SunCoast Race Week Recap

One month ago, Team Furthur Ocean Racing was competing in SunCoast Race Week, a 3 day regatta of point to point distance races between three yacht clubs around Tampa Bay. Our preparations are best described as hectic, but we got a lot of things from the list for Pacific Cup checked off. This included replacing the spectra soft hanks with metal hanks, a new tiller, and mesh bunks. The crew was comprised of Cody and myself, along with three of our friends from Eckerd: Dan, Nigel and Pete. Their sailing experience was minimal, but they were all athletic and quick learners. By the end of the regatta, we were functioning as a tight-knit, competitive racing crew

On the first day, we were the last boat to leave the docks. The sky was gray and looked like rain, but at least there was wind. I hadn't made it to the skipper's meeting the night before because I was delivering Furthur, so we aimed for the Race Committee boat with the 2 horsepower outboard screaming at full throttle. Luckily, they had our packet and handed it to us as we cruised by to check in. With the sailing instructions in my hand, I threw the tiller to Cody and dove below decks to program the course into the GPS. Meanwhile, the crew got the main and #1 jib up and the motor stowed. Finished with the GPS, I came back on deck as the Spinnaker A fleet start gun was fired. Or so I thought.

Realizing that all the spinnaker classes were started together, we gybed for the starting line and crossed it about 2 minutes after the fleet. With the spinnaker up, we were quickly gaining on the stragglers, including our closest-rating competitor, a Frers 30 named Salty Pause. On a PHRF random leg course, they rated 135 and Furthur rated 138. This allows for a 3 second gap for every mile of the course between their finish and ours. If we finish within that time, we beat them on "corrected time".

At the first mark, I tested the skill of my crew with a windward douse. After walking everyone through the steps of the maneuver and what each person's responsibility was, we went for it. The douse went so smoothly that I over estimated the distance needed, and we had to sail with just the main and jib for 50 yards before heading upwind. Upwind, I was finally able to adjust the backstay and vang instantly, which allowed me to keep the the boat in the right groove. The Santa Cruz 27 has a large foretriangle and is most of the power upwind comes from the jib. I was finding new gears in the boat, mostly from backstay tension affecting headstay sag.

Tacking on two lifts kept us in-phase with the wind shifts, and we maintained our gap on Salty Pause, while keeping a large cruising boat from rolling us. Downwind again, we gave chase to Salty Pause and significantly closed the distance between us. Furthur was right on the edge of surfing; with a bit of chop, the right steering, and a good pump on the spinnaker sheet, she would break loose. Two gybes later, we were dousing the spinnaker at the next mark, right on the tail of Salty Pause.

The next leg was upwind in chop, and here the heavy Frers 30 made its comeback against the ultra-light Santa Cruz 27. Still within striking distance, we rounded the next mark. The next course was a "water-line drag race"; with both boats sailing in displacement mode, the longer Frers would be faster. To add insult to injury, Salty Pause was able to carry their spinnaker on this leg, but the apparent wind was too far forward on Furthur to even carry the chicken kite.

With the wind dying, we turned the last mark and began slowly beating upwind to the finish. In the light breeze, the Santa Cruz 27 was faster and we began creeping up on the Salty Pause. The wind completely evaporated as the sun began to burn through the clouds. I knew that the sea breeze was fighting whatever wind we had, and would eventually fill from the west. Also, the tide was ebbing, and the strongest adverse current would be in the shipping channel on the east side of the Hillsborough Bay. Cody called the last puff on the bay and we tacked into it to head west.

Waiting for the sea breeze, we watched Salty Pause keep going east, chasing the receding pressure. After almost an hour, we saw the water at the edge of MacDill Air Force Base turn dark with ripples from the sea breeze. As the first puff hit Furthur, she jumped forward. We were the furthest west boat by a long distance and the first to get the sea breeze. While we were sailing with the sheets eased and charging for the finish, all the boats on the east side of the bay were still fighting the current in no wind. We finished 9 minutes ahead of Salty Pause, which automatically had us correct ahead of them. This put us in second place for our division, with Semper Fi, a well sailed J/29 in first. They were far enough ahead to finish before the wind died. Regardless, beating a faster boat with nicer sails across the line was a great feeling. After docking at the Davis Island Yacht Club and cleaning up the boat, we started a trek to 7-11 to buy more beer.

With the finish at a different yacht club each day, most boat owners and crew find SCRW a logistical nightmare of driving and lodging. To overcome this, we took advantage of the Santa Cruz 27's cruising amenities, as well as pitching a tent behind some boats in the dry storage yard. Exchanging the three free dinner coupons for plates, I loaded them with food at the buffet for my crew. Over dinner and a few beers, we talked about the days racing, our strong points, and how we could improve. Some friends from Eckerd drove out to DIYC and we had a nice little party.

