Took a rainbow out to see the KidShip and Chessie fleets practice. Then I coached a boat load of newbies who signed up through Peake Social - so much fun!
Century Club: Mario Santana
Tuesday, June 18, 2024
Number of days:
1 day
Peake Social crew
Chasing hobbies and c420s
Monday, June 17, 2024
Number of days:
1 day
This is why I leave my sailing bag in the car
Quick spur of the moment out-and-back after dropping off C at KidShip Hobie camp, with a buddy who was also dropping off at KidShip.
Sunday, June 16, 2024
Number of days:
1 day
Sunset over Back Creek
The intrepid crew
Father's Day race out to the bridge. Paul and (dammit I'm probably misremembering his wife's name) Nancy were outstanding shipmates. She did this thing where she sat on the leeward bow and held the jib sheets such that she functioned as a combination jib car and whisker pole. A little experimentation showed that this move gave us an extra knot or so of speed - quite possibly the reason we won the race, in spite of a terrible start by me and in spite of us being in the white knockabaout.
(Also helped that Ben, who was ahead of us for half of the race, let his kids play with the sails. Worth it, I would have done the same.)
(Also also, it helped that I used the iNavX app to plot my true cog toward the marks. On long legs like these, that can make a big difference.)
Saturday, June 15, 2024
Number of days:
1 day
Taking down the mainsail
G got a bunch of tiller time on a boat that he enjoys much more than the rainbows. With a little more practice we should be able to get it rigged, ready, and on the water more quickly.
Friday, June 14, 2024
Number of days:
1 day
Fresh steady breeze --> deep heel day
My ugly mug
Osprey!
LOOK MA I'M SAILING
Dropped the youngest off at KidShip, the oldest at Chessies practice, and then hopped on a Rainbow for a few solo hours. Enjoyed a steady breeze, caught up on podcasts, and did a bunch of tack, jibe, and rounding practice. It takes fewer reps for me to feel "warmed up" so I think that's good. I should practice starts, though.
When KidShip let out I took my youngest and his friend out so they could drive the Rainbow for a bit. Then I parked the boat for a couple of hours to shower and pick up the oldest from Chessies practice, and got back on the rainbow with my wife for a Friday evening sail.
I'm pretty brown and don't sunburn easily, but I definitely got a little red along the edges of my tshirt-and-shorts tan lines. I'll have to pick up some uv rated long sleeves and pants...
Thursday, June 13, 2024
Number of days:
1 day
Checked my youngest out of KidShip and took him and his friend right back out on a Rainbow.
Wednesday, June 12, 2024
Number of days:
1 day
Working that weather helm with the lee gunwhale skimming the surface
Good thing he looks like his mom
Wing on Wing
Leaving dock, ready to hunt down his brother
My youngest is sailing KidShip until 3, and my oldest is sailing Chessies until 5. At KidShip pickup, I cajoled my youngest to come out on a rainbow and hunt down his brother. After 15 minutes going downwind we saw him, trapezing on the c420. Then we pointed as high as Nimbus could point, and headed back on nice heel in the fresh breeze. Beautiful day, fun little outing, my youngest likes rainbows now. Not sure what more I could ask for.
Monday, June 10, 2024
Number of days:
1 day
MNR #9 Mistral
Beyond Bay Bridge
Weight to leeward ... Further!
The wind was great in the morning, so the wife and I tried to reach the Bay Bridge again. We made it in record time on a broad reach, what a glorious day. Then we turned around, as soon as we started to beat back home, the jib head topping broke. The leech got very wrinkly, and the whole jib started flapping something fierce. The wind was so nice, though, that even with a severely compromised sale plan, we had the gunwhale in the water quite a bit, on that long, slow, very loud beat back to the docks.
Then pick up the youngest from kidship, take everyone home for a quick barbecue supper, and back to the club for Monday night races. The wind died down something fierce, how the bay can change over the course of 2 hours. Ben and I let the newbie drive, and after a poor start we made up a few places by playing the current, leaning all the way out to lourd, and keeping the telltales flying in the light breeze. After the finish, we made up a few more places by paddling hard in to dock.
It was a long day on the water, we'll see if my CTS flares up.
Sunday, June 9, 2024
Number of days:
1 day
Sunsets are moving to the right!
Fearless skipper
Nice breeze, the fleet races with a reef in the main, we still managed to get the gunwhale in the water pretty regularly. Our fearless skipper got a ton of tiller time in sporty conditions, and in spite of terrible communication from her crew and last place starts in both races we made moves and refused to ease the main unless absolutely necessary, finishing 5th and 2nd.
Saturday, June 8, 2024
Number of days:
1 day
Beautiful day
Salty dogs
A lovely morning going round and round the buoys with a fellow KBC member. Then we went up the river to wave at my son G who is getting introduced to the trap and spin version of the 420's he sails in high school.
Great breeze with just enough puffs to warrant easing the main occasionally - perfect for practice and an active morning on the water!