OK, had a good time, but it could have been better. First, I have to say that Bob must have sold his soul, because in zero wind, he was practically flying a hull. On the second day, he beat the entire H14/F14/mystere/Isotope/cheshire/H16 fleet--he finished before anyone else rounded the friggin' C-mark!

I, of course, didn't do as well. The boat was amazing in 1-3k wind, but in 0-1k wind, which is what we pretty much had, it wasn't a lot of fun. we got to sail with the Hooter up all weekend, which was cool, but it hurt me when the wind died. I found that the big sail hurt me because it wasn't very responsive to little puffs and tacking the thing in extemely light air was a nightmare. However, It was just amazing how it helped when it filled in. Also, when I was around a lot of other boats, I had a really hard time doing anything due to the rake of the mast, bad air, mylar main and my general frustation level. I really wasn't used to the Oxen blocks I was using and I think that added to a few blown tacks and overall frustration.

On the good side, though, the boat got a lot of attention. While waiting for the wind to pick up and the RC to set up the course on Friday, we would get some puffs in the 2-3k range. Bob, Chris and I zig-zagged around the whole fleet and I heard a lot of people making comments about how we skooted around in next to nothing. Also, there were some 20 footers complaining that we were either keeping up with them or passing them upwind with our Hooters up. Pretty cool--I also passed an F-18 downwind with their spinnaker up to finish.

The Cheshire and Isotopes really creamed us (Chris and me)in the extremely light wind because they were so responsive to puffs. However, when it picked up a little, we walked right through them. The Hobie 14 Turbo did extremely well in the loght stuff-she was in the right place at the right time and didn't mess up! I gotta hand it to her, she sailed a great race every time.

I think we got a lot of exposure, but probably not as good as we wanted. I didn't make a great showing, and I didn't race the last day. Thankfully, Bob was there to pick up the slack...

Mate I feel your pain. I've done a few inland lake regattas in very minimal winds and it can be very frustrating. It took me a number of hammerings as you describe to become 'inland lake savvy' in light airs. Having new and unfamiliar gear is also a bummer and Mylar mainsails need a bit of air pressure to push them over to the new tack or else you need to pump the boom which isn't too cool particularly if you've 'lost it' with the frustration.

I'm happy to hear that the boat went well when the air finally began to move.
What sort of discussion if any was there generally about the F14 concept?
Bern

Bern,

Any hints where the pic was taken.

Regards,
Phill

Hi Dan -

It was good meeting you and Brian and Chris - I love that regatta for the chance to meet people.

The 4.3s got the turnout I'd hoped with all 9 pre-registered boats showing up, and all three 14 Maxis showed up, too. I was disappointed with the number of folks that bailed out for the last day, but I completely understand the desire to get on the road. We actually had some breeze on Sunday, though it was deadly shifty. In the first race, I'd split from the fleet in about 3rd or 4th, got to the right side all alone, and caught the new wind just right by sheer luck. I finished that one a half-leg ahead of Jamie in 2nd. That was my only bullet - lucky but gratifying.

Unfortunately, with less of the fleet on the water, there wasn't much that could change in the standings for the last two races, but it was good experience anyway. I had a great time.

Saturday, I had crew on the boat - an 11-year-old girl named Jennifer Fridman. She wanted to learn how to sail, and her family was thinking about buying a beach cat. Nobody was offering her a ride, so I took her along despite my feeling the extra weight and inexperience would be a hindrance. I was trying hard to practice what I preach - TAKE A NEWBIE SAILING! She did great and her Dad is now seeking a 4.3! Do it! Take someone new out! I did it ONCE and a new boat will be joining the 14 fleet!

The conditions, IMO, favored the 14 Maxi due to their ability to carry the sail area all the way around the course. Bob was way out ahead every race, of course, but without a bit more breeze, I'm not sure how much of that was pure Bob and how much was the extra area. This may become one of the great unanswerables! I don't think I let the other two Maxis get in front of me - Dan? Can you remember where you finished up in relation to the 4.3s? I'll try and get the finish sheets from Mr. Ernie to double check. I never finished less than one to three boats behind Bob, with Jamie or Mike Fahle or both in front of me. I finished 3-2-2-1-2-3 in the 4.3s, which is 4-3-3-2-3-4 in the 14s, I think... My third race, however, I got caught in the huge butterfly net of crossing that immense finish line on the last trip downwind, so that one earned me a DNF. That sucked - race for 76+ minutes to learn I'd crossed an obstruction and got the same score I could have had drinking a margherita on the beach!!! I certainly didn't gain distance or advantage - Jamie came from waaaaayyy outside to win that one! I'd gybed inside of him thinking he'd seriously overstood, and never noticed him flogging the 'chute trying to get up over the finish pin he noticed in the nick of time. I sailed right up to the pin-set boat and had a conversation as I went by - since they didn't have a pin in the water anywhere near them, I assumed they hadn't set it yet. Turned out they were camped out in the middle of the line. Never occurred to me there'd be a line that big in the middle of the course... boy did I feel stupid! Tough lesson...

