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Big day at Brookville Lake

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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5932 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/25/2003 : 10:29:02

I wasn't going to discuss this on the forum, because some people might see it as bragging, and I guess it is, but when you accomplish something really difficult, you have to tell someone or burst. Also, I believe the C-25 is one of the most underestimated 25' boats, and owners should know what their boats are capable of doing.

We had a long windward-leeward race last Saturday, with a long spinnaker run. The local Hobie 33 flew a spinnaker, as did 3 J-24s. I flew my 150% genoa, poled out downwind. The Hobie and two of the J-24s were skippered by past club champions. For more than half of the downwind leg, my old C-25 led all of them, including the Hobie, which owes a huge handicap to the C-25. The Hobie overtook her and beat her to the finish line, but she beat the Hobie on handicap by a large margin. She even rounded the leeward mark ahead of two of the three spinnaker-flying J-24s, and she passed the leading J-24 on the windward leg back to the finish line. The first J-24 to finish crossed the finish line about a minute after us. My crew was an 81 year old sail trimmer. (Imagine an 81 year old sailor having the strength and sure-footedness to work the foredeck, setting and striking the whisker pole, as he did!)

As sailing accomplishments go, that race was one of my proudest. In all honesty, beating three spinnaker-flying J-24s to the finish line with a non-spinnaker C-25 was even more difficult than winning our class in this year's nationals. In the nationals we were competing against other boats that had the same handicap rating. The J-24s, with their spinnakers, owed the C-25 a big handicap. Gosh, I love that old boat!

Steve Milby "Captiva Wind" C-25 T/FK #2554

Edited by - on

Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3324 Posts

Response Posted - 06/25/2003 : 10:51:08

Many congrats Steve! See, I told you that a poled-out genoa on a C25 was as fast as a spinnaker! <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>
Derek

<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3dc30b3127cce942c608d6f1e0000001010" border=0>
TRFK#2262"This Side Up"

Edited by - on

osmepneo
Past Commodore

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USA
1420 Posts

Response Posted - 06/25/2003 : 11:02:06

Way to GO Steve!

We need to talk up our racing accomplishments, and build interest in class racing! Then maybe others will be at the next Nationals! 30 to 40 boats, that's NOT unreasonable!

Don Peet
c25, 1665, osmepneo, sr/wk
The Great Sacandaga Lake, NY

Edited by - on

Douglas
Master Marine Consultant

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1595 Posts

Response Posted - 06/25/2003 : 11:37:10

Good job Steve. The feeling must have been wonderfull. I dont race well not realy but every time there is more than one boat on the water there is a race. Tweak this let that out a little ooooooh were inching ahead. What a blast.

Doug&Ruth
Triska (Alberg 29)
Tacoma Wa.

Edited by - on

tinob
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1883 Posts

Response Posted - 06/25/2003 : 12:12:05

Hi Steve,

I don't race, don't feel the urge to do so but certainly recognize ones accomplishments when doing what they are really into. Bravo! And a kudo to your fore deck crew. So why do I feel trepidation going to the fordeck, I'm only seventy two?

Val on Calista # 3936

Val Bisagni]<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3df11b3127cce94709c5ff2e90000000010" border=0>

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Bryan Beamer
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1038 Posts

Response Posted - 06/25/2003 : 12:28:35

Great job Steve.

I was at Strictly Sail on Friday and talked to Bob Smith. I'm assuming he was one of the J-24's you beat? All he was talking about was beating Tacey. I guess he over looked your C25. After seeing you race downwind at the Nationals I can see why you beat them.

I think you should brag all you want.

Bryan Beamer
<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3da35b3127cce961d8ff3fd0b0000001010" border=0>
Daylight Again
C250wk #495
2003 National Champion

Edited by - on

Bill Holcomb
Admiral

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USA
769 Posts

Response Posted - 06/25/2003 : 13:43:21

Watch out Steve. Those guys in the "J's" are going to ask your handicapper to adjust your rating..........

Ain't it fun though?? I just love catching up to the guys in the "fast" boats and passing them by.

Kudos

Bill Holcomb - C25 Snickerdoodle #4839

Edited by - on

Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2984 Posts

Response Posted - 06/25/2003 : 16:23:54

Congrats Steve... Ain't it sweet!

We discussed a while back that J24's could be had to windward... off wind, if they get enough breese to plane...their gone. Don't let them hedge any numbers on you... they have it their way their share of the time.

Tell us your course... did you go dead downwind or bear off?

Arlyn C-250 W/B #224
<img src="http://www.stewartfam.net/arlyn/rr.jpg" border=0>
N/E Texas and Great Lakes

[url="http://www.cox-internet.com/arlynstewart/"]Arlyn's C250 Mods n Cruisin Stories[/url]

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5932 Posts

Response Posted - 06/25/2003 : 21:57:21

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>I was at Strictly Sail on Friday and talked to Bob Smith. I'm assuming he was one of the J-24's you beat? All he was talking about was beating Tacey. I guess he over looked your C25. <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>

I just now saw the official race results. (We finished fifth in "June Bug 1" because we rounded the wrong mark and had to go back and round the correct one. We finished first in "June Bug 2."(The race results are at http://home.fuse.net/blsa/BLSArace4.html )I beat Bob Smith's J-24 across the finish line by over 2 mins. (7 minutes after Bob's handicap was added.) After handicap, Tacy (Hobie 33) finished in 3rd place.

