Century Club: Jonathan Nepini

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Sunday, October 23, 2022
Number of days:
1 day
SMSA Fall Invitational on Sloopy/Dangerous
  • Today's crew
  • Downwind leg of race #1

Went with a couple friends to sail on Sloopy (soon to be renamed Dangerous) for the SMSA Fall Invitational. A pretty green crew, and one of my friends' first time on a sailboat. Moderately heavy conditions kept the racing in the river for two windward/leeward races and one random leg race. I worked the foredeck and did some headsail trim. Last-place finishes in every race, but we were significantly held back by a barnacle-laden bottom. The newer crew members picked it up very well and we consistently improved throughout the day. I'm getting excited to see what we can make the boat do next season.

(Photos courtesy of Steven Birchfield)

Tuesday, October 11, 2022
Number of days:
1 day
Tuesday Night Bridge Run
  • A motley crew

An impromptu cruise on the Barba Roja to help Poppa Bob make his Century Club days after his arm injury. Nice sailing conditions and nice fall weather made for a relaxing trip.

(Photo courtesy of Steven Birchfield)

Saturday, October 8, 2022
Number of days:
1 day
Attempted Gas Docks Cruise

Went out on the Olson with some friends intending to make it to the gas docks and back. Got the main up, the motor stowed, and put in a reef, and realized we couldn't tack through the 18kt steady wind blowing directly through the mouth of the West Basin. Would've been a fun day, but the whitecaps on the Patuxent looked vicious and we didn't want to risk the boat and the green crew.

Tuesday, September 27, 2022
Number of days:
1 day
Perfect evening sail
  • Staring off into the sunset

An impromptu sail this evening on the First 35, this time without the inexperienced guests. We hoisted the 145% genoa and decided to get the boat up and moving a bit. A short beat, followed by a long reach out towards the Bay, followed by a sporty beat back in. Jay drove and I played with sail trim & tried to get a feel for the boat. Perfect weather and another perfect evening on the water.

Sunday, September 25, 2022
Number of days:
1 day
Sunday Hoopers Run

Took a nice run with Steve, his mother, and a couple of her friends on the Barba Roja out to Hooper's Island Light and back. Beautiful weather and breezy conditions under full sail made for an exciting ride. A bit of a tough beat up to the lighthouse, followed by a reach back towards Drum Point. As we made it closer to the point the wind shifted and we beat back into the river as well. A fun ride but probably a little nerve wracking at times for our guests.

 

Friday, September 23, 2022
Number of days:
1 day
Welcome to the Weekend
  • Running out of Solomons harbor

A nice casual cruise on a friend's new-to-him Beneteau First 35. We had breezy conditions and a skittish passenger so we put up a #3 and sailed the boat very conservatively up to the bridge and back. A nice relaxing evening on the water but I can't wait to put the new boat through her paces.

(Photo courtesy of Steven Birchfield)

Wednesday, September 21, 2022
Number of days:
1 day
Wednesday Cruise
  • Spinnaker at sunset

Wednesday racing season is over but several members of the Barba Roja crew decided to go out for a cruise. A tidy beat out to PR3, followed by a long spinnaker run to the bridge. Nice weather and nice sailing conditions.

Sunday, September 18, 2022
Number of days:
1 day
Back to our regularly scheduled programming
  • Today's crew
  • Chasing down the Rocinante

A nice cruise today on the Olson with a few friends, including a good friend of mine on his first sailboat trip. Set up a fake race to V, then attempted to sail up the river above the bridge. Got up to Myrtle Point and the wind died off, so we headed out to the Bay to find more breeze. Had a nice ride out the mouth of the Bay and a nice trip back in. Spotted some other SMSA sailors on Rakali and some friends on Rocinante and snapped some pictures. All in all a nice relaxing day on the water.

Saturday, September 17, 2022
Number of days:
1 day
#100... On a powerboat???
  • Always at the helm...

Finally made it to #100! Went out for a nice afternoon cruise up the Potomac with my family on my uncle's powerboat. Took off from Piney Point and my uncle ended up giving me the helm for most of the day. Cruised up above the 301 bridge, had a nice picnic lunch, and cruised back down. Lots of chop on the return trip so it was a bumpy ride despite my best efforts with the trim controls. Fun to drive a powerboat for a change but after seeing how much fuel a pair of Yamaha 300s burn in an afternoon I think I'll stick to sailing!

Wednesday, September 14, 2022
Number of days:
1 day
Last Wednesday Night
  • Playing with a J/105

Last Wednesday of the season in the books. A crowded downwind start, but we were able to do some clever maneuvering and get a clean lane. Some issues getting a kite up, but once it was set we rolled past a non-spin J/30 and kept pace with a non-spin J/105. Tidy mark rounding and a solid beating leg, followed by a reach to the finish. In classic fashion we gained half a knot when we put a staysail up, and carried it a bit too long so we gained half a knot again when we took it down. Great crew work as has been par for the course the back half of this season.

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