Piewarmer 4 Posted October 24, 2018 Share Posted October 24, 2018 Race report from the C U Later. I think it was a race that definitely favored waterline length/faster boats, however, definitely agree that there were plenty of tactical decisions to make that affected the outcome of your result.We knew we were always fighting against the odds in an upwind race but were pleasantly surprised by our result. Another fantastic Coastal Classic weekend complete! Thanks to my fantastic team Laurie Jury, Ben Beasley and Serena Woodall for getting the boat up and down the coast in great shape. We knew going into the race that the conditions weren't favorable for the little blue boat, however, we did our best with the cards we were dealt and I couldn't be happier with the result. We had a great start and led the fleet around North Head for the second year in a row then settled in for the long beat up to Tiri. The bigger boats eventually started to roll past us and stretch out to a bit of a lead, but we hung in there and started to try and build a bit of gauge out to sea. We made the crucial decision to sail outside the Hen & Chicks which initially looked like a little loss, but the gains came later in the night when we came smoking in to Cape Brett in good pressure doing great numbers with full main and fro. We barely stopped through the gap at Percy and went straight into a hoist onto our A2 kite. We made massive gains on the run into Whale Rock and Tapeka and were passing boats left and right in the early hours of the morning. As the sun was rising and the fog rolled in we didn't realise we were suddenly in a fight for a podium spot. We had assumed the bigger boats would've put some serious time on us in the long upwind race. Some great tactics keeping out of the tide had us in front of both Stratocaster and No Worries with less than 100m to go to the finish. Unfortunately a missed judged layline to finish in the fog meant we fell into a hole and allowed these 2 boats to slip back in front right on the line. The frustration of this was quickly forgotten once we realised how well we had done in conditions that really didn't suit us. 5th on line and 4th on handicap is a very respectable result for the race. Can't wait for the next one! 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Changed 10 Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 Did you realise it was twenty years ago (I think)that your little blue boat first did a coastal. Had a huge purple gennie. It was brand new out of the box. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
El Toro 97 Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 We raced neck and neck back 2003 with her on RnB till we managed to pull away past Kawau, There was a third boat that was sniffing around but I cant recall its name nor if we managed to roll it..Drinks Trolley maybe? I think this was taken on our way to the double line and handicap...and a massive dent in the skippers bank card in Russell.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
El Toro 97 Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 No, now I think about it I think we were slightly ahead and then CU blew its rudder or prod and went in to Whangarei Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Piewarmer 4 Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 Did you realise it was twenty years ago (I think)that your little blue boat first did a coastal. Had a huge purple gennie. It was brand new out of the box. You are probably absolutely right! Launched in 1998. Going as well now as it did back then. It must have been a hell of a head turner 20 years ago! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Piewarmer 4 Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 We raced neck and neck back 2003 with her on RnB till we managed to pull away past Kawau, There was a third boat that was sniffing around but I cant recall its name nor if we managed to roll it..Drinks Trolley maybe? I think this was taken on our way to the double line and handicap...and a massive dent in the skippers bank card in Russell.... Thats a great shot. That Gennaker is still going strong today! Shame the RnB doesn't get out much these days. We would have some great racing I think. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
markm 30 Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 Piewarmer, possibly Aces High or Blue Dude as C U playmates doing the coastal around then Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Piewarmer 4 Posted October 29, 2018 Share Posted October 29, 2018 Piewarmer, possibly Aces High or Blue Dude as C U playmates doing the coastal around then Anyone know where these boats have ended up now? Both equally great boats back in the day! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
markm 30 Posted October 29, 2018 Share Posted October 29, 2018 Blue Dude in Noumea I'm pretty sure and Aces High I think Papua New Guinea though the item that put her in PNG I have a vague feeling may also have said she'd been wrecked. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DrWatson 374 Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 So, how does one get handicapped for the coastal if you turn up from overseas and don’t have irc? Do you just apply for an initial phrf rating and hope you don’t get screwed? Eg. if B00B00 has made it back earlier and wanted to enter Rogue... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
raz88 96 Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 Yep. That's roughly how it works. Even if you do have irc, as only a few others do I think you'd still want phrf. In an ideal world you'd arrive early enough to do a few other races and get a history going. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jon 360 Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 In that particular situation there is enough info on the Benny 50 O to give a starting point Then he would get bent over slightly until he has produced enough data of his own. Production boats must be much easier than one off local designs If it had been a downwind 15/20kts sns maybe feeling different imho Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philstar 61 Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 The Freedom video is out Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Piewarmer 4 Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 Blue Dude in Noumea I'm pretty sure and Aces High I think Papua New Guinea though the item that put her in PNG I have a vague feeling may also have said she'd been wrecked. A sad end Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DrWatson 374 Posted October 31, 2018 Share Posted October 31, 2018 Yep. That's roughly how it works. Even if you do have irc, as only a few others do I think you'd still want phrf. In an ideal world you'd arrive early enough to do a few other races and get a history going. In that particular situation there is enough info on the Benny 50 O to give a starting point Then he would get bent over slightly until he has produced enough data of his own. Production boats must be much easier than one off local designs If it had been a downwind 15/20kts sns maybe feeling different imho Jeez we're gonna get screwed when we get to NZ!... The Pogo36 in the Middle Sea race was at IRC 1.142... and they nearly came last on line and in their classes (although me thinks a lot has to do with only being two handed on 5 day race, and their first race on the boat.) Nonetheless, it means you've got to sail 9-10% faster than the Sunfast3600 (1.048) the JPK10.80 (~1.046) and within a smidgeon of the Pogo12.50s (around 1.158-1.17)... that could be a tall ask...Might need to smuggle Josh on board... Think we'll try to get there early and establish a slightly fairer handicap, lol. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ex Machina 365 Posted October 31, 2018 Share Posted October 31, 2018 A sad end I vaguely remember reading somewhere maybe even on these forums that blue dude was lost on the delivery to noumea ? Something along the lines of zero preparation for the trip and an inexperienced solo skipper combined with bad weather ? It was a cool boat and very quick i think it did the coastal in Under 11 hours sometime in the late 90s ? I went onboard once after a race for festivities you had to sit in the bilge there was nothing in there except for a battery box , stereo and vhf , completely stripped out and had ring frames Quote Link to post Share on other sites
El Toro 97 Posted October 31, 2018 Share Posted October 31, 2018 No it wasnt lost, but the guy was a complete nutter. That boat had almost no weight on the keel, he loaded it up to the gunnels with stuff then set off single handed with no auto pilot. We thought we was crazy. He got as far as North Cape before the rudder broke. He limped back, fixed it, and then sailed away again. We seriously didnt think he would make it, but he did. I went looking for it when I did Groupama few months back but couldnt find it, but the Frenchies said it was still around Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ex Machina 365 Posted October 31, 2018 Share Posted October 31, 2018 Did a search of this forum and I misinterpreted a post from years back . "Blue dude disappeared over the horizon early one morning with a mad Frenchman on the stick" but it did make it to noumea apparently his crew got off at barrier ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
El Toro 97 Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 Sailed with the frogs daughter over the weekend in Round Rangi race Two of them left on Blue Dude, with no autohelm, broke rudder in storm off North Cape, returned, fixed it and then both sailed up to Noumea. So was two of them on board.... though I specifically remember him leaving with only one on board, unless the crew was downstairs...we thought he was nuts. Was first time either had done the trip. He then sold Blue Dude and bough Positive Touch, and did the same thing. He now owns the Shaw canter Keel Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BNG 44 Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 ^ I specifically remember him leaving one up as well and like you thought he was nuts. Perhaps he picked someone up on the way up the coast. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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