Century Club: Tim Ford

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Tuesday, October 21, 2025
Number of days:
1 day
Oct 20 - Gunpowder Day
  • close thing to a pier
  • closer thing to a fishing pier upstream^
  • Diving board upstream

Decided to go up to Almost Pennsylvania and flog the water with various flies.  Day ON the water?  I think so.  And a day IN the water for parts of it. 

The nearest thing to "fishing from a pier" was from that giant snag in one of the photos.  Unfortuantely, my balance ain't what it used to be and I did visit the stream, when I fell off that snag. 

Luckily, it was just only slightly above my knees.  Cold though!

So yeah, a soggy day without fish and that's OK. The sheer thrilling beauty of the stream this time of year made fish unnecessary.  A day IN and ON the water. 

 

 

 

Saturday, October 11, 2025
Number of days:
1 day
Oct 11 - 8 bells GFC

A brilliant sail up to the remains of The Key Bridge.

Spread a little ashy remains off Jaz Point in honor or dear departed friend, Garry.  A tiny cupfull of water polution maybe, but Garry did much much more for the Cheapeake watershed. His homestead alone was a testiment to storm water run-off abatement,  RIP our dear friend.

Friday, October 10, 2025
Number of days:
1 day
Oct 10 - fish on

Well, one fish and a few strikes.  Biggest white perch yet, but I did not get it into the kayak, which is just as well because I only fish C&R.  Ostensible purpose was to make sure my mooring line wasn't twisted up, in anticipation of the NE'er this weekend.  But it was good to fish, even though the tide had turned to ebb, which is usually death to fishing in BH creek.

Wednesday, October 8, 2025
Number of days:
1 day
Oct 8 - MRSA Awards
  • future dink project
  • Front coming through
  • Heyday gets more swag

Spent the day on RAINBOW digging into wiring and other small repairs. Took some measurements to add some more surface area in the dinghy's stern so that the stuff I schlepp out to the boat, on the mooring, stays dry and out of the soggy bilge. The cold front was working its way through the region and there were some puffs to 30 at GIYS.  RAINBOW was sailing around on her mooring like we were tacking through a narrow fairway. 

Then later, the MRSA End of Season Award Party on the PSA Deck.  Hoping the event elicits a few membership applications. 

Saturday, October 4, 2025 to Sunday, October 5, 2025
Number of days:
2 days
Oct 4 -5 PSA race to MYC

PRO for the race and hey, things worked out! 

We (I mean "I") made a couple of errors, including setting up the finish at the wrong mark, but everyone found the RC boat and everyone sailed the same course and distance.  No harm, no foul?

It looked bleak at the 1100 hrs rendez-vous at Balto Light, so we pulled anchor and motored up to "Y."  There is a god. The breeze filled in with a respectable 6-8 and we sent the fleet up to Craighill Light.  Against all odds, the breeze built to 10-12 and everyone enjoyed a lively DW run and two reaching legs into the finish line.

Our excellent hosts, MYC, put on a nice party and an terrific buffet.  We pulled out of Rock Creek for a gorgeous almost-full Moonlight sail back to the Magothy.  Spent the night on Hotel RAINBOW and woke to a misty morning.  Great weekend.

 

 

Thursday, October 2, 2025
Number of days:
1 day
Oct 2 - race prep

Went to the club to make sure we have all the boards and flags for our (and MYC's) PSA to MYC Race on Oct 4th.  Turns out we don't have any Patapsco River CBYRA Marks, so a race to the Big Box store for spray paint and plywood.  Rowed out to RAINBOW for brunch. One of those kinds of days you only see in Camden or Boulder, but here I was in Anne Arundel County.  Go fig.

Tuesday, September 30, 2025
Number of days:
1 day
Sept 30 - BCYA Series 4 Race 6

Sure gets dark early these days, but at least the sunsets are worth it.  We did OK, coulda done a lot better.  Bit more wind than our sweet spot but still a nice night out.

 

 

Saturday, September 27, 2025 to Sunday, September 28, 2025
Number of days:
2 days
Sept 27-28. Mayhem Weekend
  • Alberg 30s at their starting time
  • Enough breeze to race!
  • rain ended, amazing sunrise
  • hard to leave but coffee beckons

We did the Magothy Mayhem and put in a strong effort to validate the name of the race.  It's a pursuit race and we were doing very, very well by the 2nd mark. 

Only, we rounded it to port and the SI said it must be left to starboard. 

Another competitor was nice enough to hail us and let us know we'd screwed up...at that point we were not sure until we pulled up the SI on a cell phone and, sure 'nuff, it said round the mark to starboard! 

At that point we were many hundreds of yards downwind, with the kite up and so we did a quick douse, sorted out the spaghetti on the bow, put the genoa back up and sailed back to round the mark correctly. 

So, we didn't win and you know what?  That was fine. In my opinion, it was even better.  It made for a lot of laughs at the party (graciously hosted by PSA) and let other deserving folks take home some prizes and really, REALLY enjoy the day.  

A fun race and with the kind of vibes that should be a much larger part of racing! 

Spent the night in Hotel RAINBOW and stayed remarkably dry despite periods of intense rain.  Those repairs earlier this season paid off!  Gorgeous morning, too. 

Wednesday, September 24, 2025
Number of days:
1 day
Sept 24 - MRSA Series 5 Race 3

Man was it light.  We got lucky and noticed a bit of breeze just west of Dobbins.  We made it up there, ghosting along until we got into the zephyr and tacked on a layline to the first Mark, "A."

Luckily the RC decided:  1st - not to require 2X around the course and then: 2nd - the first Mark "A" is now the finish. 

It took us an hour to make the first mark and we were pretty much alone, took the gun, dropped sails and motored home. It was a pretty night. 

Tuesday, September 23, 2025
Number of days:
1 day
Sept 23 - BCYA Series 3 Race 4

I don't think I've ever seen the inner harbor as busy as this particular Tuesday evening. And I have spent an enormous amount of time on the water upstream from Fort Howard/Rock Creek (since I was a 6 year oild kid, including keeping a keelboat in two different locations upstream from Lazaretto Point). 

Car carriers, tugs and barges, fueling up a SeaLift ship ready to depart. Helicopters in and out. Bulk ore carriers geting unloaded. I guess it's a great indicator of a vibrant Baltimore Harbor economy and we should be glad to see all this activity.

But it sure as hell puts a different kind of slant on sailboat racing.  But, less we all forget, we are just out there for sh*ts and giggles...these folks are trying to earn a living.

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