DOUBLE STRENGTH

THE DOUBLE-HANDED OFFSHORE SCENE SEES AMATEUR SAILORS TAKE ON THE PROS. RUPERT HOLMES CHATS TO CHRISTINA AND JUSTIN WOLFE TO FIND OUT THE SECRETS OF THEIR SUCCESS

- 

Three years ago a Sun Fast 3300 called Red Ruby, whose American owners come from the Pacific North West, popped up in UK double-handed races. It immediately notched up a string of impressive results in a very competitive fleet.

Red Ruby went from 2nd in the 2022 and 2023 UK Double-Handed Offshore Series; to 1st in class - and very nearly 1st overall - in the 2023 Rolex Middle Sea Race; also winning the 2023 ORC Double-Handed World Championships in Barcelona, and the 2024 IRC Double-Handed European Championship. For her achievements, including being first female skipper in the 2023 Rolex Fastnet Race, Christina (Chris) was awarded the 2023 US Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year.

"I don't sail for a living, but when I do sail, it's the most alive that I feel," she told a room full of sailing luminaries on accepting the award.

So how did two non-pro sailors achieve such good results in an unfamiliar fleet - and a sailing area on the opposite side of the Atlantic? First of all, "based on our experience, I really recommend buying a good used boat versus a new boat," says Justin.

Red Ruby was formerly Gentoo and had been previously campaigned by James Harayda and Dee Caffari.

"So much of the detail had already been figured out and it would have taken us much longer to get a new boat set up from a distance," he adds.

"Maybe that was the lucky, serendipitous piece," Chris adds. "James Harayda is amazing, and we got really lucky that we picked that boat, because he had it really well set up and he shared everything with us."