Century Club: Mario Santana

Thursday, August 1, 2024
Number of days:
1 day
  • Not a lot of shade in this little boat!
  • My ugly mug

Took the P15 out for a practice sail.  Very different experience from a rainbow, hard to get a nice crisp tack even after 10 or 20 reps they were pretty sloppy.  If you have a problem, and the solution is to sail more, do you really have a problem after all?  :)  I'll be back on the P15 soon.

Wednesday, July 31, 2024
Number of days:
1 day
  • Beautiful sunny afternoon before the storms came out of nowhere.
  • Rain in the Bay.
  • The winds blew a tree down on top of this unfortunate car

Was going to be a quick P15 solo to warm up before racing, but Nate was available so we took a rainbow out.  Got caught in a bit of rain after a few practice maneuvers, hauled butt back to dock through a bit of rain, well clear of thunder that picked up in spite of clean radar.

Thunder was bad enough that races were cancelled but the SG team had a great time breaking bread at pirates cove.

Tuesday, July 30, 2024
Number of days:
1 day
  • My ugly mug

A pleasant couple of hours in 12-15kn practicing maneuvers, starts, v roundings, etc.  Yellow Chinook was fast and sailed well.

Monday, July 29, 2024
Number of days:
1 day
  • Heeling hard!
  • Fearless crew

An exciting series of races after a short solo warmup.  Our lookout didn't notice Sharqi (and her lookout didn't notice us) so we rubbed rails.  I was more focused on racing than I should have been, I should have sat in the back and gotten better control of the boat.  Lesson learned. 

Still a great evening on the water!

Sunday, July 28, 2024
Number of days:
1 day
  • The fearless crew
  • G and me
  • Peak sunset

Great conditions, great crew - including G who drove and strategized amazingly! - for a 1,3,3,3 score, in spite of sailing in Chinook the Yellow Knockabout and mostly terrible starts and even running aground in race 2.  Proud of this performance by this crew, great communication, great results, and still plenty of lessons learned.

Saturday, July 27, 2024
Number of days:
1 day
  • A snug fit for two!

A lecture and some practice with the Prevision 15.  Fun little boat!

Friday, July 26, 2024
Number of days:
1 day
  • Funny faces
  • Drive the boat!

Went with C&C for a quick getaway on the Getaway.  Hippie Chic sailed great, C got some skippering practice, everyone got wet, and then we went for burger at Adam's.

Not crazy wind, but he got the windward hull up out of the water a few times.

Wednesday, July 24, 2024
Number of days:
1 day
  • Rail Meat!
  • Skipper's focused

Beautiful evening in the West River, racing on Specific Gravity with G.

After a solid set and a great downwind start, SG started near the front of the pack, leading the race at times.  However, we fumbled gybes and the set to place 5th out of 8.  Much learning occurred.

Tuesday, July 23, 2024
Number of days:
1 day
  • Chasing puffs in variable winds

Fun little jaunt to practice solo tacks, chase down the Chessies, and do a little wing on wing.  It's been a while since I did a solo, I noticed real improvement on all counts.

Monday, July 22, 2024
Number of days:
1 day
  • Out there racing against every John, Dick, and Mario
  • Is this ... A double rainbow?

I don't know what they did to Diablo tonight, but she was sliding through the water like a greased pig. We won every race by ridiculous margin, in spite of really really good sailing by at least a few other boats. I'll take the win, though.  :D

It was a nice variety of conditions, not too puffy, but shifty in the sense that the wind came in slightly different directions at different locations of the course. It was an unusual easterly wind prevailing, so maybe that's how it is in an easterly at the mouth of the severn. 

Kudos to John, who finished 103 last week and for whom this was his first sail outside of class.

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