2012 3-Bridge Fiasco Discussion

[Wylieguy]

Hey 3-Bridgers, The biggest race of the year is coming up fast. How about some discussion concerning tactics for this year's edition? I see we have a 3.1 knot ebb at 0723 and a slack at 1121. That means everyone, but especially the early starts, will be crossing the Start Line with an ebbing current - except for perhaps the last few fast boats who might find a flood along the edge. I'm thinking of trading a Wyliecat for a TP-52.
Pat Broderick

 

[Culebra]

Tactics? So far, tactics haven't helped me much. Last year my "tactics" got me stuck in some kind of gyre of similarly-fated boats off the SW shore of Yerba Buena Is. I like your TP-52 concept. Or there's the Nash Yachts approach. I could add a scoop and sprit, gut the interior, plumb the bow (should I paint the topsides mellow yellow?). If I did that, maybe I could keep up and ghost along with Gordie! Nah, not a chance. I'm resigned to slipping backwards again this year with the current, no matter which direction I choose.

Paul/Culebra

 

[BobJ]

Clockwise.

Maybe.

 

[tiger beetle]

strategy: never give up (last year we finished with 171 seconds to spare).

tactic: carry a big anchor, sufficient chocolate supply to go the distance, and fenders for impromptu raft-ups while on the course.

- rob/beetle

 

[ronnie simpson]

I just bought a really, really light boat so that i could ghost along in the light stuff. That's my tactics.

 

[Mitch]

yeah, clockwise….. unless I change my mind at the last minute.

 

[pogen]

sufficient chocolate supply to go the distance,
- rob/beetle

Reminding me of how we passed by Ghiradelli Square last year. Back and forth, about 5 times.

 

[Eyrie]

sufficient chocolate supply to go the distance
- rob/beetle

I remember one year when Eyrie was holding out in the shallows east of TI avoiding the current and avoiding muddying the anchor. After an hour or more of the instruments reading 00.00 for both wind speed and boat speed, we broke out the rum as a tactic to keep me from running around the boat trying to make us go faster (more like stop going backwards faster). By mid afternoon we hadn't even made it around one mark and we were 'Out Of Booze' (being a serious racing vessel we only carried a supply for 2 rounds), so we radioed to the RC, dropping out and declaring ourselves OOB.

Synthia/Eyrie