Stingray Point Regatta on Bad Cat

Trip dates: 
Wednesday, August 28, 2024 to Monday, September 2, 2024
Trip length: 
6 days
Type of watercraft: 
Sail
  • Dewey and I contemplating pointy end tasks
  • The Friday race crew
  • Bad Cat getting it done out on the course

Dangerous wasn’t able to make it down for the regatta as we originally planned, so Dewey and I managed an invite on Bad Cat, a J/111 out of Solomons. We have several friends on the boat and I was glad to have the opportunity to sail on a new boat with an asymmetric spinnaker.

After our usual Wednesday night race on Dangerous, we enjoyed an uneventful delivery overnight Wednesday and arrived in Deltaville early Thursday morning.

Dewey and I were up on the foredeck all weekend, and did a lot of quick learning on how asym boats work. Friday’s distance race featured Clarke McKinney as a guest, bringing the level of seriousness on the boat up a notch. The breeze was moderately light, and we did a couple tidy sets, gybes, and douses, sailed clean, and managed a third in class for the day.

Saturday provided similarly light conditions, and we kept the boat moving well for most of the races, landing a 3rd and a 5th on the day. Some sloppy race committed work resulted in a misunderstanding of the proper course, a big protest hearing, and the third race being thrown out.

Sunday provided the best sailing conditions of the weekend, and we got two great races in with perfect conditions, taking a 5th and a 3rd for the day, resulting in a third overall for the regatta.

We left in the evening and had an uneventful return to Solomons and arrived early Monday morning.

As always, FBYC’s hospitality was great, the parties were fun, and we all had a fantastic time camping and enjoying the weekend. I look forward to this event every year and this one certainly didn’t disappoint!