https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2013/MHOR%20GAM.pdf
Neat hearing what was going through our competitor's heads!
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| 20 Seconds! |
Showing posts with label MHOR. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MHOR. Show all posts
Thursday, August 22, 2013
MacIntosh MHOR Article in GAM
Interesting article in GAM on our Marblehead to Halifax Ocean Race finish:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2013/MHOR%20GAM.pdf
Neat hearing what was going through our competitor's heads!
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2013/MHOR%20GAM.pdf
Neat hearing what was going through our competitor's heads!
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
MacIntosh Race Summary
Using my handheld GPS:
Trip Odometer: 507 miles
Moving Average: 6.8 knots
Moving Time: 74:37:00
NOTE: this includes time at the start from leaving Marblehead.
Google Earth Track: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2013/20130710.kmz
NOTE: the GPS only keeps about 48 hours of track data, so the start of the track was lost.
We had lots of time to see where we could have made up 20 seconds.
We gambled on a wind shift and didn't get it.
We should have tacked earlier and not opened the door to Harrier.
Talking to some other sailors including the overall PHRF winner Peter Noonan on a Swan 56, the wind shift DID happen about 5 miles east of us. Peter won because he caught that wind shift offshore.
Trip Odometer: 507 miles
Moving Average: 6.8 knots
Moving Time: 74:37:00
NOTE: this includes time at the start from leaving Marblehead.
Google Earth Track: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2013/20130710.kmz
NOTE: the GPS only keeps about 48 hours of track data, so the start of the track was lost.
We had lots of time to see where we could have made up 20 seconds.
- Spinnaker topping lift had failed again.
- Spinnaker inboard pole pulley had failed.
- Dirk has cut the panels for a new Kevlar #3, but didn't get time to sew it up.
- We could have run an asym for the first bit of the final leg.
- If we didn't have to duck the trawler in the open ocean.
We gambled on a wind shift and didn't get it.
We should have tacked earlier and not opened the door to Harrier.
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| This is how close we were at the finish!!! |
Talking to some other sailors including the overall PHRF winner Peter Noonan on a Swan 56, the wind shift DID happen about 5 miles east of us. Peter won because he caught that wind shift offshore.
MacIntosh MTOH Day 4
During the night, we got within 3 miles of shore on the SE corner of Nova Scotia, near Lockeport. I was able to get cell service, send some updates to friends via email, and look on the race tracker.
WE WERE IN THE LEAD BY ABOUT 5 MILES!
We had 90 miles to Halifax!
We did a tack and a 12 mile hitch out into the Atlantic so we could make Halifax.
Weather reports had said that the EAST wind we were experiencing was going to swing to the south during the day tomorrow. We were below the rhumb line and decided to risk going a little further inshore and will get paid BIG off handsomely when the wind shifted to the SE, and we would be on a beam/broad reach into Halifax vs all the offshore boats that would be dead downwind.
The wind had picked up over 30 knots, us with a full main, #3 and all bodies on the rail to flatten the boat out. We would stay like this for another 8 hours. We had started to get closer to shore by Mahone Bay, with no wind shift. WE DID NOT GET THE WIND SHIFT AND LIFT TO HALIFAX.
We were 2.5 miles from Peggy's Cove.
If we had tacked even one hour (7 miles) earlier, we would have sailed 6 miles less.
As we came out of Mahone Bay, Harrier had made up our 5 miles lead.
The J/35 Harrier has the same PHRF rating as MacIntosh, so the final 25 miles was a match race. We covered them all the way to windward turning mark at Halifax and they got ahead of us on the reach to the next turning mark.
On the final turning mark, we were hoping to fly the spinnaker, but the wind had shifted just forward of the beam making it difficult to fly the symmetric chute.
Dirk was on the helm, and Mac was a handful in the puffs.
We were flying towards the finish at over 9 knots, gaining on Harrier.
The course swung more downwind, and we were able to close the gap further.
This is how close we got at the finish line:
After 3 days on the water, we end up with a 25 mile match race, 20 seconds out of first place.
So we placed SECOND in PHRF-3 and FOURTH overall in PHRF.
We were disappointed, tired, but proud of our accomplishment.
WE WERE IN THE LEAD BY ABOUT 5 MILES!
We had 90 miles to Halifax!
We did a tack and a 12 mile hitch out into the Atlantic so we could make Halifax.
Weather reports had said that the EAST wind we were experiencing was going to swing to the south during the day tomorrow. We were below the rhumb line and decided to risk going a little further inshore and will get paid BIG off handsomely when the wind shifted to the SE, and we would be on a beam/broad reach into Halifax vs all the offshore boats that would be dead downwind.
