Planning on doing the Mug Race this year. Has anyone done it in the past? Please share your thoughts and experiences.

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Pete
2001 NACRA 450 SOLD
2000 NACRA 500 TOTAL LOSS
2004 NACRA INTER 20 SOLD
2016 NACRA 500 Sport
DeLand, FL
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Did it last year. Was my first distance race. I wouldn't miss it now. Dont go in the middle unless you can see boats ahead still moving. Never be the first to try an area unless it's obvious there's actually wind. Otherwise it's fun. The rudder club has the best food of any of the races around to so I always look forward to that at the end of the day.

Everyone registers like 1-2 days before so don't worry about the current registrant list. It's going to go up. A few guys out here are going but no one has registered yet



Edited by tamumpower1 on Apr 08, 2017 - 07:30 PM.

Quote

Dont go in the middle unless you can see boats ahead still moving.

Hey tamumpower1, Thanks. Looking forward to it. When you say don't go in the middle are you referring to the middle of the river?

--
Pete
2001 NACRA 450 SOLD
2000 NACRA 500 TOTAL LOSS
2004 NACRA INTER 20 SOLD
2016 NACRA 500 Sport
DeLand, FL
--

saltlife77

Quote

Dont go in the middle unless you can see boats ahead still moving.

Hey tamumpower1, Thanks. Looking forward to it. When you say don't go in the middle are you referring to the middle of the river?

Yea ask anyone they will all say that. The shoreline is the place to be. The wind speeds are all over the place on the river. There's like constant 20-30 degree oscillating wind shifts so if you can adjust fast you can gain on the people that react slower.

I did the Mug Race the first time in '84 or '85 in a Hobie 16. Then off and on through the years depending on the strengths and weaknesses of whatever boat I owned at the time and a favorable weather forecast for my PHRF.

It can be a sprint but it could be a marathon. 38 miles from Palatka, FL to the Buckman Bridge in Jacksonville, FL on the St. Johns River in 12 hours or less is the course. The current record is 2 hours and 15(?) mins or so by an RC-27.

If the prevailing wind from the southeast is working it is basically a drag race. Any wind with a northern component makes for a long day. Light winds from any direction are especially challenging as the mid to late afternoon land breeze/sea breeze kicks in. If there are light wind conditions you get 180 degree wind changes commonly as well as huge holes of no air and strong favorable conditions that are unreachable 100 yards away.

There are tides and currents to deal with as well as swirling winds off the tall cypress trees that line both sides of the river for most of the route. The good news is it is not particularly shoal-y with decent water depth for most boats from shore to shore.

Last year there were 83 entries from 14 countries with only 12 or 14 finishers. It is often referred to as the "Longest river sailboat race in the world".

Watch for crab traps.

Hope all that sounds like fun!

I will be there...

Brad

I'll be there on my Nacra 5.2. This will
be my first attempt. See U at the end for a beer!



Edited by wanderoo222 on Apr 09, 2017 - 10:11 AM.

--
2016 Hobie Getaway
1978 Nacra 5.2
1978 Hobie 16 (back in the day)
--

Great info Brad. Thanks. I knew I would find some guys on here with some insight. I am looking forward to it. I guess I should say lets pray for a steady southeastern breeze.

--
Pete
2001 NACRA 450 SOLD
2000 NACRA 500 TOTAL LOSS
2004 NACRA INTER 20 SOLD
2016 NACRA 500 Sport
DeLand, FL
--

Great time for all. It is what I think of as a marathon. even if the race takes only 2 hours, it will feel like all day. Race is back to everyone starting at the same time. This year the start line will be split with Multihulls on one side and monohulls on the other. For some strange reason monohull "must" start on starboard tack. I guess so they can use their right of way to plow through as many folks as possible. So this year they can really have fun with themselves. Anyway, multihulls will get a chance to have a good start without any "Imperial entanglements". Good Luck and see you there.

