Latitude Offshore Racing

Between winter series racing we’ve hauled the boat out for a birthday , fresh anti-foul, a polish and dropped the rudder tool a look at the rudder bearings and some maintenance.
Big thanks to the crew who helped got properly down and dirty – legends.
Back in the water soon and ready for the Summer of racing ahead.

Sailing double-handed with an asymmetric kite is all about clear jobs and good teamwork. There is a lot happening.

I stay on helm, steer, look after the main and the overall course, pull the tack on, and the sheet. Mat rigs the tack and pull it right out to the end of pulpit. We don't have a bowsprit. Hoists the halyard and sets the kite. In the photo below we had to go down wind for a couple of seconds to blow out the twist before hotting up. Sound easy? Practice practice practice.

Get it right and it works great.

Why we chose the Actisense (Active Research Ltd) W2K-2

We selected the Actisense W2K-2 because it combines proven reliability with the exact capabilities our campaign needs. And theyvare dedicated to continually upgrading and improving their products.

Its rugged IP67 housing and Actisense “Reliability Built-In” design ensure it can withstand the harsh marine environment without failure. The built-in data logger (supporting micro-SD cards up to 128 GB) continuously records every NMEA 2000 message, giving us a complete, timestamped voyage log essential for analysis, verification and post-attempt review.

Actisense-i diagnostic tools let us monitor network health, bus voltage and connected devices in real time, so we can quickly identify and resolve any issues before they affect the attempt. At the same time, the gateway streams data wirelessly to laptops, tablets and smartphones (with seamless conversion to NMEA 0183), allowing the whole team to view live navigation, performance and system data without cables.

Low power draw (only 2 LEN), dual Access-Point/Client Wi-Fi modes, strong security and full NMEA 2000 certification complete a compact, professional solution that simply works when it matters most.

Two-handed sailing is hard but when the boat is balanced. You know when you're sailing to your rating.

Double-handed is good, because you have to do everything and you are always busy

You are very much more involved with the boat. Your tacking, navigating, changing sails, gybing doing the work of a full crew. It is challenging and exhilarating.

We’ve put the entry in— and we’re teaming up to raise funds for a charity (details coming soon!). More information coming soon.

Quick video acing double handed

https://www.facebook.com/share/18rqTKrSsj/

On the wind double trouble On the wind double trouble from the deck ...

Another two hand race today. Finding the groove for us. A few interesting calculations between fully crewed and double-handed, difference is 8 mins.
Video to follow.

Matt Rutherford is a legend in the offshore sailing world.

Pushing the limits of offshore racing and adventure sailing, you need to know about Matt Rutherford.

Back in 2011-2012, Matt became the first (and still only) person to sail solo and non-stop around both North and South America — a staggering 27,000+ miles in a tiny 27-foot Albin Vega. He battled the Northwest Passage, Cape Horn, and everything in between, all while raising funds for accessible boating causes. Pure grit.13ee20
Now he's at it again with an even bolder mission: a solo, non-stop circumnavigation of the Arctic Ocean on a Valiant 42. This unprecedented route takes him through the Northwest and Northeast Passages (above Russia, Alaska, and North America), covering thousands of miles in some of the harshest conditions on Earth — ice, gales, isolation, and miles of ocean

He's doing it to advance ocean and climate science through his non-profit, Ocean Research Project, highlighting the urgent need for better understanding of the Arctic.

Last weekend was race 1 of the Derwent Sailing Squadron Winter Series and 1 of us thought he was sailing at Airlie Beach