Just had a Skype conversation with Steve Fields down in SA. He was able to give me a reality check on the boats and conditions.

Steve says, although the pictures and some reports sound dramatic, the boats are holding up well. The ones that went through the pier had some gel coat chips and one had a slightly bent mast.

Apparently they have a pretty small launching beach that is tucked up against the pier. The wind is either too light for launching or full-on in the afternoon. They had some pretty tough surf to get through. They have used jet skis to ferry boats and people back a forth to help hurry up the process in some cases. They have to cart the boats up off the beach each day and into a compound for the night.

Steve says they expect sail able conditions in the next few days followed by another hard blow period.

Differences in the French Boats as compared to what we do here in the US and Australia? Mostly these are hardware differences.

Their masts are all aluminum. I bet they are wishing for CompTips about now... that would help in the high wind. The CompTip flattens the top of the sail slightly. Shrouds and bridles are 5/32. Forestays are short and they are using a length of line to adjust out the slack when the jib is up. That requires a good knot if the jib comes down!

They have large ronstan jib clew blocks. They have the velcro jib batten pockets that leave no batten sticking out to catch in the mast and halyards. They have the old Tren Tec jib car (Brass knuckles) and swivel cleats mounted on the crossbar.

Main Ratchets are the Carbo Harken. Hard to make jaw angle adjustments on the beach. They are using a 3" upper for some reason.

They are set up with the power paks. 6:1 downhauls, 2:1 outhauls and jib halyard cleat system.

Hobie Cat France uses asymmetrical upper rudder castings and then bent tiller arms, so that looks different but the function is the same.

Tramps are similar, but have double grommets down the center. A grommet in the tramp for the skippers trapeze bungee. Side bars have a narrow strip of neoprene on the outer radius and it stops at the shroud. Makes for a slippery seat and nothing ahead of the shroud.

Boat change over has been slow as they have an inconsistant beach team. The original beach captain has pnumonia or something.