Well, after 50+ years of racing sailboats, I've finally decided to do the Newport-Bermuda Race, on a Beneteau 36.7 yet. Many of my friends call me crazy since its a pretty light, tippy platform to transit the gulfstream.
I was speaking with a supplier of mine yesterday who has done the race a couple of times and he reminded me that if we enter the stream, which flows north/northeast, with a opposing wind, the waves can get square shaped and rather large. This does not bode well for a lightish (12,900 lbs), fin keeled boat, so I'm hoping for the predicted southwesterlies which JT has promised me.
He said, set the code 0, sit back and relax. I think that he's not telling me the entire truth.
On the very positive side, the bunch of guys who are going are top notch with at least 4-5 good drivers (I include myself here, perhaps optimistically). JT (Navigator) has done at least 4 of these races and has promised to teach me the rudiments of celestial during the trip.
On the whole, I'm ready to go and looking forward to the experience.
We've added these cool stainless steel laser engraved plates to our World Sailing Trophies offerings.