If Bob's performance is the bench mark, then clearly the 14 Maxi has legs over the 4.3, though I think they are probably more evenly matched in wind over 5 knots or so (once that hooter is rolled up). Jamie and Mike have both been sailing the 4.3 for a while, and I feel they know how to make the boat perform - I'd like to get Bob on one just for reference sometime...

In any case, it was a great weekend for 14-footers, we picked up another interested sailor, we represented the fledgling class well. Let's pick the next event to make a showing! The Ohio group have a couple of events picked out this summer - what are the 14 Maxis interested in doing?

Let's keep it going!

Very much agree with what Dan said. SFR was my first experience on a H14 or a F14H14 so there is a bit of a learning curve.

Don't care much for the Oxen blocks.

Had some trouble pointing in general but in the really light stuff in particular. The boat crabbed sideways quite a bit. I attribute this to some rudder misalignment and some poor sail handling coming out of the tacks.

It was quite a lot of fun in any breeze that would make the tell tales flow.

Chris Merrell

Good report on the M4.3s, John! It would be interesting to see the combined results for the M4.3 and Open B/F14, if possible.

The finish lines were a hassle. On Friday the shorten course finish line was, like, 2 boat lengths wide. On Saturday the finish line was a huge closed gate in the middle of the course. Too long for a start line IMHO. Had a similar situation at Hartsville two weeks earlier.

I crewed on a 2004 Hobie 18 (the last one sold, a mere two days before they announced the end of TheMightyHobie18 production). The winds were consistantly inconsistant, making "windward" and "leeward" marks a pointless term. We once sailed upwind to A, upwind to C, and then upwind to the finish line. The Open A (20s and I17Rs) started ahead of us and caught the windshifts differently, after rounding the A mark they had a spinnaker run around C and also to the finish line. My boat also crossed the line while heading from A to C to get a DNF, though we saw the commitee boat. It wasn't flying an "On Station" flag, and neither of us had read the regatta rules before the race stating that the line was always closed. That was a quick way to go from 4th to 9th.

During the Friday postponement I swam over to Josh's M4.3 for a chat. He said he is planning to sell and move "up" to an I17R. If you can get ahold of those parents looking for a M4.3, let them know.

"Cricket", the young girl on the yellow H14T, was pretty impressed with the H14Maxis.

I'm definately in favor of the Blaster over the Spinnaker, as it seems a more versatile sail. I'd like to see a M4.3 with a Blaster against a M4.3 with a Spin in both light and moderate winds.

John,

I remember finishing ahead of a few boats, but I really can't say that my performance was indicative of the ability of the boat. Absolutely the inability of not knowing how to sail in the light stuff, but not the boat's fault.

I really hadn't looked past Spring Fever a whole lot for things to do with the Maxi. I am doing the Icebreaker in Annapolis next weekend on the A-cat, but it would be a great race for the Maxi. The only problem is the logistics of getting it there and storing it. I already have the A-cat logistics figured out.

There is a distance race in Va Beach on Labor day that I will probably do on the Maxi as well as one in NC--'round the Island or something like that. I'll probably try to bring it to Kerr Lake and the Camp Hatteras race, too.

I don't plan to make it further south this summer, but I can be pursuaded in the fall.

I think I really just need to get some time in on the boat..

We are having a race May 22-23 in Virginia Beach and I will be helping run it, so I can't race in it. If anyone wants to borrow a Maxi (or two) for it, let me know--they will be available!

Moonee north of Coffs Phil

Bern

Bern,
Thanks.
Next time your up that way stop in and have a sail with the guys at Nambucca. They sail Stingrays and A classes , (both are 18 ft for those who haven't heard of a Stingray. Although some have just started building 14 ft Paper Tigers).
Anyhow, The point is they sail on a narrow river.
They call it sailing but it is a lot more like aerobics.
Tack, on the wire, in ,tack on the wire etc.
Your pretty well buggered after the first work.
The way the 430 tacks you could really turn some heads.
I love to see big boats being flogged by little boats.
Regards,
Phill

Mate, the boat has sailed on the Nambucca. In '99 not long after launching I took it to Southwest Rocks for Chris Cairns to sail as he makes the main. I ended up taking it to the river trying to accommodate his schedule and he took it for a good squirt. It blew a freekin hooley and I wasn't even keen to rig but he was and he sailed it in the hell conditions and couldn't stop raving about how well it handled. He's an amazing sailor.
I had some pleasant days at Trial Bay up there on two occasions just sorting it and surfing the little r/hander off the point hoping he might join me again but he was too busy. He's talking about maybe racing it at Forster with the kite depending how it goes. Should be great with his super fit 60kg and skill on board. Might turn a few heads. I'm now working toward getting the second boat ready for October. Two 430's up there would be super cool.
Too good.
Bern

Bern,
It'll go like a train.

Yes, Trail Bay is a fun place to sail.

Regards,
Phill