Great time for all. It is what I think of as a marathon. even if the race takes only 2 hours, it will feel like all day. Race is back to everyone starting at the same time. This year the start line will be split with Multihulls on one side and monohulls on the other. For some strange reason monohull "must" start on starboard tack. I guess so they can use their right of way to plow through as many folks as possible. So this year they can really have fun with themselves. Anyway, multihulls will get a chance to have a good start without any "Imperial entanglements". Good Luck and see you there.



Edited by bruiser on Apr 10, 2017 - 01:03 PM.

This is a great catamaran race, well supported by the Rudder Club. Better bring your A game if you want to beat Mr Roberts on his AC30. If you would like to receive the Rudder Club newsletter with event info, send me your email address.

--
Kenneth Purdy
Hobie 16
Nacra 5.2 (2)
Banshee
First Coast, Florida
--

Hey klppurdy I absolutely would like to receive the news letter. My email is saltlife77 at live dot com. I have no intentions in beating Mr Roberts on his AC30 or anyone sailing a RC27 for that matter lol. Finishing will be an accomplishment in itself from the sounds of last year, however Eric and his father Bill are the main reasons I want to do the race. Aside from my uncle Chuck Cairnes who won the Mug Race in 77 and 78 my parents participated for several years in the early 80's. I grew up on Lake Mangonia in West Palm Beach and lived next door to the Roberts'. I am really looking forward to seeing Eric after almost 30 years. I grew up sailing a Supercat 17 with my Dad and was lucky enough to get to sail the RC27 when it was first built many moons ago.

--
Pete
2001 NACRA 450 SOLD
2000 NACRA 500 TOTAL LOSS
2004 NACRA INTER 20 SOLD
2016 NACRA 500 Sport
DeLand, FL
--

Don't let Bill catch you calling his RC30 an AC30!



Edited by davefarmer on Apr 13, 2017 - 11:10 PM.

Wow Pete, that is quite a history, with catamarans. I sailed Lake Mangonia a lot around 87-89 on a orange crush Hobie 16 (that I still have). I met Mr Roberts a couple of times there but didn't really know him. I do recall that a young man in the area pitch poled his Hobie 16, got caught up in the rigging and drowned and that was the point Mr Roberts started designing I think the 17 footer with higher profile and more buoyant hulls.

Thanks for the correction Dave, I tend to think of all the AC/RC/Supercat/Boston Whalers as the same boat. Bruiser may be there on his RC 27 if he can get Randy to work out a sail, and we have one other member with an RC27 but he is currently deployed.

Wanderoo, a Nacra 5.2 won this race in 1976 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mug_Race

--
Kenneth Purdy
Hobie 16
Nacra 5.2 (2)
Banshee
First Coast, Florida
--

Quote

tend to think of all the AC/RC/Supercat/Boston Whalers as the same boat.

Not 100% sure here, but i think it's an ARC ...
AC's are very different

I got the AC30 from klppurdy and assumed that was possible given the relationship with Aquarius. I got a feeling that if I run into Bill or Eric they won't be upset with me LOL. I think Andrew is right. It's an ARC30 for Aquarius Roberts Catamaran. The 27' was just RC27 because it was prior to Aquarius. Either way I am stoked and MN3 should take a road trip too. It would be nice to meet.

--
Pete
2001 NACRA 450 SOLD
2000 NACRA 500 TOTAL LOSS
2004 NACRA INTER 20 SOLD
2016 NACRA 500 Sport
DeLand, FL
--

Quote

Wanderoo, a Nacra 5.2 won this race in 1976

That's funny because he tried to say this will be his 1st attempt LOL!

--
Pete
2001 NACRA 450 SOLD
2000 NACRA 500 TOTAL LOSS
2004 NACRA INTER 20 SOLD
2016 NACRA 500 Sport
DeLand, FL
--

Quote

Either way I am stoked and MN3 should take a road trip too. It would be nice to meet.

I agree! come on down to dunedin and i will take a road trip to the beach to meet you :)

my good buddy Hans will be at the mug race again this year representing!!!


