So we had quite a race on our 216 this past Saturday. West winds 12 - 16 kts with gusts to 24 kts. Before the 2nd race we decided to reef while we were rolling. It took all our energy to pull it off (no jiffy reefing). While sequencing we noticed the top 3/4 of our main slugs were gone and the main was held only by the halyard about 6' down before the slugs were still there between the luff and mast.
We started with everyone but too far to the left and ended up touching the mark while going for position - we took our penalty. We made it to the weather mark on the same leg, at the same time as a j24 was rounding - and the skipper was a true J boat kin. We were screaming downwind - 7.5 - 8.0 kts. The first downwind leg our spinnaker wasn't set in the halyard cleat and fell into the water, we recovered quickly with little effect.
The next downwind leg was plagued with gusts. We gybed, broached, and when the spinnaker set on the port tack the spinnaker halyard sheared off the mast and into the water. We recovered the halyard, sail, eye strap, and block and immediately set the jib. We proceeded to finish 10th, but corrected over a colgate 26 to get 9th. The first time we've ever come in before another. We raced the 3rd and final race and headed for home. We fixed the halyard and sail that night and participated in the races Sunday.
We were awarded the sportmanship award for the regatta with 39 boats participating.
As far as competing with the 216 - we are closing the gap and learning quite a bit from these races.
We started with everyone but too far to the left and ended up touching the mark while going for position - we took our penalty. We made it to the weather mark on the same leg, at the same time as a j24 was rounding - and the skipper was a true J boat kin. We were screaming downwind - 7.5 - 8.0 kts. The first downwind leg our spinnaker wasn't set in the halyard cleat and fell into the water, we recovered quickly with little effect.
The next downwind leg was plagued with gusts. We gybed, broached, and when the spinnaker set on the port tack the spinnaker halyard sheared off the mast and into the water. We recovered the halyard, sail, eye strap, and block and immediately set the jib. We proceeded to finish 10th, but corrected over a colgate 26 to get 9th. The first time we've ever come in before another. We raced the 3rd and final race and headed for home. We fixed the halyard and sail that night and participated in the races Sunday.
We were awarded the sportmanship award for the regatta with 39 boats participating.
As far as competing with the 216 - we are closing the gap and learning quite a bit from these races.
