April 18-19 2014 - Southern Straits Race!

All preparations done!...

• my bottom was repainted with new zincs
• fully fueled with diesel, propane, water, food, drinks, etc.
• Safety items rechecked
• crew loaded aboard with all their gear...enough gear for a few days, change of clothes, rain gears,  safety gear, etc.
• Sail covers off, electrical disconnected, docking lines released, reversed out of my slip and.... WE'RE OFF TO THE RACES!

 We left the dock at 9:08 am fully loaded, motoring to Atkinson Point. Rounding the point we found great winds, allowing us to sail up to the start line.

Beautiful motor / sail to the start line. The picture shows Ian at the helm, with Vern and Alan discussing the day to come

Vern getting a feel of the helm, with Alan learning / setting my GPS

We hoisted the sails... sailing to the start line, with Vancouver in the background

 It took over an hour to reach the start line... beautiful sail over! really nice winds.

Here is Hank... the only picture of him during the race :(

As you can see... lots and lots of boats milling around, practicing their starts.

Vern sizing up the boats, jockeying for position, with the rest of the crew looking out for right-a-way sailboats.

 As we approach the start line, there were over 100 sailboats milling around the start line. With that many boats around, Vern was silently elected helmsman as he was the most experience sailor.

With so many racing boat in a confined area,  with good winds, your really have to concentrate to avoid a collision. I sure wouldn't like to ram one of those thin hull racing sleds... I would sink it for sure.

We were in the Short Race (50nm), the third division to leave the start line. The crew trying to listen to the radio with the winds and wave noise, plus fully concentrating on what was going on around them, we missed our starting time by at 10 minutes or more. But hey, we started without any mishaps! Now heading full speed ahead!... my type of wind... leaning almost to my rails... catching up to our fleet. I perform best with a strong breeze, but not so good in light breezes (due to my age of 43, I'm just overweight and showing my age in body design)

here you see us at the back of the fleet

Ian now at the helm

Lions Gate Bridge in the background

Just tacked, heading toward Atkinson Point

Once on our way,  we're doing great! catching up to the fleet.

When we reached Atkinson Point (lighthouse park) the winds petered out!! :(

Dam winds!!...catching up would be come a problem.

As you can see from this slide, we are catching up to the fleet and started to overtake a few boats

the winds were diminishing minute by minute... loosing ground

Ian laying on my port side deck, taking it easy :)

A time costly decision was made (my Hank) to raise my staysail. Hauling it out, rigging the lines, setting the sail, cost time! The fleet pulling away.

Here you can see a sliver of the stay sail.

The staysail proved to be more a nuisance than any help in speed, so down it came.

Due to the diminishing winds, the next decision was to replace the jib with the 170 genoa foresail. Great decision, but the crew has never changed my sails before, so it was a time learning experience... we lost at least 5 or more minutes for the sail change over.

With the sails reset, we were gaining on the fleet...

Vern looking toward Entrance Island

Now rounding Entrance Island

Catching up to the fleet was extremely difficult as the winds were not in our favor.

Running last place, but gaining on them

Sailing along at 7.2 kts










One of the pleasures of racing with a great team... story telling!
Begin aboard a confined area, with a group of men... lots and lots of stories...

Alan

Sailing around 5 + knots

We kept the jib on deck, as the weather forecast was for heavy winds later in the evening...

What can you say... beautiful sunset eh!

Vern checking the sail set

with the sunset on our stern

Looking back where we were.

coming up to Halibut Bank Mark

Round the mark at Halibut Bank.

 After rounding Halibut Banks, we decided to go off the beaten track and try a different approach to gain on the fleet; we were in last place, with nothing to lose.

If we head south, staying on one tack, we would save time tacking back and forth beating up the wind (each tack costs us at least about 2 minutes or more on recovery time), plus the current should give us a lift up to the finish line...making up more time. The plan was sound, but depended upon one thing...the winds begin consistent and equal.

We are located at the bottom of the picture

 Fearing the worst for the high winds during the night (25+ knots winds were predicted), the crew decided to take down the 170 genoa, and raise the 120 jib, before the sun completely set. This again was another costly time loss, but well worth the safety aspect.
Sailing with my 170 genoa at high winds would overpower me for sure.

As you can see, we caught up to the fleet fairly well,

As said, the plan was good, but the winds were not... they never did materialize... matter of fact they diminished!

 Sailing around 5 knots, in the blackness of night, only seeing the city lights on the horizon, we did passed through a patch of phosphorescence...looked like little stars flashing in our wake.

However, things that go "bump in the night" are not a good thing. We ran into a log... luckily we must of just grazed it...no damage done.

Here you see Ian at the helm... night sailing

Needless to say, no more pictures from here on... to dark.

As we approached the finished line, we have to call in approximately 1 hour out before the finish line. Hank called it in around 1:00 am... we crossed the finish line at 3:13am... needless to say the winds died! we would of done fairly well, but the wind "god" was against us :).

We crossed the finish line!!!!... Vern and Hank had a victory rum heading toward the yacht club for the safety inspection.

We were greeted by the safety inspectors... Dave and Lionel... passed the safety inspection of course!

Alan decided to just jump ship at the inspection station, as his car was parked by the Yacht club... then motored for home.

Now resting... in my slip... waiting for my wash down and getting ready for my next race, next week... the Spring Stag Race.

Keep ya posted!!!

Tarka..... out!

oh ya, Hank has made a YouTube video of this race, as well as added a link to last year's race.. click on the links directly below...

    2014 Southern Straits Video

    2013 Southern Straits Video

here is the race results for our division and Short race...

April 13, 2014 - Getting Closer to the race...

Well... went for a mini shake down sail with Hank to Snug Cove.

