Sept 28, 2011 - Wednesday Race - last of the Fall Series

Hi all...

Looks like I'm going racing one last time this fall season... the last race. The weather was picture perfect, nice warm sunny evening with light winds... just perfect for Hank and me to do a one on one!

Hank spend the afternoon, working around the dock. Made a temporary companion way hatch cover out of plywood, to replace the acrylic one he broke, and finally stuff my jennaker into the new sock he got a month ago! Maybe we will get to use it this year!

Well, were off to the races at 5:00pm to arrive at the start line at 6:00pm. Nothing exciting except when we were approaching the windward mark, Hank had to slow me down!! We were on a collision course with another race boat coming up on our starboard side. Hank luffed my jib and finally had to maneuver to get behind the on coming race boat. This took a minute or two to get back on course. It's a great feeling that Hank finally is learning the rules of racing... who has right-of-way!

We rounded the mark, in "hot" pursuit to beat "Windsong"... my competition. As it was, we were second overall. Hank got a plastic mug for my efforts. Oh ya... only two boats were in my division. :) 

By the time we got home, the sun had sank into the ocean, and had to return with my running lights on. I'm always worried about sailing or motoring at night; as mention in my profile... logs are not good for my paint job, let alone my hull. But we got home and landed safety home...




Another racing season over..... :(

Sept 17 & 18 2011 - Race to Silva Bay - with Killer Whales!!

Hi, to my readers

Well this was a race to remember!

My race to Silva Bay, and back, last weekend was great!... going over, the weather was perfect... sun, so called warm, and good winds 10 – 15 knots... doing a broad reach all the way over. It took about 5 hrs. (max. Speed was 6.4 knots, averaged about 5 knots). We all tied up at Silva Bay Marina as a group, With Hank the sailors swapping stories of the race, having a few beers on deck, and then went to the Marina’s restaurant for a great dinner. For me, I just rested at a wonderful moorage waiting for Hank the crew to come back.

 

The following day, was something else... I think it was the worst conditions Hank sailed in... driving rain, with head winds of 20 - 25 knots, making my motor work to the max ... doing only 1 knot at full r.p.m.; we just made the start time! But the worst was the waves. With the wind and the shallow waters at Silva Bay entrance, made the waves very steep and close together. My bow dung in very second wave... but I'm used to this and handled them very well... but my crew (Paul) and Hank did just OK. I could feel Hank's tension as he held onto my steering wheel. 

We started about 5 minutes behind time, with a reefed the main sail, but used the entire 120% jib. This seemed to be a perfect combination... heeled almost to the rail, with the occasional times the rail was just under the water. As always, I handled the situation wonderfully, ploughing through the waves without any problems. It took Hank about ½ hour to get used to this type of condition, but once Hank relaxed and having more confidence in me, I could feel Hank and Paul were having a lot of fun! (max. Speed was 7.6 knots with an average of 5 knots).

About a ½ hour into the sail home, (heeled to the rails, wind screaming in the shrouds), I seen a “sharks fin” come out of the water, about 100 feet from our leeward side, going in the opposite way. Within seconds, she came out of the water... a killer whale! I looked around, to find that were going through a pod of Killer Whales. Dead ahead (about 100 feet) I seen a 6 foot fin come out of the water... a male. For a second, I thought to myself... I sure hope that he senses us, otherwise we would be in a lot to trouble... rammed by a male killer whale! But fortunately, he must of sense us, as that was the last I seen of him.

The race results... one the way over... six boats in the race... we came in 5^th! Not bad for the smallest and oldest boat, eh! One the way back, we came in last, but two boats withdrew for some reason... I would like to say they “chicken out”, but I’m not sure why they withdrew.. could be many things, equipment failure, crew problems, etc.

All in all, a good day out on the water! I survived another race!

Till next event... happy sailing......

Tarka.

