It was so damn windy. Lots of stuff got broken. Everyone went real fast, though.

Posted by foilrider@reddit | sailing | View on Reddit | 19 comments

Additional videos here (sorry for instagram links): [https://www.instagram.com/p/DM6Ixxvhvcg](https://www.instagram.com/p/DM6Ixxvhvcg) and here: [https://www.instagram.com/p/DM3ndx5BHau](https://www.instagram.com/p/DM3ndx5BHau)

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19 Comments

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senorpoop@reddit

I'll be honest with you, and this is going to be unpopular lol. As a foredeck who's been racing keelboats for 15 plus years, I actually don't like days like this. Sure, it can be exciting, and it's better than a 95 degree drifter, but symmetric gybes in this much breeze are difficult at best, dangerous at worst. Constant headsail changes are hard work. Offshore like this is one thing, and a *lot* more fun, but really breezy inshore beercan racing as a foredeck can get Not Fun in a hurry.

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aurora-73@reddit

I think it's really only enjoyable for the skipper assuming you can make it thru day unscathed. Maybe a little stressful but not as physically demanding as the other positions. We had a day of 25-30+ day in the sf bay not so long ago and doing pit / mostly sitting on the rail of a Moore was no fun.

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senorpoop@reddit

Yeah I'll agree to that. Trim and pit are similarly hard work when it's breezy. The only difference is foredeck also has to climb all over the bow and risk getting tossed overboard by the kite lol. As for the skipper sitting back there shouting orders, well...lol

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foilrider@reddit (OP)

Popular or not this is a 100% valid opinion. It's exhausting to be out on the boat in any position all day in these conditions.

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senorpoop@reddit

Agreed. Regatta weekends like this usually see me stumbling into the house on Sunday evening with dry, crumbling fingertips, bruises all over my legs and at least 2 sore ribs lol.

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Vanoak@reddit

Foredeck union here as well, doesn't take as much wind as it used to! Kneepads for the win. :)

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That-Makes-Sense@reddit

Where is this?

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turbomachine@reddit

It’s a gorgeous place to sail

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That-Makes-Sense@reddit

I think I figured it out. Hood River Yacht Club, Columbia River Gorge.

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foilrider@reddit (OP)

This is correct

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mast_a_beam@reddit

High Sierra Regatta? Such a fun venue!

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Sands43@reddit

I've raced dingies in wind like that. Fun to fly a spinaker / gennaker, but the winner was often the one that didn't dump the boat at the downwind marker and also planned their rounding so it wasn't a full power gybe (so all the speed dumped). Just need to dump the sail early and setup for the rounding.

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pbmonster@reddit

Same. Some of my best memories are from races like that. Going from fully planing straight into the drink at the lee mark, frantically taking down the gennaker under water, flipping the boat upright again, and while the crew climbs in you notice the wind has started to whistle in the shroud wires. You look across the lake, and indeed, streaks of foam have started flying off the waves. Fuck. It's really blowing seven now. This is going to be real work. The boat is going to try to kill us the entire way.

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bmwm36969@reddit

haiku

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That-Makes-Sense@reddit

It was so windy. Everyone went real fast, though. Lots of stuff broken.

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foilrider@reddit (OP)

Now I wish I'd used this as the title.

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aurora-73@reddit

Moore 24 fleet did not fair well

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foilrider@reddit (OP)

Yeah, there were more broken things in the Moore fleet than the J/70 fleet.

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the-montser@reddit

Careful!!!!! People will look up your sail number and stalk you!!!!!!!! /s Some good examples of big breeze leeward mark rounding in those videos. Looks like a lot of fun. Bummer for the guys that lost their rig.