Stus-List Re: C 37/40R for sale - Britt Chance

[Matthew via CnC-List]

For your winter amusement, here are a couple articles about the Chance 70 I 
raced on in the ‘70s.  You’ll note that some of the photos show two masts, some 
show one.  Bob Way (a great guy) liked to constantly mess with his boats.  
Masker II was a Cal 39(?), which was a Cal 40 he shortened.  He installed 
aluminum ribs on that boat after cracking the hull.  The Chance 70 was the 
third Masker, but it was not called Masker III (contrary to the article).  
There was Masker, Masker II (the Cal), and The Masker (which some of us 
endearingly referred to as The Massacre).  It was also known as the Big Blue 
Canoe. 

 

https://www.erieyachtclub.org/s/NovDec15LOG.pdf

 

https://www.erieyachtclub.org/s/septoct04.pdf

 

 

 

From: Martin DeYoung via CnC-List  
Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2021 1:18 AM
To: Stus-List 
Cc: Martin DeYoung 
Subject: Stus-List Re: C 37/40R for sale - Britt Chance

 

I sailed a Vic-Maui and a Pan Am Clipper Cup in 1982 on a Britt Chance designed 
54’ Boat named “Glory”. I was one of the foredeck crew and a watch captain. 

 

The owner’s design brief may have mentioned the desire for PNW style light air 
performance but; when that boat went faster than 14 knots it became 
unpredictable in which direction the bow would go when the surf ended. Ergo: 
“You take a chance with Chance.”

 

The 1982 Vic-Maui included some very light air and several days of tropical 
storm reinforced trade winds in the 25 to 35 TWS range.  One dark and stormy 
night, flying the “chicken shute” my watch (3 of us) experienced those night 
time sailing conditions that are like “Mr. Toads wild ride”. The instrument 
delay made them useless so we used the compass to determine “home base” as a 
course that was usually not by the lee and the lighted Windex for a general 
idea of the apparent wind angle.

 

My standard instructions for the helmsman in such conditions is, if a 
broach/roundup/spin out anticipated, is to rotate towards the pole. A 
controlled spin out towards the pole is often a quick recovery vs a round down. 
On the windiest night over a 4 hour watch we spun out 3 to 4 times.

 

So, our watch ends and the next watch comes on deck. I drove an extra 10 
minutes to allow the new watch some time to acclimatize and pass on some of 
what we had learned. I handed the wheel over to the resident “rock star” 
sailmaker and moved forward to the center cockpit. My watch decided to stay on 
deck as the conditions were deteriorating and expected the call to douse the 
spinnaker soon. A short time later the “rock star” totally lost the plot a 
drove deep by the lee. The boat rounded down so suddenly the helmsman ended up 
ass over tea kettle to leeward. 

 

The mainsail, in its attempt to gyre broke the preventer which then got hung up 
on a coffee grinder handle pinning the main to windward. The mast was slapping 
the bigger wave tops. As I was closest to the fouled preventer I pulled out my 
rigging knife got real low and cut the taut line. The mainsail immediately 
swung to leeward allowing the boat to pop upright. With the boat upright the 
spinnaker pops full and the boat accelerates quickly. Unfortunately the 
helmsman did not have time to correct his helm spinning the boat into an 
immediate round up thus completing a full mid-ocean “banana split.  As the 
gyrations tossed the crew belowdecks out of their bunks the owner/skipper 
called for the spinnaker douse. We spent the next 36 hours under twin headsails.

 

The 1982 Clipper Cup was also windier than typical which also didn’t favor this 
particular Britt Chance design.  On YouTube there is a film about the 1982 
Clipper Cup. In the first minute or so “Glory” passes through the screen. It’s 
a white boat with multiple blue stripes. Up on the bow I can be seen doing 
something with the sail.

Martin DeYoung

Calypso 

1971 C 43

Port Ludlow/Seattle





Thanks to all of the subscribers that contributed to the list to help with the 
costs involved.  If you want to show your support to the list - use PayPal to 
send contribution --   https://www.paypal.me/stumurray  Thanks - Stu

Stus-List Re: C 37/40R for sale - Britt Chance

[Matthew via CnC-List]

I raced around Lake Erie on a Chance 70 for a summer many moons ago.  The boat 
was fast and typically took line honors, but did poorly on corrected time.  It 
was rumored that it was slow because the owner, who also built the boat, beefed 
it up during construction to make it more robust (and also heavier than 
designed).  It had a centerboard raised by a coffee grinder located down below. 
 Good times.