Morningstar Fishermen President, Founder & champion sailor, Hans Geissler, will race in the 64th consecutive Mug Race, Saturday, May 6, 2017. Hans is a previous winner of the event, which is a 38 nautical mile race down the St. Johns River from Palatka to Orange Park, Florida, attracting top skippers throughout the region. Sponsor Hans in this endeavor, as he raises awareness for Morningstar Fishermen's dedication to the Race2EndHunger. Donations of all amounts are appreciated.
Donate Now By Clicking The Link Below:
http://www.morningstarfishermen.org/financial-donation.html
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My mistake on the AC, I don't think those boats would meet this requirement

"To compete, masts must be under 44 feet in order to clear all bridges along the course"

Must have America's Cup on my mind.

--
Kenneth Purdy
Hobie 16
Nacra 5.2 (2)
Banshee
First Coast, Florida
--

Don't worry Andrew. Me, Emmitte, and Hans have got the causeway crew covered. I wonder if Ron is going. His boat would do good in the air they have. Not that I'm looking for another boat to be in front of me ha

saltlife77

Quote

Wanderoo, a Nacra 5.2 won this race in 1976

That's funny because he tried to say this will be his 1st attempt LOL!

Ha! I wish. I hope just to finish before the beer is gone LOL! This will actually be the first race with the 5.2 since I bought it about 2 months ago. See u guys there. Cheers.

--
2016 Hobie Getaway
1978 Nacra 5.2
1978 Hobie 16 (back in the day)
--

Quote

Me, Emmitte, and Hans have got the causeway crew covered

enjoy!

Quote

I agree! come on down to dunedin and i will take a road trip to the beach to meet you :)

Hey MN3, Dunedin is on my list of day trips for this summer so I will try to let you know ahead of time. I was forced to get a new phone a couple weeks ago and lost some contacts. Unfortunately most of my recent sailing contacts so if you still have my # please text me so I can store yours again. Thanks Pete.

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Pete
2001 NACRA 450 SOLD
2000 NACRA 500 TOTAL LOSS
2004 NACRA INTER 20 SOLD
2016 NACRA 500 Sport
DeLand, FL
--

Quote

Ha! I wish. I hope just to finish before the beer is gone LOL

Agreed!!

--
Pete
2001 NACRA 450 SOLD
2000 NACRA 500 TOTAL LOSS
2004 NACRA INTER 20 SOLD
2016 NACRA 500 Sport
DeLand, FL
--

OK, the weather forecast is becoming a little bit more clear. If it holds the wind will be similar direction as last year but maybe a little bit stronger. That will make for a long day.

The Mug Race is still 5 days away and the Northeast FL forecasters have difficulty getting it right more than 24 hours out. So we will see.

Stand by to stand by.

Brad Walker

I stopped looking at the forecasts after my first Mug Race.

--
Kenneth Purdy
Hobie 16
Nacra 5.2 (2)
Banshee
First Coast, Florida
--

forecasts rarely get the sea breeze right

Looks like that storm is gonna clock it to a beam/close reach. Forecast keeps getting stronger as the storm is moving a little farther back on Friday. I didn't mind getting to tack regularly last year even though it took 9 hours to finish. At least I got to turn my head. Looks like I'm going to be looking the same way pretty much all day. My neck is sore already...

Edited by bradinjax on May 02, 2017 - 09:50 PM.

Super Excited!! Registered Today!! Can't wait to see everyone there.

