Why the French rule the solo racing world

Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
My buddy Michael, who is probably America’s best Class 40 racer set this yesterday. It’s now bred into them, then years in a Figaro II burnishes into solid armor.

C96F31B4-A04B-4AFF-8CBA-938E3E396BEB.jpeg
 

weinie

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Sep 6, 2010
1,297
Jeanneau 349 port washington, ny
Michael Hennessy is a family guy who's also a managing director at morgan stanley who apparently started ocean racing after a midlife crisis. He didn't grow up with ocean racing in his blood like l'cleach.
That being said, I give him props where props are due and I've been rooting for him from the start. His sailmaker is my sailmaker and he just left for Guadeloupe to deliver the boat after the race is over.
It was interesting that he strayed from the pack and headed more north beating into the wind a few days longer than the others.
 
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Likes: Jackdaw
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Michael Hennessy is a family guy who's also a managing director at morgan stanley who apparently started ocean racing after a midlife crisis. He didn't grow up with ocean racing in his blood like l'cleach.
That being said, I give him props where props are due and I've been rooting for him from the start. His sailmaker is my sailmaker and he just left for Guadeloupe to deliver the boat after the race is over.
It was interesting that he strayed from the pack and headed more north beating into the wind a few days longer than the others.
Yea a late entrant to solo racing, but he did it the right way and came up through the Class40 ranks, sailing in the lower-level races before jumping into the big leagues.

The Class 40 is a simply a great boat, both as a racing class and a very fast cruiser.
 
May 29, 2018
457
Canel 25 foot Shiogama, japan
I think DRAMA sells in our societies.
Not so much for the French.
Slocum had a very matter of fact attitude in his book, but or course he wasn't racing.
Chichester also showed a certain calmness.

gary
 
Jan 1, 2006
7,040
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
I've met him (Hennessy) at Shelter Island Yacht Club. Seems pretty normal or even laid back for a guy who would take Open 40 out in solo ocean racing. Maybe being a hair on fire adrenaline junkie isn't the best temperament for that game. I could understand that that a calm personality who can deal with scary situations might do better. I don't know having not experienced that kind of sailing.
 
Jan 1, 2006
7,040
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
Oh, and Dragon is a cool boat. I see it all over Southern New England and here on the East End of LI. He enters it in our Greenport Ocean Race. It's fun to see it sail by as it usually does.
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
I've met him (Hennessy) at Shelter Island Yacht Club. Seems pretty normal or even laid back for a guy who would take Open 40 out in solo ocean racing. Maybe being a hair on fire adrenaline junkie isn't the best temperament for that game. I could understand that that a calm personality who can deal with scary situations might do better. I don't know having not experienced that kind of sailing.
Class 40, not Open 40