Cherry Update, First regatta

Ok folks I have been giving you pics and small updates of Wild Cherry hull #3 Soverel 30. Ill give you a quick rundown on my first regatta.
The race. GYA Challenge Cup. Format is each YC in the GYA sends a team of 4 PHRF boats. In each race, you count your teams best 3 boats. rateing bands are: class A: 15-72 class B;75-111, class C;114-150 Class D;153-213.

Our team Fairhope YC, won last year and had high hopes this year. The problem we had was simple. If FYC can win it, then anyone can. Every club ramped their program up. Southern YC who was 2nd last yr won big this year.
Our team consisted of an Olson 40, a Sov 33, a Sov 30, a J24.
Wild Cherry was finished a few weeks prior to the CC. It was untested and hasnt raced in 10 years. The j30 we used last year won C class, and was a proven winner. It was hard to convince the rest of FYC team to use the Cherry over a known entity. I did a few weeks of blowing things up, and fine tuning the rigging, all for a sail off between the j30 and Cherry.
Sail off #1 was in 16-18 knts of wind. with short handed crews. The j 30 killed me., Granted I had 20 yr old sails and only 3 people on the rail. It wasnt a fair test of boats, but that got everyone worried. I had to argue and fight to keep cherry involved. Finally My sailmaker, Troy @ Pro Sails, delivered me my new main and 155. We had our final sail off the Monday before the regatta.
Breeze was 12-14 full crew. Both boats in top raceing form. I was able to out point and speed the J30 this time. Yay, I convinced the team that Cherry was rdy.
Now the regatta. Everyone was allready calling the boat Wild Cheater. Accusing me of lighting the boat. Which I didnt. Data proves I didnt.
More new sails arrive at the start. All is good. I end up with a 4th in the first race. Loosing to an Antrim 27, a J29mh, tarten 33, scary but that was the first race. very shifty and 10 knt breeze.
Then the series goes on with the A 27 doing extremely well in the light stuff scoring all bullets. The boat was full of good OD and Catamaran sailers. I finished 2nd overall with a string of 3rd place finishes. and a 2nd.
I had to push current 2 time US Sailing Offshore big boat champ(Marc Eagan) back to a 5th in the last race to get that 2nd, instead of a third. Hard work but we pulled it off. He got a 6th.
Our Team didnt fair to well, a 3rd. Our O-40 placed 3rd, our Sov 33 a 4th, Cherry a 2nd, and our j24 placed a 7th.
All in all I was happy with the way Cherry sailed. Its very a very tricky boat. True runners and checks on a 30ft boat with a 46ft mainsail is not easy. For every adjustment, I had to make 5 more. I learned alot about the boat.

Everything held together. Except one of the clutches. and a snap shackle.
The structure of the boat held its shape. the keel didnt wobble. the rudder felt smooth. Everything I could ask for. All of my ideas worked as I wanted.
The only thing that bothers me are the chainplate bulkheads. They are the only thing I didnt change out. I thought they were fine. I have noticed that they are cracking and breaking. They are 2 3/4 peices of plywood lamenated together. I plan on changeing them out soon.
Other than that all is well, and I expect Cherry to collect alot of pickle dishes real soon.

 

Congrats on your success.

You've shown us all that it can be done. With grit, determination, and wilingness to learn, you have given an old boat a new chance and may have actually made it better than it was when it was originally built.

Many trophies to come!

Bob