Century Club: Richard Turman

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!

Winds were 13-15 at the start, and built during the race, to be an even 15, per the RC.  All from the South, so we started at A and tacked South to C.  Stayed to the left side of the course, but with only three of us in the boat, got knocked a lot and had to ease main to reduce heel.  Let traveller out mid to all of the way, dependimg on wind intensity.  Once we rounded C, went wing and wing for about 100 yards, and then decided to deploy the spinnaker.  The highest wind we'd ever surfed in, and we were able to control it, but we only jibed once, since control was not that great.  Spent most of our time dead down wind since if we were above that we had issues staying in control.  Team Fiona has really improved, though, to the point that we were able to even entertain puttng up the spin in such wnd.  Dowsed early since there was a parade of big boats headed for A and we didn't want to be in that mess with a spin up and very little control.  Had to jibe anyway to round A, and then tacked fairly soon to get back upwind to B.  Contemplated raising the spin again on the way back to A, but it was a beam reach, and we were able to go 5.8-6 without it, and with that wind, it was too much for a spin.  Came acros 12th, and corrected over several boats to end up 10th out of 16 boats who started.  Not as good as last week, where we were 2nd, but that was mostly a fluke -- the good news is that we beat all the otherr boats in our start.  Job well done by Team Fiona, especially given that we were late arriving -- got there during the starting sequence, which started at 6:10 -- right on time.

Rainy and cold (high of 54! )on Friday and Saturday and Sunday of Memorial Day weekend.  Monday finally heated up to low 70's.  After spending the afternoon helping hang things on the wall at my daughter's apartment, got home at 7, and then took the sailboat out.  Sailed until after sunset, and then came in.  Nice breeze from the South.  Gotta love summer sailing!