The wind had picked up over 30 knots, us with a full main, #3 and all bodies on the rail to flatten the boat out. We would stay like this for another 8 hours. We had started to get closer to shore by Mahone Bay, with no wind shift. WE DID NOT GET THE WIND SHIFT AND LIFT TO HALIFAX.
We were 2.5 miles from Peggy's Cove.
If we had tacked even one hour (7 miles) earlier, we would have sailed 6 miles less.
As we came out of Mahone Bay, Harrier had made up our 5 miles lead.
The J/35 Harrier has the same PHRF rating as MacIntosh, so the final 25 miles was a match race. We covered them all the way to windward turning mark at Halifax and they got ahead of us on the reach to the next turning mark.
On the final turning mark, we were hoping to fly the spinnaker, but the wind had shifted just forward of the beam making it difficult to fly the symmetric chute.
 |
| Harrier's lead at the start of the final 12 miles |
Dirk was on the helm, and Mac was a handful in the puffs.
We were flying towards the finish at over 9 knots, gaining on Harrier.
The course swung more downwind, and we were able to close the gap further.
This is how close we got at the finish line:
After 3 days on the water, we end up with a 25 mile match race, 20 seconds out of first place.
So we placed SECOND in PHRF-3 and FOURTH overall in PHRF.
We were disappointed, tired, but proud of our accomplishment.
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
MacIntosh MTOH Day 3
We blew across the Gulf of Main through the night in the fog with a full main and light #1. In the middle of the night we were on a starboard tack and had a 43ft yacht from the division above us called Agincourt. Pretty neat. When we were on port tack, all eyes were looking for starboard boats coming in. Visibility wasn't more than 200ft.
The time on this photo was 7:19am
Winds had picked up over 25 knots causing us to be woken up for a sail change to the #3. A little while later apparent wind was up over 30 knots, so we threw in a reef.
We kept our boat speed close to 7 knots with this sail configuration heeled over about 25 degrees. We pretty much stayed like this for the rest of the day and into the night.
We did encountered a fishing trawler and had to alter course:
The time on this photo was 7:19am
Winds had picked up over 25 knots causing us to be woken up for a sail change to the #3. A little while later apparent wind was up over 30 knots, so we threw in a reef.
We kept our boat speed close to 7 knots with this sail configuration heeled over about 25 degrees. We pretty much stayed like this for the rest of the day and into the night.
We did encountered a fishing trawler and had to alter course:
Monday, July 8, 2013
MacIntosh MTOH Day 2
The night shift has switched back to the asym as the winds had lightened; Kevin said he loved this watch the most because they were flying the chute at over 8 knots comfortably in the dark with hardly any waves.
Don't remember much of the second day other than the winds were 15-20 from the east, with occasional puffs in the 30s. Our watch was woken up to douse the asym as the winds did pickup and moved forward.
We had gone with the heavy #1 most of the time.
During our provisioning in Marblehead, Michael had picked up three bag of chips, which we had already gone through. We wished had bought more chips.
Off the coast of Maine, we passed a cruise ship:
This prompted Michael to shout "THROW US YOUR CHIPS!!!"
Sounded an lot like "SHOW US YOUR..."
Man did we laugh!
Here is picture of Kevin off watch:
Night shift was raining and foggy but warm
Don't remember much of the second day other than the winds were 15-20 from the east, with occasional puffs in the 30s. Our watch was woken up to douse the asym as the winds did pickup and moved forward.
We had gone with the heavy #1 most of the time.
During our provisioning in Marblehead, Michael had picked up three bag of chips, which we had already gone through. We wished had bought more chips.
Off the coast of Maine, we passed a cruise ship:
This prompted Michael to shout "THROW US YOUR CHIPS!!!"
Sounded an lot like "SHOW US YOUR..."
Man did we laugh!
Here is picture of Kevin off watch:
Night shift was raining and foggy but warm
Sunday, July 7, 2013
MacIntosh MTOH Day 1
Our watches were 3 hours long and worked well
It was here that we pull ahead of the leading J/35 Harrier with the J/109 in the background:
The time on these photos was 3:36pm.
Winds were from the ENE about 15 knots with flat water.
Passing us was the BEAUTIFUL 85' Herreshoff ketch Ticonderoga on a close reach:
In the evening and night we stayed with a full main and light #1 with 7.5 knots of boat speed on a close reach up the coast of Maine.
Notice how the bottom of the headsail is doing nothing:
- John
- Mike
- Me
- Dirk
- Kris
- Kevin
It was here that we pull ahead of the leading J/35 Harrier with the J/109 in the background:
,
The time on these photos was 3:36pm.
Winds were from the ENE about 15 knots with flat water.