September 9-11, 2011 - Gibsons's Landing

Me again... Well, I took Hank and his friend Robert (from Gibson). Robert took the ferry over, just to get a ride back on me! nice eh!

The sail over was just OK, light winds and had to motor most of the way. We arrived after 2 hours, Hank had Robert call the marina on my new VFH radio. Robert never did that before, and wanted to try something new, I think he had a great time with it. :)

We stayed at A10 slip, not usually my side of the dock... when the tide went out, I could almost feel my keel sliding in the mud below.

Later in the day, I took the Robert and Hank of them for a ride around Keat's Island, and they even flew my jennaker! It was a great ride for them. At first, the winds and waves were great, but to a point that my passengers where getting uncomfortable with my heel, so Hank took us down wind from there. Going downwind has a lot less heel.

Caroline arrive the following day, by ferry.

We set sail on Sunday at noon, for home. We raced back with another boater friend we made... they won, but I think they used their engine... JUST not fair, eh!


Arrived safely home....

Aug 26 - 28 2011 - Bowfest Days

Hi all,
Another year has gone by, back at Bowfest on Bowen Island - Snug cove. I laid happily at my favorite Slip A07, unfortunately next to mostly all power boats.

Caroline and Hank really enjoyed themselves... watching the Bowfest parade, having great dinners at Milka, and hearing the performers on stage only a clam shell throw away. The party went on until 11:00 pm, with music and wine and beer flowing like Dodson Narrows.

With regards to sailing... none... just an easy rest of all of us.

Oh ya, I did see some otters on the dock next to me... no, they did not chrissen me with their "presents"... they have respect for their movie star "Tarka". But did leave their mark on the others people life-jacket left on the wharf.

Hank made reservations for next year's bowfest... :)

talkin to ya later.... :)

Summer Touring

Another beautiful day in Vancouver... took my parents for a wonderful sail around the neighbor. Great winds, reaching up to 7.0 knots on a board reach. We tried to have a drink break at the yacht club, but the place was full, with no temporary moorage :(. Too bad, it is always great to be sitting next to those larger sailboats.
Caroline and Hank were not too happy to hear about the no moorage, but oh well, a great sail anyway.

Coming back into my new slip, we had too much speed and ran into the end of the slip. Now I need a bit of blue paint to cover the collision point. I guess it could of been worst, we could of had a audience, but luckily no one was around to see the grand entrance. It goes to show, even the best has the occasional mishap.

Sitting along side me, is Tarkie... I can see her bottom is getting a little green from sitting too long... hopefully Hank will take her out and clean her bottom soon.

Tarka signing out.............

Aug 11 2011 - sailing trip for Hank

Here I go again...
Taking Hank to Elliott bay, by himself. The winds going was great 10 - 15 knot winds. sailing at 25 degrees, all the way over. only had to tack 3 times... great ride.
Got there, to find only new people with lots of kids... Hank was a bit bored.
Early next morning we set sail, (or should I say motored - water was like glass) for Gibson to see Hank's friends Robert and Dan. Hank went for lunch with Robert, while I sat calmly at Gibson marina.
After lunch we're off to Plumber Cove where we met up with Tim, an old racing buddy of some sort.
Sailing back to Gibson, dropped of Robert, then set sail for home... nice strong breeze taking us all the way home.

Aug 7 2011 - drink break at the club

I took Caroline, Hank and two new friends (Rob and ? oops forget her name) for a tour around Passage island and then to the Yacht club for drinks.

Nothing really to mention, but the winds were great going there, but very little coming home.

Oh, not sure if I mentioned it... Hank got me a new berth to sleep in. It is only a few slips down from my old place. this new berth is much wider, has better electrical and water connections, and has a double wide finger (walkway along side me). The only possible problem is that this berth is next an otter entrance. The previous  vessel berth here was used as an otter sewage dumping ground. I'm hoping that since I was named after a famous movie star otter... "Tarka the Sea-Otter", they will leave me alone. :). So far so good.

...