The IRC Modified Farr 40 “Elleven” which we have seriously for sale, had a successful 2011 Coffs Harbour Race with IRC results being 6th overall out of 29 Entries & 3rd in IRC Division 1.
Ron Jacobs from our office raced aboard as Navigator /Tactician & reports on the race & how well “Elleven” performed.
We started in perfect conditions 12-15 knots south east with a headsail & staysail & quickly hoisted the Code Zero to pass Cape 3 points & then onto the Masthead Assy Kite, with the breeze ranging from 15 to 20knots just aft of the beam we left the other 3 Farr 40`s behind & dueled with the Farr 45 “Pretty Woman” ( rating 1.224) till night fall.
Just on dark a cell developed as we approached Broughton Island (just past Port Stephens & very quickly produced winds topping out at 35 knots, after we broached we elected to drop the kite & as we were carrying no Spinnaker Pole aboard we could not pole out a headsail (costing us greatly) & had to make do with tacking the Staysail out to the windward side & run with this configuration for 2 hours, just before Seal Rocks the breeze abated & we again hoisted the Masthead Asymmetric.
We reached under Kite & Code Zero in 8 to 12 knots of wind until daybreak just before Crowdy Head were the wind went further behind, at this point with our IRC rating of 1.151 we were in Great Shape on Handicap, still in company with the Farr 40 Witchcraft (rating at 1.173) & The Lidguard 50 “Santana 3” (rating 1.281).
The rest of the race was a square run in 15 to 23 knots of wind & my decision not to take the rating increase (to 1.159) & carrying Spinnaker Pole & Masthead Symmetric Spinnakers proved to be expensive & probably cost us 1st overall, as Witchcraft sailed 40 minutes out of us in the last 80 miles & we were only beaten by 25 minutes on corrected time for 1st overall.
To Sum up—If you are looking at upgrading your current race yacht, then this is one that should definitly be on your shopping list!
Call Ron at the office to discuss your yacht racing ambitions further.