RORC Caribbean 600 starts on Monday.

[geem]

We have been watching the competitors out practising. The MOD70 Power Play was doing their high speed gybe from one tack to another several times. Never seen that before. It looks like an alternative to tacking? They were heading hard on the wind before they beared away in to a gybe then rapidly back up wind in to the opposite tack. It looked very fast. Is this normal for big trimarans?
We will be watching the start from Shirley Hieghts in Monday. Should be a great spectacle

 

[dunedin]

We have been watching the competitors out practising. The MOD70 Power Play was doing their high speed gybe from one tack to another several times. Never seen that before. It looks like an alternative to tacking? They were heading hard on the wind before they beared away in to a gybe then rapidly back up wind in to the opposite tack. It looked very fast. Is this normal for big trimarans?
We will be watching the start from Shirley Hieghts in Monday. Should be a great spectacle

I am no expert on MOD70 multis, but I would be surprised if bearing off downwind to gybe round would be used routinely when going upwind, certainly in a breeze. When fully powered up multihulls and skiffs tend to have a “death zone” when bearing off from close hauled to a broad reach - so would have thought they would try to avoid this. May be very different if not fully powered, or in training mode Perhaps.

 

[geem]

I am no expert on MOD70 multis, but I would be surprised if bearing off downwind to gybe round would be used routinely when going upwind, certainly in a breeze. When fully powered up multihulls and skiffs tend to have a “death zone” when bearing off from close hauled to a broad reach - so would have thought they would try to avoid this. May be very different if not fully powered, or in training mode Perhaps.

Yep, they practised the routine several times. Never seen any of them do it before. I will be watching the start tomorrow so will watch out for the manoeuvre. They are foiling boats so maybe it's just faster than dropping off the foils and tacking?

 

[dunedin]

Yep, they practised the routine several times. Never seen any of them do it before. I will be watching the start tomorrow so will watch out for the manoeuvre. They are foiling boats so maybe it's just faster than dropping off the foils and tacking?

That could be it in lightish winds, if difficult to get back up on foils. Smaller / lighter boats can stay foiling through tacks, but perhaps not a MOD70

 

[Laser310]

this is really one of the most enjoyable distance races there is - do whatever you need to do.., but do this race.

 

[Bajansailor]

Some more info about the Race - it has been likened to a tropical Fastnet
How to follow the RORC Caribbean 600 | News

Jangada and her two handed crew Richard and Jeremy recently completed the RORC Transatlantic Race to Grenada, and they will be taking part in the 600 as well now.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=3074460836203874

I am sure that there will be regular and interesting updates on their Facebook page
Jangada Racing

 

[geem]

this is really one of the most enjoyable distance races there is - do whatever you need to do.., but do this race.

My pal did it on Taz. 37ft boat and the only boat to have done every race. The crew sleep on the rail harnessed on. It's as wet below as on deck since the pole used to go through the opening in the front. Bernie has now had the boat modified I think so he has a fixed bowsprit. Hopefully now drier below. I raced on it a couple of times but don't fancy the exposure to the sun and salt and the fatigue of 4 days on an overgrown Laser eating freeze dried food

 

[flaming]

My pal did it on Taz. 37ft boat and the only boat to have done every race. The crew sleep on the rail harnessed on. It's as wet below as on deck since the pole used to go through the opening in the front. Bernie has now had the boat modified I think so he has a fixed bowsprit. Hopefully now drier below. I raced on it a couple of times but don't fancy the exposure to the sun and salt and the fatigue of 4 days on an overgrown Laser eating freeze dried food

Two of our regular crew were on Taz last time out, the lucky whatsits...

 

[ridgy]

Looks like they've got some decent breeze. The year I did it was very light for large parts which makes it very hot on deck. Getting round the bottom of Guadeloupe was never ending baking hot misery.

 

[geem]

Two of our regular crew were on Taz last time out, the lucky whatsits...

Yep, Bernie like British crew who have done the Fastnet. The race is tough and normally takes them about 4days. His local Antiguan crew aren't up to it.
Taz is a great boat. When I was crewing in one of the local races here in Antigua, we were doing over 17kts in 14kts of wind with the kite up. It's quick in the right conditions.

 

[Bajansailor]

I love the contrasts above - for Flaming's crew, thrashing around a tropical Fastnet course would be wonderful. but for local folk here we would be more concerned about trying to stay out of the sun.
I must admit also that I would not be too keen on spending a few days sitting on the rail..... and I suppose even on the down wind legs they would not last very long, so not much time for snoozing in a bunk down below then.