 

From: Martin DeYoung via CnC-List  
Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2021 1:18 AM
To: Stus-List 
Cc: Martin DeYoung 
Subject: Stus-List Re: C 37/40R for sale - Britt Chance

 

I sailed a Vic-Maui and a Pan Am Clipper Cup in 1982 on a Britt Chance designed 
54’ Boat named “Glory”. I was one of the foredeck crew and a watch captain. 

 

The owner’s design brief may have mentioned the desire for PNW style light air 
performance but; when that boat went faster than 14 knots it became 
unpredictable in which direction the bow would go when the surf ended. Ergo: 
“You take a chance with Chance.”

 

The 1982 Vic-Maui included some very light air and several days of tropical 
storm reinforced trade winds in the 25 to 35 TWS range.  One dark and stormy 
night, flying the “chicken shute” my watch (3 of us) experienced those night 
time sailing conditions that are like “Mr. Toads wild ride”. The instrument 
delay made them useless so we used the compass to determine “home base” as a 
course that was usually not by the lee and the lighted Windex for a general 
idea of the apparent wind angle.

 

My standard instructions for the helmsman in such conditions is, if a 
broach/roundup/spin out anticipated, is to rotate towards the pole. A 
controlled spin out towards the pole is often a quick recovery vs a round down. 
On the windiest night over a 4 hour watch we spun out 3 to 4 times.

 

So, our watch ends and the next watch comes on deck. I drove an extra 10 
minutes to allow the new watch some time to acclimatize and pass on some of 
what we had learned. I handed the wheel over to the resident “rock star” 
sailmaker and moved forward to the center cockpit. My watch decided to stay on 
deck as the conditions were deteriorating and expected the call to douse the 
spinnaker soon. A short time later the “rock star” totally lost the plot a 
drove deep by the lee. The boat rounded down so suddenly the helmsman ended up 
ass over tea kettle to leeward. 

 

The mainsail, in its attempt to gyre broke the preventer which then got hung up 
on a coffee grinder handle pinning the main to windward. The mast was slapping 
the bigger wave tops. As I was closest to the fouled preventer I pulled out my 
rigging knife got real low and cut the taut line. The mainsail immediately 
swung to leeward allowing the boat to pop upright. With the boat upright the 
spinnaker pops full and the boat accelerates quickly. Unfortunately the 
helmsman did not have time to correct his helm spinning the boat into an 
immediate round up thus completing a full mid-ocean “banana split.  As the 
gyrations tossed the crew belowdecks out of their bunks the owner/skipper 
called for the spinnaker douse. We spent the next 36 hours under twin headsails.

 

The 1982 Clipper Cup was also windier than typical which also didn’t favor this 
particular Britt Chance design.  On YouTube there is a film about the 1982 
Clipper Cup. In the first minute or so “Glory” passes through the screen. It’s 
a white boat with multiple blue stripes. Up on the bow I can be seen doing 
something with the sail.

Martin DeYoung

Calypso 

1971 C 43

Port Ludlow/Seattle





On Dec 8, 2021, at 6:13 PM, David Risch via CnC-List mailto:cnc-list@cnc-list.com> > wrote:

 Britt Chance was a one horse pony 

 

Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
Get Outlook for Android 
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Thanks to all of the subscribers that contributed to the list to help with the 
costs involved.  If you want to show your support to the list - use PayPal to 
send contribution --   https://www.paypal.me/stumurray  Thanks - Stu

Thanks to all of the subscribers that contributed to the list to help with the 
costs involved.  If you want to show your support to the list - use PayPal to 
send contribution --   https://www.paypal.me/stumurray  Thanks - Stu

Stus-List Re: C 37/40R for sale - Britt Chance

[Martin DeYoung via CnC-List]

Shawn,

The windward headsail was poled out, the leeward was not. IIRC the race rules 
did not allow 2 poles except to a short time during a 2 pole gybe.

During deliveries on boats with roller furling and spinnaker gear, down wind in 
heavy conditions (often off Northern California) I have used poled out a #3 
(100%?) and rolled it in or out depending on how much power I needed. Often no 
pole height adjustments were needed.

Racing Calypso short handed in heavy conditions I have used the same technique 
then added a free flying spinnaker staysail to leeward to add power without 
rigging a second headsail.

