Pinocchio is participating in the Banderas Bay Regatta!

The BBR takes place over three days, has several race courses, skirting both sides of Banderas Bay, all ending along the beachfront of Puerto Vallarta. The course for each Class is announced at the start of each day's race.

Pinocchio is racing in the "Crusing Class for boats under 45ft". There are six boats in our class, all over 38ft. Each boat is given a handicap rating which is applied to actual elapse time. Oddly enough, little Pinocchio has to "give time" to most of the boats we are racing against, a Jeanneau, Beneteau, and Erickson, all with longer water lines! If it's a light air day, we are lighter in weight and do well; however, any wind, and we are waterlined by the big boys! So, all this means, we need to sail smarter and strategically, make no mistakes, take no prisoners!

Pinocchio has a crew of 4 aboard. David, Susan, and our sailing friends, John and Diane Dinwiddie, (SV Tabu Soro, Richmond Yacht Club).

The first race was on Thursday, a light air day, and a 12 nautical mile course. We placed 2nd to the Erickson.

Yesterday, a 15 nautical mile course was more of a pursuit race, with all boats racing the same course. With a bit more wind than Race #1, Pinocchio and crew had to get creative. We were the only ones in our class to fly the spinnaker, close reach along the beachfront of PV, to the last mark!

All in all, we did well with handling the jib/spinnaker changes going around the marks. With the exception of our "photo finish" rounding the last mark before the finish line! John and Susan were on foredeck, David and Diane handing the jib sheets. It turned out to be a tangle of sheets, halyards and every other line on the boat! We lost at least a minute and provided entertainment for the committee boat, and comedy material for the photographer at the leeward mark.

We came in third, but with corrected time, placed fourth for Race #2. Overall, our standing is in third place.

Today is the last race day! We don't know the course yet. Our strategy today? Have fun!