Racing-For cruisers

[loonyscot]

Before you read this let me make one thing clear: I am a cruising sailor, not some "Kevlar Kevin" with a Farr. For 14 years i sailed in a sadler 26, in which our family and i did much cruising, over that time we found that the best way to improve skills was to race. We did so in the Dartmouth Royal Regatta and had a great time, the sailing was great (no more complaints that the wind "always comes from where im going"), everyone helped out others, and the social side was excellent. We repeated the venture for three years, loving it each time. We had a bilge keel and so never won anything, but after this time we decided that we had the need, the need for speed. So we bought a 32 foot long SJ320, a cruiser-racer from the Seaquest yard. Despite having won its class at cowes three years running, we have found her forgiving and enjoyable, as well as very well kitted out down below. So if you are unsure about racing i would strongly advise you to give it a try, you can always pull out but you get a week of good sailing at the very least. Also, if buying a new boat, dont just stick to the standard cruising yacht, a good cruiser-racer is just as easy to handle as a cruiser and and will often give much more excitement. We are a family of four and we have had a 40 Nm beat into force 4 5 gusting 6 with full sail and have had no problems, go on, try it.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[jimi]

You must be a bit under canvassed in light airs if you can beat into a 5 with all the washing up?

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Twister_Ken]

Not so sure, Big bendy rig with a relatively small headsail. Bags of mast bend and kicker to flatten the main and dump the traveller to depower it a it, some luffing in the gusts.

Not relaxed maybe, but probably possible.

Canny boat if you want a crusier without decent anchor handling facilities (or have they modded the pointy end of the SJ320 in cruiserising her?)

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[qsiv]

I'd have to agree - the new (race) boat has maximum ballast loaded by 8knots. By 9 knots it's time for a sail change if your going upwind.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[qsiv]

Event like Cowes Week have rather millitated against 'proper' anchor handling gear. Your now not allowed to have any part of the anchor (and I believe anchor gear) forward of the stemhead. Not seamanlike (but then neither were the big class...)

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Peppermint]

Re:I\'ve sailed a few racers

on cruises and I agree that many are good seaboats and have cruisable innards.

I'd suggest that you would be a bit more busy sailing one of these than an equivalent sized cruiser. Racers demand a bit more from the crew.

That been said as most modern cruisers have poor seaberths you might find some racers offer a better nights sleep.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Oldhand]

I agree with your sentiment that racing vastly improves the sailor breed. I just can't understand why so many cruisers punch the tide in the Solent, both under engine and sail, out in deep water and the maximum stream. If they had raced just a little bit then they would be as close inshore as safely possible and having a much more efficeint voyage.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[tome]

We spent a very enjoyable morning recently in the yacht club in Yarmouth watching a practical demonstration of what you describe with several boats actually going backwards against the tide. Through the very powerful binos we could see the crews fiddling with sheets, leach lines, travellers etc in an attempt to get some extra speed. Needless to say they were in the deepest water.

We enjoyed a drink and a thorough read of the Sunday papers and left as the tide turned enjoying a fast ride up the Solent. It left us all puzzled by their actions.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[townquay]

I seem to recall that depending upon the state of the tide in the Solent, the slowest stream can often be nearer the middle than the extreme north or south shores. (However, I may be mistaken). Certainly I understand that common opinion in most circumstances is that the sides of a channel have a slower stream than the middle (except on the outside of bends etc.....)

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[loonyscot]

Yes, i agree that racing an SJ would take a lot out of the crew and helmsman, but when cruising in the aforementioned beat, we only needed 2 people to sail the boat: a helm/helmsman/helmsperson, and a trimmer, on genoa and main. With full backstay, dumped traveller and spilling wind in gusts, we were coping, if not comfortable as such. In our sadler we would have had hard work just keeping her upright in those conditions. We should really have reefed but it was our first trip since taking ownership abd we wanted to see how she handled. In light airs she's even better, the other day we had 3 knots out of her in 3 knots of wind- without a spinnaker.
Anyway, with 6 ft of keel we wont be doing much anchoring anyway, at least not for too long, although we could seeing as the boat weighs less than our sadler and the anchor is the same.
To prove how easy she is to handle, in 2 weeks we are going to the "royal Dart spring regatta" (please come, its great fun), and i, a 14 yr old boy, will be doing the foredeck work, my sister (12) on the genoa, my mum on the mainsheet and my dad on the helm, none of us are huge- even my dad's only 5"9, but we can still manage this yacht.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Tiger Rag]

