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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!

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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....

RnB-CU Coastal 03.jpg

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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!

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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.

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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...

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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.

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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

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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.

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A sad end  :cry:

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

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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

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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 !

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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

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