Travels with Tapatai

27 March 2016 | Amsterdam - Centrum
23 March 2016 | Amsterdam, Amstel River
16 February 2016 | Durango, MX
14 February 2016 | San Miguel
14 February 2016 | Angela Peralta theatre, San Miguel de Allende
12 February 2016 | San Miguel de Allende
10 February 2016 | San Miguel
09 February 2016 | Weber Tennis Camp and RV Park
09 February 2016 | Patzcuaro, Michoacan
07 February 2016 | Villa Patzquaro RV park
03 February 2016
03 February 2016 | Roca Azul RV Park
29 January 2016 | Sayulita Trailer Park
28 January 2016 | Mazatlan
24 January 2016 | Mar Rosa RV Park, Mazatlan
20 January 2016 | El Fuerte
19 January 2016 | El Fuerte
18 January 2016 | San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico
18 May 2015

Banderas Bay Regatta

12 March 2011
Fred
The Banderas Bay Regatta is in its 19th year and is a race for cruising boats. Quite a few boats are home as many folks that we have met have sold everything and moved onboard and are taking off (escaping?). So you race your boat/home with all your cruising gear onboard and the committee handicaps you taking that into consideration. We entered and were looking forward to sailing in the regatta but had no crew lined up. While we were in Chacala 2 months ago we met Gary and Genie who said that they would love to crew for us and that their son and daughter in law were coming down for the regatta and could go as well. All four are experienced sailors and racers. So we have 6 including Penny and I. Then we run into Em Black, a friend from the Yacht Club that I sailed with years ago and he is on board as well. We are now 7. We meet Tom and Mary Ellen and they said that they would love to sail with us also so we are now 9. I also invited Ian and Ellen so we would be 11. Not bad for not having any crew a month or so ago.
First Race, gets underway with a boat parade going out the channel for the hotel guests complete with an announcer that introduces your boat, crew and tells a little history or whatever you told him about the boat. Well there are over 60 entries and we are all suppose to line up in the lagoon that can probably hold half that many. So we get there early to hopefully get in line early and get the hell out of the resulting mess. Unfortunately that didn’t pan out as boats kept jumping in front of us as we were circling and trying to keep in place. We finally got through the parade and headed to the race course to check in with the race committee boat. We were in Class C which was for the bigger cruising boats and had 12 in our class. We got a perfect start right on the line with speed and clear air and were going good against our competition. We tacked and got settled in for the 2.5 mile weather leg and had good speed and were first at the weather mark and turned on the reach. It was supposed to be a tight reach that would be a jib reach but the mark was lower so we were able to set the asymmetrical spinnaker. We had a good jibe and a good reach to the leeward mark where we pulled the snuffer down and tried to unfurl the jib and drop the snuffed spinnaker. We neither would budge as the snuffer got caught up in the furler. We were quite far ahead of the second boat that we owed 6 seconds a mile (11.5 miles X 6 = 69 seconds we had to give him. We got the jib unfurled except for a small portion up top but could not get the spinnaker down so just lashed it to the mast and went upwind to the mark where we rounded behind our competition. We were able to reset the spinnaker for the final run and finished just 34 seconds behind him for a second place finish for the class. We were happy with our crew work and boat speed and we felt we knew what the problem was with the drop and could fix it which we did.
