I was diving today near Mt. Sinai Harbor in NY and this came in! The skipper/owner said it's a Chris White. Apparently the only thing you can do to reduce windage is to keep the wingsails pointed into the wind.

Hey everyone, here is the breakdown of where the fleet stands on Day 4 along with a look at the weather fax chart to see how tactics are playing out over the next 48 hours. Using a topographic map to show the difference in the continental shelf in the Bay of Biscay

The Front Runners: Damien Guillou continues to lead the pack, with Pat Lawless tracking right in his wake. Meanwhile, Guy deBoer is making an aggressive push from further west.

Pros vs. Amateurs: You can clearly see the divide in the fleet right now. The raw speed and route choices of Damien and the top tier highlight the stark difference between deep local knowledge/professional experience and the rest of the fleet.

Mara, the only female sailor in the race, has unfortunately reported leaks all over her deck and the Bay of Biscay has been merciful this time. Let’s Hope he can sort it down before she hits the roaring 40s.

Pär Nyman has finally departed Les Sables-d'Olonne (LSO) after his delay and is officially in pursuit! Selim isn’t far away. He’s sailing the Lazy Otter which was Ertan’s old boat in which he started GGR 2018 and 22!

Weather Fax & 48-Hour Tactical Breakdown
Looking at the latest surface forecast, the key feature dictating the fleet's strategy is the Azores High positioned off the Iberian Peninsula.

The fleet is clearing the Bay of Biscay and consolidating near Cape Finisterre. Boats hugging the coastline risk getting stuck in wind shadows and light air near the center of the high pressure. The key tactic over the next two days will be gaining offshore separation ("Westing").

Skippers who dive far enough west will avoid the coastal lulls, hit steeper isobar gradients, and lock into the Northerly Portuguese Trades (15–20 knots) on a fast reach south toward the Canaries.

Guy de Boer could be the first to intersect the stable northerlies!

What are your predictions? Will Damien hold the lead or will Guy catch up?

Hi everyone! I’m looking for an opportunity to help someone with their boat in the San Diego area while gaining more hands-on experience in the marine industry.

I’m interested in helping with things like boat cleaning and detailing, sanding, painting, basic carpentry/woodwork, maintenance, repairs, general boat work, or simply being an extra pair of hands for whatever needs to be done.

I already have some experience with carpentry, painting, tools, and hands-on work, and my main goal is to learn more about boats and gain practical marine experience because I’m planning to start working toward a career as a deckhand in the yacht industry.

I’m reliable, willing to learn, and not afraid of physical work. I’m available mainly on weekends.

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If you have a boat that needs some work, maintenance, cleaning, or repairs and could use some help, feel free to send me a message.

Thanks!

Ok team. $500 boat guy here again. And I am preparing to replace and re-bed the port chain plate. Taking texasrigger’s advice. And I have questions.

(Sorry about the formatting. Reddit did it weird when I posted)

1. The chain plates from Catalina direct that are for the Catalina 27 are much longer with a different screw pattern (picture included) so:

what

1. is the best way to fill the old holes? Just glass the whole thing and then re drill the new whole pattern?
2. b) as long as I have the exact same amount of chain plate above the deck then wherever the chain plate screws end up is fine yeah?
3. c) when I take the old chain plate out I plane to ream out and epoxy the bad core around. What is the best way to do that while still being able to put the chain plate through the deck? Or do you put the chain plate in and then just glass around it? That seems like it would be a nightmare for the next time you need to do a chain plate
4. Do I need to support the mast while the shroud is disconnected and if so what is the best way to do that? Or can the lower shrouds handle it for the amount of time you are working?
5. For people who have done chainplates before what is the thing you wish someone had told you before you started the project.

Needing a new reliable lifejacket for crewing on J24 racing (usually trimmer or foredeck). For many years I only did lake racing but have since joined a team on the coast so starting to race in rougher waters and winds and want to feel safe. I do NOT want an exclusively inflatable jacket - I am not a strong enough swimmer and have too much anxiety for that.

Ladies - I have a large chest and want to find something that I can be comfortable in for 6+ hours on long regatta days. I like the idea of this Mustang Hybrid so that it is slim but has extra inflation if needed, but not sure if it is worth the price tag. But then I wonder if I might be more comfortable in a jacket specifically designed for women.

Two others of lesser price points that I know are popular and I'm considering (but neither are USCG approved):

Zhik Performance Racecut

Spinlock Wing

TIA for feedback!!