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Bob vickery’s COLLABORATION wins chicago to waukegan race
(Saturday, June 19, 2010) “Waukegan Race strategy is very straight b
forward for me. Sail the fewest miles in the most pressure.” Those were Bob Vickery’s words summing up his strategy for the 26 nautical mile long Chicago to Waukegan Race held today. Vickery is the skipper of the Beneteau 40.7, Collaboration 2.
Nine boats competed in the Beneteau 40.7 section. Finishing in 2nd place was Clem Boltz’ Cancan deux and in 3rd place was Ron Buzil’s Vayu. The race is organized by the Waukegan Yacht Club.
This race counts in two of the Beneteau 40.7 season series: the Best Beneteau 40.7 on Lake Michigan series held by the Lake Michigan Sail Racing Federation, and for the Area III Long-Distance Boat of the Year award.
In the eleven years the Beneteau 40.7’s have been participating in the Chicago to Waukegan Race, this was the year with the fastest finishing times. Vickery’s elapsed time of 3 hrs. 27 min. 9 sec. is a record for the 40.7’s in this event since the year 2000. In fact, even this year’s last place boat, Jay Muller’s Das Boot (the previous record holder), had an elapsed time, 3 hrs, 35 min. 22 sec, which broke the previous record best time.
Das Boot’s previous record time was 4 hrs. 11 min. 49 sec. and was set last year (2009).
A history of the 40.7’s on the Chicago to Waukegan Race is summarized here:
Year
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Winning 40.7
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Elapsed Time
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Section
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Number of 40.7's competing
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2000
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Magic
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5:25
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PHRF
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4
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2001
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La Tempete
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4:16:22
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PHRF
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3
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2002
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La Tempete
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4:46:24
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40.7
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3
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2003
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Excalibur
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4:22:20
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40.7
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4
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2004
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Collaboration
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no record
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40.7
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6
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2005
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Cancan
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no record
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40.7
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6
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2006
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Excalibur
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4:24:35
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40.7
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8
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2007
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Das Boot
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4:44:19
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40.7
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9
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2008
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Cancan
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4:54:53
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40.7
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7
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2009
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Das Boot
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4:11:49
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40.7
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6
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2010
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Collaboration
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3:27:09
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40.7
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9
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The record time is largely attributable to the strength and direction of the wind, which was out of the west, oscillating between about 230 and 290 degrees. Due to the wind direction the boats stayed on port tack the entire race. The wind speed at the start was about 9 knots, but as the race developed, the wind speed increased to 17-24 knots in the last half hour.
During the course of the race, various 40.7’s resorted to trying various sails in their inventory. Early in the race Cancan and Mojo put up their jib-top reachers and had initial gains with this sail. Later in the race several boats changed to their #3 jibs. Some boats kept their light #1 genoas up the whole time, some scaled down to their heavy #1’s.
Winning skipper Bob Vickery answered these questions about the race:
40.7: What was your starting strategy and how did that fit into your overall strategy?
BV: I don't like to start in a pack and certainly don't want to be in a pack at the pin on a starting line that is a reaching fetch. Too many things can go wrong with no way to escape. So our plan was to go for a mid line start with speed and try to keep our bow in front for clear air. The down side is that the puffs were rolling in from the left giving the windward boats an advantage. Since the conditions just before the start were on the lighter side of 12 knots, I rationalized the mid-line start further by thinking that we could head up in the lulls and increase the apparent while the windward boats might be slow.
The result was mixed. While we did hit the line with our bow clear, several puffs rolled in from the west and Turning Point used that pressure to slide right over us. I reached up to clear our air and they kept sailing down which gave us a bit of a lane. From the start to the Wilmette point, the story was shifting gears. Outhaul, backstay, main traveler, jib lead inboard and outboard. Our crew did a nice job of shifting gears in the light to moderate puffs. I'm not certain why Turning Point continued to work east because they set themselves up to be last to receive pressure from the westerly puffs.
At Wilmette, Sociable was on our windward hip within 4 boat lengths and Cancan was ahead by 3 boat lengths and slightly to leeward. Turning Point was 100 yards to leeward and an equal distance behind. The breeze was building to a steady 18 with puffs in the middle twenties. From that point to the finish it was all about boat balance. Keeping the boat under the crew. We were full time on the outboard jib lead and fully depowered with maximum backstay and traveler down. Our crew did a great job of calling puffs so we could dump the main to stay upright.
40.7: How did your sail selection figure into your victory?
BV: My guess was that this was going to be a reach all the way and I had confidence in the forecast that the breeze would build to 20. In which case I didn't think that we wanted to do a jib change so we selected a 3 year old Light #1 genoa and a 3 year old main. I certainly didn't want to burn up new sails and I rarely use new sails on distance races. Our old sails gave up some speed in the first 30 minutes of the race, but didn't seem to matter after that, so I didn't have much angst about flogging the main for 2 hours.
40.7: What are your thoughts about a jib-top reacher which Cancan and Mojo used, seemingly to some advantage early in the race?
BV: The jib top reacher is a specialty sail and as such will offer an advantage when it is used in its design condition. The problem is when the conditions change you are forced to switch sails. Takes time and slows the boat.
40.7: Once you gained the lead, did you at any time feel threatened by the competition, primarily second place Cancan?
BV: Clem is a very good distance Skipper. Off Lake Forest, Cancan was ahead by 6 boat lengths and just east of our line. He was doing a good job steering down in the puffs and working up in the lighter breeze. We stayed high (west) because I was concerned the breeze might clock to the northwest. If the wind stayed at or less than 18, I thought Clem might get us because he could point up in the lighter stuff. We were fortunate that the breeze continued to build into the twenties with more powerful gusts which didn't allow Clem to work up to us.
Sociable was also going well and really pushing us hard well past Wilmette. I didn't see what caused them to fall back, but they are demonstrating good speed with regularity.
40.7: Who were your crew?
John Durlack bow
Mark Pawlikowski mast
Scott Laudick pit
Laura Olsen trimmer
Sandy Lee trimmer
Emily Rebmann main
Matt Luzzadder trimmer / grinder
Doug Schaffer navigator
Bob Vickery skipper
Final Beneteau 40.7 results of the 2010 Chicago to Waukegan Race:
Place
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Boat
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Time
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1st
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Collaboration2
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13:27:09
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2nd
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CanCan Deux
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13:27:55
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3rd
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Vayu
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13:30:01
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4th
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Sociable
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13:30:25
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5th
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Excalibur
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13:32:45
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6th
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Turning Point
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13:32:50
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7th
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Mojo
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13:34:33
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8th
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Rhumb Runner
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13:35:21
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9th
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Das Boot
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13:35:22
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Current standings for the 2010 season series are at:
Photos of the Waukegan Race begin at: Photos
More 2008 & 2009 fleet photos start with: 40.7 Photos
Suggestion: use the full screen play option.
Anyone can submit photos for publishing on the 40.7 websites.
Email to cygnus(at)interaccess.com.
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