Passing us was the BEAUTIFUL 85' Herreshoff ketch Ticonderoga on a close reach:
In the evening and night we stayed with a full main and light #1 with 7.5 knots of boat speed on a close reach up the coast of Maine.
Notice how the bottom of the headsail is doing nothing:
We found that there was some wind sheer happening: the wind near the top of the mast was different than the bottom. If we moved the jib cars back to correct for this, we were spilling to much wind up top for power. So what we did was run a snatch block and extra line to pull the leach tight. Also kept the sail off the lifelines, as it flattened the bottom of the headsail.
Back onshore towards Marblehead there was MAJOR rain and thunderstorms:
We did get wet, but no gust fronts or lightning strikes!
MacIntosh Start
Breakfast at the club.
Marblehead to Halifax (MTOH from now on) offshore race start was at 1pm
We got out around 11am, and sailed around the start course watching all the HUGE boats getting ready: Rambler, Donnybrook, Snow Lion, etc. We were in the 6th start, so we weren't off until 2pm.
Winds from the east light and at our start, they went down to almost nothing. After our start, they sounded the cannon twice to signify a postponement because of not enough wind. Downwind start was weird.
These photos were posted on the MTOH site from the start line:
Thanks Craig Davis for these!
At the 1st turning mark, we hoisted the light #1, dousing the spinnaker, and headed to the next mark with 4 or 5 knots of boat speed. After the 2nd turning mark, we beat NE with close to 6 knots of speed as the winds picked up. After a an hour or so, winds were lightening, so we hoisted the asymmetric spinnaker and our speed increased. We ran with the asym for most of the night with close to 8 knots of boat speed. An easy sail with the wind on the beam.
Marblehead to Halifax (MTOH from now on) offshore race start was at 1pm
We got out around 11am, and sailed around the start course watching all the HUGE boats getting ready: Rambler, Donnybrook, Snow Lion, etc. We were in the 6th start, so we weren't off until 2pm.
Winds from the east light and at our start, they went down to almost nothing. After our start, they sounded the cannon twice to signify a postponement because of not enough wind. Downwind start was weird.
These photos were posted on the MTOH site from the start line:
 |
| That is yours truly holding the boom out. |
At the 1st turning mark, we hoisted the light #1, dousing the spinnaker, and headed to the next mark with 4 or 5 knots of boat speed. After the 2nd turning mark, we beat NE with close to 6 knots of speed as the winds picked up. After a an hour or so, winds were lightening, so we hoisted the asymmetric spinnaker and our speed increased. We ran with the asym for most of the night with close to 8 knots of boat speed. An easy sail with the wind on the beam.
Saturday, July 6, 2013
MacIntosh Shakedown
Breakfast at the club.
Micheal, Kris, and John made a short walk to the local grocery store to provision for the trip.
Kevin and I headed to West Marine to get some nuts/bolts for the leach block on the head on the mainsail. Also stopped at Ace Hardware and CSV Pharmacy.
HOT as HECK!
Once we got everything organized, we dropped our mooring ball and headed out the harbour.
We had a great sail with west wind 15-20 knots, broad reach so we hoisted Dirk's brand new never flown chute. He was pleased with the sail. We practiced several gybes.
It is a good thing we did because the topping lift for the pole had jumped it's shiv and was jammed. We could not dip pole gybe the spinnaker. We had to use a spare jib halyard. Would rather have found this out now, than on the race course. The block to raise the inboard end of the pole was also broken, making it difficult to raise the inboard end of the pole up under load.
Beating back, the winds had picked up over 25 knots, so we dropped her and hoisted the Dacron #3. We also practiced putting in a reef in the mainsail. We found that the running backstays were also catching on the boom.
Coming back to the harbour, we say some young boys tending their lobster traps.
Just look at the smiles on their faces!
There were lobster traps all around the harbour and out on the race start.
Coming back in we past a 90ft rocket from New York called Rambler:
Yes, that is their 40ft tender with two motors on it!
Coming back in we saw a Canadian boat coming out under spinnaker:
Dirk recognized the boat from Nova Scotia: brand new Jeanneau 409. We met many of the crew on land later in the trip. They were in the cruising division.
Great afternoon on the water.
Trip Odometer: 24.9 miles
Moving Average: 7.0 knots (!!!)
Moving Time: 03:34:00
Google Earth Track: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2013/20130706.kmz
Once back on the mooring ball, we hoisted Kris up the mast to troubleshoot the spinnaker topping lift. The shiv was worn; no time for a replacement. Kris also rigging up some shock chords half way up the mast to keep the running back stays from catching on the boom.
Dinner at the Landing was AWESOME.
Of course I had lobster!
We all went again to Maddie's bar for a nightcap. VERY BUSY
Micheal, Kris, and John made a short walk to the local grocery store to provision for the trip.