--
Pete
2001 NACRA 450 SOLD
2000 NACRA 500 TOTAL LOSS
2004 NACRA INTER 20 SOLD
2016 NACRA 500 Sport
DeLand, FL
--

The Mug Race is trying something new on ratings this year. First understand that all boats are rated using Portsmouth and are compared all together for over all awards. There will be class trophies based on the usually classes using current Portsmouth system. What is new this year is they are developing their own rating system by taking previous results to determine each boat's rating. They have used the last 5 years results and credited each boat 80 percent of the difference they were behind the winner of that year. If you raced in the last 5 races you will get a pretty good adjustment of your rating if you had poor results. Of course if you always won, that does not bode well for you. The idea is to make this more fun for the weekend warrior who does not feel the current rating system accurately reflects their situation.
The Race Committee will be awarding separate trophies for classes in this new developmental rating system. This will be an additional system to be viewed side by side, so the folks who have the old system dialed in do not fret. Portsmouth was supposed to adjust the ratings based on actual data, once upon a time. Over the last..well since I can remember nothing has been reviewed. Now it is actually being done. We will see if this new system gains any support or enthusiasm. The idea is to try and return weekend sailing to some fun times to argue over. If nothing else, at least they are trying to reward folks who come back to race each year.

Cheers

Sounds fun. So this is pulled from all rudder club races or the last 5 years of mug results? And this is on an individual adjustment basis or all similar boats averaged?

I see a loophole though. Someone could massively sandbag for 5 years and then just destroy everyone the next year. Haha



Edited by tamumpower1 on May 03, 2017 - 08:34 PM.

Yes. This is the last 5 years of Mug Race results. Also it is correcting the skipper rather than just the boat design. So is a big difference. we will see if this is a good direction or not. I vote you sand bag for the next 5 years

Sounds like it's not going to help out First Timers at all. Oh well. Just want to have a nice Sail anyway!!

--
Pete
2001 NACRA 450 SOLD
2000 NACRA 500 TOTAL LOSS
2004 NACRA INTER 20 SOLD
2016 NACRA 500 Sport
DeLand, FL
--

Looks like the strategy is to stop just before the finish line and wait for whoever to come up behind you before finishing so you take less penalty since 80% of whatever gap you create is given to them . All ratings have a bit of bs involved in them. It's all for fun anyway so why not give it a shot.



Edited by tamumpower1 on May 04, 2017 - 07:56 PM.

The forecasters got this one right, it was a wild ride at the Mug Race this year. The race started in delightful 8 - 10 knot breezes sadly this breeze was short lived. By the time we turned the first corner which is about 4 miles from the start the breeze was filling in exactly as forecast the "Holy F!@K! That was a strong gust!" forecast. As we made our way north the breeze built and the gusts got more insane! At the midway point 'Shands Bridge' it was full on howling. It took us 3 attempts to get though the bridge, there were several things working against you, opposing current, opposing wind, and a dead spot with wicked header right in the middle. The key for us was to avoid the center span and just put the damn hammer down. If you came off the throttle or tried to be cautious you got punished. On the north side things got no better once we were past the bridge we were greeted with a chop that had a nice long fetch to build up properly. Our next and final leg was an off the wind run to the finish. By now I was in full chicken mode and got up against the lee shore to sail the final part of the race in some flat water. Unfortunately I had to come off my flat water haven to finish the race. Jib out and main traveler to the stopper and almost every bit of mainsheet I had played out, and I have lot of mainsheet. With every wave we crested I would think no gusts, no gusts, so with a bit a wave management we crossed the finish line and high tailed to the club! Fortunately the race was uneventful for us, no capsizes and no injuries. Many teams were not so fortunate the safety boats had their hands full.

Thanks for sharing, sounds like you had quite the time out there.

--
Marty
1984 Hobie 16 Redline Yellow Nationals, "Yellow Fever"
Opelika, Al / Lake Martin
--

Dave you nailed the description spot on. I thought we might have a nice day as we started. I lost my hat on the first blast. The wind went up from there and never stopped. It was a white knuckle ride the whole way. There was a point were I was wishing for those old light air days.

I'd do a race story write up right now but going and getting a jet massage in the hot tub is needed first

david.ingram

Fortunately the race was uneventful for us, no capsizes and no injuries. Many teams were not so fortunate the safety boats had their hands full.

Note that David did the race and still managed to do the Sailwave scoring for the Florida 300 that day.

On my way back from Daytona Beach on Sunday after the Florida 300 I stopped briefly at the Rudder Club since I'd never been there and it was right on my route.

