2013 Sippy Cup

[THECUSCUS]

Come on my fellow Mac owner's, get in on this exciting, fun, laid back race.

Friday Evening August 2nd 2013 –
Saturday Afternoon August 3rd 2013
This is an overnight regatta, held the same weekend as the Governor’s Cup.
Three Fleets – Regatta, Sippy Cup, and Big Gulp. The Regatta Fleet is open to any sailboats – entrants are sailing for fun and bragging rights, will not be scored and there is no trophy. Sippy Cup boats must have a PHRF rating of 220 or higher. Big Gulp boats must have a PHRF rating of 160-219. If you don’t have a PHRF rating, contact us and we’ll determine where you belong.
Race Course – North East River Red #2 off Rocky Point to 4s Flashing Green #91 of the main shipping channel, approx. ½ mile south of the main span of the Bay Bridge.
Hosted by Walden Rigging, this is primarily a regatta "fun race" encouraging small boats and everyone else to gain experience sailing at night.
Post-race party and awards (1st place for Sippy Cup and 1st place for Big Gulp) in Eastport – we recommend making slip reservations and spending the night. Bring some food to share and BYOB. Let’s celebrate our overnight sailing accomplishment together!
[FONT=Courier New,Courier New][FONT=Courier New,Courier New]Entry fee $10 – entries due by 7/12/13.
For more information and an entry form, contact
Suzanne and Dobbs at: [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Courier New,Courier New][FONT=Courier New,Courier New][FONT=Courier New,Courier New]waldenrigging @earthlink.net
[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Courier New,Courier New][FONT=Courier New,Courier New]or 410.441.1913.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New,Courier New][FONT=Courier New,Courier New].[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New,Courier New][FONT=Courier New,Courier New]Race pictures and video by one of last years participants.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New,Courier New][FONT=Courier New,Courier New]https://sites.google.com/site/sailingonkonig/home/sippy-cup-2012
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[Doc_holiday]

We are all signed up. We didn't know what class we fit in so we wrote a note for them to assign us either big gulp or sippy cup.

I think we'll trailer to Annapolis on the 1st and spend the night and wake up early to motor/sail up to the start lime where we can rest for the afternoon. We'll be heavy with 4 crew but that's ok. We are very excited as long as I don't make any real bonehead moves like the other day. Last year with the fractional set up I had a topping lift, this year with the masthead rig I hung the boom from the backstay. Well I had a difficult time pointing and my main was really no good, it was when we were coming back in I realized I never unhooked the boom from the backstay... Sheesh. Glad it wasn't windy!

 

[THECUSCUS]

Glad to hear you're in Doc! Where are you going to stay in Annapolis? The post race party (sat night) is going to be at Port Annapolis Marina. Do you carry enough fuel to make it from Annapolis to the start? roughly 40 miles, depending on where you start from. Reason I ask is that fuel stops up at the start are few and far between and its a good possibility you will have to motor the whole way up to make it in time (typical light winds from the south means you stand a good chance of a slow downwind run). Let me know if you need any local knowledge. You will def be in the Sippy class.

http://portannapolis.reachlocal.com/?scid=1639901&kw=447418:120182&pub_cr_id=4027685033

 

[Doc_holiday]

Oh my guess is we'll stay at a hotel in Annapolis (The Admiral is less than excited about sleeping on the boat and I am a huge fan of air conditioning). As for fuel, we will probably have to bring extra with us because we only have a 3 gallon tank. We considered dropping in up near the start but would have to motor back up after the race or play games with cars. Maybe we should put in somewhere between? What say you? We do have another couple that will be sailing with us... We figured we needed to handicap Ohana so we don't blow the rest of you out of the water.. Haha.

 

[THECUSCUS]

Doc, there are plenty of put ins up at the top. Havre de Grace would save you the $15 toll on I95 to cross the Susquehanna River. If you do cross, there are also afew put ins in the North East MD area (my marina included). Due west of your #3 waypoint is Middle River, its a highly populated area with many marinas (and hotels). North of that on the western shore is Aberdeen Proving Grounds (off limits) until you get to Havre de Grace. On the eastern shore, there is even less. A couple marinas way up the Sassafras River, Rock Hall has some for sure (maybe PIOTR can give advise here), but anything on the eastern shore would def increase you driving times as there is no good (fast) way to get anywhere. Staying in the Annapolis area and motor/sail to the start would probably be the best way. Check out the location of the Port Annapolis marina so you can get a place close bye (maybe even launch there???).
Do you have a spotlight on board? very useful on a race like this (to check sail tim and also to light up your sails incase you think a stinkpot doesn't see ya!)

 

[THECUSCUS]

Doc, don't know if you ever used this website , but it is great for finding info on marinas and anchorages.

https://activecaptain.com/

 

[Doc_holiday]

I'm thinking its 40ish miles by water to the start line. If I average 4 knots that's about 4.6 mph so it will take 8 1/2 - 9 hours to get there. If I can get that up to 5 knots (5.8 mph) I should get there in 6 1/2-7 hours. It's either before the race or after.

