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Race to Alaska, new challenge for West coast CS boats?


Richard C

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Thanks Chuck & Paul..

 

Running at beginning our top speed of 8.5 knots was reefed. In retrospect we should have unreefed as soon as we started running, and moved my father to back with me for more speed. We could have cut two hours off our race time. We where reefed because of strong wind and beginning, and variable stuff from helicopter down-wash going past.

 

Later in the light wind switching around it sucked for an hour or so. We had enough wind to move at knot and half, and where paddling to add another knot of speed in middle of race. 

 

Coming back in the 10-12 foot waves with 32 knots behind us really sucked. As Randy pointed out, it's a testament to the boat design that we survived without capsizing, or major problems. At the time and for several hours afterwords I did not feel like that after four hours in that weather. I believe my first thought upon getting back was that I should sell the boat to who ever offered me anything. It was exhausting running with big waves 3 seconds apart, and every 7 seconds having a bigger wave coming at an off angle to the other waves. I wasn't counting seconds, but it turns out my father was logging it, and watching his watch.

 

My mother crossing on the Blackball ferry which passed us, heard wave heights from the Captain.

 

For me the hardest part of boat ownership is kids who want more boat. My daughters loved riding in Randy's Belhaven 19 the other day, especially the cabin, and the ability to pop up through forward hatch. Also, I didn't realize how much I missed having a cabin.

 

For shooting video, the worst part is editing. I took 30 minutes of decent video, and my goal was including photos for under 5 minutes of video time. There was lots of beautiful long shots of just sailing, and looking around, but most people don't want to sit and just watch that. Maybe I should post those as other videos. Also, giving credit to those who supported you or gave expensive knives as promos.

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Thanks for putting together and sharing the video Edward. 

 

Wow! 10 to 12 ft waves are big! I hit 10 mph crossing Corpus Christi bay double reefed wing and wing but the waves were only 5 or 6 feet by my guess.  The wind was not that strong as well. Nothing compared to what you describe. 

 

I'll probably run into to you at the wooden boat festival next month.

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