Daydream believer
Well-known member
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Why not, if it’s got a clean bottom and decent sails and a fair handicap? Oh, and a course with no beats.No one's suggested a snapdragon?!
Took a while, but #68Has the Anderson 22 been mentioned, fastest boat on the planet.
Actually It would have a place on the race courseNo one's suggested a snapdragon?!
Great to see the Invicta 26 mentioned, I won several races over the years in my Invicta 26.Van der Stadt Invicta (Used to beat the Javelin - boo hoo- round the cans in The Fal)
As for long-keelers, good old Benbecula won the Manacles Pursuit Race in mid-60s; on handicap. She is 36ft O/A but 21ft W/L :encouragement:
Gaff cutter built in 1897
Now sailing fully restored, under her original name of Myfanwy, around Milford Haven and just cleaned-up every race at the Dun Loaghaire Festival. She even beat Peggy Brawn!I was at times succesful with my Invicta 26
If you're racing on IRC it would be a massive surprise if you won anything in them....Did anyone suggest the Surprise or Grand Surprise ?
It's a while since I owned a Grand Surprise, but it was possible to make them fairly competitive by reducing the sail plan a bit I got the IRC rating down to just being a fraction higher than a J109, but still leaving us faster than them in most conditions (this was still using asymmetric kites). Could have probably optimised further using symmetric kites - but would have needed one or two extra crew. I would still say they are probably the nicest boat to sail that I have been on as for a boat capable of doing close to 20kts they are very forgiving and well balanced.If you're racing on IRC it would be a massive surprise if you won anything in them....
Oh they are great boats. Have raced against them a fair amount and never found them to be competitive though.It's a while since I owned a Grand Surprise, but it was possible to make them fairly competitive by reducing the sail plan a bit I got the IRC rating down to just being a fraction higher than a J109, but still leaving us faster than them in most conditions (this was still using asymmetric kites). Could have probably optimised further using symmetric kites - but would have needed one or two extra crew. I would still say they are probably the nicest boat to sail that I have been on as for a boat capable of doing close to 20kts they are very forgiving and well balanced.
It must be 9 years since I sold the Grand Surprise at which point we were rating 1.028 and the J109's were about 1.020. We used to do ok though, we won a decent number of inshore races within Plymouth and won the main summer series overall one year and won quite a lot of coastal races crewed and 2 handed. Inshore to do well you have to play to it's strengths and be aggressive in the pre start as it is much more maneuverable than most of the other boats in that rating band so we could win most of the starts which gives you a couple of boat lengths advantage from the off.Oh they are great boats. Have raced against them a fair amount and never found them to be competitive though.
The one sailing the RSYC summer series is off 1.023. Most 109s currently sit in the 1.002-1.009 region.
The 109s have all dropped the overlapping headsails, they had them when they were up in the 1.020 region.It must be 9 years since I sold the Grand Surprise at which point we were rating 1.028 and the J109's were about 1.020. We used to do ok though, we won a decent number of inshore races within Plymouth and won the main summer series overall one year and won quite a lot of coastal races crewed and 2 handed. Inshore to do well you have to play to it's strengths and be aggressive in the pre start as it is much more maneuverable than most of the other boats in that rating band so we could win most of the starts which gives you a couple of boat lengths advantage from the off.
I imagine they aren't good in Solent chop though as it's just too light a boat and the chop would slow you down upwind and downwind. In proper waves it's really good because of the helm control, I think my longest surf on an individual wave in that boat was about a mile and a half.