Eeek! We got our new PHRF rating

[Seth]

ratings and racing

Ted, sounds like you got a fair rating-good on ya! On the batten thing-the more battens the bigger roach can be supported (although there are limits on roach area), it also simply provides more support along the leech-but I must say the Chesapeake PHRF either has some typo's in the rule, or has some unusual features to thier version of the rule. Typically the batten limit for a sail that size is 5, and I have already addressed the A-sail luff issue-something is wrong there-I have posted the language used by SoCal PHRF, and either way, yous is close to max functional size, so nothing to worry about on that front.

Shaun-NICE going!!! A couple of thoughts though:
To maximize performance,
EMPTY out the anchor locker-put the anchor, rode and chain on the floor just in front or just behind the mast (put a towel down underneath so you don't scratch the floor). ANY weight up there really hurts performance.
EMPTY ALL the water tanks. Carry gallon jugs of water instead. Just enough for the race, and you can put them where the weight might do some good. When racing, you are not a tanker, right? same for fuel-carry the min required (to get the farthest point away from a harbor to that harbor, plus maybe another 4-5 gallons-no more).
In general-get all uneeded gear off the boat, and work very hard to keep the cockpit lockers and bow lockers as empty as you can-putting things on the cabin sole in the middle of the boat (to the extent you can live with it).
Also, as long as you are under control, the .6 is fine at 25 knots, but you are near the limit. To douse with better control, sail pretty deep and trip the guy and lazy sheet away from the sail at the pole end. Take the lazy guy and pull the sail down BEHIND the mainsail. This should quiet things down as you take it down.

Also, carry some large sheets of Dacron sticky back on board-that would have been a very easy sail repair, and you could have kept the sail in good shape for the whole race..

Make the crew cut their toothbrushes in half-to save weight!!

Do you have a 2 blade fixed? If so, make a mark on the shaft when the blades are vertical. When you shut down to sail, put the engine in reverse to stop the shaft from spinning, then neutral. Spin the shaft to the mark, and lock it in reverse-this will help ALOT. If you need to run the engine while racing to charge the batteries, just be sure to put it in neutral first, and when you shut back down-double check the shaft has not rotated, and lock it back in position.

What was your actual finish position?

S

 

[wurzner]

Seth,

All good points and I did do 1 of them. We do have a fixed prop and did clock it and lock it. We had problems installing new gauges before the race (my wind machine is still not in) so it was a question of time or lack thereof. We just managed to get the depth and speed systems up which cut into other things; but this was really a tune up race as has been the last 3 months...it will take me a year to get to know the boat. We finished 7 out of 9 in our class, and 30 out of 50 in our division. Looking at the times, we were the first boat to finish in what I would consider a completely different weather pattern. There were a lot of boats behind us, and a lot infront of us. The ones infront were 4~7 hours ahead where as the boats behind were within an hour or 2. The headsail issue put us in dead wind where the boats that were only sligthly ahead at that time caught different winds and finished 4 to 7 hours before us.

It was a great ride and we will do better next year. Also, I will pull a lot of crap off the boat and keep the rest as you said. I kept the for and aft bunk for resting, and put all the gear bags and sails in the middle area with the cushions removed.

She really is a good boat and I deserved to give her a better showing results wise than we did. It was great race however and I look forward to a better showing next year.

regards
shaun

 

[Chris Miller]

Wait, weight, wate...

We're doing the Maryland Governor's Cup race this year... 75-ish miles overnight. Since I inherited most of the Beneteau 36.7 crew, I suppose I'm going to have to go through the motions of lightening the boat .
I guess having a crew member find both copies of chapman's, or realize there's 600lbs of water in the tanks wouldn't be good?
Chris

ps. Beer doesn't count as dunnage, does it?

 

[Seth]

Very cool

Good going Shaun-you are on the right track and should end up with a very competitive boat in most conditions!

Chris-Uh yeah, 600 pounds of water is not too fast-and sadly, I would take Chapman's off the boat, too (both copies).

Look at it this way: If you are going the hassle and expense of racing (new sails, deck gear, entry fees, etc.), it seems a waste if you use all of that expense and work to simply operate a furniture barge/freighter/tanker.

Many owners develop a system for quick loading and unloading so that the boat can be put back in cruise trim very quickly-as part of the post race clean up...have some plastic containers with labels (galley, books, misc gear, etc.) for easy on, easy off.

We were discussing weight in the ends and cushions...if the local rules allow, I would remove at least the v-berth cushions-partly for weight and to discourage tired crewmembers from sleping up there-the exception being a layover race, where you will be overnighting somewhere and need the bunk space.

Good luck to all of you this summer!!

Seth