Drove down Friday afternoon to find the batteries dead on seaBusiness, they had provided a full three years of use. After renewing those, everything worked great. Got in the water and gave the bottom a light scrub of fuzz off the bottom since the paint job was doing its thing since done last December. Attended the Skipper's meeting at RYC and caught up with some old friends, plus had dinner with Mom.

Saturday the wind was very light after blowing like crazy all week. So light I was able to even look at the 155% partly up just for grins. All I could secure for crew was Dennis, but it was all we needed. The wind slowly built to around 14 out of the East and Dennis and I showed up to the starting line for the two race regatta like we knew what we were doing. We had a fair start and our primary competitor in the All Sails class crossed the line in front of us, but we quickly caught and passed them going to windward. The Non-Spinn class started in front of us and we managed to work our way up the fleet. A straight downwind leg after rounding the mark plus we were a bit lazy to put up the Spinn as we should have heading back. Therefore, we finished about fourth overall and we thought 1st in class, but corrected time had the Just Chillin boat beat us by about four seconds.

The second race, we were more prepared and manuvered into position for a most excellent start hitting the line on the gun, right one Wing and a Prayer's stern. Great trimming by Dennis had us full speed at the gun and ahead of Just Chillin, and away we went. We were first to the windward mark ahead of Wing and a Prayer and the Non-Spinn class after passing everyone since they started again in front of us. We again were to old and lazy to fly the Spinn but worked the downwind leg with Wing and a Prayer passing us just before the downwind rounding, but that is a good thing for we thought it was a single lap race again. But when we saw Bill round the downwind mark and go back to windward, well lets just say that saved us. We quickly moved over, rounded to the correct side and back we raced to windward. This time rounding the windward mark and getting back to the finish line just behind Wing and a Prayer and more than twenty minutes in front of Just Chillin. We did secure first 1st in class this time and second overall.

What a great day on the water, the boat was fast the wind was great and we had a excellent time. Next race I plan to make is April 30, I hope. Always looking for crew, maybe better luck next time.

All for now.

Jon

It has been too long and I am getting anxious! Trivia, in the picture is one of my Dad's many boats from the 1970's. It was a Clipper Marine 21 and it was fast for that time. Can anyone guess what the name of this boat was?

I had a new bottom job done to seaBusiness in December by Hooking Bull. Those guys are so awesome. I spoke with Mark about pulling the mast this year and doing a few things that are really needed. I hope to do this but not sure when.

Plans are coming together to use the boat in March and April for some weekend sailing. Facebook me for details.

The following dates are races that I would like to and really hope to compete in:
April 3 Saturday "Aprils Fools Race" RYC
April 22 Friday "Move the boat to CCYC"
April 23 Saturday "Race from CCYC to Port A" MORF
April 24 Sunday "Fun sail back to Rockport from Port A"
May 8 Saturday "Two Handed Race" RYC
July 17 Saturday "Lighthouse Regatta" RYC
August 6 Friday "Move the boat to CCYC"
August 7 Saturday "Navy Days Regatta" CCYC
August 8 Sunday "Fun sail back to Rockport from NAS"

That is it for now. Of course if you would like to go drop me a call or hit me on facebook. Looking forward to the warm weather and warm water soon!

Jon

August 1, 2009

Arriving at the CCYC clubhouse the skipper's meeting was underway and after listening to the PRO, I saw another old friend that had offered to go with us, but until this morning I was unsure if he would show. I knew right away it was going to be a crazy day. John Brown was back and I am sure with him and Andy at this meeting, I would guess the guys in Corpus noticed. Seeing both of those guys was great and Andy had brought a friend from the Corpus area and a member of the MORF. I thought we could NOT be more competitive from a crew perspective than any other time the boat has participated, and that was a great feeling.

The Navy Air Station Corpus Christi Regatta was being held for the 47th time. My first one was in 1975 and I have missed many over the years, but made several the last few years in a row with last year's being very hard to top. The spirit of the US Navy running the show and the consistenly high turnout of boats, still remains the best event in South Texas during the dog days of August. I believe there were more than 45 boats at the line with five classes all going from the front of downtown Corpus to NAS Corpus Christi. It was very windy and we should have put a reef in the main but at the start we could carry it all, but the wind picked up speed soon after our slightly late start.,,oops. The off wind leg was great getting a shot at hitting 8 knots again like the day before but it was the final leg that was close hulled racing with the "Red Boat" from Corpus. (Pictured is Red Boat owned by Mr. Davis from Corpus) To me that is what makes it all worth the trouble, even though they continued right by us with their crispy sails. We finished fifth in our class out of six boats so I would say we did not have the right combination after all, but it was one of the most fun and most windy races I have ever participated. As always the food, drink and awards party was great at the NAS Luau. The crowd was big and loud and we had a great time. But it was the air coniditioning at the hotel that was the winner for the day and that was the best ending to a crazy day on the water in Corpus Christi.

