Club News


I-14 World Championship with Brad Ruetenik

By Brad Ruetenik | September 16, 2018
Event Website

The 2018 I-14 Worlds recently concluded in Richmond, CA.  The event was sailed on the Berkley Circle of San Fransisco Bay, northeast of Alcatraz Island and southeast of Angel Island in the slot where the breeze blows in from the Golden Gate.  It was typical San Fransisco weather with usual early morning fog clearing to nice clear blue skies for the most part.  As predicted the first several days of racing were 15-20 with a few of those days toping out around 25 kts.  The ‘Circle’ is very shallow so the wind driven waves stack up quickly, add a little ebb tide against or across the wind direction and it starts to make for sharp, short chop.  We never really saw the full fury of a 25+ kt. against tide day, which most defiantly would have broken more boats and spirits. There were 62 boats registered from AUS, CAN, GBR, GER, ITA, and USA.  A smaller fleet than usual I-14 Worlds, I think the predicted breeze kept some boats away.  As usual, there were lots of good times seeing and catching up with old friends and making new from around the world who love to sail these high performance skiffs.

I was sailing a new Bieker 6 for this event which I got on the water 1 yr. earlier.  I put a single spreader rig I built prior to the France Worlds into the boat which has been going well in the light to medium.  We also built new rudders, T-foils, and dagger boards designed and built with Cameron Puckey.  Unfortunately, some structural supports on the boat needed to be replaced which was completed in May.  The boat was converted to a fully adjustable rig from the wire - rake, rig tension, lowers all adjustable while sailing.  This allows for adjustments for lighter and heavier breeze which was anticipated to be variable from the top to bottom of the course on the circle.   I did sail the boat a few times out of Cabrillo Beach YC in San Pedro here in SoCal in some 18-25 kts.  The boat sailed and held together well.  Jay and Pease Glaser built some new sails with the ‘secret weapon’ incorporated, as well as a new smaller flatter jib.  The ‘secret weapon’ was a reefed main which is only really doable with the single spreader rig due to the even luff curve it provides vs. the uneven luff curves with using double spreaders. I think this is and will be a very powerful tool for the higher breezes by reducing drag and sail area.  I did not have enough practice time with the reef in breeze to know the cross overs. 

Two weeks prior to the event I was notified that the crew who I had sailed with and planned to do the regatta with for the last 1 1/2 yrs. was not going to be able to sail.   … Really!  Oh well, I understand work commitments and sometimes you just can’t plan things the way you want.  So after several phone calls, e-mails and texts trying to get someone qualified to sail skiffs, especially on the circle, I had exhausted my contacts.  Finally, I got in touch with an Aussie acquaintance who was keen to check off the ‘sailed in SF’ box.  Greg Dixon has a B5 in Sydney and loves the 14s.  He also sails the Aussie 18s so has a great skiff background.  He was excited to come over, could get the time off from his job so we said. “let’s do this”

I went up to SF early to get the boat set up, and assist the US fleet with measurements of boats prior to the event.  Greg got in and we did get two days of practice prior the the ‘practice race’  There were certainly some learning curves on both sides.  These are not boats that you just jump into and go for a sail with someone, especially in anything over 15 kts.  The timing in skiff sailing is extremely critical, if there is a small hesitation at the wrong time, or a slip of your foot, or the weight isn’t correct, you pay with a capsize.  Very challenging, but rewarding sailing.  Greg is used to the double spreader traditional skiff rig and the single spreader is a different animal.  The adjustments are somewhat different and the way the rig reacts is different as well.   Having the variability of multiple additional adjustments certainly played into it as it is easy to get lost in the set up of the rig.  The first several days of racing were the breeziest sailing with 18-23 and some 25 kt. sailing.  We finished races, but unfortunately we were getting wet a few times in each race which caused us to lose several boats each time.  With finishes in the low to mid 20s we were getting around the course, but did not have good speed or height.  On the good side, the boat and foils were holding together well.  Several others were in the boat park doing carbon work each evening.  We continued to get finishes in the 20s, but knew we should be faster and higher then the way we were sailing.  The reef did work well as did the smaller jib, and I do not think these were holding us back.  It was time on the water together and not having the rig set up correctly.  After the lay day the breeze was a bit lighter.  I pulled the rig back to my more normal rake and settings and the boat felt a little better. Unfortunately, we were scored OCS in our best race result, but at least we weren’t getting left behind so badly.  The last 2 days of racing continued to improve sailing wise, we weren’t capsizing any more and starting to get our coordination together much better.  On the last day I put the rig in the right place, pulled on much more lowers and moved the jib track leads in to light air settings and for the first time in the whole regatta we could sail with and even lift off of other boats.  Unfortunately, I had a horrible start so we had to sail through most of the fleet to get back to our’ normal spot’ in the mid 20s.

It was a somewhat frustrating event after all the work I put in as well as all the help I got from others.  I’m disappointed for them as much as myself as they all sacrificed to help out with the hopes we’d have a good event.  I certainly had no illusions of winning, all I wanted was to be able to come away knowing that we had sailed well and not left anything on the table.  Much thanks to Greg Dixon for stepping up last minute and coming over to sail with me.  I’d sail with you anytime anywhere Greg.  Let me know when I can come over to go for a rip around Sydney Harbor on the 18s.  My brother Monty was VERY helpful and supportive in my being able to do any of this - Thanks Bro!.  Cam Puckey was also very instrumental in putting together the rig, boat and foils.  You are missed Cam and hope you’re back soon.  Thanks also to Renee who is always supportive and an inspiration to keep positive and keep moving forward - Love you ‘Nee.

On another good note, it sounds like there is finally some interest brewing in San Diego for some higher performance sailing.  Some of the kids are starting to get into 29ers more, there are now 4 and soon to be 5 really good 14s here in SD, so hopefully we can keep pushing forward and creating more interest in higher performance sailing.

Perth 2020 Worlds - here we come.