It was a little scary for us in buying an older one-design boat that maybe, for some strange combination of boatyard karma's the thing just wouldn't go like she should. Thankfully we can put that particular concern to rest. We did our first race (doublehanded) on the good ship Morosaurus, and the little Moore can move!
We didn't have a one-design start, but there were 3 other Moore's in the race, so we got a chance to compare our boatspeed to the fleet. All in all we were very happy. At times we were off the pace (and point) but at other times we were consistent with the other boats. We were the problem, not the boat, and that's a fine starting point. We also had a wide variety of conditions over the weekend, from flat flat calm to a ripping frontal system, which was really helpful for us to learn about the boat.
We got lucky on Saturday and managed to catch a private puff of wind and current to propel us across the finish line as the first Moore to finish. Thankfully this came just before the turn of the tides, and the rest of the fleet was stuck yards from the finish line for an hour! We spent the night aboard, getting leaked on and sleeping fitfully as halyards slapped and we nervously anticipated doublehanding in our first windy race conditions.
On Sunday the big wind downwind day we got a good start, and were second Moore for 99% of the race. As we neared the finish we were absolutely screaming downwind in the biggest breeze we've personally seen on a Moore, but it wasn't nearly enough as the maniacs on Morjito found another gear and walked by us like we were standing still. Not knowing the boat well enough yet, we thought 'perhaps if we heat it up a little bit we too will go faster.' Nope, instead we rounded up (erh twice) within yards of the finish as Morjito flew by us, leaving us as the third Moore. The race committee thanked us as we finished, I assume for not hitting them. Couldn't be happier though, we had a great time, learned a ton, hit the first Morosaurus boatspeed record (13.1 kts doublehanded!), and in the end were just plain outsailed.
Beers before noon as we reached back across the sound to Shilshole. Julia drove both days and kicked ass. She cemented her place as driver when on Sunday in the big breeze I let my attention stray and she politely told me to 'turn the $#!& around and trim!'.
3rd in our division and 4th overall.
It's sorta wrong how much I love this boat.
Here's another write-up:
http://www.pressure-drop.us/forums/content.php?1803-Challenging-Bainbridge
