V21

Beyou or Thomson for the win, If Thomson doesn't win it'll be down the fleet or DNF, because I think if he is in 2nd or 3rd he will push like crazy or take flyers rather than settle. Linked out or Apivia look good but IMHO neither Ruyant or Dalin has finished a Vendee before which seems like a big deal. L'occitaine, Papec Arkea, Corum.... New boats, but too new to make it round at race pace ?? I think covid cutting into their work up miles could hand more advantage to older boats with more miles, Mazilia, Initiaties, PRB ??

You're welcome https://www.npr.org/2020/10/06/920960047/wh-adviser-stephen-miller-tests-positive-for-the-coronavirus

Yup, I'm a wagon fan. Got a cheap V70 xc only becuse I couldn't find a good subaru. Turns out the volvo is my favorite ever car. When it dies there is currently 90% my new car will be the same.

I'm fairly sure that cowboying the lazy sheet has to be done with expert nonchalance, whilst lighting a smoke on the back off the bow.

Wow, I used to be a half competent Bowman, now I wonder if I remember how. I can't remember the last time I did a dip pole gybe.

How and / or where did you figure out how to do it ? I assume at those prices you self installed.

The owners were all obviously extremely wealthy, all of which had their boat as an expensive toy for themselves and family, friends employees of the owners. Some boats did no commercial charters, some did a few weeks a year to offset some of the running costs. No boat that I worked on was ever run as a business, I did interview once for job with guy who was building one or maybe two 72ft boats with the plan to make them pay for them selves through charter, but that is far from the norm, especially as the boats get bigger.

For sure, it is something I would 100% do again and never regret. I have got to sail in most of the (northern/Western hemisphere) famous highlights, most of the med, including St Tropez, portofino, Porto Cervo etc, most of the Caribbean, Bahamas, New England. And one extremely lucky trip taking in Cuba, San blas, Cocos island and the galapagos and a few that you wouldn't think of, northern Denmark and ireland for a few months. I worked on mostly "smaller" boats by professional standards, 60-80ft, swans, oysters, southern wind etc. A fair while on a 100+ foot cruising boat. Managed to be in the right spot for the odd regatta etc on some real Biggie's 150ft +. Racked up something like 100k miles, 9 Atlantic crossings. But like all good things it needs to end at some point, my downfall was going for the fun gigs on smaller boats when I could have been collecting qualifications and getting higher paid gigs, these can lead to rotational jobs with significant time off allowing for families and homes etc. I hadn't done that so I "swallowed the anchor" but for a young single person, it was a great use of a decade from about 20-30 years old.

Having done a similar job, there isn't a lot that is nice having guests on ( except the tips ) all the crew are up an hour or so before the first guest, and go to bed an hour or so after the last guest. It's full on and demanding. That said, downtime, deliveries, yard times, days off, generally make up for it. But 100 days straight charter probably sucks, bad.

Calling the government for help seems a bit socialist to me.

Big ?

I think this is a matter of semantics. Sure there are the fly from one regatta to the next rock stars, the full time crew who know how to sail the boat without breaking shit, people who work for shoreside suppliers or service providers a lot of whom are very experienced sailors too. IMHO these people are are all "pro's" not just the full time racers and they are essential to getting a large boat around the course safely, there is no way you could do it with an average bunch of weekend warriors.

Next to nothing in Savannah, there is a small phrf scene. A small club in one of the upscale communities that has a few j24's and Rhodes 19's. The yacht club has a bit of a youth scene and even sunfish for grown up's Sadly the yacht club is about $20k to join. I think Charleston is way more active.

I've been down that road, ended up cutting it up and taking it to the dump.

And the pins are there so you can adjust the bottom fwd or back for tuning purposes, if you not sure the middle will probably be just fine. Put the pins in so they are as far apart as the bottom of the mast is wide, somewhere near the middle. The wires holding the mast up also hold the bottom in the track.