Good stuff from M20, SB3, big boat sailors, lots of interviews and still some good shit to upload from the end of Race 4. Thanks for watching, plenty more to come.
Shitloads of pics coming from all courses as well...
For those who don't like it, sorry we can't do everything for everyone, but we WILL listen.
Breeze was more then we expected. 3 races in 14-18 gusting to the the 20's. Pretty funny to see everyone in start 1 amd 2 not flying chutes. All the euro's would think we are hacks... It was really steady with only 10 to 15 degree shifts and short 2 to 4 foot chop. Great Charleston weather and the warm water, 65+. Too bad there aren't more boats.
Tomorrow is looking much lighter (5-10) and a bit warmer. Maybe clean will bring out some tiits to show. I'll try to take some picks and post tomorrow night.
For the record, the Viper with the keel damage, was from hitting a submerged wreck on Thursday. Boat is repaired and will be racing on Saturday, as will the one that took a pole in the side.
A little challenge from the Viper Class? Sent in by RockHead:
Got Fleet?
Charleston Race Week is the Viper 640 Atlantic Coast Championship. Combine that with Mr. Clean's public challenge from the 2008 CRW OTWA to the Viper Class to turn out 25 boats for 2009, and we've got 32 Vipers here -The biggest fleet in the regatta and the biggest Viper one-design regatta in the history of the Class.
The day started a bit fluky with a northerly 8-10 knot breeze on Circle One, christened the Roaring 20's by our PRO, as it's the home of the 20' sportsboat classes. A combined dozen SB3s and Melges 20s started and raced together in all four races today. By the start of the second race, the thermal had kicked in and the breeze clocked right about 90 degrees and bumped up to mid-teens. It built for the third and fourth races, backing off a bit for the final 2 legs of the last race. With just a bit of wind driven chop, it was perfect sportboat weather. Somebody paid out for the ideal Chamber of Commerce conditions!
What an absolute blast! Great breeze, fast sailing, great venue, plenty of free Goslings, good food. And Clean doesn't lie about the cute sailor chicks down here... Those of us from the north are just psyched to be here with warm air and warm water. With downwind boatspeeds topping 15 knots, this was what we came for! There were some broaches and new inductees to the Viper Swim Team. Good fun all around, which is what the Viper Class is all about!
Special props to Schoonerman, who trimmed for me all day with a non-functional rachet block.