Fun/practice sail today on Red Baron using their asymmetric spinnaker, which Dion aptly named Peppermint Patty. Light conditions to start, so we sailed upwind with just a main to get some distance to run the spinnaker across the basin. We sailed towards the opposite shore, and I experimented with how high I could bring the boat with that sail up (pretty high, if it's light enough). We executed a sloppy gybe and then had to do a conventional takedown as the breeze had come up and furling unit wasn't working well. We hoisted the #3 and had a relaxing upwind sail home. Fun to play with the new toy and get some helm experience with an asymmetric kite for the first time.
Century Club: Jonathan Nepini
Thursday, March 27, 2025
Number of days:
1 day
Peppermint Patty flying nicely
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
Number of days:
1 day
Attempting to chase down Harm's Way
Big air this evening for a fun sail, so we pulled out the tiny hank-on storm jib. A pretty evening out, if gusty, and we made some wide tacks up to the bridge and ran back down. We found Harm's Way out practicing with the boat, and took some pictures and tried to chase them down for a bit (to no avail, those j/109s are fast!). Another great day to be out enjoying the spring weather.
Tuesday, March 25, 2025
Number of days:
1 day
A gray day in Solomons
Out for a quick after-work sail on Barba Roja ahead of some storms. Conditions were very gusty, so we just flew a headsail, and managed a quick trip up to the bridge and back, both on reaches. We got some sturdy puffs on the way back from the bridge and rounded up a couple times. Finding ourselves with some extra time, we took the long way into the harbor through the inside channel, somehow still on a reach. We never put in a single tack the whole evening. Nice to get out and a nice sail despite the threatening clouds overhead.
Sunday, March 23, 2025
Number of days:
1 day
The Red Baron crew as we power past Barba Roja
A nice day to be out on the water after missing last week due to forecasted high winds and rain. Dion asked me to take the helm on Red Baron to practice for next week when I will be skippering the boat on his behalf. A line of gusty conditions shortly before the race had us quesitoning whether to carry the big genoa, but ultimately the breeze calmed shortly before race start. Unfortunately as a result we ended up rather late to the line, but got the boat powered up quickly and made back several places by the first mark. It took some time for me to get my bearings back at the helm, but by the second leg I had most of the feel back. We sailed a tidy, if not particularly fast beating leg, and rounded into a run. We went wing-on-wing for much of the leg, save for a brief set of gybes, and chased down a rival J/70. We rounded into the final leg, a close reach, and were able to power ahead of the smaller boat. Unfortunately, when the results came in, their non-spin rating difference got us in the end, but it was a fun matchup for a great afternoon on the water.
Tuesday, March 18, 2025
Number of days:
1 day
Deep sunset after the sail
A quick sunset sail on Neptune's Wager to test the new sail plan and running and standing rigging. Very light conditions, so we practiced hoisting a spinnaker, to very little effect. She's like a whole new boat with all the work that's been done and I'm excited to see how Jay & Sam do with their program this season!
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
Number of days:
1 day
A relaxing sunset sail
A nice, brief sunset sail with some friends on Barba Roja to enjoy the pleasant weather.
Sunday, March 9, 2025
Number of days:
1 day
Running around in the pre-start
Charging to the finish
Having fun at the SpinSheet Crew Party
Back to the racing season at long last. SMSA Frostbites #1, and my first race on Red Baron. Michael was down visitng for the weekend and he raced with us, and we divvied up crews between us and Harm's Way at the dock, and ended up with 7 total - a very full crew for a little boat. I ended up on the foredeck, and spent some time learning the layout differences between this boat and Dangerous. The breeze was a little in and out, but we set up with the #3 and rigged for a peel if conditions allowed a switch to the #1.
We excecuted a flawless start at the windward end and set off towards the first mark. We executed a pretty clean leg with a couple tacks, and cracked off to a deep reach to the second. Another tidy leg, if a bit slow running deep with the small jib, and then we set off for the long beat to the bridge. We spent some time a bit overpowered, and decided to put in a reef, unfortunately losing a little time in the process. Ultimately the wind backed off and we shook out the reef before rounding the bridge. We sailed a tidy close reach to the next mark, and then turned down for the finish. We finally got the necessary conditions to launch the #1, though unfortunately on the opposite tack of what I had set up for the peel. A little bit of sloppy foredeck work later and the big sail was up and we charged to the finish.
Great conditions on a fun boat with good friends made for a fantastic first day back racing. After the race, we enjoyed the Solomons Spinsheet Crew Party.
Friday, February 28, 2025
Number of days:
1 day
A great Friday evening sail with a large crew on Barba Roja. We enjoyed beautiful conditions and great camraderie as we relaxed after a hectic week. I had a long chat with another friend I hadn't seen in quite some time, and we all enjoyed the best sunset yet this week. Nice breeze allowed us to sail out towards the Bay and then put up a spinnaker for a long run to the bridge. The beat back down was a little chilly, but all in all a great time was had by all.
Wednesday, February 26, 2025
Number of days:
1 day
Tonight's crew
We had so much fun on the boat yesterday we decided to do it again today. A little cooler out, but with much more breeze, so we took a shorter course up to the bridge and back. I had a nice time catching up with a friend I hadn't seen in quite a while as well. It never gets old coming out here on the water.
Tuesday, February 25, 2025
Number of days:
1 day
Relaxing in the breeze
Out for a sunset sail on Barba Roja to enjoy the pleasant temps. We took a leisurely course nearly up to the bridge, and on the way back down the wind dropped out somewhat, leaving us to drift in a spectacular, glassy sunset. This is the first of three sails on the schedule this week, and I'm looking forward to getting out on the water more often as we slowly crawl out of a long winter.