A 14 year old who lists drinking as one of his hobbies. You definitely have a great racing career ahead of you! Could I suggest a trip over to Cork week you get the best of both worlds, cracking sailing and plenty of drinking I was going to say I have great memories of the regatta but truth is I don't remember much at all!

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Jeremy_W]

Cork Week is like the 1960\'s

If you can remember it, you weren't there!

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Waffoo]

I hope to closely follow in your path. Have spent the last few months looking at 1980s half tonners such as GK29s and UFO31s and have come very close to parting with the cash, but for various reasons I still do not have a boat. Now looking at a couple of SJ30s which appear just the job.

So one question. My son and I are enthusiastic competitive laser sailors and my daughter is a capable sailor, though not interested in single handed competition. So far so good. However my wife is a non sailor, but she indicates she will try on G & T days (when the contents do not spill); I guess she is a SMWBO (please enlighten me on what this stands for) and hence the question; what does a SMWBO think of the SJ32? The idea for us buying a boat is to sail as a family and for my children and myself, plus other crew, to do some racing.

Cheers
Martin

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[snowleopard]

cruising in a race boat..

certainly many racers are good seaworthy boats, they have to be to avoid cracking up when pushed much harder than any cruiser.

what makes them unsuitable is the gear that needs so many hands to work it. the most extreme example i've met was an X99 which had no backstay or swept-back spreaders but relied on runners to keep the stick up. one fumble on the winch and the whole lot is over the bow!

i believe the best racing is to be had in level rating fleets where it's all about skill and you can get that among cruisers as well as the hi-tech machines.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[billmacfarlane]

As one who sails a similat type boat with just two up I'd agree with most of that. I can sail my boat almost single handed and do on night passages with the help of the autopilot. Some more performance orientated boats are actually far better mannered than some modern cruising designs Also in some of the modern French production designs I think that the "performance" package with more sail area and a deeper lead keel give the boat better cruising characteristics and manners.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Jeremy_W]

SWMBO

"She Who Must Be Obeyed" i.e. "Ayesha" in Rider Haggard's book "She".

The fictitious barrister Rumpole of the Bailey, created by writer John Mortimer, used to refer to his wife (who famously never appeared in the TV show) as SWMBO. Would an SWMBO like an SJ32 on a light-winds day without raising the spinnaker? Probably - unpredictable breed the SWMBO.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[loonyscot]

Some thoughts from 'loonyscots' mother.
I am fairly keen on sailing and have had boats for many years.The new SJ is a big step up for us and I feel that we haven't really got to grips with her in the single weeks sailing that we have done since we bought her.The amount of sail seems a bit intimidating at the moment and those with testosterone need to be kept in check and it would help if they accepted the need to reef!However I do expect that we will start to understand her more as the summer goes on and that we will be able to sail faster and more directly to where we want to go.
Reguarding the creature comforts my 12 year old daughter and I appreciate the ability for shore power(hair drier, straitghteners and DVD) and a decent fridge for the tonic.
Lastly I would love to be respected as SWMBO but some how it doesn't quite work like that in our family although to be fair I do think the captain appreciates that you must base the sailing on the abilities of the 'weakest' members of the crew.
I don't know if any of the above will help you to make a decision requrding the choice of your next boat.We picked the SJ because of its sailing pedigree but also we wanted a boat that we could manage on our own after the kids have left home.We cared deeply about build quality having come from a solid Sadler and finally were delighted to find such a boat was being built this side of the channel

Hilary

<hr width=100% size=1>