Amature racing rocks

The sport of sailing rocks because there is such a wide variety of amateur racing available.

Ranging from the Polar Bear winter series that my friends and I do with the local fleet of cruiser racers like this:

Our crew is having lunch as we drift downwind.  We are racing, but we are pretty low key about it.

The other end of the spectrum would be one design racing like the Melges 24 worlds that is on right now.  There are all amateur crews competing against boats with one or two pro sailors.  The racing is at a very high level of competition.  The all amateur crews are scored separately and a Corinthian champion is awarded as well.

Saturday Sailing is dead

As you can tell I haven't put up a lot of posts recently.  I haven't been interested in posting a bunch of links.

I have decided to change the format to pick one video or picture that makes "Sailing Rock" and share it and perhaps write a bit about it.

What I want to share this week is the polar opposite of the current America's cup.  In this cup cycle its all about developing new bleeding edge technology to make a boat go extremely fast and accomplish Russel Couts goal of an event that appeals to "The face book generation, rather than the Flintstones generation."

Once upon a time yachts were designed to be loved, cherished and enjoyed as well as raced to win.  The video link bellow is an episode of CNN's sailing show "Main Sail" that shares the history of some of these yachts and has fabulous  video of the yachts in action.

How do current race boats compare to these yachts?

http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/sports/2013/08/15/spc-mainsail-fife-designs-a.cnn.html

Race Timers

I have recently been asked about options for race timers.  Here's some info.

A lot of the Sailors at DSA like this watch or a similar Timex.
http://www.timex.ca/Core-100-Lap--C151.aspx?l=e&fp=79

This is the one I use.  It can be mounted to the mast or boom
http://www.ronstan.com/marine/product.asp?ProdNo=RF4030

Ronstan also makes a several other nice sailing watches.
http://www.ronstan.com/marine/range.asp?RnID=304#info

West Marine has one as well:
 http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=1067919&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&storeId=11151&storeNum=51066&subdeptNum=51088&classNum=51091#.Uf8pW1Na_og

You can also go high end with
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=103393&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&storeId=11151&storeNum=50714&subdeptNum=50715&classNum=50717#.Uf8ut1Na_og

Cheers

Full Dolphin Video

Here is the full dolphin video I took when returning to Vancouver at the end of a cruise and learn.

Dolphins

One clip taken on the return trip from the Gulf Islands to Vancouver on a cruise and learn.  I have more from my camera and more from two more cameras to come, but it will be a while before I'm done editiing it.  This will have to do for now.

SS #71 Odds and sods

Here's some video odds and ends

SS #70 The Vende is done

The Vende globe is done.

Alex Thompson was the best placed English speaker.








Some French Guy won






The next major event I'm watching is the Americas cup.  4 AC 72s racing is going to be very cool.