Pretty cool place, hopefully I can join the EIGHT Hobie 18's they had in the race, next year.

--
Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

How To Create Your Signature

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OK, this was my 6th Mug Race. If I used one word to describe this years event from my perspective it would be "survival".

I was crew on a Blade F-16. We were late for the start and made a tactical error in the first leg by getting the spin out in the light 10-12 mph air. The first gust hit us like a hammer just as we turned for the only downwind leg and we pitchpoled. Lost the tack line on the spin and had to take it down for the rest of the day. After righting and getting sorted we stayed out in the middle of the river and experienced some headers so severe they caused involuntary tacks on several occasions. We capsized again and this time we got seperated. The committee boat had to assist us by picking me up and taking me back to the boat. I spent 20 mins in the water during this operation.

At this point the wind had picked up to 15-18 sustained with very strong blasts in the 22-25 range. As we rounded the point on the downwind leg we turned straight into the wind and discovered the river had enough distance to build solid 3-4 foot rollers. We proceeded to punch and jump our way for the next 2-3 hours tacking back and forth across the river. I was taking 5 gallon bucket shots to the face on every roller and my strength had deteriorated to the point I was no longer able to contribute as crew due to the start of hypothermia.

Then we lost a rudder. A brief discussion resulted in a decision to head to a sandbar and see if we could repair the rudder. 20 mins later rudder repaired and a serious discussion about continuing was held. Due to my severely weakened condition I elected to abandon the race. The captain continued and after 2 more capsizes, one of which launched him through the mainsail, he finished the race.

I was in the hot tub and well into my second or third beer when he finished.

Massive thanks to the assistance from the many support people that make this event happen and see ya next year!

Brad Walker

Tough conditions for a 16. Thanks for the story. What were temperatures in the air and water?

--
Tom
NACRA 5.7 (1984 Sail 181)
Pennsylvania
--

The water temps were warmer than the air, at least that is what I felt. It was probably low 70s but felt much cooler with wind chill and spray.

Here is one of my daughters adventures during the race.

tominpa

Tough conditions for a 16. Thanks for the story. What were temperatures in the air and water?

Starting time temps were high 50's. High for the day was low 70's. Water temp was 74. The only time I was close to comfortable all day was when I was floating down the middle of the river waiting for my Capt to come pick me up.

I did not have a dry suit, wind shirt or wetsuit of any kind, I had a long sleeved rashie and 3 layers on top with dry shorts. I completely lost this race because of my lack of preparedness.

Every once in a while nature sends a message to respect her...message received.



Edited by bradinjax on May 09, 2017 - 12:19 AM.

Quote

Due to my severely weakened condition I elected to abandon the race. The captain continued and after 2 more capsizes, one of which launched him through the mainsail, he finished the race.

glad you're ok
happy to hear you were smart enough to exit the race vs. being too hard headed and setting yourself (and skipper) up for a real emergency

Rudder Club Newsletter http://www.icontact-archi…V3eth6XV8mExlnqCGfFA?w=3

--
Kenneth Purdy
Hobie 16
Nacra 5.2 (2)
Banshee
First Coast, Florida
--

If you don't like to read sorry I was in story telling mode...

The morning of the race I pretty much couldn't eat anything. I knew how bad the wind was going to be and the beam reach direction that was predicted I had my doubts was even possible to not pitchpole in. I had been in the same 30mph gusts a few times over the winter and it really was only controllable to be pinched into the wind so to say I had a little shake and leg twitch all morning was an understatement.

Besides that, literally the last time I had sailed was a month before in less wind than this and had messed my leg up pretty good in a capsize so choosing to go straight back out in the heavy stuff wasn't really on the top of my list.

