Chiloe 2014

Chiloe 2014

This regatta is not know well in the northern hemisphere.  The area of the Island of Chiloe is at the top of the Patagonia trial.  We started at Puerto Montt, which is on the mainland.  From there , it is an 8 day race to different islands and ports.  As you can imagine it is very beautiful area.  Very green.  Snow capped Volcanos in the back round.  The courses through the islands add many wind shifts and a lot of current.  Of course the currents shifts at every corner.  

You put 11 identical Soto 40’s on the line and the racing is fantastic.  Not everyone has sail here much so there is little local knowledge.  The quest is to read the wind and current better than the others.  Of course, it is best to be able to start ahead.  Saying that, there has been many lead changes and each race is only over when it is over.

The last couple of days we saw the biggest tides, 6 meters.  Not easy to read as sometimes the current went 180 degrees from where it was supposed to come.  Go figure, not much info for a place like this

I am sailing on Apolonia, We started the first day with 2 fourths.  Followed with a 7, caught some kelp and had to back down..  As many of the boats at one time or other.  Each race went to a different port.  We had a good mother boat that we slept and lived on.

As the races went along, we stayed consistent in the upper end of the fleet.  Next race was a fifth and we followed with 3 thirds.  We just tried to stay clear of trouble as there were no throw-outs.

This put us in a close second.  Going into the last race we were 3 points behind a very well sailed PiscoSour.  In a very short race, 35 minutes, we gained 6 points with our 4th and Pisco’s 10th.  Always fun to win a very competitive regatta on the last race.

Fresh fish of the area, biggest mussels I have seen

Now I know where all that Salmon comes from in Chile

Regatta site  Go to http://www.cno.cl