Kevin and I headed to West Marine to get some nuts/bolts for the leach block on the head on the mainsail. Also stopped at Ace Hardware and CSV Pharmacy.
HOT as HECK!
 |
| Look what motor sailed by: a Catalina 22 For those of you who don't know, this was my first sailboat, and I still race her today! |
Once we got everything organized, we dropped our mooring ball and headed out the harbour.
We had a great sail with west wind 15-20 knots, broad reach so we hoisted Dirk's brand new never flown chute. He was pleased with the sail. We practiced several gybes.
It is a good thing we did because the topping lift for the pole had jumped it's shiv and was jammed. We could not dip pole gybe the spinnaker. We had to use a spare jib halyard. Would rather have found this out now, than on the race course. The block to raise the inboard end of the pole was also broken, making it difficult to raise the inboard end of the pole up under load.
Beating back, the winds had picked up over 25 knots, so we dropped her and hoisted the Dacron #3. We also practiced putting in a reef in the mainsail. We found that the running backstays were also catching on the boom.
Coming back to the harbour, we say some young boys tending their lobster traps.
Just look at the smiles on their faces!
There were lobster traps all around the harbour and out on the race start.
Coming back in we past a 90ft rocket from New York called Rambler:
Yes, that is their 40ft tender with two motors on it!
Coming back in we saw a Canadian boat coming out under spinnaker:
Dirk recognized the boat from Nova Scotia: brand new Jeanneau 409. We met many of the crew on land later in the trip. They were in the cruising division.
Great afternoon on the water.
Trip Odometer: 24.9 miles
Moving Average: 7.0 knots (!!!)
Moving Time: 03:34:00
Google Earth Track: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2013/20130706.kmz
Once back on the mooring ball, we hoisted Kris up the mast to troubleshoot the spinnaker topping lift. The shiv was worn; no time for a replacement. Kris also rigging up some shock chords half way up the mast to keep the running back stays from catching on the boom.
Dinner at the Landing was AWESOME.
Of course I had lobster!
We all went again to Maddie's bar for a nightcap. VERY BUSY
Friday, July 5, 2013
Marblehead
Marblehead and the Boston Yacht Club are BEAUTIFUL!!!
What a view from the covered deck were we had lunch:
After lunch we boarded one a three BYC tenders:
To find MacIntosh having a ball:
We took a while to load our gear and stow it below. We took the delivery main off the boom and hoisted the brand new Kevlar main that Dirk had built. Dirk's friend John from PEI had sailed MacIntosh down, and had someone drive down to pickup John and all our extra sails/gear.
Left to Right on the tailgate of John's ride home:
We had dinner at the club (along with Happy Hour). Dirk's brother John came in the Detroit in the late afternoon. Sitting at our table was Gary, who campains a 12M wooden racing yacht called Valiant.
Four of us went for a tour of old Marblehead. It was KEWL walking through clapboard houses that were built in the 18th century! We made dinner reservations for Saturday night at John's favourite restaurant called the Landing. We ran in to Gary by the restaurant, and he took us on a tour of USA24.
UNBELIVABLE!!!
Immaculate inside and out!
We then headed to Maddie's Sail Loft for a drink. This bar has been voted as the top ten sailing bars to visit. Check out the poster on the wall (click to enlarge).
Another checkmark on my bucket list!
What a view from the covered deck were we had lunch:
 |
| Love these panoramic shots! |
To find MacIntosh having a ball:
We took a while to load our gear and stow it below. We took the delivery main off the boom and hoisted the brand new Kevlar main that Dirk had built. Dirk's friend John from PEI had sailed MacIntosh down, and had someone drive down to pickup John and all our extra sails/gear.
Left to Right on the tailgate of John's ride home:
- Kris
- Dirk
- Kevin
- Michael
- Bart
- John
We had dinner at the club (along with Happy Hour). Dirk's brother John came in the Detroit in the late afternoon. Sitting at our table was Gary, who campains a 12M wooden racing yacht called Valiant.
Four of us went for a tour of old Marblehead. It was KEWL walking through clapboard houses that were built in the 18th century! We made dinner reservations for Saturday night at John's favourite restaurant called the Landing. We ran in to Gary by the restaurant, and he took us on a tour of USA24.
UNBELIVABLE!!!
Immaculate inside and out!
- built in 1970 (last wooden one)
- 85 ft long
- 85 ft tall mast
- boom had to be 40ft long
- takes a crew of 18 to run her
We then headed to Maddie's Sail Loft for a drink. This bar has been voted as the top ten sailing bars to visit. Check out the poster on the wall (click to enlarge).
Another checkmark on my bucket list!
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