and I'll try to send you some. Good social distancing. Was the autopilot on? Is the outhaul too tight at 9:43? TLE?? Too bad you had to withdraw, but still better than spending the afternoon waxing the car. Happy New Year!
Way better than waxing the car or cleaning the garage or...
Late start, because hard to estimate distance and when you'll cross the line in the very light wind for me.
First time I used the "hat cam", I now know I have to keep head motions slow if I'm going to use the clips. I thought I needed another angle on things to change it up. And had to google Jean LeCam.
We thought we could use the C&C crossing to force the Jeanneau to tack before he passed us to windward and it actually worked.
No autopilot, no wind, just bobbing around not moving.
Yes, outhaul way too tight. Read somewhere outhaul needs to be tight in very light air to keep flow "attached". But, forget to ease it down wind.
TLE?? Not sure what you mean.
And every boat withdrew, no one finished this race. But, there were two races the next weekend between Christmas and New Year's and 15+, finished the nine nautical miles in about an hour and a half. And there are races January 2nd and 3rd I hope to sail in.
Happy New Year from Galveston Bay!
 
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PaulK

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Dec 1, 2009
1,222
Sabre 402 Southport, CT
So you know where Jean LeCam is right now? Hope he has more wind than you did! In an earlier race he had a video camera which made a noise when he moved it to a different angle. Now he makes a "clack, clack, clack" sound when he shifts his camera to tell viewers that he's going to change the shot. We got a videocamera and started using it with no instructions or advice on a trip to China. Two-second clips of the Great Wall and twenty-second pans of Beijing from the bouncy tour bus... not conducive to a relaxing screening. TLE is short for the official term Time Limit Expired, which should be defined somewhere in your Sailing Instructions. Was the idea for keeping the outhaul that tight in light air written on the back of an envelope slipped under your hatchboards last summer? Don't believe everything you read THAT much, but do remember to ease off offwind. If you tell the crew who tightens it (and who adjusts the downhaul or Cunningham) that they're responsible for easing them all going downwind, it might help, and give you less to have to remember. How'd you do in the breeze between Christmas & New Years? Good luck this weekend!
 
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Jan 22, 2008
763
Hunter 340 Baytown TX
Don't believe everything you read THAT much, but do remember to ease off offwind. If you tell the crew who tightens it (and who adjusts the downhaul or Cunningham) that they're responsible for easing them all going downwind, it might help, and give you less to have to remember. How'd you do in the breeze between Christmas & New Years? Good luck this weekend!
Time Limit Expired, how did I not remember that? No time limit in the Peanut Regattas, nope, none.
So, don't keep the outhaul tight upwind in light air? I'll get on the crew next race about the outhaul.
We did sail in both races, 5th on Saturday, got a point. Dead last on Sunday, 8th place. Conditions were not ideal for a wing keel boat with no backstay both days, 15 knots on Saturday, and saw gusts over 25 on Sunday. But, after 42 races in the series, we did end up third, 36 boats participated, we sailed in 36 of the races.
Photo from Saturday. Two races this weekend, again. GBCA Icicle Series race #1 on Saturday the 2nd and the 2021 Peanut Regatta first race is Sunday.

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PaulK

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Dec 1, 2009
1,222
Sabre 402 Southport, CT
Placing third in the Series, Sunspot Baby shows how it is DONE!
Congratulations!

Maybe talk to your RC about adding a time limit. Perhaps something like an hour after the first boat finishes, or three hours after the start? Or at sundown? There are lots of options. It allows people to move on when it becomes too ridiculous.
 
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Jan 22, 2008
763
Hunter 340 Baytown TX
Last two races of 2020 on Galveston Bay.
And first race of 2021. Hit one of the tanker wakes that surfers manage to ride 20 miles down the bay.
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