Hey All ,

Here are some pics of Doc Poulsen and I sailing a Regatta a month or so ago in light / medium breeze ( though at 7K altitude so low sp. density to the breeze...).
I've some thoughts as well..

1.) even in conditions that favor such - you didn't sail w/ one hull aloft as often as you'll recall later on the beach.
2.) sailing w/ the hull aloft is fast.

Picture - Doc , feet up and flying !

3.) posting a conviction about some nuance of sail trim on this forum makes one reluctant to abandon said conviction , even when the objective evidence indicates you've made an error ( see shape of { beautiful} orange kite. Now move your
block to clue off of the tramp...) !

4.) getting the nuance of sail trim right makes a big difference to boat speed.

5.) better to start a few seconds after the gun then to cross the line on the signal and blanketed by bad air...
6.) it's amazing how often boats tack into your "personal space" (california idiom there to lend an international flavor), blanketing both you and they out of contention...

7.) Doc wins regatta's because he knows the secret - which i'll share with you now : " Go uphill with the Acats and downhill with the Ski Boats! "
8.) rule number seven is difficult to attain...

In looking at the photos, that was some pretty close racing. Photo of both at the top mark at the same time after a long upwind leg.

Try again at attaching the photo--Paul and I were close at the top mark.

And stayed closed downwind (spinnakers on the left of the photo--testament to the variety of weights that a Formula boat can accommodate (as opposed to SMOD)--I'm 40 lbs heavier than Paul.

And diced with the A-cats, who were scored separately but shared a start--this is me and Jeremy L., A2 co-designer (he's sailing his Waterrat here)