September 15, 2012 - Fall Stag Race - to Silva bay

Lopeka waiting at the start line

SEE VIDEO LINK:  
First leg from Vancouver to Silva Bay

Finally got to go sailing... Hank has been very busy the last little while (not related to sailing)

    Went to Newfoundland for a few weeks to visit his Newfie friends...
    Then off to Edmonton for a week, to learn new things.
    Then off to Cranbrook with his friend Brian, to pick up his new dog, "Monty".

And now after a good long rest, waiting and waiting at my berth, we finally get to go out and RACE!

All fueled up, my bottom broom cleaned, food and drinks aboard, we motored to our yacht club to be moored beside my friend "Lopeka"... waiting to race the following day ... racing across the straits to Silva Bay and back.

Not much wind at the start line

Finally... our start time... 10:04 am, now waiting at the start line... this will be a pursuit race... slowest boat goes first, depending on the handicap rating. Also, Hank will be sailing solo... just him and me, so he has no help or support from other sailors. During the trip, I did manage to "talk" to him, in "boat" to "skipper" communication. If he does something wrong, I will show him his errors.

We motored from the start line (no wind)... motoring at 6 knots for about 20 minutes... then the winds came and so did the waves. The winds became so strong, to the point I was experiencing a lot of weather helm... Hank picked up on my communication... he reefed my main sail! However he failed to bring in my jib a bit, as I still had a bit of weather helm. (weather helm means too much sail and I will turn up into the wind and he skipper will compensate by adjusting the rudder (basically putting on the brakes!).

nice eh!

Celtic Blue

About an hour into the race, Hank got it right, adjusted my sails to suit the winds, enabling me to sail on my own...no need to "play" with my helm. This gave him the time to relax, go upfront, relax and take some pictures.

Look, Tarka is at the helm (no auto helm!)

Trasher rock marker on the left of the picture.

We arrived at the finish marker (Thrasher Rock) at 1:11 pm. That means it took 3 hours to cross the Straits (20 miles) going just over 6 knots all the way over. Needless to say, we position well in the race!

Resting now at Silva Bay, with Hank drying out the sleeping bags and sheets (he forgot to tightly secure my forward hatch.

The Racers and Hank went out for dinner at Silva Bay pub... from all the noise I was hearing at the dock ... it must of been a good dinner with LOTS of drinks!

Now resting, waiting for tomorrow return race.










Tarka... out.










SATURDAY finish:

Celtic Blue
Lopeka,
Sorcery
Ragusa
Tarka
Farr-ari
Turnagain
Avontuur
Nauti Lass
Frerari
Chesa
Gold Bug