Friday, May 13, 2011

J/90 San Francisco Bay "beer can" sailing

J/90 speedster sport sailboat sailing San FranciscoGo for a five minute sail (vicariously) on Rodney J's old J/90 RAGTIME. Rod sold it in 2003 to Frank Slootman, who is now the owner of the first J/111 INVISIBLE HAND sailing on San Francisco Bay. He put an inboard diesel in RAGTIME. Trig Liljestrand bought it from Frank. After racing it  for a year or two, Rod helped him scope out a new "Turbo" Hall carbon rig so he can go faster all the time with a taller main and chute without using a genoa. Only change was a three foot taller topmast.  RAGTIME is so fast now that even without spinnaker up in main/jib only beer can racing they're planing away downwind at 12-15 knots in 20-25 knots winds under Angel Island-- these guys were racing out of Corinthian Yacht Club on the Bay.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9In0MTg8SiM