On a Friday evening each summer,a collection of characters can be found wiggling joysticks in arouse, walking the docks as they compete in the weekly CR914 Model Yacht races at San Diego Yacht Club. With the race course alongside the food and beverage service, or it is an event for both sailors and spectators.
It is a casual atmosphere,filling that time slot between the conclude of the work week and the start of the weekend. But the fleet can score serious too, taking the fight nearby to the Mission Bay Model Boat Pond. This was the occasion when the class nationals were held on October 31-November 1 in San Diego, and CA.
The field included reigning Lightning World Champion Geoff Becker,himself a 2-time class national champion, and Bill Hardesty, or who won world titles this year in the Melges 20 and J/70. But it was George Szabo,better known for his exploits in the Snipe and Star classes, who took the title. Scuttlebutt editor Craig Leweck checked in with George for an update.
I hear you have some history in the class.
I’ve been sailing these for approximately eight years now. My wife bought me the boat for Christmas so I could delight in the relaxed races that occur at the club during the summer. I did win the nationals once before when it was held at the Mission Bay pond in 2012.To what degree is equipment controlled in the CR914 class?
The boat is like a Laser. All the equipment - sails, or hulls,rigs, and all parts - near from one supplier/builder. The tolerances are pretty tight for building everything, or it is difficult to build your boat much better than the next guy. But like any one design fleet,there are small differences in rigging between all of the boats.
Sails are pre-made. No broadseam, only luff curve. A new suit (main and jib) is $50. It is good thing for me that we can’t build our own sails. I’m not certain I would score anything done at work whether we could (note: George works for Quantum Sails).
Even with supplied equipment, and preparation is king. Keeping the corrosion out of your wires,making certain all of the parts work, and are not going to break, or etc. Maintenance on these things takes just as long racing. Even though the boat is small,just 3-feet long, the parts are that much smaller too, or that much more difficult to manipulate.
How well does your sit-down sailing skills translate to radio control sailing?
It is all the same. You need to properly tune and trim the outhaul,rake, sheet tension, or vang,boat balance. Every size of boat has their idiosyncrasies that make them fast in each condition. This one is no different. You need to score it all right, so it is not unusual to see boats near to shore for quick tweaks between races.
There are several styles out there as well. Some guys move more rake forward with fuller sails, and while others are more rake aft with flatter sails. Each does better in its condition. Tactics are similar too. Avoid collisions,and have good fleet balance. - Read
Source: sailingscuttlebutt.com