INGRID ABERY
Update
No longer racing as a class, the former Maxi72s still enjoy the closest competition of all the Maxi fleets as well as typically being the standout performers on handicap. In Sardinia Vesper (in green) continued her 2022 run of success; now carefully re-optimised to IRC after racing Stateside in ORC, and with a slightly lower IRC rating than her rivals, hanging in close was usually good enough…
THWARTED – Terry Hutchinson Fifty-three boats descended on Porto Cervo in September to race in the Rolex-sponsored Maxi World Championship. Big (!!) high-tech hardware with everything from the Wally Centos to the new Juan K- designed Swan 80 and the Mills-designed Flying Nikka… More of an exhibition that one, but still cool to see ripping around! Mini Maxi 1 is about as competitive as it gets. Six boats with
North Star (ex-Rán 2011) at the low end and Vrolijk 77 Jethou at the high end of the scale; Vesper, Proteus, Bella Mente and Cannon - ball all in the middle. Awesome racing as the difference in speed regardless of rating is quite negligible. Performance versus rating. Onboard Bella Mente we spent the
better part of six months working on our performance vs our rating. The season started in earnest with an absolute schlacking in St Barts by Vesper. The next two events, in Newport RI, were sailed in ORC but we also scored ourselves in IRC as that is what is used for the world championship. Both were tilted towards BellaMente under the ORC rule and on the water. Both were also windward- leeward in under 12kt. A definite trend developed as Belle Mente experienced a good gain upwind over the summer while not com- promising downwind speed – mostly on windward-leeward courses. The event in Sardinia is slightly different. Predominantly coastal
racing with an upwind start and just one day of windward-leeward racing. Strategically it is a bit different from what we had done this summer yet onboard Bella Mente we were concentrated on a strategy of get to the top mark first. Bella along with Cannonball was the second highest rated boat in the class so being in the lead was mandatory for a chance to win the regatta. The strategy was solid as our top mark deltas were 2,1,1,1,1.
Our finishes, on the other hand, not so much: 6,2,5,1,3. Houston, we have a problem! Each race has a commentary within itself as to why yet I don’t
think we can avoid the obvious: our power-reaching capabilities can- not match Vesper and Proteus’s hull form. Our upwind performance
12 SEAHORSE
vs rating is strong. When we point the Bella in the right direction in windward/leeward racing our pace is fine. Pressed-up reaching our performance against Vesper, Proteus and Cannonball (in that order) was not to the standard we needed to win the regatta. It is frustrating to say the least and we will continue to look to understand how we can improve and what steps need to be taken. Boatspeed wins and right now Bella Mente is fast enough in some areas but not all. Hence our performance to rating is not good enough. From here Pensacola. NYYC American Magic is getting cranked
up to start back at training and development. Patriot spent summer in the shed under the watchful eye of Tyson Lamond and Shaun Mason aka Geezer (no idea where Geez got that nickname). Introducing cyclists, swimmers and rowers to the sport of sailing
and grinders to cycling is an interesting mix. It is also the start of reminding ourselves how hard it is to win this event; having never done it but felt prepared and ready in the past you just know a lot of things must roll your way. In a simple way the Maxi Worlds reminds me that you must be
good at everything. Vesper, the winner of the Mini Maxi class, was good, her performance vs rating was great and no glaring weak- nesses. However you develop a fast boat the common ingredient ‘fast’ needs to be always available… Standing by on AA 5549 descending into Pensacola, Florida
THE GOOD AND THE GREAT – Jack Griffin Good generals are masters of strategy and tactics. Great generals are masters of logistics. Each of the teams in the 37th America’s Cup faces a unique set
of logistical challenges, quite different from the monohull days. During 10 editions in the 12 Metre class and five in IACC yachts teams could buy a used yacht and train while designing and building their raceboat for the upcoming event. Now teams need to deal with multiple classes and venues and restrictions on when and where they are allowed to sail.
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