Martin DeYoung
Calypso
1971 C 43
Port Ludlow/Seattle

On Dec 8, 2021, at 10:30 PM, Shawn Wright via CnC-List  
wrote:


Great story! The only Chance design I've seen, that I know of, was an off 30' 
boat that appeared briefly at our club, don't recall the name of it, but it had 
several odd things about the design. No idea where it went, haven't seen it 
since.
I like the idea of twin headsails for shorthanded sailing. I assume they were 
poled out, or least one was? Ours seem to do well in good wind, and would do 
better with pole(s) in lighter stuff.

--
Shawn Wright
shawngwri...@gmail.com
S/V Callisto, 1974 C 35
https://www.facebook.com/SVCallisto
Thanks to all of the subscribers that contributed to the list to help with the 
costs involved.  If you want to show your support to the list - use PayPal to 
send contribution --   https://www.paypal.me/stumurray  Thanks - Stu
Thanks to all of the subscribers that contributed to the list to help with the 
costs involved.  If you want to show your support to the list - use PayPal to 
send contribution --   https://www.paypal.me/stumurray  Thanks - Stu

Stus-List Re: C 37/40R for sale - Britt Chance

[Shawn Wright via CnC-List]

Great story! The only Chance design I've seen, that I know of, was an off
30' boat that appeared briefly at our club, don't recall the name of it,
but it had several odd things about the design. No idea where it went,
haven't seen it since.
I like the idea of twin headsails for shorthanded sailing. I assume they
were poled out, or least one was? Ours seem to do well in good wind, and
would do better with pole(s) in lighter stuff.

--
Shawn Wright
shawngwri...@gmail.com
S/V Callisto, 1974 C 35
https://www.facebook.com/SVCallisto


On Wed, Dec 8, 2021 at 10:18 PM Martin DeYoung via CnC-List <
cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote:

> I sailed a Vic-Maui and a Pan Am Clipper Cup in 1982 on a Britt Chance
> designed 54’ Boat named “Glory”. I was one of the foredeck crew and a watch
> captain.
>
> The owner’s design brief may have mentioned the desire for PNW style light
> air performance but; when that boat went faster than 14 knots it became
> unpredictable in which direction the bow would go when the surf ended.
> Ergo: “You take a chance with Chance.”
>
> The 1982 Vic-Maui included some very light air and several days of
> tropical storm reinforced trade winds in the 25 to 35 TWS range.  One dark
> and stormy night, flying the “chicken shute” my watch (3 of us) experienced
> those night time sailing conditions that are like “Mr. Toads wild ride”.
> The instrument delay made them useless so we used the compass to determine
> “home base” as a course that was usually not by the lee and the lighted
> Windex for a general idea of the apparent wind angle.
>
> My standard instructions for the helmsman in such conditions is, if a
> broach/roundup/spin out anticipated, is to rotate towards the pole. A
> controlled spin out towards the pole is often a quick recovery vs a round
> down. On the windiest night over a 4 hour watch we spun out 3 to 4 times.
>
> So, our watch ends and the next watch comes on deck. I drove an extra 10
> minutes to allow the new watch some time to acclimatize and pass on some of
> what we had learned. I handed the wheel over to the resident “rock star”
> sailmaker and moved forward to the center cockpit. My watch decided to stay
> on deck as the conditions were deteriorating and expected the call to douse
> the spinnaker soon. A short time later the “rock star” totally lost the
> plot a drove deep by the lee. The boat rounded down so suddenly the
> helmsman ended up ass over tea kettle to leeward.
>
> The mainsail, in its attempt to gyre broke the preventer which then got
> hung up on a coffee grinder handle pinning the main to windward. The mast
> was slapping the bigger wave tops. As I was closest to the fouled preventer
> I pulled out my rigging knife got real low and cut the taut line. The
> mainsail immediately swung to leeward allowing the boat to pop upright.
> With the boat upright the spinnaker pops full and the boat accelerates
> quickly. Unfortunately the helmsman did not have time to correct his helm
> spinning the boat into an immediate round up thus completing a full
> mid-ocean “banana split.  As the gyrations tossed the crew belowdecks out
> of their bunks the owner/skipper called for the spinnaker douse. We spent
> the next 36 hours under twin headsails.
>
> The 1982 Clipper Cup was also windier than typical which also didn’t favor
> this particular Britt Chance design.  On YouTube there is a film about the
> 1982 Clipper Cup. In the first minute or so “Glory” passes through the
> screen. It’s a white boat with multiple blue stripes. Up on the bow I can
> be seen doing something with the sail.
>
> Martin DeYoung
> Calypso
> 1971 C 43
> Port Ludlow/Seattle
>
> On Dec 8, 2021, at 6:13 PM, David Risch via CnC-List <
> cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote:
>
>  Britt Chance was a one horse pony
>
> Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
> Get Outlook for Android
> 
>
> Thanks to all of the subscribers that contributed to the list to help with
> the costs involved.  If you want to show your support to the list - use
> PayPal to send contribution --   https://www.paypal.me/stumurray  Thanks
> - Stu
>
> Thanks to all of the subscribers that contributed to the list to help with
> the costs involved.  If you want to show your support to the list - use
> PayPal to send contribution --   https://www.paypal.me/stumurray  Thanks
> - Stu
Thanks to all of the subscribers that contributed to the list to help with the 
costs involved.  If you want to show your support to the list - use PayPal to 
send contribution --   https://www.paypal.me/stumurray  Thanks - Stu