I did talk to the other couple and we talked about leaving one car at Annapolis and trailering to Havre de Grace and then making the drive up to get the empty van and trailer after the race.

Seems odd to have a race where the start and finish are so far apart but oh well. Maybe Tom has a spinnaker we can use for the trip up from Annapolis. I know we can't and would not use it for the race but just getting there. We'll see. I have a few buddies up that way, I may see if one will take our van and trailer down for us.

Took the boat out of the rappahanock today and brought it home. Still have bottom work to do.

 

[Piotr]

Doc, I make that trip twice a year (Chesapeake City to Rock - only 5 miles shorter). It takes 3 gals. of fuel minimum (6 hp OB). Check the tides. This May we made from the CD Canal to Rock Hall in 5.5 hours (motoring plus 8kts wind from NE). The tidal currents can be in excess of 2.3 kts in either direction. Also, count on the winds from anywhere from SE to SW, so you are likely going to be beating all the way to Annapolis.
Of course, TheCuscus has way more experience than me in terms of making that trip at night, but I'm thinking you need 6 gals. of fuel to be on the safe side.

 

[Doc_holiday]

My buddy who is crewing with us lives in Breezy Point, MD. He said we could drop in at his place and motor up as far as we want on the 1st maybe to Baltimore, enjoy the harbor and finish the trip to the starting line on the 2nd. I don't know for sure but he said breezy point is like 2.5 hours by sail to Annapolis. Wouldn't cost me any thing. Also I have a meeting planned for a bunch of customers in Baltimore for the last day in July so we'll see. I figure my 9.9 2 stroke Mercury will use about 1.5 gal per hour so we'll plan for fuel. Thanks for all the advice.

Got the email today from Walden. Looks like there are 5 boats counting Whimsy so far in the Sippy Cup. We still have another 3 weeks.

 

[Piotr]

Three reasons I can't go:
1) My son has an Opti regatta Aug 2;
2) The Admiral said "No way we are going sailing at night!"
3) See #2.

 

[Doc_holiday]

It's too bad it isn't a full moon, you could argue that it won't be "that dark". Tell her I scanned the bay for pirates and there were none.

 

[Piotr]

It's too bad it isn't a full moon, you could argue that it won't be "that dark". Tell her I scanned the bay for pirates and there were none.

LOL! I think she is more worried about my lack of night-sailing skills and a lack of bathroom/shower...

 

[THECUSCUS]

Piotr, you should take her out on the water some night. She will be amazed at how good the visibility actually is. It's very calm and peaceful. If the wind is descent, you should be able to be showering in about 12 hours at the marina.

 

[Piotr]

Piotr, you should take her out on the water some night. She will be amazed at how good the visibility actually is. It's very calm and peaceful. If the wind is descent, you should be able to be showering in about 12 hours at the marina.

I know. I'm working on it. In a couple of years I might just take my son (he'll be 15 then) and just go... :stirthepot:

 

[Doc_holiday]

This will be our first time sailing at night as well as our first race so I have a buddy and his wife joining us. I know it's additional weight but we don't have any preconceived notions that we are going to win. My buddy has experience at night and knows the Chesapeake better than I. It just seemed like a good idea. They can always chunk me overboard if we are too heavy.

It doesn't look like I will have my bottom painted by the time we race so it's a good thing it will be dark so no one has to look at my blue and grey bottom. My schedule is just too hectic. I have to go to NC next week and Colorado the week after. Usually my summers are easy.

I was going to start some trash talk about how I better get the stern polished and clean so everyone had a good view of us out front all night but seeing how I don't know everyone's sense of humor I decided against it. Besides it would come back to haunt me when I am 2 miles behind everyone. Maybe I better focus on getting my bow cleaned up.

 

[THECUSCUS]

If the wind is up, you'll be glad you have the extra weight for rail meat! Last year Whimsey and Miss AdVenture were dueling neck and neck at 4am in a good 15knts. I put both my crew on the rail (Whimsey had only 2 total) and we could point better and pulled ahead and crossed the finish first (Whimsey won though on corected time by about 3 minutes). Just make sure all your lights are in proper working order and maybe look over the commercial nav light section of the regs (there can be some tug/barge traffic to deal with). We all monitor our radios, and talking is ok. The boats are all pretty evenly rated and we're usually in visible contact for most of the race.

 

[Doc_holiday]

What's the corrected time? Is that part of the PHRF handicap?

I just hope I don't forget to take the boat off the trailer.

 

[THECUSCUS]

It's the adjusted time based on the PHRF rating of each boat. Whimsey's rating is 258 and Miss AdVenture's rating is 228, so for every mile I need to be 30 seconds or more ahead of them to beat them. It's about a 35 mile race, so I would need to finish 17 minutes or more ahead of them to win. I only was like 13 minutes head so they beat me on corrected time.

 

[Doc_holiday]

Wow and I have a 222! According to the sheet. OHANA is going to have fly!

Note to self: don't make any bonehead moves

 

[THECUSCUS]

You can see here that they used the average rating for you.

http://offshore.ussailing.org/Assets/Offshore/PHRF/High+Low+Mean+PHRF+Handicaps.pdf