Liberty is being free from the things we don't like in order to be slaves of the things we do like.--Ernest Benn

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Spring # 2


Crew was full strength. Weather was not. Attained an excellent start by gunning the motor and shutting it off five minutes to start time. Momentum counts more than being on the line on time. Cutting through the kelp was no problem. We looked good vs the balance of the fleet. In drifting conditions we managed to fouled Zephyr. Then on our second set we snarled the chute and couldn't get it down. Mark & Pat furled around the forestay and we were competitive but lost boats, finishing 13 out of 19 boats. At the dock, Pat went up the mast for the second time in two days - this time to het the spinnaker down.

Another note: Brian (Zephyr) confirmed for me the critical need to hug the break water on the last leg to the finish. Assuming the wind is from the usual westerly, down coast current is less and he captured two boats by doing so.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Notes on the 2009 Calendar

Just a few things need to be updated from last year.

The next CHRF race is this Sunday, 22-Feb-09 at 1 PM with our dock departure time at noon. (Nothing here different from our usual routine.)

The regular start times for all Sunday Staggered–Start races after the commencement of daylight savings time (PDT) will be pushed back to 2 PM. to allow for better winds. This means starting with SBYC Opening Day Race 1-Mar-09, our regular Dock Departure can be pushed back to 1 PM. (previously noon). There are two notable exceptions:
  • Platform Grace Race to PCYC (Friday) 17-Apr-09 starts at 11 AM. (Dock Time is 10 AM.)
  • Goleta-or-Bust (up & back – round trip) 26-Apr-09 starts at noon (Dock Time is 11 AM.)
All other Sunday Races start at 2 PM which allow us to leave the dock as late as 1 PM. Only the last race in the year (November) reverts to the 1 PM start time.

Psychè’s Song pulls Race Committee Duty on CHRF Spring #3 (22-Mar-09). .Judy and I will have to have at least two smart team members to help us track 20+ boats on the water.

Judy and I will not be able to sail CHRF Spring #4 (5-Apr-09) due to Lee’s wedding. We still want Psychè’s Song to be on the water. This is the race around Platform C, weather permitting, so it will be a mass start. Bhrian will serve as skipper-of-record. Either he or Pat will be at the helm. We’ll have to work that out. Perhaps we can use the 1-Mar SBYC Opening Day mass start as a “dry run”? (I’ll serve as camera-man!) I assure you that if you guys win, my ego will be able to sustain the blow. I’ll be satisfied if everyone gets back and in one piece!

Psychè’s Song will resume H-Fleet Wet Wednesday competition 1-Apr. The starts have been moved up 5 minutes to 5:10. I’m not happy with this. I think we might have to move our dock time up to 4:15. I don’t know. We’ll have to discuss this. Maybe we can keep 4:30 PM as our FIRM dock time. I want to hear your thoughts on this, so, TBD*… (*to be discussed)

So, some of these changes are good news and some mean some inconvenience. In the big picture, I hope everyone is as pumped as I am when I anticipate the fun we will have in the coming year of racing!

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Paver