The secret to double-handed offshore racing success

Three years in the past a Solar Quick 3300 referred to as Pink Ruby, whose American house owners come from the Pacific North West, popped up in UK double-handed races. It instantly notched up a string of spectacular ends in a really aggressive fleet.

Pink Ruby went from 2nd within the 2022 and 2023 UK Double-Handed Offshore Collection; to 1st at school – and really almost 1st general – within the 2023 Rolex Center Sea Race; additionally successful the 2023 ORC Double-Handed World Championships in Barcelona, and the 2024 IRC Double-Handed European Championship.

For her achievements, together with being first feminine skipper within the 2023 Rolex Fastnet Race, Christina (Chris) was awarded the 2023 US Rolex Yachtswoman of the 12 months. “I don’t sail for a residing, however after I do sail, it’s essentially the most alive that I really feel,” she instructed a room filled with crusing luminaries on accepting the award.

So how did two non-pro sailors obtain such good ends in an unfamiliar fleet – and a crusing space on the alternative aspect of the Atlantic? Initially, “based mostly on our expertise, I actually suggest shopping for a very good used boat versus a brand new boat,” says Justin.

Pink Ruby was previously Gentoo and had been beforehand campaigned by James Harayda and Dee Caffari.

“A lot of the element had already been found out and it will have taken us for much longer to get a brand new boat arrange from a distance,” he provides.

“Possibly that was the fortunate, serendipitous piece,” Chris provides. “James Harayda is superb, and we bought actually fortunate that we picked that boat, as a result of he had it rather well arrange and he shared every part with us.”

“After we confirmed as much as sail it for the primary time, he went out with us for 2 days simply within the Solent; that was a extremely huge deal for us,” says Justin. “James had found out so many little particulars. We all know for positive that had we picked another Solar Quick 3300, another model, or another mannequin, it will have taken us years to determine.”

In fact not everybody can plan to purchase a ship that’s been raced by prime IMOCA 60 skippers, however in any class there will probably be boats which were very effectively arrange by sailors attaining constant outcomes. Buying a kind of, with issues like polars and sail crossover charts already effectively developed, is usually a a lot quicker technique to the top of the fleet than shopping for a brand new boat that must be arrange from scratch.

Article continues beneath…

One other key side is that the Wolfes shared Pink Ruby with American professional sailor and former Olympian Jonathan McKee, who co-skippered with Alyosha Strum-Palerm (and typically others, together with America’s Cup and meteorologist legend Pete Isler), giving a roster of 4 core sailors to race two-up.

“Jonathan has executed a Mini Transat marketing campaign and is only a phenomenal sailor,” says Chris. “This partnership method has meant that now we have 4 brains engaged on every part as a substitute of simply two.

“That helps with all the thought that goes into the optimisation and setup. The 4 of us additionally do a pre-race and a post-race dialogue for each single race. That basically helps us be taught extra rapidly as every time Jonathan and Alyosha go crusing we’re studying from that. Our boat truly races rather a lot, so the entire data gained by sharing is actually good.”

Justin and Chris have a good time crossing the Atlantic double-handed within the 2024 Cap Martinique race. Picture: Marc Marsillon/Disobey/Cap Martinique

European method

To get a greater understanding of racing in Europe, the couple first went to the 2021 Double-Handed World Championship in Italy, raced in one-design Beneteau Figaro 3s. UK-based double-handed skipper Gavin Howe then launched them to the Solent Solar Quick 3300 fleet and double-handed racer Nigel Colley of Sea Ventures.

“We particularly picked the UK as a result of it has the most important double-handed distance racing fleet, and located a ship that appeared promising with plenty of the identical design within the fleet,” says Justin. “It labored out rather well as a result of we have been instantly crusing subsequent to different 3300s and will inform if we have been crusing fairly effectively or not. It was as near the one-design racing we skilled on the Figaro 3 as potential.”

Chris factors out the double-handed neighborhood is shut and mutually supportive. “Being part of the UK Double-Handed Offshore Collection, with the individuals we’ve met and communicated with by WhatsApp, has been actually useful. Most individuals know the way the French are doing so effectively, as they’ve a sharing neighborhood that trains collectively. What the UK double-handed group is doing appears to be modelling that and it’s very efficient.”

Mild airs for an early morning begin within the Solent. Picture: John Inexperienced

Technical tweaks

The couple made few huge modifications to Pink Ruby, apart from including Fourth Cape’s electrical E-Bar toe-in adjuster for the dual rudder system and a Cyclops load cell for the forestay. The latter was added primarily to present a dependable and repeatable reference for backstay stress in several situations “slightly than attempting to determine it out every time we come to the boat.”

Except for that, Justin says: “The largest single factor we did was altering the mast rake, simply doing what we felt was proper, slightly than following what everybody else was doing.”

In preparation for the three,800-mile Cap Martinique race from the Breton port of La Trinité-sur-mer to Martinique, they added a through-hull digital camera 25cm in entrance of the keel. That is interfaced with the boat’s laptop and permits fast checks to see if there’s weed or particles snagged on the keel.

They made small enhancements to {the electrical} system in addition to spending time to make sure they totally perceive the charging techniques. “We additionally preserve the sails fairly recent so that they don’t have an actual alternative to wear down. We labored onerous with our sailmaker on the stock and all of the sails have been changed since we purchased the boat,” Justin provides.