But ideal situations we are never in and if there was any race I wanted to do well in all year it was this one after screwing up bad right at the end of it last year. Wetsuit, boots, pfd, splash jacket, baseball hat on backwards and it's game time. My strategy was to try and get a lead on whoever I could early while getting used to the conditions, push hard mid race and cool it down at the end and not go 100% since the conditions were going to worsen and fatigue would be setting in the second half on the race. I wanted to be focusing on as few things as possible when I was in the worst shape physically and not having to go 100% trying to run someone down at the end.

I get in the water about the same time as everyone but my crew drops the boom pin for the mainsail in the water... We look for it for a second but it's lost. Once we get a spare pin in and get moving we are pretty far behind everyone else who is already at the start. We end up being about 5min late. As I tack under the bridge I watch the whole field pull away as I sit wondering how I was late for the start yet again...(It's quickly becoming a tradition on my boat to blow starts in every way possible). Another H18 is behind us, late as well, so I started 6th.

Nothing else to do but press on. The first few miles the wind hadn't really filled in yet. 1 on the trap on occasion but mostly just sitting on the tramp on a close reach/upwind angle. My assumed main competition is the first boat in front of me a few hundred yards away so I'm not too bummed about being so late to the start. I'm catching them little by little so it's game on.

The first right turn at the power plant is coming up and then onto the short downwind leg. The rate I had been catching the fleet had been increasing the more the wind was filling in and I was now close enough to the 5th place boat that I was deciding on which side I wanted to try and pass. But the second we bore off onto a broad reach to make the turn we just blew by them as they cut the corner too close, pointed too low and lost all their apparent wind. My boat was totally setup for upwind given the forecast so I was expecting the downwind let to be pretty big jibe angles to be able to keep the apparent wind working and I was right. Man were we cooking back and forth across the river but a bit higher than I like to maintain speed. It's working well enough though and I realize after the first jibe that we have now passed 2 more H18s that were trying the deep game. Halfway through the downwind leg and the next boat up is consistently going just as fast as me. 3-4 times we jibe and cross each other with hardly any ground being made up. I figure I'll go to stage 2 and try heating up the boat a little more to get a hull out of the water but right as I do the real wind for the day kicks in and it's too much to keep the sterns down and maintain rudder control so I just cool it back down and start thinking about the left turn coming up that will take us back on a close reach.

This was the real turning moment for most of the fleet strategically. Me and my crew realized that the left shore was going to be blanketed by the tall trees on the next leg so I was shooting for the middle of the river at the turn. Credit to my crew for keeping me even wider than I wanted and spotting right were the wind picked back up. I basically had a wind sniffing blood hound on my boat all day feeding me info on exactly where the puffs and lulls were. It was like having a cheat sheet for a test. All I had to do was focus on boat speed, which I have a better knack for than strategy and spotting wind. Our final jibe we went very long so as to not try and cut the corner too close. The 3rd place boat we were competing with went shorter and met with the fleet behind us and cut the corner pretty tight about 50-100 yards behind us. As me and the 1st place boat moved into double trap weather at near full speed, the rest of the fleet, to both me and my crews surprise, hugged the windward shore and got voluntarily blanketed. Within 15min the gap from me and 1st to the rest of the fleet was probably a mile or more(or whatever distance it is when you have to squint to tell what color sail you are looking at). You see this a lot, where once in a group of boats, no one wants to break off and try something else and instead everyone holds position and just fights with each other instead of looking at the bigger picture and getting out of that dead zone. I watched them stay in a tight pack as we disappeared.

The wind angle turned out to not be a beam reach but an upwind tack so that was a total blessing. The other 18 was a SX with new sails and wings. A huge advantage in these conditions. Constantly pinching and blowing the main in these massive gusts made me jealous of those wings real quick. I was to leward of him but was moving faster and by the time he came down to cover me he had to duck behind and I assumed the lead. The waves weren't up yet so the name of the game was low drag and steady helm. It was hard work pacing a boat that had a leverage advantage on us but we somehow managed.

