So the guys on the right coast are trying to get an organized regatta experience instead of the pick-up sailing that we have been doing. Peter has an in at the American Yacht Club and their annual High Performance Dinghy Open in October. Classes participating include FDs, 5o5s, Fireballs, 470s, I-14s, 49ers, ICs, RSK6s (whatever that is) and A-Cats. If we get a minimum of six boats we'll consitute a class, if not we're relegated to a Portsmouth Yardstick Fleet with handicaps.
Right now it looks like we may be able to muster the six boat minimum, but if we don't it will be a neat experience with some high calibre talent. How high? Bill has sailed his canoe up there a half a dozen times and he writes "AYC strikes me as a varsity venue. It's beautiful, and a great place to sail when all goes well, but in the half dozen HPDO regattas I've made, probably half served up conditions I would not be comfortable moth sailing. When it blows it blows hard, the waves can be impressive and the friendliest shore line available is the concrete launch ramp we launch from. Everything else is rock."
Great. The downside for me is a ten hour drive with the possibility that it might be a pain to launch and sail (sounds like what happened at Weymouth?) The upside is that the regatta is sponsored by Heineken and there's a photo by Photoboat, a nice dinner and a t-shirt included in the $50 entry fee. Peter is talking about putting up the mothies. So, yeah, I'm game for the varsity level. Put me in, coach!
About the PY numbers: US Sailing has no data on foilers. So this would be an opportunity to at least get the class on the radar screen. What number might we sail at? Gui was passing A-Cats on the reaches in the moderate stuff, and he claims his reaching speed is a couple of clicks below Bill's speed. Bora would be over the horizon in the same conditions. I'm guessing a D-PN around 60? Here's the table from US Sailing.
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