Justin on the helm on their exit from the Solent within the 2023 Rolex Fastnet Race. Picture: Christina Wolfe

In any other case they endeavoured to maintain the boat as easy and light-weight as potential. “We checked out including a water ballast system and totally supposed to,” says Chris, “however after racing a number of instances, determined the boat didn’t want it.” They’ve prevented including weight and complexity, and the boat charges higher with out water ballast.

“We haven’t added something that isn’t important: we don’t have a shore energy charger, fridge, water heater, or cabin heater.” An exception to this philosophy was the addition of photo voltaic panels for additional redundancy for the Cap Martinique race. Reliability is essential offshore. “One factor we did exchange have been the rope clutches for the backstays,” explains Justin. “These have been undersized and a few 3300s have damaged masts within the Solent on loopy downwind days when the clutches both failed or triggered the road to fail.

“We changed them with textile clutches which can be stronger and kinder to the road.”

Seasons have been mentioned and deliberate effectively upfront over a number of calls, with the finances for the next yr agreed at this stage, “We break up every part 50/50 with Jonathan that’s boat associated: upkeep; enhancements; sails; and deliveries,” says Chris. “It has labored very effectively, however now we have constructed a clear relationship for this partnership, with a variety of communication.”

A through-hull digital camera offers a fast view of the keel. Picture: Oscar Torveo/ORC

Clean dealing with

Botched manoeuvres, particularly in difficult situations at night time, can simply negate any features achieved by superior boat velocity. How do they keep away from this? “Chris and I’ve sailed double-handed collectively for 28 years,” says Justin, “it’s what we do finest.”

“We had a J/111 at house that we double-handed very aggressively throughout and after Covid,” provides Chris. “You get to bolster these manoeuvres if you find yourself racing that boat round buoys towards totally crewed boats.

“We even have a J/70 that we deal with like a dinghy, additionally with all-asymmetric kites, so we simply preserve doing issues over and over, attempting to get to Malcolm Gladwell’s 10,000 hours determine,” says Chris, referencing journalist Malcolm Gladwell’s well-known ebook Outliers: The Story of Success by which he posited that it takes 10,000 hours of apply to attain mastery of any self-discipline.

“We’re nonetheless engaged on all of that!” she provides.

One of many couple’s greatest exams got here within the 2023 Rolex Center Sea Race, once they completed 2nd general – an agonising 24 seconds away from successful IRC general on corrected time. Their race bought off to an inauspicious begin, with their class becalmed on the beginning line, then an issue with their headsail feeder hampered them additional. By Lampedusa the climate fashions confirmed Pink Ruby had no likelihood of catching eventual general winners Bullit, a Wally 93, however the Wolfes have been undeterred.

Christina was US Rolex Yachtswoman of the 12 months. Picture: Kurt Arrigo/Rolex

“A lot occurred in that race! I feel we did 22 sail adjustments,” Justin instructed race organisers afterwards.

“We went hours and hours and hours with none relaxation in any respect, as a result of there was an excessive amount of occurring, we couldn’t cease.” The couple used to compete in triathlons, so working at a excessive depth for endurance durations is acquainted territory.“In a 600-mile race what number of locations did you allow 24 seconds?” he mirrored, “Might’ve executed one higher tack, one higher name on the present within the Messina Strait…”

“However then you definately search for, and there’s volcanic eruptions taking place round Stromboli!” added Chris.

“We made some nice navigational calls. One factor we will do, as a result of now we have been crusing collectively so lengthy, is make selections actually rapidly,” she defined. “There isn’t any board assembly to determine if we’re going to tack or gybe. We each see the identical info, we each come to the identical conclusion as a result of, basically, now we have developed as sailors collectively.”

Pink Ruby got here inside seconds of successful the 2023 Center Sea Race general. Picture: Kurt Arrigo/Rolex

Learnings

The venture was wound up a number of months in the past, and Pink Ruby will probably be off to a brand new house, however what recommendation would the Wolfes give to anybody planning an analogous marketing campaign?

“Begin making the connections – the individuals are vital,” says Chris. “We love the competitors, but it surely’s actually no enjoyable when you don’t get a possibility earlier than or after the race to attach with individuals.

“Being distant from the boat [has been] essentially the most troublesome half for us as a result of we will’t simply pop down and do some venture, or go for a fast sail or no matter. We needed to plan actually fastidiously, and do issues actually effectively, each crusing – and project-wise. [That] is essentially the most difficult half as a result of it requires extra planning and extra effectivity.

“One of many highlights can also be that we stored transferring the boat round. It didn’t actually have a base and spent two winters in Malta, the summers in Hamble and the springs in France. That’s been actually enjoyable, but it surely’s a problem to make it work and means coping with completely different individuals in several areas if we want one thing executed. It provides a further layer of complexity in a way, however comes with its reward. So it’s completely price it.

“With the Pink Ruby venture drawing to an in depth we will simply say that all the expertise exceeded our expectations,” she provides. “The boat carried out higher and was extra enjoyable to sail than we hoped. The racing and competitors have been incredible.

“However most stunning was the variety of fantastic buddies we made in Europe.”

In the event you loved this….

Yachting World is the world’s main journal for bluewater cruisers and offshore sailors. Each month now we have inspirational adventures and sensible options that will help you realise your crusing desires.

Construct your data with a subscription delivered to your door. See our newest affords and save at the very least 30% off the duvet worth.

Word: We could earn a fee while you purchase by hyperlinks on our website, at no additional value to you. This doesn’t have an effect on our editorial independence.