Joe Wood winning KW with Red
We have been working hard to get 5 of the new Farr 400 to Key West to sail their first one design class race. Since 2 boats were on a ship due in only one week before the series, I was a bit nervous. Then of course the ship was late and there was a customs hold….. Anyway, they did make it, very late, but they did get down to KW by truck from Savannah on Friday before the Monday start.
I was to sail on Team Origin/Bella Mente. Hap chartered the TP from England to get some time sailing against other very good boats in a fun series, while he waits for his new boat to be completed. We had the main part of the Bella Team sailing with an addition of John Cutler. John and I have sailed a lot together over the years. It has always been fun and easy.
We didn’t really know how to run the back end of the boat but thought that for Hap to have a new voice as a tactician would be a good experience. So I move to strategy. We communicate very well and understand each other. John with his more experience with match racing was maybe more suited for the boat for boat situations. With my experience in ocean racing and weather, I had a the ability to keep and eye out of the boat for shifts and what other boats are thinking. We would both keep track of the shifts and most often were calling the same things for tacks and course management. I would say it was a pleasure, relaxing and I believe we did a good job with our rental to take a third in a very competitive class.
Back to the 400’s. Each team sailed the boats in the new configuration for the first time. 4 out of the 5 teams never sailed the boat before. It was very surprising that the boats were so close on the water. Joe Wood and Red Team won the event and was out of the box better than the other teams but as the week rolled on the other were catching up and sailing along side the Red, beating them in the last couple of days of sailing.
Very close one design racing with the Farr 400
Sharon Green photos
It was a big success for the Class. Everyone knew that there was a lot to learn and they all said there were minutes they can get out of the boats with a bit more time. All had smiles on their faces when they came off the water and looked forward to the next day.
In the TP class, Quantum was the most polished and won the event. Power Play, with Pet Cunningham steering his boat all but the first day, (I heard it was the curry he made for dinner) to take second. Vesper, Jim Swartz, I think was the fastest boat. They suffered from a breakage in the second race and not getting off the line some times very well. But all the boats had a show and the racing was very close. Mostly the better sailed boat won. Our rental had some not ready for prim time sails. Our first day we were slow in the breeze. The next day we had a good jib and had a 2,1 when we used that sail. I think the boat is good and could be a lot better. Someone should buy it.
With our first Farr 400 class event there has been good interest and we have set up and series for the Farr 400’s. It looks like 3 boats will go to do 2 events in the Caribbean. Then we should have 5+ boats in Charleston, then Annapolis, Newport in June and San Francisco in September. All good.
I am writing this from the Dusseldorf Boot show. This is the biggest boat show in the world and we have a Farr 400 here.
It was been fun to spend 3 days here seeing a lot of old friends from Germany and northern Europe.
Dee with the brothers Waimer, Max and Hannes, owners of PCT, the builder of the Farr 400
I get to go home tomorrow to catch up on all these programs. Next trip Sydney to sail on Farr 400 #8.
More later.
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