Holding port tack and slowly having to ease towards the right shoreline the other 18 was directly abeam but about 150 yards to leward with a point of land coming up I was pinching to avoid. I left myself enough room to clear it just, but the SX didnt and had to tack back across the river. It looked to be a slow tack because he pretty much met up with the rest of the fleet before getting back on port tack and we were left all alone out in front. From 5min late at the start and almost dead last to a big lead in about one hour. Fist bumps all around on my boat and we are feeling confident. I had been sailing with a pretty loose traveler through this period but once I saw them tack I told my crew to get some good footing because I was going to start pushing and not dumping so much power in the puffs. Time to see what this boat can do. Waves and wind continued to build and my hands started to feel the pain of the constant sheeting and deep trapping with just a bucket harness. All the ab workouts before the race are paying off but dang I need to make myself a full harness.

The big gusts and waves were blasting my crew back into me and making it hard to keep boat speed. Doing a serpentine pattern through the waves timed with some appropriate sheeting in and out seemed to work best and we were able to grow the gap to the others a bit to the midpoint bridge. Just before the mid point gate the SC22 passed us going the wrong way and was limping back to the start only under jib power. It was like a bad omen to what conditions were up ahead if Bill was choosing to head home. Through the gate, under the bridge and holy crap hold on to your butts!

Green Cove was a monster of a leg. I have adjustable trap lines but at max height they are still a little low for waves and I had forgot to shorten the wires before the race. Wave after wave started beating my crew up and the spray was making it hard to see. The only solution was to start flying a hull to get us up out of the waves but the varying speed from the waves made it impossible to keep us high enough. Port tack was still taking us near the shore and we had to eventually tack back across the river. That's when it really got bad. We had a horrible tack with me accidentally blowing both the traveller and the mainsheet and losing the line. Then our trap lines got tangled. Then we both almost slipped off the boat. Being crossways to the waves and not moving at full speed was a disaster. Every time my crew would go on the wire a wave would throw him back on the tramp. 4-5 times I watched him get catapulted back onto the boat. Finally I got the sails trimmed and me out on the wire and we endured 5-10min of the most brutal beat of my life.

This area turned out to be the boat graveyard of the race. We watched some boats head for shore to quit, some were fiddling with their rudders that had failed, some you could see doubling back to pickup crew in the water. A few big monos from a different club were out sailing and I guess trying to see if they could get their mast wet as they heeled so far over I could see the keel. All I could do was tell my crew to lock his feet and hold on tight. "Are you ok? You're shaking. Remember to stretch your neck. Almost far enough before we tack, we got this. Dude we are passing F16s and square tops! This is nuts... No way I'm quitting. I don't care what they are doing back there look straight ahead and focus up." The conversation flipped between excitement and humbled fear as another wave swept our footing away from us and we drop to our shins against the rail. Time to tack and get these waves off our back. At some point the dang Gilligans Island song got stuck in my head. "The weather started getting rough, the tiny ship was tossed. If not for the courage of the fearless crew the minnow would be lost...the minnow would be lost..." Yep that's me.

A gradual right hnad bend ahead as we bear off to a close/beam reach and round some docks. This spot last year is where I lost the lead and was soon to be where I thought I'd lose this one as well. Out of no where a puff blasts us right as a wave clears the deck. I lose vision from the spray as I blow the main sheet. When I look up my crew is gone and the boat is well on its way over. I get my balance and superman off the hull landing behind the main right before the mast hits the water. I get ahold of the boat quickly and turn to see where my crew is. He's about 25 yards away swimming as hard as he can but not getting any closer. The boat is drifting too fast. I have to jump in and hold the dagger to slow the drift. He makes it and I'm confident about getting the boat over. I have righted it before with a 120lb girl so with my 150lb crew we should be fine right? Wrong. The waves are holding the boat at an angle that the wind is pushing down on the tramp and holding the boat over. The mast wont even come out of the water. Time to get ghetto. "Ok dude I'm going to go out and you jump on my back ok?" The mast comes up but we are too low on the line and my crew is in the water and we can't get the boat to fully come over. 4 times we have to come back in and rest. My arms are toast. 15min goes by and I'm starting to realize this might be it for the race. Another lead blown in the same spot. I'm expecting to see the fleet blow by me any second as we sit floating closer and closer to a group of busted down docks with jagged posts everywhere. Man I hope my main doesn't go into all that. Rested up and we try one more time. I get a little higher up on the line and we lean out, the mast comes up and just barely keeps coming. I think it's going to go....yep its definitely going. I let go of the line to try and grab the dolphin striker but am a little late and the hull smacks me on the head and pushes me under water... true professionals here...

