It was really a great weekend. I have a couple tips for chute sailing that I learned the hard (wet) way on Saturday. This weekend was the first F16 uni sailing I have sailed around the cans. I have many hours sailing chute on cats, but driving and flying at the same time does add a few challenges.

Rob your idea about locking the rudders while deploying/stowing is a good one. I've got a very neutral helm, but I still found things starting to drift while deploying and having to put a hand back on the tiller in the middle of putting it up. I am going to be trying your system.

When I got into trouble was jibing - I am used to jibing in one motion to the course I want to be traveling after the jibe is complete and twice I got sailing too high as I came out of the jibe, and the chute just had so much windage (not even filled) that I just went right over. So the second day with winds 12-15 mph - I would just let go of the chute (try to forget about it)- and just concentrate on the jibe, staying as deep as possible, get settled, pull in the chute - and then head up to heat it up. Jennifer let me borrow a main for the second day and it really changed my luck - just a great day on the water with some really close racing both upwind and downwind. Seth and I had a couple or runs with the chute up where we stayed within about 2 boats from A mark all the way to the C mark --- waiting as long as you could to dowse knowing that bringing down to early you are going to lose several boats, but waiting to long can be just as bad. I went in to C mark in first - was unable to get the Spin down and by the time I recovered I was in 5th. Lots of fun sailing one design!

In regard to the A's on Saturday whether it was the light wind - or we were a little more rusty than the A cats, it seemed like the top A's made some ground during the race. It was hard for me to say, because I didn't actually make it to a finish line, but I would say they may have been gaining a couple minutes in a half hour race. Sunday with it blowing a little more, I'd say the Taipans were holding ground or gaining a few minutes by the end of the race. Maybe someone recording times could verify it.

Overall just a great weekend and a really well run race by Gulfport Yacht Club. Jennifer ended up winning, followed closely by Seth. Hollis took a 4th with moi brought up the rear.

I am really looking forward to doing it again. Some of the west coast group is looking at coming over for the Jetty Park Ocean regataa in June, so hopefully we can get another fleet together again soon.

Thanks Jennifer, Seth, and Gulfport for a great race.

Chuck