Single-handed F16HP Regatta In March

So far things are looking promising. 8 boats have pre-registered for the Gulf Coast Championship Regatta, 5 A-Class and 3 F16HP catamarans. We need at least 2 more F16HPs to pre-register before the February dead line to make this F16 event happen. So if you have an F16HP, start thinking about coming down to Florida in March. There's still plenty of time to make plans to attend the event.

Pre-Registration

I finally got around to buying a truck...so now I can haul the boat. Does GYC allow tent camping on site during regattas?

Jeff.

Hi Jeff,

Sorry, no camping allowed at Gulfport Yacht Club but I'm sure we can find a place for you to stay with one of the club members. If not, Fort De Soto park has a nice campgrond on the water but it is a few miles away.

Jennifer

Seems that last year Woodruff and I stayed there in the parking lot with our RVs.
Not so anymore?
Rick

Only 3 weeks till the F16HP Uni Regatta on March 13th & 14th at Gulfport Yacht Club. So far we have six F16HP Unis signed up and another boat that is tenative. There is still time to make plans to attend. I hope to see everyone there.

Jennifer
Taipan 4.9 #262

Rick,
I am looking forward to seeing the hooter against the spinnaker. I have heard lots of talk and would like to see it in action. We would like to see you at this event and the GulfPort Yacht Club would make accomadations again for your R.V.
Hope to see you there.
Seth

Go Canes!!!!

With the Gulfport F16HP Uni regatta less than a week away, we have 5 confirmed attendees. We should have some good racing. See everyone soon.

Jennifer Lindsay
Taipan 4.9 #262

I wish all (A's and F16's) the best of luck and wind at the Gulf Coast Championship.

I hope you guys have some tight racing. I trust that that the A's will be wishing for very light wind or stronger winds and the F16's for the mid range winds (with their spinnaker and all)

I hope someone volunteers to do some reporting with maybe to odd picture so I can get a taste of this event on monday or tuesday.

I'll be personally away to the Dutch Open landyachting championship, where I have to work (voluntarily) but I hope to do some riding myself after each day of racing.

Regards,

Wouter

Really appreciated the invitation. I know there is not a whole lot of room in that front lot.
As it turned out, I did have a cancelation in my schedule and suddenly discovered that I could make it.
But, then the health problem managed to sneak in there and mess things up. Still not feeling 100%.., HA, make that 50% and would probably end up drowning myself.
Hope you all have a great time.
Rick

Sounds like a great event.

I'd love to see some photos of spin setups. So if anyone has a digital camera...

I still struggle with having enough hands to steer, sheet, hike/trap, and raise/lower the spin singlehanded. So I'd like more advice on how to do it and on the best set up. With 5-6 F16 unis in one place...how about sharing some tips?

Eric,

As you know I've just swapped my Cat rigged Taipan for a sloop with spi. The guy that I swapped with sailed his sloop on a number of occasions cat rigged with spinnaker. He launched the spi out of a bag on the tramp.

To assist him in this endeavour he did this:

On the tiller cross bar on the opposite side of the bar to where the tiller extension attaches he attached a button the same as the buttons on the underneath of the rear beam that the tramp attaches to.

He also attached a piece of bungy about 35cm long to the rear beam each end of which is attached to a (different) button on the underneath of the beam such that the piece of bungy lies against the rear beam with the ends equidistant from the centre. The bungy is only so tight that it just sits there without sagging, hardly under tension at all.

At the centre of the bungy (which is of course at the centre line of the boat) he has put a loop in the bungy which is just the right size such that when slipped over the button on the tiller crossbeam it stays on the button but is easily attached and removed.

When it came time to hoist or lower the kite he slipped the loop over the button on the cross bar and this would hold the rudders straight for him while he did the business.

I thought this was an excellent idea! Much less restrictive than trying to sit on the tiller to keep the rudders straight. You may be doing something similar already but I thought I would share this with the forum as you asked for hints.

Rob.
Taipan 4.9 AUS135 "Blackadder"

Day one is over and it was a prefect F16 day (At least I thought it was). The winds started at 8 mph but built to around 10 to 14 later in the day but they are quite shifty from the east. The water is still cool but the air temperature made it to the mid 70's. 5 Taipan F16HP and 10 A-Cat made it to the event. So far, the F16HP standings (unofficial) are as follows after four races.
1st - #262
2nd - #032 & #221 tied
4th - #274
5th - #189
At least 2 more races are scheduled for Sunday with the first start at 10 am. I'll try to get some pictures of the boats on the beach tomorrow morning.

Jennifer

Jennifer,

How are the F16s going against the A's? Are you racing together with no handicaps?

Rob.

Final results? Photos? Tips on how to handle the spinnaker singlehanded?

Thanks

It was really a great weekend. I have a couple tips for chute sailing that I learned the hard (wet) way on Saturday. This weekend was the first F16 uni sailing I have sailed around the cans. I have many hours sailing chute on cats, but driving and flying at the same time does add a few challenges.

Rob your idea about locking the rudders while deploying/stowing is a good one. I've got a very neutral helm, but I still found things starting to drift while deploying and having to put a hand back on the tiller in the middle of putting it up. I am going to be trying your system.

When I got into trouble was jibing - I am used to jibing in one motion to the course I want to be traveling after the jibe is complete and twice I got sailing too high as I came out of the jibe, and the chute just had so much windage (not even filled) that I just went right over. So the second day with winds 12-15 mph - I would just let go of the chute (try to forget about it)- and just concentrate on the jibe, staying as deep as possible, get settled, pull in the chute - and then head up to heat it up. Jennifer let me borrow a main for the second day and it really changed my luck - just a great day on the water with some really close racing both upwind and downwind. Seth and I had a couple or runs with the chute up where we stayed within about 2 boats from A mark all the way to the C mark --- waiting as long as you could to dowse knowing that bringing down to early you are going to lose several boats, but waiting to long can be just as bad. I went in to C mark in first - was unable to get the Spin down and by the time I recovered I was in 5th. Lots of fun sailing one design!

In regard to the A's on Saturday whether it was the light wind - or we were a little more rusty than the A cats, it seemed like the top A's made some ground during the race. It was hard for me to say, because I didn't actually make it to a finish line, but I would say they may have been gaining a couple minutes in a half hour race. Sunday with it blowing a little more, I'd say the Taipans were holding ground or gaining a few minutes by the end of the race. Maybe someone recording times could verify it.

Overall just a great weekend and a really well run race by Gulfport Yacht Club. Jennifer ended up winning, followed closely by Seth. Hollis took a 4th with moi brought up the rear.

I am really looking forward to doing it again. Some of the west coast group is looking at coming over for the Jetty Park Ocean regataa in June, so hopefully we can get another fleet together again soon.

Thanks Jennifer, Seth, and Gulfport for a great race.

Chuck

Chuck, that's just my situation. And I've found out that accidentally jibing while dousing is no fun.

I think I'll start fiddling with the bungee too.

Sounds like a fun regatta!!!

Go to http://www.tampabaycatsailors.com/race_results.htm

and click on

"2004 A-Class Gulfcoast Championships"

Here you find the F16 uni results.

Congrats Jennifer ! (Jennifer really is unbeatable in the lighter winds (day 1)

Wouter