Six Meters at Whidbey Island Race Week
 
The Six Meter Focus 3 owned by Jim Metteer wins Whidbey Island Race Week - P6 Division.

This is a fitting stepping stone and confidence builder as they prepare for the Worlds in September. The competition was an odd collection made up of  Rocket 22s, a J80 and Laser SB3 sport boats. A J29, Humbolt 30, and yours truly in USA 123 Finnegan. PHRF handicaps ranged from 105 to 136 (Fokus3). We raced with a rating of 120 which seemed just about right. The racing was remarkably tight with only the Laser SB3 consistently left behind due to the 8-12 knot non-planing wind conditions.

Sixes have not raced serious PHRF around here in some time so it was kind of a mystery how we would fare in a regatta that featured short tacking and maneuvering in lots of traffic. This turned out not to be a problem as the relatively large sails and small water plane was a powerful combination for the conditions. As the wind built the flat bottomed crew ballasted boats such as the J29 came alive upwind, although the extendable waterline Sixes still held their own on the runs.
           
Finnegan finished fourth in fleet and we were ecstatic at the performance of the new balanced deep draft rudder. The Sixes received many complements on their aesthetic attributes and I hope some respect for their performance potential as well. The weather for this event as well as for the last five years or so has been outstanding with consistent medium winds, sunny skies and 70 degree weather.

Andy Parker