Had to use my powerboat to tow my Harbor 20 sailboat from our home up the Severn River down to Annapolis on Friday night to be able to participate in Saturday's Leukemia Cup charity regatta. Wind was 12-15 mph from the South, which was easy to motor into but would have taken us forever to short-tack through to get to Annapolis -- hence the use of our powerboat to tow the sailboat. Everything proceeded fine until we got below the Naval Academy Bridge, whereupon the huge powerboat wakes reflected off the Naval Academy and bounced us all over the place, as if we were in a washing machine. Manuvered through the mooring fields, which were pretty full given that it was a warm Friday evening, but luckily Annapolis Yacht Club's Sailing Center was in a bit of a lull -- we arrived after the beer can racing started, but before they returned. Got our Harbor 20 battened down and then had a wonderful 30 mph run back up the Severn!
Century Club: Richard Turman
I've raced in Leukemia Cup every year since I started racing my Harbor 20 sailboat in 2015, and our fleet routinely gets 20+ boats on the line for this event. It is well-worth moving my Harbor 20 the seven miles down the Severn to the race area to be able to compete in a one-design fleet several times a year, but it takes advance logistical work. I have to use my powerboat to tow my sailboat boat down the night before, which this year was Friday, June 18. On Thursday, June 17 I had to go fill up my powerboat so it would have enough gas for the roundtrip -- since it only had 1/4 of a tank, not having filled up since August, 2020.
Had a nice evening ride down to Smith's Marina into 10-12 mph winds from the South, filled her up, and had a beautiful return run. A nice evening all around!
Third race of the 2nd series for the Round Bay Sailing Association. We had 10-15 mph winds from the West, which was not from that usual a direction and was pleasantly robust for mid-June. And it was only 80 degrees, with no rain! We luckily had 4 in the boat, my usual crew plus my brother who was visiting from MN. With gusts well about 15, it was great to have the fourth body on the upwind legs. We went from B to E to B to E and finished at B. Our spin runs actually went fairly well; we were not overpowered at all. We only ended up 12th out of 19 starters since the higher wind hit the sweet spots for the bigger boats in the fleet. But had a wonderful night!
Finally got off work around 7 p.m., and then got on the sailboat about 7:20. Since sunset today isn't until 8:50, that left plenty of time for sailing! Wind 7-9 from the South gave me more to work with than I'd expected, so I ran a course from E to B to V and back downwind to E. A beautiful evening out there, with no other sailboats and only 3-4 powerboats, so very little wakes. Delightful!
Didn't leave the dock until 7:30 p.m amidst cloudy skies and 10 mph winds from the S, but since sunset isn't until 8:30 these days, that was fine.
After riding out Valentine Creek to check out the Severn River, it was clearly better to stay in protected waters, so I headed back in and headed up Plum Creek.
The surprise came when I was passing a two-story dock where two young me (early 20's) were jumping off the second level, into the water. They flagged me down and one of them then said that he couldn't swim back to the Arden beach across the way, from whence he'd come, saying he was light-headed, and asked me to tow him. I said sure, and he hopped in the water and grabbed the web strap off the back of my kayak and I towed him to the beach. Guessing its about 200-250 yards or so.
The contrast between kayaking myself and doing it towing a 5'10" young man was remarkable. I'm glad I've built up some kayaking stamina, since all of a sudden it was really hard going. I felt like runners must feel with 20 pound weights strapped to their legs -- hard to go foward. We made it across, though, and once he could stand up in the shallow water of the beach, he was very, very appreciative.
I headed back and asked his buddy, who had recommenced diving off the second story of the dock, if he wanted a ride, but he declined. I went up to the headwaters of Plum Creek, and when I returned, he again said he didn't need a ride, but did jump into the water and start swimming. There were two powerboats headed into the creek at about this time, and given that it was about 8 p.m. under cloudy skies and he had dark hair, I was worried that the powerboats might not see him, so paddled right next to him for the duration of his swim.
Not the quiet evening paddle I'd expected!
Although it looked like we'd have a T-storm right before our 6:15 start, radar models showed that we'd be fine, so we headed out and the RC set up a good race on Round Bay to start off the end of Long Point, at Mark V. We headed off in 5 mph winds from the South, and five minutes into the race the wind picked up to 15-18 with higher gusts as we were headed to the bottom of Round Bay, to mark C. We hugged the starboard shore, and in the lee of the headland we were no longer over-powered, so had a good run up to C. After rounding the mark, we had to decide to go wing and wing or put up the spinnaker. After about 100 yards, we launched the spin, and hung on. The wind had moderated to around 10-12, so we had a good run down to A, sailing low angles and only having to jibe twice. Dropped the spin and had a good rounding at A, and then lost much of our wind as we headed up to C. Decent run back to A from C, coming over the line in the middle of the fleet.
Although it looked like we'd have a T-storm right before our 6:15 start, radar models showed that we'd be fine, so we headed out and the RC set up a good race on Round Bay to start off the end of Long Point, at Mark V. We headed off in 5 mph winds from the South, and five minutes into the race the wind picked up to 15-18 with higher gusts as we were headed to the bottom of Round Bay, to mark C. We hugged the starboard shore, and in the lee of the headland we were no longer over-powered, so had a good run up to C. After rounding the mark, we had to decide to go wing and wing or put up the spinnaker. After about 100 yards, we launched the spin, and hung on. The wind had moderated to around 10-12, so we had a good run down to A, sailing low angles and only having to jibe twice. Dropped the spin and had a good rounding at A, and then lost much of our wind as we headed up to C. Decent run back to A from C, coming over the line in the middle of the fleet.
Spent an hour mid-day at 90 degrees and very little wind out on the kayak in Valentine Creek. Very diferent from the last time I was out. First, all the boats have had their shrink-wrap removed. Second, the water was way over 70 degrees. Third, the water had lots of swimming (or previously swimming...) cicadas in it, which it didn't the last time I was out -- and likely won't again for the next 17 years. Very worthwhile to get out on the water in the kayak, which I'd not used much at all since the sailboat was launched in April. Lots and lots of powerboat traffic -- probably two dozen boats during the hour I was out, which is such a difference from previous kayak trips. Luckily, since it was the weekend, so they were staying under 6 mph as required, which helped. A beautiful time, actually -- just different than my earlier kayak trips!
Spent an hour mid-day at 90 degrees and very little wind out on the kayak in Valentine Creek. Very diferent from the last time I was out. First, all the boats have had their shrink-wrap removed. Second, the water was way over 70 degrees. Third, the water had lots of swimming (or previously swimming...) cicadas in it, which it didn't the last time I was out -- and likely won't again for the next 17 years. Very worthwhile to get out on the water in the kayak, which I'd not used much at all since the sailboat was launched in April. Lots and lots of powerboat traffic -- probably two dozen boats during the hour I was out, which is such a difference from previous kayak trips. Luckily, since it was the weekend, so they were staying under 6 mph as required, which helped. A beautiful time, actually -- just different than my earlier kayak trips!
Light wnd from the W all day. Had a brief staff meeting out on Fiona mid-day with my team from work, but had to retreat after about an hour when an errant rain cloud starting spitting at us. Got back and covered the boat up before any rain came in earnest, which it looked like was going to happen. But never did!
Went out after work with my sister to light winds from the W, and we just beam reached through Round Bay from N to S and back multiple times over a 3 hour period. Was over 80 degrees, but late enough in the day with just enough wind to be just fine. Delifghtful opportunity to catch up!