Stayed up at the YC the night before after a great dinner. Got the boat about 10am. It had been moved down from Clear Lake the day before, saving the crew a 3 hour delivery. Spent an hour+ going over every pin, line, and rigging and system. Found one of the bow lights were out, which pissed of the owner (JB) because he inspected the day before. That’s why we look. Anyway now a quick trip to WM for him while we swapped the 150 for the blade based on forecast. Boat getting read to rock, ‘Buddy’ gives the high sign.
On the way out of the cut we are watching the wind forecast and planning our route, The easterly wind is supposed to veer in the middle of the night, so we plan to be above the rhumb line when we get pushed down. The big question is when the front hits. It’s planning for right around our projected finish time, With breeze dying before going hard 180 and building to 35+ knots.
We also feel the current breeze is lighter than expected, so we swap the blade back to the 150.
We are the smallest boat in ORC, something I hate. Ratings aside, it seems the bad things always happen to the slowest boat in a rating band. Anyway our plan is to NAIL the pin (on port), not letting any boat be windward to steal our wind and roll us. We pull that off. After a few miles close hauled to gain height and hold off boats, we crack off to our planned course (220-240 depending) and set up a reaching sheet. Soon holding 8-5 to 10.5 knots on a jib reach. Total blast driving thru the waves with the boat on a plane. We have a 3-driver rotation, me, Buddy, and JB. We got Mudd on the bow, and Russell as trim/utility. Like the 10 knots here.
Soon the sun sets, and we’re blasting through the slower fleets in the waves, darkness, boats and drilling gear. Breeze around 20, wave height hard to tell, but when the driver misses the correct line the entire crew gets soaked. Every now and then we get cell coverage and we get a peek at our position. We’re flying. Sailing the boat pretty much on the edge. All three drivers doing a great job.
Just before sunrise (6:45am) and we are twenty miles out. The wind is down a bit, but they waves are still big. We not racing the fleet anymore, we’re racing the convergence zone that will hit us before the actual front does.
Ugh. We miss winning the whole damn thing (Bacardi Cup) by 15 minutes. A mile before the finish, the breeze simply turns off, and we bob in the waves. No way to keep any sail filled. 90 minutes later, the wind does a full 180 and builds to 25 out of the NWN. We rocket down to the line and finish, but the no way we can catch any boat that finished before the lull. So 6th. The front comes in HARD, and we fly (10 knots under main alone) towards the jetty. Buddy driving, me on main, everyone else on the rail. A wave sweeps the boat and pops every vest on the rail. Everyone on the boat has since ordered a deckvest. We get in and put the boat away. I think I got 15 minutes of sleep the night before. The J105 was NOT set up well for sleeping. But what fun!
JB rented a huge beach house fore the crew, and his wife came down and showered us with Texas hospitality. While rugged on the water, we didn’t suffer on shore. Hot tub and full bar at all times. And tons of boat swag. Well done JB!
Finally the awards after the rum party. What a great team. Loved this regatta!
(L to R) Mudd, Buddy, JB, Clay, Russell