Ronstan Midwinters

Davis Island Yacht Club hosted the 2014 A Class Midwinters sponsored by Ronstan.  The conditions were great once the sea breeze filled in at 3 p.m. each day.  We were unable to sail Sunday because the breeze filled in too late. Ben Moon won the event on a Nikita with winglets. I placed second on the O without winglets. Woody Cope placed third on a Nikita with winglets. Sam Armington placed fourth on the O without winglets. The top three all used Fiberfoam masts. First, third, and fourth used Glaser sails, and I used a Brewin. Sam and I sailed well and pushed the boats hard downwind.  We lacked a little bit of speed upwind.  For the next event we both plan on having winglets, and we plan to do some testing and working on our rigs to get more speed upwind.  Here is the link to final results. Sam wrote a summary here.  The next event is the Hall Spars Admirals Cup in Gulfport. I expect more of the top US sailors at this event as they have now returned from worlds. Hopefully we will have a sea breeze so Sam and I can compare our upwind speed from the last event.

2014 Coconut Grove Sails and Canvas Invitational and Intergalactica

This past week I had the opportunity to sail in Islamorada in 2014 Coconut Grove Sails and Canvas Invitational and Intergalactica.  The Invitational was sailed on monday and tuesday.  Monday the wind started at 10 knots and built to 15 buy the end of the day.  Seaweed was a problem earlier in the day, and those with rudder winglets struggled to clear there rudders. I ended up with a 1, 3, 2, and a 15.  The 15 was the result of a broken boom.  The new style rigs are requiring more sheet tension and as a result my boom broke.  After fixing the boom, I headed out for the second day and got a 3,3,1,1,1.  In the middle of the second race my rudder cracked at the head, but luckily it was light and everyone was doing the mild thing downwind. Bob Hodges won the first event, I got second, and Woody Cope got third. Usually we use wednesday as a lay day, but since a cold front was forecasted    to pass on thursday we raced on wednesday.  The wind was blowing about 20 knots with a small chop.  Many didn't make it to the starting line.  I started on port and ducked the fleet so I wouldn't have to tack twice.  Once I tacked for the lay line, I appeared to be crossing the rest of the fleet coming from the left and then my boom broke again, this time in the middle.  Clearly we need a stronger laminate schedule for the next one. Bob Hodges won that race and was one of only four who finished. Friday was the last day of the regatta and three races were scheduled. The wind was shifty and ranged from 5 knots to 15.  I sailed well and had finishes of 2,1,1.  However since we didn't have a fifth race I couldn't drop my dnc from wednesday. Bob Hodges won the event, Ken Marshack got second, and I ended up third.  Even though I didn't finish where I wanted to because of breakdowns, I am still happy with the way I sailed and the way the new rig performed. I have been putting off the installation of the rudder winglets because I didn't like the rudders I was using, but now I am about to make all new rudders and the winglets will go on for midwinters.  My new rig worked great.  I have a Fiberfoam bendy mast with a Brewin sail, it provides plenty of power when I need it and I can blade it out when I am overpowered upwind.  Bob Hodges was fast with a Dna, winglets, Saarberg mast, and a Glaser sail.  Woody used a Nikita with winglets, Fiberfoam, and a Glaser and was really quick upwind. Results are posted here and a slideshow of the Invitational can be found here.  I would like to thank to John and Carla from Coconut Grove Sails and Canvas and I would also like to thanks the race committee for another great job.

The next event is A Class midwinters at Davis Island Yacht Club at the end of February.