EXCITING NEWS!! There are 4 RJYC Members participating in the Pineapple Race from Miami to Montego Bay Andrew Thwaites, Peter J. Gibson, Scott...

Last night's Moonlight Race.... (as Told by Stephanie J)

Not really a race report.

But gives some insight into how we on Steffi have evolved a rock solid training programme for new crew ...

Looking back from Steffi just after the now customary "mournful goat" start - unusual sight for Steffi crew who are immediately suspicious that the skipper's done something wrong...

 

Close quarters up the first windward leg...

 

Carnage! Mayhem! Bedlam!

Terrorism comes to the Sundowners!

Commotion at sea!  Riots at dying goat starter 'arn!

Of the six boats that intended to race, only four actually made it to Pigeon Island. The light to no-breeze conditions on Saturday forced Picante to turn back to the club while Getweh never left the berth (smart move). The four intrepid competitors Blue J, Harry Hirsch, Stephanie J, and Chen rafted together & had a great time with Blue J’s gallon of V/X Rum.

It can sound repetitive...  But what a great weekend at Manatee!

Morning time raft-up...

Blissful sail down, untold pleasures while there, a vivid and vibrant debate about ferrets, and a tight race back.

All the right ingredients.   Wonderful trip...

But it got me thinking....

Some say, "Look - you don't need to sail all the way down to Manatee to drink some rum and have a chat about ferrets".

Well, I beg to differ.

Independence Regatta: August 4-6, 2012

Day 1 - Regatta Race 1

Seven cruisers hit the line on Day 1 (Sat) in the first race for an unusually light-winded start to the Regatta - Ernesto was warming up somewhere else. And how ironic - it's been blowing and blowing since mid-April and here we are on the first day of Regatta and no wind. So, unsurprisingly, no great drama in this shortened race with Blue J flying off in what wind there was and crossing the line ten minutes ahead of the next boat (Chen), and eight minutes ahead of Aurora on handicap with Steffi a close 18 seconds behind.

 

 

Aurora coasting along to Windward...

It was the last Sundowner in the series....  

Race number 7, and the wind gods were spitting fire - we saw 34 knots across the bow at one point.
Five boats this time. No Aurora, no Getaway - even the Hirsch had gone missing. But Picante was back deploying a unique "keep-me-out-of-the-shallows" routine called - who knows why - Hardley Lewin. (Curious name, that – Not Quite Lewin... Almost Lewin...). Anyway, seemed to work... And Mystique was back and sailing beautifully, but also with a damaged main.

Race 6 in the Sundowner Race had a couple of background stories, not least being whether or not Picante would stay clear of the shallow bits, whether Gallivant would get through a race without breaking a sail, and whether the bucket on Aurora’s keel would start taking effect. Well, Picante failed to make the start line – nothing to do with the shallow bits – and no, Gallivant still has trouble getting through a race without a tear or two, and No, that damn bucket still isn’t working on Aurora. How is that boat going so fast?

Mystique also failed to make the start line citing something more important to do…