Rudiger tries to sink Assa Abbloy

by Mark Rudiger on 17 Apr 2002 Yesterday afternoon and last night was not a good one for Assa Abloy. I’m
sure many of you are wondering what is going on. Well for starters, we
were doing great when the wind decided to let the boats behind compress
into us somewhat. Then we sailed thru a couple of current lines and
picked up a load of weed on the keel, strut, and rudder. We tried to floss
it off but finally had to stop and Richard dove in to pull it off. This we
had to do twice!

Then after working ahead again, yours truly accidentally
hit the wrong switch in the dark with the generator running and exploded a
ballast line and almost sank the boat! Then in the middle of all this, we
had to change sails in squalls in pitch black trying to cover three boats.
Then it went light, and although we have improved our light air
performance, I think our bigger bulb on the keel hurts us a little in the
light stuff.

Which brings me to Amer One. Dalton has been on a crusade for some reason
against German Frers and what a slow boat he designed. I doubt many of us
out here or the media buy the propaganda or understand why he says it. The
fact is that Amer Sports One has repeatedly sailed from behind up to the
leaders and often right thru or by them.

They did this again yesterday on
several points of sail in multiple wind velocities. There is nothing wrong
with their boat speed more than any boat in the fleet, which has strengths
and weaknesses. When they are in the right place and have the right sail
up, they do just fine.

djuice may be another story.

Anyway, now we just got an unbelievable wind shift from the north! The
Gulf Stream has a way of creating its own weather, especially in a weak
synoptic flow.

We are gaining pretty good at the moment on the leaders,
and maybe if we follow along this long cloud line to leeward, we can hold
a little better breeze until the forecast southwesterly fills back in.
Until then, we are not setting any speed records and are struggling to
finish before dark Wednesday. We don’t really care how long it takes
however, as long as we win!

ASSA ABLOY RACING TEAM