Back on the boat, gear stowed away, we jibe all the way around instead of tacking near the docks and are off. Oh yea baby, daddy is still in the race! To our amazement we look behind us and can't see a single H18 behind or ahead of us. Holy cow we are still in the lead! "Dang, I wonder how bad everyone else got hit back at Green Cove if we can't even see them" I decide that we are done pushing and furl the jib and only go 1 on the trap. We are not risking going over again and losing the win. And that was it, the last hour on a reach, unirig, half power with me just chilling on the hull. There were 2 square top boats behind me, one a H21 I believe, slowly making ground but I could see the finish and could tell we would be ok without having to speed up to cover them. I didn't think of anything else the last mile or 2. Just eagle eyed on the finish and focused. Half expecting to somehow capsize 2 feet before the finish. The chop was still pretty bad and the wind was still gusting. Little by little the line gets closer. And then we cross. We realize we lost our number plaque when we capsized so just yell it over to the race control boat and head into the club.

6th boat to finish and 4th on corrected time. Crossed the line about 20min ahead of the next H18. I'm not one to look at corrected time too much but when I realize that I was 6min from being 2nd overall I laughed and thought of that last hour we spent under just a main sail and one on the wire. I assume other people might have let off at the end too but for sure if I would have known the times were that close I could have pulled another 10-15min out by pushing to the end. The old yellow '85 H18 still has plenty of fight left in her.

My boat survived 100%. The rest of the fleet not so much. The damage toll for our fleet from the Green Cove area from capsizes/wind/waves consisted of:
-Exploded rudder pins(plastic/fiberglass)
-Assumed cracked dagger board wells causing 2 take on water and DNF
-battens sticking through the front of the sail on more than one boat
-broken diamond wire bolt
-Unknown rudder failure on another boat
-Credit to my friend Emmitte who finished 3rd sailing solo in my other boat after capsizing 3 times, losing 1 daggerboard entirely, breaking the top 4 battens, breaking all 4 trap wire height stoppers and being unable to trapeze for almost the whole race and losing my water righting bag.



Edited by tamumpower1 on May 12, 2017 - 08:46 PM.

great write up Matt!
Question: does your crew handle any of the sheets?



Edited by MN3 on May 12, 2017 - 02:51 PM.

MN3

great write up Matt!
Question: does your crew handle any of the sheets?

The crew only handles the jib and in wind like this even 2:1 on the sheet isnt enough for them to play it all day so it was mostly cleated and I just dealt with the main getting backwinded. There was so much power it didnt seem to hurt me too bad to close the slot a bit from time to time. I did have the crew run the traveler once the wind came up. I would just tell them "one foot out, 6" in etc" all day. Way easier than me trying to get to the end of the main sheet to adjust it myself.

A lot of the other boats are now giving the main sheet to the crew due to strength and fatigue issues but I don't plan on doing that any time soon since I work the helm and sheet at the same time depending what I am trying to do and I think there would be too much delay from me communicating what I want to happen and it actually happening.

Besides I need all the workout I can get ha



Edited by tamumpower1 on May 12, 2017 - 04:43 PM.

Quote

A lot of the other boats are now giving the main sheet to the crew due to strength and fatigue issues

I think also to let the skipper pay attention to only steering.

I did a race where my crew took all the sheets - drove me nuts. It was like driving a car but someone else doing the braking. I didn't enjoy it (but i did steer better)

i think it take a lot of teamwork and knowing each other so well that you can tell what the other person would do if they had the sheets.