April 21, 2012
Well it seems that the cards may have been stacked a little in my favour. The latest update on the Pornichet Select…..It’s been blowing a solid 30 knots all day long for the racers in this 300 mile race single handed. So far out of 55 boats that started, there are only 34 boats left in the race; including one dismasting. I saw him come in earlier today being towed in by the French Coast Guard…. I’m glad I made my decision to stay in. I could never have done the race without an autopilot working, but even if I had a pilot working, I haven’t had enough time to sea trial the boat to make sure she was up to these conditions. I can’t afford to take chances. I need to play things safe and smart. We’ll get OGOC squared away with Raymarine and her pilots and then head out there and get our qualifying miles in when we’re good and ready…and safely! Good luck to the rest of the fleet out there racing tonight. The wind is going to stay fairly steady until Monday morning and then it’s going to build to 40+ knots. The RC has shortened the course in anticipation of Monday morning’s bomb of a storm that’s scheduled to hit us square in the face.
April 24th, 2012 at 5:12 pm
Speaking of autopilots… know of one Express 37 that is MAJORly greatfull for some custom many years ago! Glad to see your playing it safe and smart.
April 25th, 2012 at 6:11 am
Ah! I remember the days well! A little grinding, a little reinforcing, a little grinding…..a lot of reinforcing! We started to worry that we had supported the hydraulic ram so well that the whole wheel might rip out of the boat instead!