I can only say "Thank You" to, Andy, John and Brandt, I learned a lot. See you guys at the next one.. number 48.

July 31, 2009

Took a day off and drove down early to Rockport, arrived and worked on the bottom. Got back in the car and drove to Corpus to meet my old friend from Rockport-moved away, Andy McMillan. We met on the T-head and then drove back to the boat in Rockport. Casted off around 2 to head out back to Corpus but this time by water. Since we are 40ft off the water we must take the Lydia Ann Channel to Port A and then West down the Corpus Ship Channel. We sailed up past IC marker 71 and then motor sailed almost to the Lighthouse. Turned the corner (picture shows the corner at Port A on a calm day) and turned off the motor averaging 7 knots, heading due West and using two hands to hold the tiller. When we hit the open water in Corpus Christi Bay the wind was howling at 30 and the waves were large for CC Bay. It felt like we were going to come out of the water as we caught a wave and Andy coached me on pumping the tiller to get the 7800lb surfboard planing for my first time since the waves are usually not big enough in Aransas Bay to really make it happen. We touched 9.5 knots a few times and this was under full Main and a 105% headsail. I must admit it was a little frightening as we ripped through the 'gap' into the Corpus harbor, doing about 7 knots.

Andy was great to catch up with and share the stories, plus since he owned a J29 once, had plenty of experiences to tell me about. The trip over was really fun and hot but the wind was crazy even though the boat seemed to really enjoy the action, much like a Sunfish would have acted, just heavier.

We moved the boat to Corpus to get in place to compete in the Navy Days regatta sponsored by the CCYC and BYC.

July 18, 2009

What a great weekend on the water in Rockport. I went Friday morning to Rockport and spent a few hours on the bottom trying to make it as race ready as possible. I think it paid off.

Saturday my crew showed up about 10 am with Heather our niece and her husband Ketch and son Chance. Ketch was going with us and first time to sail in Texas coming from Seattle. Also showing up was Dennis and his two helpers Tyler and Victoria. Finally, a blast from the past Hector Saucedo who I went to High School with and have not seen in twenty years.

We got loaded up and headed over to Port A for the RYC lighthouse regatta start. We arrived about noon and with the start at 2 we decided to go for a sail in the Gulf of Mexico. What a fantastic day in the Gulf with calm seas and a 15 knot breeze. We quickly lost track of time. So we had to motor sail back into the Jetties to make the start at the Port Aransas Lighthouse. We made it with 5 minutes to spare.

We did not get the best start since we were still getting our act together just before the start. We did get it going but were are at the back of the fleet. We managed to get our Spinn up and starting passing boats, that was fun. We kept our Spinn up going into Aransas Bay and carried it for about 3 miles. But after two very solid Broaches, we decided to douse the Spinn and put the Genoa back up. However, in doing so the sheet went flying off the sail and landed about 100 feet behind us, it was like in slow motion. Anyway we got the Spinn into the cabin and pole stowed and started racing again. We went Wing and Wing on the next leg, then back to Windward.

We finished under Wing and Wing but we managed to average about 6 knots in that configuration. By the end of the race we had moved from 17 out of 19 in the fleet at the start all the way up to 5th in the fleet and 2nd in our class, All Sails B. First place went to another J30, from Corpus who we look forward to seeing again real soon at the Navy Days weekend.

It was a very full day and we were exhausted by the end but everyone had a great time. Next time we need to bring more water!

June 19, 2009

Charles and I took seaBiz out after arriving late into Rockport with a 6 oclock start time. The wind was honking at +25 and it turns out the prop was basically a large barnacle at the end of a shaft. So the poor Yanmar really struggled to get us out of Little Bay, much less around the end of Rockport beach. But we put the Main up and continued to motor/tack out and evenutally made the start.

The last boat to start in front of us was at least 10 minutes out. It was so windy and choppy just tacking around to go the right direction seemed tough. Anyway, we did get underway and had a great time pushing 6 knots with the full main and 105. Raced in with the leaders in the back but it was great to get seaBiz back on the water.

On the way back getting out of Rockport Harbor in 30+ mph wind is just a little nerve racking. We did make our way out and zoomed back to Leggett lights. We took the 105 down and still doing 6 knots into the channel....probably not the smartest thing but we raced in (not intentionally) under main only with two gybes and nothing broke. YEA.

Finally back underway with the barnacle on a shaft, we came into the dock with the wind behind us and basically did a 'tail hook' dock manuver. Good thing the starboard piling is new and tough.

Overall a fun afternoon on the water with the high wind. Competed and looking forward to using the boat again the next day if possible. But first I need to get the barnacle off the prop so it can be more useful.