'Straits is a good race but you can get some pretty good wind/wave action out in the Straight of Georgia. Not to mention it can get fairly cold. Here are a few tips from the years I have done the race_..
Try to pick the leading boats in your fleet and make a plan to cover/stay with them and refuse the temptation to sail away on your own.
It is good to rotate your helmsman sooner than later and try to rotate your different driver's time on the helm as much as possible_I have watched a fresh guy on the helm add as much as a knot of boatspeed and added point in the wee hours. Helm fatigue slows you down.
Organize your crew dinner BEFORE it get's dark. It is also good to ensure that after dinner all crew are wearing (or are very near) harnesses and whatever they are using for PFD's
Have at least two GPS on board, lots of batteries and ensure that both GPS have your waypoints programmed in advance.
Final advice is that major gains are often made in the wee hours of the night_try to keep as many crew up on deck at as possible and always work the boat hard.
Good luck and have fun_there are some good boats registered for the short course and your fleet should be a good one
