Changing from cruising to racing mode
After some cruising earlier this winter, we moved into race mode and participated in two successive three day regattas one week apart - the first in the American Virgin Islands and the second in the BVI. The St Thomas Rolex Regatta was the first - and it was a great venue. We spent several days getting the girl ready to race - change of headstays, 5 man hours of bottom cleaning (after a compulsive schedule of diving on her this winter - stuff grows fast in these warm waters). Two days of practice and we were ready.
The winner gets a Rolex
The Rolex is a really fun relatively low key regatta, with lots of small classes - the winner of each class gets a Rolex. We had raced a fair amount in the Northeast but I had no idea how Temptress would do down here - especially with a new (CSA) rating system. She did just fine. We won 5 of six races and came in second in one race because of a tactical error on our part. I am lucky enough to sail with a great bunch of guys - and significant others. We have had the same core crew for many years - some for as long as 30 years.
Higher and faster than the competition
Temptress was great in all points of sail. We had conditions of 10-12 one day and then steady 20-22 knots the last day - surfing down waves. She was great on all points if sail but especially upwind - we were higher and faster than our competition - by a lot.
When I made a trip with Mike Frank to Denmark in 2002 to look at the first IMX 45, Niels Jeppesen told me that the boat was built with a rugged floor structure tied in directly to the shrouds allowing for high rig tension and greater pointing ability. He was correct!
A fantastic crew
It was an honor to sail with this crew once again. It is easy to look like a hero with my hand on the big carbon wheel, when the hard work and skill is all around me. As has happened in the past when we have been lucky enough to win a Rolex Regatta, one of the crew gets the reward for special contributions to the win - this time it was Dan Neri, of North Sails - a great sailor and better friend.
Temptress was a joy to sail, and she made us all proud. We sailed her with a TV, watermaker, disconnected electric winches, windlass, etc on board. Aside from the fact that this is a really good boat, the crew was fantastic.
Richard Shulman