So we were really happy with the race and looking forward to the race the following day which was to be a distance race with mostly reaching and running courses which would suit us fine. However the earthquake hit Japan and there was a Tsunami warning and the race was postponed for an hour. It became clear later that it was prudent to leave the marina and take the boat out to sea before the expected surge would hit at 12:30. Penny and I left at noon and our other crew left on their boats as well except for Gary and Genie as they decided they would take their chance in the marina. We got out the channel and there were lots of boats out so we motored around for awhile and made water and then the wind came up and we set sail and had one of the best days of sailing ever. Nice breeze, warm weather, doesn’t get much better. As the day went on the chatter on the radio grew with questions as to whether the marina was going to be open or not. There was 6-12 knots of current going in and out and the sea level rose and fell several feet in short periods of time, like less than 30 minutes. At about 5:30 it was apparent that the Port Capitan was not going to open the harbor so most of us sailed up to the anchorage by La Cruz where we are anchored for the night with at least 80 boats. The marina at La Cruz lost some of their docks and the main docked has cracked in half so there is some damage there. Not sure about our dock where we left our dinghy at Paradise Village but we are about to sit down for a delicious Tuna and Noodle comfort food dinner. We will find out tomorrow morning whether there will be another race or if we can get back to the marina. Story to be continued.
Comments
Vessel Name: Tapatai
Vessel Make/Model: Jeanneau International 50
Hailing Port: San Diego, CA
Crew: Fred & Penny Delaney
About: Fred is retired from the commercial real estate business and Penny is retired from the airline industry. Long standing members of San Diego Yacht Club where Fred was Commodore in 1992. Captain Fred holds 100 Ton Coast Guard license and a HAM license.
Extra: Tapatai (tahitian for fearless of wind and sea) is a Jeanneau International 50 designed by Bruce Farr and Associates and built by Jeanneau in France for The Moorings in 1995. She was a charter boat for 6 years with a full time Captain and crew until purchased and shipped to San Diego.
Tapatai's Photos - Main
We left San Diego on January 16, heading South al gusto - with a sketchy plan written in sand at low tide (that is a quote from my buddy Ellen Gallant!) Mexico lends itself to beautiful photos which we will try to honor.
3 Photos
Created 14 February 2016
14 Photos
Created 22 January 2016
12 Photos
Created 7 May 2015
6 Photos
Created 4 May 2015
Pics along the way to San Jose del Cabo from the border
16 Photos
Created 24 April 2015
Aboard Scout
18 Photos
Created 1 November 2014
12 Photos
Created 25 April 2014
11 Photos
Created 25 April 2014
6 Photos
Created 24 April 2014
10 Photos
Created 28 October 2013
5 Photos
Created 11 March 2013
9 Photos
Created 29 December 2012
16 Photos
Created 29 December 2012
37 Photos
Created 17 December 2012
6 Photos
Created 9 December 2012
10 Photos
Created 1 December 2012
14 Photos
Created 1 December 2012
21 Photos
Created 20 August 2012
8 Photos
Created 20 August 2012
5 Photos
Created 3 August 2012
12 Photos
Created 3 August 2012
10 Photos
Created 3 August 2012
3 Photos
Created 27 July 2012
16 Photos
Created 6 May 2011
21 Photos
Created 6 February 2011
12 Photos
Created 5 February 2011
9 Photos
Created 5 February 2011
8 Photos
Created 24 January 2011
13 Photos
Created 18 January 2011
15 Photos
Created 14 January 2011
5 Photos
Created 14 January 2011
12 Photos
Created 7 January 2011
25 Photos
Created 3 January 2011
3 Photos
Created 24 December 2010
11 Photos
Created 24 December 2010
9 Photos
Created 24 December 2010
12 Photos
Created 19 December 2010
7 Photos | 1 Sub-Album
Created 18 December 2010
Race from Los Islotes to the Muni pier in La Paz
21 Photos
Created 13 December 2010
7 Photos
Created 10 December 2010
8 Photos
Created 10 December 2010
17 Photos | 1 Sub-Album
Created 10 December 2010
Annual Subasta benefitting the children
9 Photos
Created 7 December 2010
Pictures of the Fiesta after the 1000
19 Photos
Created 29 November 2010
These pictures courtesy of Club Cruceros.
4 Photos
Created 28 November 2010
17 Photos
Created 16 November 2010
12 Photos
Created 16 November 2010
9 Photos
Created 14 November 2010
The trip from Ensenada to Turtle Bay, about 48 hours.
12 Photos
Created 14 November 2010
Doing the paperwork necessary
9 Photos
Created 14 November 2010