 

[Zing]

I love the contrasts above - for Flaming's crew, thrashing around a tropical Fastnet course would be wonderful. but for local folk here we would be more concerned about trying to stay out of the sun.
I must admit also that I would not be too keen on spending a few days sitting on the rail..... and I suppose even on the down wind legs they would not last very long, so not much time for snoozing in a bunk down below then.

Quite. It looks brutal. I checked out the fleet last night as they were cutting tooth brushes in half to save weight. No biminis, so no shade, so too hot in the day. Then a crap dinner. No protection from the weather at night either, so windy, buckets of sea in your face - soaked and cold. Lightweight, austere, nervous boats, shaken up all day then bounced out of your pipecot at night, so no sleep. Antigua race week is more fun. Just half a day bimbling along, then showers and back to the bar and proper food.

 

[Bajansailor]

Antigua race week is more fun. Just half a day bimbling along, then showers and back to the bar and proper food.

Yes, Race Week definitely is more 'civilised' re the balance between sailing and partying. It starts on the 30th April.
Home

Maybe the rules could be amended a bit to give boats a lower rating if they promise to keep their spray dodgers and biminis up, and that they carry only 'proper' food (rather than free dried)?

Antigua Classics is very 'civilised' as well - although when you get a bunch of 140' J class yachts racing together it does get very competitive. It starts on a month before Race Week, on the 30th March.
Home - Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta

 

[Bajansailor]

They only started earlier today, and already there is a huge contrast in the positions of the leaders and those at the tail end of the fleet.
The tail enders have just rounded a mark by Barbuda, now heading for the bottom end of Nevis, while the leading monohulls (Comanche and Skorpios) are already off St Eustatius (doing about 20 knots) while the three trimarans in the lead are all very close - they have rounded Saba and are now heading for the windward side of St Barths, followed by anti clockwise trip around St Maarten / St Martin.

2022 Fleet Tracking | Tracking - Players | Race Information

 

[geem]

We watched the start from the Carpenters Trail just below Shirley Hieghts. Fantastic spot to see all the action. Scorpios was amazing. She pointed higher and was faster than Comanche as they beat away from the line. Skorpios was the only boat with a reef in her main but she is huge

 

[flaming]

Skorpios now 11 miles ahead of Comanche. And ahead of the record pace...

Comanche holding the overall IRC lead at the moment, but this is not unexpected as they are 3/4 of the way down the fastest leg of the course whilst the smaller boats are currently going upwind.

 

[Zing]

Skorpios is doing well. Not bad for what was initially conceived as a cruising yacht. An interesting machine:
Sailing the fastest offshore monohull, the ClubSwan 125 - Yachting World

The big tris are faster though. Masarati and Argo. 19.5 kts vs 16 kts. Maserati is beating the race record too. It’s interesting to see how all the boats compare on the tracker. The tris sail a surprisingly poor tacking angle compared to the monos, which differs little across the bulk of the fleet. Most seem to get 90deg over the ground. The TS50s and 42 are doing nicely for cruiser/racers.

 

[flaming]

A lot of people expected Comanche to still have the legs on the 125. Looks not..

I have to confess that I really can't get excited about the tris. I know they are amazing machines, and I know they're much faster than the maxis, but I just can't relate.

And to be honest it's only the battle between Skorpios and Comanche that is interesting at the front, to mean the real interest is in IRC 1 and 2. Sunrise are looking good for another class win in a major offshore... That really has become the benchmark for offshore programs.

 

[geem]

A lot of people expected Comanche to still have the legs on the 125. Looks not..

I have to confess that I really can't get excited about the tris. I know they are amazing machines, and I know they're much faster than the maxis, but I just can't relate.

And to be honest it's only the battle between Skorpios and Comanche that is interesting at the front, to mean the real interest is in IRC 1 and 2. Sunrise are looking good for another class win in a major offshore... That really has become the benchmark for offshore programs.

If you see them in action at close quarters you can relate. They are high energy machines that just look so on the edge. By comparison, the monohulls look sedate. I really enjoyed watching the start of all classes but seeing Power Play on one hull soon after the start just looks incredible

 

[flaming]

If you see them in action at close quarters you can relate. They are high energy machines that just look so on the edge. By comparison, the monohulls look sedate. I really enjoyed watching the start of all classes but seeing Power Play on one hull soon after the start just looks incredible

I've been lucky enough to see a few big multis in action. Yes, impressive, but I dunno... I find the monos more interesting.