And this time we had enough wind to finish the course, but not too much, as has happened twice before this season. Finished mid-fleet among about 15 boats, and still waiting for the results of the handicapping math, which I'm hopeful puts us in the top 40% of boats. We'll see. Light winds from the South, but steady enough to keep us moving well except for the last 150 yards, which were excrutiating. We had four on our boat instead of our usual three, but with additional hands were even better able to stay in trim going upwind, which helped on our performance. Wind picked up after the race was over, so held spin practice for another half an hour, which was glorious. Most boats stayed out to sail afterwards, too, since it was such a pretty evening. Wonderful all-around!
Century Club: Richard Turman
I am always interested in going sailing, so when my racing partner said she had friends in town who might want to go sailing, I was all-in, and just hoped there would be wind. There was about 10 mph from the South when we started, so we had a nice upwind run and then as the wind faded to 5 mph had just enough to get the spin up, and let them handle a spinsheet for the first time ever. Great night out, and got to meet some new friends!
We're so lucky to live in a community in Crownsville, MD, where the water is close-by, and where we can decide on the spur on the moment that we're tired of yard-work and errands on a Saturday, and want to go sailing instead. And then see which neighbors want to join us. Which is how on Saturday at 4:00 I found myself on my Harbor 20 with two neighbors, one who races with me regularly, the other who had not been on it. We had just enough wind to get out and put up the spin and have a lovely spur-of-the moment Saturday afternoon adventure on the water. So lucky to live here!
Had a late lunch outside at Pusser's in Annapolis, but still had time afterwards on Friday night to have 90 minutes out by myself on my Harbor 20, which was a fabulous way to end the week.
Even though I had Zoom calls through 6 p.m., I was still able to get out for 90 minutes on my Harbor 20 in the 5-7 mph evening winds, which was delightful.
And to get back to the dock at sunset is glorious.
Wind was supposed to be light and from the North, but instead was medium turning to light, and from the South. Round Bay Sailing Association RC made a course from B to C to B to A to finish at B, and luckily shortened the course to finish at A. Wind declined during the race, as it does. 2nd boat to the upwind mark, just behind Himmel, and then had a nice spin run all the way back up Round Bay, past B, to finish at A, amidst the fast boats, which is not the usual finishing location for our Harbor 20. Beautiful spinnakers out, and we were able to keep ours full on both legs, though the pressure declined the further we got from the lower mouth of Round Bay. Fabulous night in that there were no thunderstorms to worry about, nor winds in the 20's, so afterwards everyone just floated around and drank their beers, not wanting the lovely evening to be over. We'll have to see how the math works out, but i'm hoping we ended up with at least a mid-fleet finish.
Beautiful evening with 5 knots of wind -- with occasional gusts of 10-ish, all from the S. Rode up Plum Creek, back around to the main basin in Valentine, and then home. Two other kayakers out -- that was it!
Our SeaRay 205 powerboat had refused to start this spring when I first tried three weeks ago, but luckily when our boat doctor mechanic made his house call today he got it running. So after work we had to go take a quick voyage. Explored Valentine and Plum creeks and then went into Round Bay and opened her up. Wonderful to skim across the water going 35 mph, and run race marks around the edges of Round Bay and back home. So delightful
Then took the sailboat out from 7 p.m through 8:15 p.m. for a beautiful evening ride in 5-7 mph of breeze from the NW moving to W. So beautiful out,with only 2-3 powerboats out to make waves.
Two boat rides in one evening -- lucky we are!
Forecast wind was 10-14 knots. Actual was more like 16-18 with gusts to 26, from the NW. Temp was 68 dropping to 60 within the hour. Luckily the water that came over the bow and soaked us was warm. Had four on-board instead of our usual three to race, and what a blessing that was. Started out downwind with a reefed main, and pretty quickly was going 7.7 mph (note hull speed is 5.9 mph). Went upwind for a bit to see how that would go, and moved along at 5.4 mph upwind with just the reefed main, no jib. Proceeded to starting line, which was further downwind and had good-sized waves and whitecaps. 9 boats came out to race; 2 retired before starting. 2 ran agound during the race, in part because the water was down due to the high NW winds, a 41-footer and my Harbor 20. The finishers were a 46, a 40, a 39, and a hardy J-27. We managed the first upwind from B to E and then flew downwind to N. Then up to A, this time with the jib up since the wind had moderated a tad, where we ran aground. Used a mix of engine and jib to get her off, and then sailed home. We persisted, and wanted to finish the race, but that was not to be.
Had a great trip out that I didn't want to end. Two hours starting at 5:30 in 8 dropping to 5 mph. Ran around Marks B and up to E and back twice around, Thence back home up Valentine Creek, but went up to the headwaters because it was such a nice 70 degree night and didn't want to head to the dock just yet. Chatted with a fellow racer who was on his dock about the previous night's race -- I love being in a water community!