I case you were wondering...log of Hanalei..

[Captain Commanding Hanale]

Captains' Commanding,

As the Fleet Captain has recently posted the results of the first ever sanctioned Cape Dory race, I thought I would provide some excerpts from the log of Hanalei during the race, and explain exactly what it was we did to win the event.

The entire fleet was probably through Lords Passage by 1045 hours. Once the fleet rounded RW "L" Mo(A)WHIS, the race was really on! Hanalei being in the 5th. class of vessel to start, rapidly caught up to and passed a number of the smaller vessels. The overtaking was accomplished in true Pirate fashion. The persued vessels were approached on the windward quarter, and when mast abeam, the sails of Hanalei took the wind right out of the competing vessels sails. A broadside was fired, the vessels struck, and Hanalei was gone! The crew said this was "mean" of the Captain, but this was after all, a RACE! We were hard to weather on Port Tack. All flags flying! The course the fleet chose to follow was East by South. Hanalei remained on this heading for about 6 to 7 miles wherein the Captain noted that if this course was maintained the fleet would be carried well South of Block Island which would necessitate a long beat to weather to get into the Great Salt Pond. The Captain of Hanalei called the crew aft to the quarter deck and informed her that we would go to Starboard tack and head North by East towards the Rhode Island Coast. This to give us a better lay line towards Block Island once back on Port tack. The crew did not agree, and forced the Captain back on Port tack within 10 minutes of the first tack. The Captain noted that this still was not the right course to follow and tacked again back to Starboard to beat to weather. At this point I believe it was Lolita that was on Hanalei's Port Bow. Hanalei was on Starboard and had to force Lolita to fall of as she was on Port tack. Sorry about that skipper.

The course North by East on Starboard tack was followed for approximately 4.5 miles towards the beach at Misquamicut, RI. The only thing that dictated this distance to the Captain was the depth of the water! He had decided to maintain the Starboard tack until Hanalei crossed the 100 foot depth line. The decision was just a guess! It took a long time! Hanalei watched the entire fleet pass behind her as she was on this tack. The crew was going bonkers! But the Captain stuck to his decission. Tha Captain again called the crew aft to the quarter deck and informed her, that if this worked, we would beat the entire fleet to the Island of Adrian Block, but, if it failed, we wouldn't even dress for dinner as there would be no point in going ashore at Block Island!

At the 100 foot depth line, Hanalei was again put on Port tack. All flags still flying and now a pretty steady 15 knot Easterly by maybe a little Northerly wind! Hanalei very shortly had a bone in her teeth! She acted as if she could actually taste the coming victory. The GPS showed 7.8 knots over the bottom at times, this in a vessel with a hull speed of about 6! The crew began to get into this racing thing! Unbeknown to the Captain, and THIS is what won the race, there was a 1.6 knot falling tide pushing Hanalei directly to the Island of Adrian Block! The Captain couldn't have known, there is NOT an Eldridge aboard the vessel. The wind slowly built to a pretty steady 20 knots. The Starboard rail was in the water continuously and Puff, the dingy, was surfing down the quarter wave. The Captain became concerned that something might blow away, didn't want to blow the jibs out of their bolt ropes! He started to think about a reef - but wait, someone on the Cape Dory web site had said that instead of reefing, ease the mainsheet! The mainsheet was eased until a bubble showed in the luff of the mains'l. The Yankee and Stays'l jib were ever so slightly backwinding the main. Hanalei picked up 3/4 of a knot!

When the Captain calculated that Hanalei was approximately 15 minutes from crossing the finish line, he directed the crew to call the committee boat to see if they were on station. They were not! But, they were underway and told us they would be there. This on Channel 72 that all other skippers were monitoring. You should have heard the chatter. "Where is she?" "I don't see her anywhere." etc. They couldn't see us because they were all to leeward of us!

Hanalei crossed the finish line at 1433 hours and immediately took a knockdown, a willowwah off the island! The portlights went underwater, but she didn't ship any water into the cockpit, still can't figure that one out! Total time at sea was 4 hours, 12 minutes and 48 seconds!

Hanalei furled her jibs, and motor sailed into the Great Salt Pond under mains'l and iron jenny and there-in ended the first ever sanctioned Cape Dory Race! I am honored to have competed with all of you and would welcome any of you aboard for a glass of Port with the Captain at any time...I remain, your most humble servant...

Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei CD-30C "1"

[Mark Yashinsky]

On your skillfully executed racing tactic.

[Mark Yashinsky]

Does this mean the Captain of the Hanalei, is going to be insufferable till The Rematch next year???

[Leo MacDonald CD30K]

Yes! He is insufferable already

Congratulations Capt. Dave on a race well executed. Fly the "#1" pennant with deserved pride - until the fleet assembles again. Then be prepared to defend your title (CDSOA #1 Non-Spinnaker Class and overall.)

And who knows - maybe by then we'll have a "CDSOA Cup"

Leo MacDonald
'Heather Ann' CD30K #57
CDSOA #1 Spinnaker Class



macdore@aol.com

[Hanalei]

Insufferable, why certainly!

[Mark Yashinsky]

For the cup itself, what about cobbling together a sailboat out of fiberglass pieces from various CD's (pieces removed during modifications)??? Like the Junkyards War cup, pieces of junk, welded together.