This bulletin board, hosted by the CDSOA, Inc., is the on-line meeting place for all Cape Dory owners and groups. We welcome everyone's questions, answers and comments about Cape Dory sailboat
<center>CDSOA Northeast Fleet Peddocks Island Float In &
Boston Harbor Islands Regatta
Boston Harbor
September 24, 2010 (Float In)
September 25, 2010 (Regatta) Please RSVP by September 20th!</center>
The wind was on the nose from Salem to Boston on Friday. We (SPRITE with me, my son Andrew, and my brother Jason) arrived a bit before sundown at Portugese Cove, Peddick's Island. We had a great evening on board ANNIE GOLDIE with Angela & Tom, who had just come into a very tasty collection of lobsters and crabs. The evening wound down, after a few Dark n' Stormy's when the guests (us) were really full (thanks!).
Saturday found us with a prediction of 10-15kt from the SW, which seemed accurate. ANNIE GOLDIE set off to pick up her tactician (Stan, of NONSLY) while SPRITE seto off for her 10:04 starting time, right behind Meghan in SURFSIDE (Ty Sr).
SPRITE got a good start, nearly on time (maybe 10sec late), and did pretty well, perhaps even leading SURFSIDE (for about about 5-10 sec) between Gallops and Lovell's Islands. We got passed by a couple boats near Albridge Ledge, then finally by ANNIE GOLDIE.
The wind held out around Boston Light and we shadowed SURFSIDE and ANNIE GOLDIE, all pointing just a little lower than the rest of the fleet but certainly a little faster speed. Then the wind picked up. This (I think) enabled SPRITE to make the most of her weight and close slowly with SURFSIDE, from 200 yards at Hull to within 50 yards by Gallops Island.
Off Georges Island, headed toward Bass Point, with the wind from the SW picking up to ~17-20kt, the CD fleet was pretty close -- ANNIE GOLDIE, SURFSIDE then SPRITE. Off Rainsford Island, SURFSIDE botched a tack and SPRITE got by for a 50 yard lead by the buoy at Quarantine Rocks.
Just after rounding that buoy, the spinnaker fleet caught all of us us. Meghan in SURFSIDE played the wind shadows brilliantly and cruised by us on the last downwind leg, beating us by about 30 seconds and finishing about 60 sec behind ANNIE GOLDIE, so the Cape Dory Fleet finished 8, 9, & 10 in our class of 14. My guess is that we finished within a two minutes window.
We made our back to Potuguese Cove, picked up our dinghy, congratulated the crew of ANNIE GOLDIE and headed back to Salem to make the most of the wind which was predicted to shift north (unfavorable to us).
Thanks to Angela & Tom for hosting us on Friday -- it was great to meet you! I am already looking forward to next year.
I had a lot of fun crewing for Angela and Tom on Annie Goldie. The conditions were splendid. We finished a workmanlike 32d of 45 boats making the start in the nonspinnaker fleet and 1st of 3 boats competing for the coveted Not-So-Auld Mug (a/k/a the CDSOA Northeast Fleet trophy). Not bad for a boat with no boom vang and a mainsheet traveler on loan from the Smithsonian. Angela and Tom were very gracious about accomodating my racers-never-reef ethos and even honored a request to take their dodger off for the duration of the race. The highlight for me was the long upwind leg sailed into a cracking breeze which had Annie Goldie rail down for much of the time and caused her to ship water over the cockpit coaming on two occasions. We were competing for one of the woman-helmed trophies so Angela steered the whole race by herself.
...and the kudos go to Stan for sparing us from an ignominious last place finish--which is where we would've been without his tactical guidance and general coaching.
You're being kind, Stan, laying the blame of our 32nd place finish on our archaically equipped boat rather than the pathetically out-classed skipper and first mate. I hear it was a fabulous race. I couldn't say having spent the major part of the course on the cockpit floor wrestling the tiller, barely able to keep the jib telltales in sight over the coach roof. I did see water washing over the combing a couple times soaking Tom's legs up to his shorts as he was desperately grinding the also-Smithsonian winches. The real heroes of the race were our two poor little dogs in the cabin below, tossed around by wild tacks and 40+ degree heels. At one point, Tom looked down and Raven was laying on the settee back which was horizontal. We had an excellent time and I know that because I'm still waiting for the feeling to come back in my fingers! Thank you Stan!
Was it Cathy M. who said that if you have two Cape Dorys you have a float-in? When Sprite arrived at Portuguese Cove on Friday evening and anchored under sail we had ourselves an official Peddock's Island float-in. Jeff, Jason and Andrew rowed over to Annie Goldie in the sweetest little tender, carrying a canvas tote full of Dark and Stormy fixins. Yay! They kept us entertained with great conversation and expertly mixed cocktails in fancy cups that they provided. Our goal was to ruin their dinner plan with lots of appetizers. Sounds like we succeeded. VERY nice to meet you guys too. Andrew is especially a delight. Thanks for making it such a great evening.
And congrats to both Jeff and Megan and their crews. As Jeff pointed out, mere seconds separated our three boats. Can't wait to do again next year!
Unfortunately Tantalus was unable to attend this year, as the captain is short handed as of late. Literally short handed, since a guy in a van knocked me off my motorcycle over Labor Day weekend, resulting in a broken arm/wrist/hand and a few other inconveniences. It will be a few more weeks before I can point a camera, or a boat, again.
This was the first BHIR we've missed since the very first one, but the crew & I are already looking forward to next year.
Best to competitors & crews,
John Ring
(And yes, left hand typing is hard)
Sailing involves the courage to cherish adventure and the wisdom to fear danger. Knowing where one ends, and the other begins, makes all the difference.
Have to relearn how to post pictures every time but finally got to putting up some of Tom's photos from the regatta.
Thanks for the congrats. We really missed not having the usual contingent of CDs participating. Hope everyone can make it next year, this event has become the one of the highlights of our sailing season. And see you in January, Neil!
Sprite and Annie Goldie at Portuguese Cove on Friday night.
Start of the race with all the lower PHRF boats eating our wake. Sigh.
The schooner Friendship of Salem.
Jeff and crew taking evasive action as a lobster boat bears down on Sprite.
The fleet trying to catch Sprite on the downwind leg just before the turn at Outer Brewster.
Some nice glimpses of Surfside and crew beating alongside the Brewsters. What a beautiful little Ty Senior.
Raven finds a secure lee berth in the galley sink.
Chutes pop out for the final downwind run to the finish line.
