Racing started yesterday at the Hobie 16 Australian Nationals in 20 to 28 knots of wind. Most of the other classes racing on Port Philip bay had to cancel racing for the day due to the high winds.
Results:
http://sailmelbourne.com.au/raceresults/2005/hobie/aust-asia-16/SGrp1.htm
Story:
http://www.sailmelbourne.com.au/news/newsitem_hp.html

Darren Bundock and Alexandra Goltz move up to 7th with a win in race 5.

"It all came back today, we're on fire again - it's been 11 years since I won the Hobie 16 Nationals,' said Bundock of their win today. This is his crew, Goltz's first go in a Hobie 16.

'We were in fourth place at the top mark, but the three in front of us capsized - that's how we won. It was great fun out there, we really enjoyed ourselves. When the squall came through we were getting 30-35 knots - it was quite exciting actually, but the race committee did the right thing in abandoning Race 6,' Bundock added."

That is one tough fleet,even without some of the Aussi rock stars(Colby,Worral, Laruffa,Keag..).At least 10 of these teams have been top finishers at previous world events.Our N.A. champs are in 22Nd position.The conditions are pretty extreme,30-35 kn gusts.Not sure there would be many N.A. teams (including myself)that would race in those conditions.By doing so it probably makes 15-20kns feel like a gentle breeze.
I think if the N.A. teams are ever going to get up to speed in these conditions,we will have to do a lot more practicing in the big winds and waves.

Reminds me of the "old days" in the United States when we were racing Hobies up in the Midwest, where we rarely got a chance to trapeze and if the wind was over 20 the races were canceled. But the Nationals were ALWAYS held someplace with big wind and usually surf. Talk about being unprepared!

So how DO the North American sailors prepare for conditions like that, and where -- without spending a lot of time down on the Caribbean islands (or in Corpus Christi)?

You could allways come up to Thunder Bay on Lake Superior.We get our own version of the Freemantle Docter.18-22kns,4-6 foot waves.Just pack a wet suit.

and a boat load of Brador (great Canadian Beer)

What's the matter with Corpus Christi?