Stus-List Re: C 37/40R for sale - Britt Chance

[Martin DeYoung via CnC-List]

I sailed a Vic-Maui and a Pan Am Clipper Cup in 1982 on a Britt Chance designed 
54’ Boat named “Glory”. I was one of the foredeck crew and a watch captain.

The owner’s design brief may have mentioned the desire for PNW style light air 
performance but; when that boat went faster than 14 knots it became 
unpredictable in which direction the bow would go when the surf ended. Ergo: 
“You take a chance with Chance.”

The 1982 Vic-Maui included some very light air and several days of tropical 
storm reinforced trade winds in the 25 to 35 TWS range.  One dark and stormy 
night, flying the “chicken shute” my watch (3 of us) experienced those night 
time sailing conditions that are like “Mr. Toads wild ride”. The instrument 
delay made them useless so we used the compass to determine “home base” as a 
course that was usually not by the lee and the lighted Windex for a general 
idea of the apparent wind angle.

My standard instructions for the helmsman in such conditions is, if a 
broach/roundup/spin out anticipated, is to rotate towards the pole. A 
controlled spin out towards the pole is often a quick recovery vs a round down. 
On the windiest night over a 4 hour watch we spun out 3 to 4 times.

So, our watch ends and the next watch comes on deck. I drove an extra 10 
minutes to allow the new watch some time to acclimatize and pass on some of 
what we had learned. I handed the wheel over to the resident “rock star” 
sailmaker and moved forward to the center cockpit. My watch decided to stay on 
deck as the conditions were deteriorating and expected the call to douse the 
spinnaker soon. A short time later the “rock star” totally lost the plot a 
drove deep by the lee. The boat rounded down so suddenly the helmsman ended up 
ass over tea kettle to leeward.

The mainsail, in its attempt to gyre broke the preventer which then got hung up 
on a coffee grinder handle pinning the main to windward. The mast was slapping 
the bigger wave tops. As I was closest to the fouled preventer I pulled out my 
rigging knife got real low and cut the taut line. The mainsail immediately 
swung to leeward allowing the boat to pop upright. With the boat upright the 
spinnaker pops full and the boat accelerates quickly. Unfortunately the 
helmsman did not have time to correct his helm spinning the boat into an 
immediate round up thus completing a full mid-ocean “banana split.  As the 
gyrations tossed the crew belowdecks out of their bunks the owner/skipper 
called for the spinnaker douse. We spent the next 36 hours under twin headsails.

The 1982 Clipper Cup was also windier than typical which also didn’t favor this 
particular Britt Chance design.  On YouTube there is a film about the 1982 
Clipper Cup. In the first minute or so “Glory” passes through the screen. It’s 
a white boat with multiple blue stripes. Up on the bow I can be seen doing 
something with the sail.

Martin DeYoung
Calypso
1971 C 43
Port Ludlow/Seattle

On Dec 8, 2021, at 6:13 PM, David Risch via CnC-List  
wrote:

 Britt Chance was a one horse pony

Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
Get Outlook for 
Android

Thanks to all of the subscribers that contributed to the list to help with the 
costs involved.  If you want to show your support to the list - use PayPal to 
send contribution --   https://www.paypal.me/stumurray  Thanks - Stu
Thanks to all of the subscribers that contributed to the list to help with the 
costs involved.  If you want to show your support to the list - use PayPal to 
send contribution --   https://www.paypal.me/stumurray  Thanks - Stu