To sailboat racing? Man the bug has bitten me hard, Star's every weekend, starting to get more interested in crewing or own day owning the larger boats. This coming from a die hard put the throttles to the wall powerboat guy.

My boss and friend tells me tales of racing his Swan 46, all the trials, costs, and glory that comes with that. What fun it must be to captian a large Swan waiting to cross the start line with 30 other such vessals only feet away. Or sneaking between the first place boat and the down wind mark, mear feet between gaints. As lines fly, crew races, and the chute is taken down. Now being on a 130ft J boat during such a menuver must be a site to behold.

I have pulled this with a Star. We were about 6 inch's apart and I wasn't going to let him get a better postion. So we rounded the mark like that and I got on top of him. But it was a bit hairy trying to rip in the main and pole, had to be done in about 10 seconds it seemed, before we jibbed so the boom wouldn't smack them and cause problems.

Maybe I should change my sig to Swanguy.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

AAAACCCCCKKKK - bloboat "racing"!!!!!!
No, no, no, no.
Look, go to the yellow pages and look for help. Sailboaters Anonymous or something.
You will become an ignorant, "the air is free and so is everything else", 30-degree-list, stoopid-hat-wearing, wearing baggy-worn-out-shorts-with-30-pockets to hold all the stuff you steal from powerboaters, $20 in your pocket when you get to the marina on Friday and $20 in your pocket when you leave on Sunday, sails-up-in-the-marked-channel, loose-halyard-lines-clanging-all-night-long, freeloading, boomvanged mooch. DON'T DO IT.
AAAACCCCCKKKKK!

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Thank You!
Fred
2009 ML350
2004 SL600
2004 SL500
1996 SL600
2002 SLK32
2005 CLK320 cabrio
2003 ML350
1997 C280 Sport

Helsinki puts out a fine boat, fer sure. I started on 420s & Lasers then J22's and now if I race I crew on whatever I can ride, cause I am no longer in the position to hit the water every weekend. Take advantage while you can. I grew up in a racing community and it is an addiction that only poverty can cure

If you get the chance, see if you can catch a ride delivering or crewing to the Antigua Classic Yacht Race one year ( or more ). It blows them all away, even though it isn't on the Swan/Rolex or ect... circuits--you get to see some of the retired America's Cup boats and the like.

Don't listen Hatt, me dear old dad had a '80 formula 46 w/950 Hawk Marines in her when I was a twinkle in his eye and I would rather sail to Bermuda on an Island Piglet than ride from Kennebunkport to Ft. Lauderdale in GHWB's old Cigarette any day, any time. Wish him and his brother still had the Jim Smith though

screw wind powered boats.. give me a ciggarett boat anyday

I bet you don't even know who don arronow was or what kind of car he drove......sigh

I love all boats, but go fast just really isn't my thing. My dad was HEAVILY into boats mostly in the 70s & 80s and went through a Cigarette/Formula/Fountain (my fav, the man and the boat) phase, but fishing and sailing rule my nautical world. Hats off to the poker run crowd but I just can't wear that many gold chains and still swim

I do love all kinds of boats. Its an addiction worse then drugs really, ruins fortunes.

I am just as happy running big diesels through their pace's as I am sailing. Racing sailboats is challanging, its a thinking sport I like that.

Depends on the boat, if you have only sailed on something like a Pearson, or a Hunter, or a barge like an Island Packet(No offense to people who own those boats, they have their place. Excpet Hunter, sorry but they are the Kia of the boating world) yeah then sail boats can be dogs.

But a Swan, Hinckly, X Yacht, or something fast and hot. Man those things can move. I have sailed on some older woodies, the Blackpearl for example. The power of those vessals is amazing when the wind picks up.

Also not all sailboat owners are cheap. I deal with boat owners 6 days a week, their are tons of cheap powerboat owners. Racing said Swan in a serios manner costs at least $100k per year.

If you wanted to compete in the Swan/Rolex, Swan/Ferrari one year(remember that?) Newport to Bermuda, or any other of the large races, figure $100k-$300k per year for a large boat!

So not all sailers are cheap.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

was it indy/F1... i rember watching something on cig boats. my step dads friend has one

I grew up working the backstays on a wooden-masted Star. And Dad sank Corky Shields' Star right in front of the Larchmont Yacht Club one sunny afternoon on the Sound.

Used to race PHRF handicap every weekend too.

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.