With thunderstorms looming offshore for the setup day, Vipers and VXOne teams focused on getting their boats set up and tuned. North experts Jackson Benvenutti and Austin Powers moved from boat to boat, helping all the teams dial in their base rig settings. The day ashore was actually quite valuable, because setup takes time. A reminder to be patient, don’t rush establishing your base setting!
Saturday
Teams were rewarded for their patience with champagne conditions on the first race day. A warm 10-15 knot breeze delivered four awesome races. After racing, debriefs were run for both the Viper and the VX fleets.
Two Lessons From Saturday:
Teams that were aggressive in tightening the headstay (by increasing shroud tension and adding blocks) found their boats more manageable in the puffy conditions.
Vang usage/tension shows whether your rig is right. If you are maxed out on the vang more than ¾ of the time, tighten the rig. If you are not using any vang, loosen the rig to power up the sail plan.
Sunday
Sunday delivered lighter breezes, from 5-10 knots (and sometimes less than 5 knots later in the day). The Race Committee managed to squeeze in another 4 races, Jackson Benvenutti, Jesse Fielding, and Nick Ward took the Viper win. “Jackson set us up for fast with the latest inventory from North Sails,” Jesse said. “It was my first time in the Viper, a fun boat. I can’t wait for the next race, because Sarasota always delivers!”
Nick signed on only two days before the regatta, after the original third crew member had to back out, since he was already in Sarasota for a family event. As a past Viper owner, he was psyched to be part of what turned out to be the winning team!
North boats also took 3 of the top 5 spots in the VXOne, along with a partial inventory for winner (and new class president) John Potter.
Two Lessons from Sunday:
Pressure was king, and there were big holes in the middle of the course. Teams coming from the edges had success.
Maintaining a high average speed downwind was crucial. There was a big penalty for teams that soaked too low, because it took so long to get back up to speed.
Shoreside Local Knowledge
Some popular hangout spots after sailing were the Daiquiri Deck and the local Irish bar. We look forward to seeing everyone there during the next event in January!
North Sails is the official class sailmaker for 49er and 49erFX classes. After three years of collaborative sail development 3Di will make its Olympic debut at the Paris Games this summer.
NORTH SAILS OPENS POP-UP STORE AT TIME OUT MARKET BARCELONA AHEAD OF THE AMERICA'S CUP
From July to November, the North Sails store within Time Out Market Barcelona promises to be a must-visit destination for sailing enthusiasts and ocean lovers.
READ MORE
North Sails is the long-time Performance Partner to the Bermuda Race. In this edition, North-powered boats took command of the leaderboard and claimed the coveted St. David’s Lighthouse trophy.
READ MORE