Bermuda stopover tips from an experienced skipper

I know this isn’t “Gear” and this is the gear section of the blog…but it’s important and only place for me to put it for now (:

Mark Soares of Bermuda Yacht Service is your contact for everything Bermuda.  Berthing, customs, moorings, dockage, repairs etc…  Great guy (mid 40’s) & very professional.  (441) 334-7245 cell.  You can’t leave the boat in BDA without permission.  You can’t apply for the permission until you arrive.  No exemptions.  Mark and his mother, Sandra, arranged all the paperwork for me and walked it through the rigid British efficiency that is Bermuda Customs for $70.00.

> The trip to Tortola from BDA is 865 nm and takes 5 days when the trades are blowing.

Honahlee polars / performance package purchased with 2014 IRC cert.

This is an Excel file as received from US Sailing ratings office.

Perf Pack HONAHLEE

Here is text of email that accompanied:

Subject: HONAHLEE Performance Package

Enclosed is your performance package (polars) for your boat as an Excel spreadsheet.

The spreadsheet contains a number of separate pages (tabs) containing:

  • Notes describing the contents of the spreadsheet.
  • Documentation on the use of polar predictions.
  • Detailed polars at 1 deg increments.
  • Polar tables at 5 degree increments, ready for printing.
  • Windward/leeward targets page, ready for printing.
  • Polar charts for each wind speed with curves for main+jib, main+spinnaker, main+poled jib.
  • True wind polar chart with best performance at each wind speed.
  • Apparent wind polar chart with best performance at each wind speed.
  • Pages that can be saved out as files for some of the popular tactical programs.

Please send an e-mail to confirm receipt of your polars.  Do not hesitate to call if you have any questions.

Regards,

Jim

Note:

Starting in 2012, the Offshore Office offered performance packages in which the standard wind speeds at 10 meters above the water (used for boat speed calculations) have been converted, for display purposes only, to wind speeds as observed at the height of the boat’s wind instruments.  This location is assumed to be at or above the masthead.  Because the wind speed varies with height above the water  you may see wind speeds in your performance package that are somewhat different from the standard speeds of 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 20, 24.  For example, boats with tall rigs will show wind speeds on the output charts and tables somewhat greater than the standard speeds.

This feature is an option, but for 2013 the default is now to show the “masthead” wind speeds.  You can always choose to have the 10 meter winds displayed.  The boat speeds will NOT be any different as the reference wind at 10 meters is always used for calculations.

The use of masthead polars will in general give closer correlation between boat speeds as predicted and boat speeds as observed by you.

Jim Teeters
Associate Offshore Director
US Sailing
jimteeters@ussailing.org

Insurance

Honahlee needs to be insured…so figure maybe I should give Pantaenius an opportunity to quote as they have been kind enough to sponsor the Newport-Bermuda race in 2014

Giving Pantaneus a shot (If I could only spell their name)...

Giving Pantaneus a shot (If I could only spell their name)…