If you had a J-24, and were beaten by a C-25, you probably wouldn't mention it either.<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>Tell us your course... did you go dead downwind or bear off?<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>

Arlyn, the downwind leg was roughly due south. Looking down the lake you could see that the wind was stronger on the first half of the leg than on the second half. In the strongish winds of the first half of the downwind leg, we ran within a few degrees of dead downwind. That course took us diagonally across the lake to the east side. When we got to the east side of the lake, the wind eased, and we sailed on a course that was slightly broader than a beam reach from there toward the mark. As we got closer to the mark, the wind shifted and took us dead downwind to the mark. Thus, we made a lot of distance to leeward at good speed in the first part of the leg, and, when the wind eased, we were able to reach toward the mark at good speed in the second part of the leg. Most of the other boats stayed in the middle of the lake, running the rhumb line to the mark. We covered a slightly longer distance, but we averaged a high enough speed to more than compensate for the extra distance. The rule of thumb in that situation is to run downwind in the stronger winds, and reach in the lighter winds.

In the past I have advocated sailing approximately dead downwind when it takes you directly to the mark, in the least distance. In this case, however, we used strong early winds to gain distance downwind at good speed. By doing so, it enabled us to sail on a faster slant toward the mark on the second half of the leg. I'm not being inconsistent. In this case we ran downwind when running was fast, and we reached when reaching was fast.

Steve Milby "Captiva Wind" C-25 T/FK #2554

Edited by - on

ssteakley
Captain

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USA
467 Posts

Response Posted - 06/26/2003 : 01:35:57

Steve,
You make everyone of us proud and we love to read about your accomplishment. To beat a J anything or a Hobie anyting is fantastic....Get after it,
Steve Steakley

<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3dc32b3127cce94d57c8cff3b0000001010" border=0> Moon Chaser #385WK <img src="http://www.catalina25-250.org/forum/forum1.gif" border=0>

Edited by - on

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 06/26/2003 : 18:02:09

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
To beat a J anything or a Hobie anyting is fantastic....
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>

This reminds me of gathering of sailers here in Pittburgh that featured a gal from one of the all womens around the world cup races. She chuckled about a group of guys on a hobie that thought they'd give their monohull a run for their money as they were heading out to sea. Once their sails were set the hobie didn't have a prayer and the girls never looked back (at least they didn't make it at all obvious they did.)
Bet those guys don't share that sailing adventure outside the crew . . .

Edited by - OJ on 06/26/2003 18:05:34

Edited by - on

Dave B
Admiral

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Mali
863 Posts

Response Posted - 06/26/2003 : 23:49:27

Great work, Steve, and great story!

But in all fairness, "she" didn't beat those boats... YOU did! You set up the boat, directed your crew, chose the course, and handled the shifts. If I beat my golf handicap like that, my gross score would've been 68 and my net 43! Beat that, Tiger!

Pretty soon, the spin fleet is going to disallow non-spin boats! (...unless they're not C-25s.) <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

Dave Bristle, 1985 C-25 #5032 "Passage" SR/FK/Dinette/Honda in SW CT

Edited by - on

Ray Seitz
Captain

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USA
416 Posts

Response Posted - 06/27/2003 : 09:35:54

Great job Steve and a great discussion you started. <BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote> If you had a J-24, and were beaten by a C-25, you probably wouldn't mention it either.<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote> I talked to Bob a little last Sat. no mention of the race or results to me either. Think you will just have to do it a few more times this summer.<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>But in all fairness, "she" didn't beat those boats... YOU did! You set up the boat, directed your crew, chose the course, and handled the shifts. <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>Just in the few times you and I raced this spring I would agree with Dave.

Just to add some additional info on the skippers (the boats abilities for racing are well known)Steve races against on Brookville Lake. In discussions with Bob Smith, he has stated to me that between he and The skipper of the Hobbie (also a Steve & the owner of Strictly Sail) they have over 70 (I think the exact number was 78)years combined sailing experience. I know that one of the other J-24 owners had sailed and raced (until this summer)his 1995 C250 wb since he bought it new and it was not his first sailboat. At age 50 I felt like a young pup at the pre-race meetings on the dock, just prior to the couple or races I attended this spring with Steve. The skipper that generally races in the Etchells sails it and his Raven in and out of the slips neither boat has a motor.

<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3d831b3127cce891ba4a976e00000001010" border=0>On the water
C250 WB Sea Major #628

Edited by - RAY SEITZ on 06/27/2003 10:13:45

Edited by - RAY SEITZ on 06/27/2003 10:39:31

Edited by - RAY SEITZ on 06/27/2003 10:45:26

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