Team Furthur at DIYC.

Cody and Pete enjoying the buffet.

Pete and Dan guarding the booze.

Sunset at DIYC.

Day 2 brought gusty wind from the north, perfect for a sleigh ride down the bay to Bradenton. We were the last boat off the dock again, but at least we knew where we were going. I started conservatively, maybe too much, but I didn't want to get a bunch of dirty air from the bigger boats. Unfortunately, the 1.5 oz spinnaker was ripped on the set, but we weren't set up for peels and dousing would be too slow. I hoped the kite would hold as we locked into Salty Pause's wake and surfed it to the next mark. They wouldn't let us get around them, so we stuck on their tail. The course to the next mark was deeper and we got ready to quickly douse the ripped 1.5 oz for the .5 oz spinnaker. It was the top of the wind range for the .5 oz, but we needed to fix the 1.5 oz. The sail change went smoothly and we hardly lost any distance on Salty Pause. With Nigel's help, I fixed the 1.5 oz with sail tape, while Cody drove and coached Pete on trimming. The repair was completed, we changed back the 1.5 oz kite, and locked into the groove to catch Salty Pause.

Total concentration.

Pump Nigel!

Dan takes a turn trimming the spinnaker.

Lunch break.

In sub-planning conditions, the Frers 30 is faster than the Santa Cruz 27 downwind because it is longer and has more sail area. Knowing we couldn't beat Salty Pause if we just followed them, I called for a gybe and we headed to the middle of the bay in search of more wind. We found more pressure and swell, and Furthur began to surf. Everyone had been taking turns trimming, while Cody and I traded driving. Knowing these were our conditions if we sailed right, I took over driving and Cody trimmed. Cody pumped on each wave and I drove down every face I could surf. Our efforts were rewarded with boat speed; Furthur was pushing 10 knots on every surf. We were ahead of Salty Pause going under the Sky Way bridge; our next goal was to beat Semper Fi on corrected time. Watching them finish and douse, I figured it would be close, but wasn't sure we would make it.

A little surfing action.

Getting the inside overlap on two cruising boats as we rounded the last mark, I knew the last leg was make or break for us. With the pole just off the forestay and everyone hiking on the weather rail, Cody and I worked together to keep Furthur charging for the finish. We finished ahead of Salty Pause, but none of us knew if we got Semper Fi on corrected time.

The J/29 Semper Fi finishing 11 minutes and 10 seconds ahead of us.

Team Furthur charging for the finish.

Salty Pause, the Frers 30.

At Bradenton Yacht Club, we mingled with our competitors and enjoyed the free beer. The crew of Semper Fi joked with us, asking where we went during the race. Pete just responded with "We'll see." They left before the results were posted, and we beat them on corrected time by 5 seconds! This put us in first for our division and we kicked the party up a notch. Our quest that night was for whiskey, rum and fried chicken at Publix. With the supplies back at the boat, we celebrated our first win on Furthur before everyone passed out from exhaustion and sun burn. Any interesting observation is that crabs must love fried chicken; we threw the bones overboard and could hear the chatter of crab claws under the boat all night.

The next day, it was fun to watch the crew of Semper Fi check the results. They didn't seem too pleased. The wind was still out of the north, so after a short reach and downwind, we would be beating upwind all the way to the finish. Not great Santa Cruz 27 conditions, but we were ready to give it our all.

We got the the starting area with the rest of the fleet, sailed around with the #1 jib, then switched to the #3 as the wind built. I nailed the start and we stayed on Salty Pause's hip all the way to the first mark. The wind on next leg was too deep an angle for Furthur to be able to surf, and the Frers pulled away slightly as the wind got lighter. Realizing the #3 wouldn't have enough power to keep Furthur moving through the chop, I called for a change to the #1. Dan worked the bow and did a perfect job changing the jibs before we rounded the next mark. We had a good douse, now it was up to me to sail fast to the finish.

This was a perfect opportunity to sail Furthur at the top on the #1 genoa's wind range and tweak the trim for power and control. Jib cars back, vang on, playing the traveler and backstay, and driving the waves kept us charging. At the Sky Way, we were even with Salty Pause, but sailing a shorter distance to the finish. As we got closer, they fell behind and we finished ahead of them for the third day. I knew that Semper Fi got us, the J/29 loves sailing upwind in chop and deep angles downwind, but we locked in second place.

Finishing Day 3 after a long upwind beat.

SunCoast Race Week was without a doubt, one of the most fun regattas I've ever sailed. It was great to be skippering my own boat with my friends as crew. Everyone had a great time, we learned a lot, and finished very well.