Filled and Maxed!
Just got the final commitment from jreyenga. He saved the day and rounded up locals to max out the weight allowed.
Wish us luck. I think we have a darn good chance.
Filled and Maxed!
Just got the final commitment from jreyenga. He saved the day and rounded up locals to max out the weight allowed.
Wish us luck. I think we have a darn good chance.
Well, that race is in the books.
Though we had a great time our overall standing does not tell the whole story.
Saturday: 3 races
Big weather day with swells over 6 feet and winds blowing 20 to 30 knots.
Hard conditions on the crew and a strain on the boat. A few equipment failures like slipping halyards which did not allow the sails to remain taught and some other equipment dissipointments. But hey, it was a borrowed boat, so who is complaining!
ENDLESS THANKS to the hearty crew picked up right here on GRM.
By no means where we in lovely conditions or just out for a leasurely cruise. JRenyega et al, got worked very hard and never once complained, never waivered and returned with smiles. If it had not been for you guys we would have never even been able to compete at all. As they saw, even with 9 people on a relatively small boat, we still had times where we were short of enough manpower. Certainly a tough "first day ever sailing" and they much more that met the challange.
In the first day's 3 races we got a 6th, 5th, 7th - out of 7 boats.
Sunday 2 races:
We came back out on day 2 with some repairs made (and crew injuries tended to - ice on a swollen knee.) We opened that day with a 3rd place (our series highpoint.)
In the last race we were bringing up the rear. That bringing up the rear put us in the perfect position to view the other boats ahead of us. It also put us "right there" when a boat ahead of us flicked a crew member off into the water during their gybe (change of direction.) We promptly tossed a life ring to the guy in the water and dropped our sails to turn toward his rescue. On our way back to him we hailed a small powerboat which quickly went to the guys aid and held onto him until his regular boat returned for him.
We finished that race at 6th which netted us a last place finish for the overall.
It was still a great time and included two additional days with sailing from Marina del Rey to Long Beach on Friday and back to Marina del Rey. Luckily, those additional two days were not as heavy weather.
Home around midnight last night and playing catch-up with work today.
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