Beautiful day... Saturday April 12, 2014... just Hank and me sailing to the Cove. We met up with Rosa Maria and Aaron there, nice relaxing time... all we did was relax and more relaxing.

Nothing really to report or mention. I guess this is a good sign... nothing going wrong!

We arrived back at Horseshoe Bay, greeted by Caroline. The plan was to clean my inside cabin ready for the boys to mess it up.

Hank checked all my safety gear... just need to load up the spare anchor and rode and purchase a new 1st aid booklet.


Alan to provide the food
Vern to provide tide and chart data

We all are going to meet on Thursday, for our safety shake down sail, then off to dinner at the yacht... good food, drinks, skipper's meeting and weather information meeting.

Till then...

Tarka out!

April 03, 2014 - Tarka's haul-out

Today is the big day!!! getting my bottom cleaned. Last time my bottom was cleaned was on March 23, 2013.

Hank motored me around the day before, to help save time and less stress on getting me to the Yacht club on time for the lift.

The next day Hank arrived at 9:30am, got the lift prepared (he always pre-sets the holding arms, gets the blocking ready, paint, scraper, etc.). With the help of the yacht club employees, I was loading onto the lift... and up I went... no problems what so ever. :)

A few minutes later, Alan Rothenbush arrived.. he is going to help Hank clean my bottom!

Upon inspection they found a lot of mussels living on the bottom of my keel; this is the only area, that Hank cannot paint, as I sit on the lift in that location, see photos.

There were a few other mussels here and there, not nothing to serious. My propeller and shaft had a bit of barnacles.

Type location on mussels (where the keel sits on the blocks - can not paint there),

Mussels always around the old speed sensor

Barnacles on prop, causes a bit of vibration.

Again, hard to paint here

Before the cleaning

Alan Rothenbush loves cleaning the prop.

Now at home!

Motored back in the rain... work is all done for now.

resting for the next adventure.

Tarka Out!

April 02 2014 - sailing with Will, Marilyn and her grand kids

Today, we are off on a day sail with Hank's brother Will, with girlfriend Marilyn, her dog Panda and her grand-kids.

Kids always seem to like steering me around the block... today was no different. The oldest boy William was constantly behind my wheel.

We ended up at snug cove for a late lunch. Everybody really seemed to enjoy themselves, walking around, beach combing, etc.

We arrived home with out any problems.

Tarka out!

April 01 2014 - On the moment sail

today was a perfect day for a quick sail around the neighbour!

Ah just laying here, basking in the sun, with Hank cleaning off my winter downfall (bird droppings)... great day... what could be better eh?  Well maybe a sail would be nice...

I guess Hank had the same idea, as he got up and heading off to see Richard and Pat Grass, who too were busy cleaning their boat. Moments later, they all came back, carrying their life-jackets.

Looks like we are going sailing!!!!

Nice little sail around the blocks... They all had a coffee break aboard, sailing in the sun.

On the way back, somehow we did an accidental jibe! Hank always warns people about my low boom... it seems he needs to listen to himself. Low boom +  accidental jibe = smashed face! Hank got a really bad cut on his left cheek, blood + bruising + sore for 3 days after. I guess we now know where the boom got it's name. :)

Hank now has installed a "rubber boot" over the boom on the hopes if will minimize the possible damage.

All is well... Tarka out!

March 16, 2014 - exciting news...going racing!!

Well, it looks like we are going racing again! Hank as enter us in the Southern Straits 2014 Race.

Starts on April 18, 2014 and finishes on April 20, 2014. Hank has enter us in the short race circuit, as my handicap rating is too high to enter the medium or long course. We did this course last year... took just under 24 hours.

Short Course

     (Distance approximately 53NM)
     Start Line Dundarave Pier (West Vancouver),
     to Entrance Island (leave to Port),
     to Halibut Bank (leave to Starboard),
     to Point Atkinson (Finish)

We will have a seasoned sailing crew:

 Al Rothenbush, Vernon Pahl, Graham ? and Hank as my skipper.
 All crew have sailing vessels of their own, who have sailed in all  sorts of weather... the good, bad and ugly... so I feel confident I will be in good hands. :)

Right now, I am still in my winter attire, so Hank will have to reinstall my sailing gear. In addition,  Hank as lot of other preparations to do... getting me race ready...

Check list:

1. Get my certification of insurance (this year we are using "Navis insurance company")
2. Get my 2014 PHRF BC handicap certification.
3. Need a completed crew list prior to April 17, 2014
4. Re-install all my safety gear and check all expiry dates, i.e. flares, fire extinguishers, etc.
5. Hank to arrange for my haul-out to clean my bottom... hopefully with a repaint as well.
6. Safety orientation and practice drills
7. Shake down cruise.

If anyone is interested you can access the race webpage to read all about the race....

http://www.wvyc.ca/default.aspx?p=DynamicModule&pageid=374919&ssid=298666&vnf=1

Below is my updated Safety Schematic.

February 27, 2014 - Throttle cable repaired!

It has been some time now... just sitting here at the docks waiting for Hank's to return to fix my throttle cable.

As always on a boat, a simple fix takes lots of time. First finding the right cable clamp to fit over the cable (a trip to the local marine hardware store), another person to help (Richard Grass), and the right tools to install.

One person to install the clamp (Richard) and the other (Hank) to "play" with my throttle control lever. Trying to install a cable clamp with only one hand (no room for the other), was a bit tricky and time consuming... but they got the job done.

They were going to use lock nuts, but the nuts were the wrong thread count, so they had to use lock-tight... hopefully this will work and keep the clamp from coming lose.

Once installed, Hank started my motor and checked out the control... all works just right!

Well that was about it... nothing else to say, except I need to get out for a sail! Dam weather!

Till then

Tarka out.