2024 CSYC One Design Regatta – Comment

Remind me to never again finish second in a regatta (2^nd place finisher is responsible for Regatta writeups).  I’m just no good at writing such an article.  This I do remember from a perspective aboard Whitefang.   

Conditions were 5-8 knots wind with the usual Lake St. Clair powerboat chop.  Upwind: keep some heal, the boat swims better through the chop and it helps keep the bow up into the wind.   Outhaul eased enough to let the bottom batten poke to windward; more drag but more lift, like an airplane taking off with flaps down.  If crew is all on the weather rail, tighten outhaul.

We had two bad starts, two excellently ones, and the rest were good enough to keep our lane for few minutes.  We used a jib we were familiar with rather than a newer one we hadn’t had up yet this year.  I have not figured out or just don’t like the excessive headstay sag some use effectively to sail high. We chose a somewhat tighter headstay to keep it steady in the chop and chose lanes that let us put the bow down and just let Whitefang go fast through the water. We had excellent spinnaker raises and pulled off a few quick gibes after the weather mark to clear the traffic.  Whitefang was fast downwind the whole regatta and managed twice to pass the boat ahead in the last leg to win a race.  CSYC did its usual great job on and off the water.  A quick trip to race circle and an easy place to hang out after racing.

On another note: I asked the DRYA commodore if we could register in two classes next year, he said he didn’t see why that couldn’t be done.  That way I can do a couple extra races that we don’t count.

John Harper
US1496 Whitefang