DId some touch up on the i550. Then launched a paddle to sling a few lures in the water. In the exact same spot where I hooked the rockfish last week, I landed one of the bigger pickerels I've ever caught, easily 28 to 30 inches. Catch and release though.
Cattle egrets have arrived on the river, and seem pretty tame in that they allowed me very close proximity. (not apparent in this photo, which really looks photshopped but isn't)
Late season Friday night (yes, it did turn into night) Race Committee task on Inc. We set the course, sent folks off (approx 6-7 boats) and dove into dinner. The food on Inc. is always amazing (BBQ from Dickey's). By the time the 5th or 6th boat finished, we could not see the pin. Thankfully there was a fresh set of batteries in the flashlight on board. It's an interesting transition to race at BCYA one night and do race committee on the Magothy in the same week. There are some powered up race boats in the city, whereas the CSC fleet was enitely composed of stately cruisers and I assume a lot of them are very new to racing.
Fun night and good to be back on Inc. I think this season has been my lowest number of races on Inc. since maybe 2010?
Went down to get the water from Ophelia out of the boat, but took a rod with me in case the tide was high. It was quite high, in fact.
I really hadn't planned on fishing, did not bring anything other than a rod that had a jig/paddletail already on it. I figured I'd fish until I lost the lure. Did not anticipate two large white perch and a striper just maybe a quarter inch less than 19 inches, and I didn't have a stringer with me. So it was basically just a catch-and-release day, which was fine with me.
Ugly prerace condits with a quick rainstorm that brought 15-18 kn, which is not our sweet spot. Comments were, as the foulies went on, "this feels more like frostbiting!" But the clouds passed and the breeze settled into 5-8, which completely is our sweet spot. Finished more than 4 minutes ahead of the nearest boat. Probably got us a bullet. Great ending to a fun series.
Friday afternoon, another club member and I took a spin around the mooring field to see if anyone's boat looked "under-prepared." Out of maybe 30? Only two or three looked vulnerable.
We took the inflatable back in and I launced a kayak to head out and see what might be a better solution. I texted the owners, both answered to say please, go ahead and improve! So I brailed a main cover that was probably not going to survive 35-40 prolonged and put a stout backup line on another boats' mooring pennant because the one they'd use looked very, very underspeced.
All-in-all, it looked like the mooring field never really saw much wind. It's a hurricane hole for sure. But it's better to be over prepared than under. At least in my way of thinking.
Odd night in that our preferred conditions 6-8 kn did not happen until the last leg, an upwind finish off Ft McH. Beautiful night though. We've noticed this bulk ore carrier a couple times this season. I'd love to know how those two structures work above the deck. Apparently they are on a track, as when we were coming in one sounds some signals, warnings I guess like a Fedex truck does when in reverse, and it started rolling very slowly aft.
And someone suggested a brief meeting at the marina (on sailing business unrelated to BCYA)as it was convenient and on their travel route. If you like screaming at someone 18 inches away and still not being heard or understood, then sure, a meeting at MarineMax makes a lot of sense.
Helicopters are not quiet.
Shoved off for a stint on the i550. Breeze was one of those 5-15 days from the north. I've come to the realization that singlehanding the boat is almost impossible with the systems I have in place. Jib only is fine, and the boat will go to weather under jib alone. But my jib sheets are too short and too small and too hard on the hands.
While struggling with the crappy sheets, Mr. Price went by in his gorgeous IOD. The boat just glided by, seemingly providing a comfortable, effortless sail under complete control. I need a keelboat instead of this crazy planing speedster. I'm ready to plod along, comfortably.
Fun night in a breeze 2-3 knots higher than our sweet spot. But I think we still grabbed a 3rd. Great spin run up to finish at "FM" (BCYA C) and we ooched out enough distance to correct over a few boats that we most likely would've lost if the breeze hadn't bumped up a couple of kn on the finishing leg.
BCYA needs a reminder of the definition of "Finish." They seem to think the entire boat must cross the line.
Motor only delivery, prior to NAS Oxford Race, mostly under autohelm. But a nice day nonethelss.
Not a long paddle but a good one. Hung out in the lee of Cedar Island to assess conditions. As usual it was the early afternoon build, the same one that dies just before weeknight races start. It was blowing maybe 15-18 puffs to 20, so the paddle out was tough. But the ride back in was special, downwind in waves.