HereBeDragons
Member
I'll hopefully be moving my yacht back from France this springtime. Just got a mailer about RTI entries being open and thought it might be a bit of fun to do with some mates.
I am not a racer. I have done a bit of regatta stuff as crew, doing as I was told, but have never entered my own yacht for a race before. On the flip-side, I've done 6000+ miles cruising over the past 12 years and have had current boat for 5 years and 4000 miles, so I know her well.
My crew will be racing idiots, as am I. We will go out and do a bit of practice beforehand over the early summer, but I imagine nobody will be mistaking us for an America's Cup entry.
My concerns are that there are 1500-odd entries, which surely will be carnage? I know my Colregs, but that generally happens at a much slower speed, and far less traffic than 1500 yachts all setting off together (I know it's staggered, but, you know what I mean). Will an idiot like me be ok?
Secondly, will we get hooted in the street at the after party for turning up with a rolling main and a gennaker rather than a carbon mast, selection of spinnakers, matching polo shirts and a jaunty plume?
We obviously aren't aiming to win, but if we enter, I'd like to give it a good shot at least.
She's an Elan Impression 384, so a sort of cruising racer, or racing cruiser, depending how you look at it.
I am not a racer. I have done a bit of regatta stuff as crew, doing as I was told, but have never entered my own yacht for a race before. On the flip-side, I've done 6000+ miles cruising over the past 12 years and have had current boat for 5 years and 4000 miles, so I know her well.
My crew will be racing idiots, as am I. We will go out and do a bit of practice beforehand over the early summer, but I imagine nobody will be mistaking us for an America's Cup entry.
My concerns are that there are 1500-odd entries, which surely will be carnage? I know my Colregs, but that generally happens at a much slower speed, and far less traffic than 1500 yachts all setting off together (I know it's staggered, but, you know what I mean). Will an idiot like me be ok?
Secondly, will we get hooted in the street at the after party for turning up with a rolling main and a gennaker rather than a carbon mast, selection of spinnakers, matching polo shirts and a jaunty plume?
We obviously aren't aiming to win, but if we enter, I'd like to give it a good shot at least.
She's an Elan Impression 384, so a sort of cruising racer, or racing cruiser, depending how you look at it.