Wow, awesome footage!

How did Mike break the stick? Did he sheet out the main when the bows dug in?

That start line sequence was awful for just about the whole fleet! Any start and finish is good if you're upright, I guess...

Mike

Agreed! Terrible start for the majority of the of the fleet but it was really on and you couldn't hear anything. Mark did warn us that he starts on time (which I REALLY like!). If you weren't paying attention or didn't believe the start would start on time you got left behind. The starts today weren't as clean as I've seen them in the past (fleet wise) but it was a whole lot tighter.

Most likely, he's using GPS time. Synch your watch to a GPS (to the second), and you won't need a timer for the first race. If he's using even minutes for all starts, you won't need a timer at all.

Starting on even GPS minutes is one of the more subtle sailor-friendly things a good RC can do. Rock star RC will always time the initial warning/start on an even 5.

As a PRO, I can do this, but will admit to using the timer as a crutch when racing myself. Life would be much simpler if I could break that habit. You never have to worry about missing the flags, or synching a backup when (not if) the primary timer gets bumped and stops during the sequence.

Mike

Two more races scored today, weather looks much kinder, low teens with slightly higher gusts.

Sarah and Matthew are looking invincible! All bullets with a throwout of 3! Very impressive.

Good news/bad news for Todd. Back on the water, got a 2, then an OCS. Ouch. Why was he out for two days, BTW?

Tall Guy hanging in!!!

Mike

so when it's honking (like the +/- 27 knots), is it still faster/safer to run the spin downwind?

Since it wasn't steady 27 I'd say for sure run the kite. I would have. To be honest. There was plenty of carnage but the water looked pretty flat for the amount of wind so should have been relatively manageable. Granted I wasn't there so this is my wild guess. However. I run the kite downwind on the viper every time it's that windy so wouldn't hesitate on a bigger boat

Two more scored (4 total today).

Sarah/Matthew got a second 3 and another bullet, looking unstoppable now.

Virtual three-way tie for second, one point total separating Olivier, JC and Mike/Tripp!

Tall Guy hanging in the Top 10!!!

Mike

It is faster to run the kite in breeze. If you want to win it is what you have to do. If your plan is to win the war attrition you don't run the kite and that's my opinion only. I have had very skilled sailors tell I'm flat wrong about not running the kite in breeze. If you want to be safe you stay on the beach.

I'm not a spin boat sailor, so I won't claim first-hand knowledge, but that makes sense based on conversations and observations.

Running the spin makes you faster and somewhat minimizes the effect of the breeze, as the apparent wind moves forward.

Dealing with frequent 10 knot gusts when you're already depowered due to high average wind is what really wipes you out. True on any boat, even more so with a ton on sail area up.

Mike

It's all about keeping the apparent wind from going aft. Run too deep, or too slow and the pressure on the square top main, drives the bow down and over you go.

Works the same on A-Cats, spins boats, etc...

I agree totally, Mike, but was wondering what you do if you're already super-deep angle because of the wind strength... and have all that cloth up (spin, jib, and main)

If any puff hits, where do you go? I suspect on the 18s with all your weight on the back of the bus, you just keep squirting out ahead.

For a non- or semi-planing hull, do you run a greater risk of broach?

Four more scored today? Wow, in under 3.5 hours. How long are the races?

Sarah has a new throwout, a 7.

Easton is getting serious.

Riccardi got a bullet!

Tall Guy slipped a bit...

We need more stories!!!

Mike

Easy solution. Buy my boat. Go to the event. Tell the stories.

Jay,

There's a certain point where it is game over. David and I did a Steeplechase 7-8 years ago where it was blowing 20+ and got hit by a squall with 35+ sustained while exiting Angel Creek. We pitchpoled with the kite up a couple of times, we took the spin down and pitchpoled a couple more times. We finally took the main down and were doing 15 knots under jib only. As the wind laid down, we would pull the main part of the way up and let it plaster against the shrouds. We maintained over 15 knots for that way until the wind got back down in the 20's. n Then we spun the boat up, re-set the main and spin, and finished the run to Anne's beach. There were several people and boats that got separated that day, and at least one CG rescue...

Spot ****ing on Jeff! You are missed my friend please don't leave the fleet.

Not leaving the fleet, but Brooks moved to SF and I can't do the boat alone. Now that grad school is done I'm hoping to make it down for Steeplechase or Tradewinds... and Florida 300 is tempting!

Um, not quite...

We need the stories from folks who are there. I have a long history of providing this for events I attend, but no one can go to everything.

We all want more people to sail with us, there's nothing like good stories to keep the interest up. It's advertising that you simply can't buy.

I feel like we (across classes) have taken a step backwards over the past few years.

Mike

More video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Al3k5obr5G8

In what way? Not posting stories about events? We've hashed out all the reasons classes and the sport itself appear to be dwindling...

I've noted over quite a few videos (N17 and the Day3 F18 vid) of Sarah's starts and she is routinely behind. I hope her coaches have noticed. Not knocking the kids, they are sailing quite awesome, just making an observation where they need improvement as they head to the games.

Bob