CD30 WINS SILVER IN HARVEST MOON REGATTA!!!

[Carl Jones]

Attention all,

I'm proud to announce that Spanish Eyes, my 1983 Cape Dory 30 Cutter, won a second place in the 15th annual Harvest Moon Regatta. This is an 150 mile offshore race in the Gulf of Mexico, from Galveston, Tx to Port Aransas, Tx. It is billed as the largest race from port to port in the United States, with a record 280 boats entered this year. It was staged on Thursday, Oct. 4th, during the Harvest Moon, with the first start at 1400.

We had a photo finish with 2nd through 6th place separated by only 25 minutes on corrected time. The Alberg's had a family feud between Spanish Eyes and two Alberg 37's. They fell to 3rd and 4th. We beat 3rd by 4 minutes and 4th by 12 minutes! Fifth was an S-2 7.9 by 17 minutes, and 6th was a Catalina 27 by 25 minutes. We had 14 or 15 boats in our class with the remainder way back or DNF. They included a Cherubini 40 something, Bristol 40, Bayfield 40, Wauquiez, and Columbia. The close finish was somewhat spoiled however by the first place boat. She was a Pacific Seacraft 44 and beat us handily by 1 hr 10 minutes. I guess she was a little above our class. The Catalina 27 had a faster (lower) rating than us and we passed her in a sprint to the finish and finished about a mile or so ahead. Our entire fleet contained about 45 boats in three classes.

Spanish Eyes was excellently crewed by Captain Roger Bunker, Coast Guard Master and live aboard his boat show perfect Cape Dory 27, Phillip Wright, local boatwright, woodworker supreme, and magical trimmer, and my 15 year old son. We had planned to go 2 up and 2 down, but this was my son's first trip offshore and his sea legs let him down, so the three of us sailed the whole race, with only one hour rest at a time, keeping two up at all times, and sometimes all three.

Conditions were not the best. The whole race was a close reach to a beat on port tack. The swell was 30 degrees off the port bow. Winds started out at 10 knots Thursday, built to 20+ Thursday night and then went up and down, requiring furling and unfurling the Yankee many, many times. Friday saw three thunder squalls due to an approaching front, and a lot of rain, some very heavy. Winds in squalls reached about 30 knots. In between, they were light. There was a nasty cross chop on top of the swell that would stop the boat when the combination was right (wrong). The seas started out at 3 to 5 and reached 6 to 8 before it was over. They were very short and steep.

Spanish Eyes loved it all! Much of the time we were doing well over 6 knots, with hull speed (6.8 to 6.9) often, but we also had a lot of 5's. We even sustained 7.0 to 7.2 for 10-15 minutes at a time. I've never seen her sustain that much! Our elapsed time was 26 hours 28 minutes for an average speed of 5.7 knots.

We entered the PHRF Cruising Spinnaker fleet, however we were only able to fly the chute for about 30 minutes Friday morning, when the wind lightend and moved to the beam. Shortly later it freshened and headed and we couldn't make our course.

I crewed on a Beneteau 38 last year and we beat her by approximately 1 hour. We also beat a Beneteau 36-S7 that I have crewed on three times by an hour and a half! They used to make fun of my old fashioned boat. No more! The awards ceremony saw them awed at their defeat, but congratulatory, and with our respect level raised a couple orders of magnitude. How sweet it is!

I am proud to bring honor to the Cape Dory fleet. Don't let anyone tell you that these boats are slow, and don't be afraid to enter some races and show the rest who has what it takes.

Proud of my Cape Dory,

Carl Jones
Captain, Spanish Eyes



GreatCells@aol.com

[Bob Loewenstein]

Congratulations on a spectacular second place win. It just shows how great these boats (and crews) are.

I do have a question. What does 'port to port' mean as in:

It is billed as the largest race from port to port in the United States.

The Mac race and the Hook race in Lake Michigan are both over 200 nm from start to finish (port to port?). Or do the Great Lakes not count as they used to not count for the America's Cup until Buddy Melges made the scene.

Bob

[Carl Jones]

Congratulations on a spectacular second place win. It just shows how great these boats (and crews) are.

I do have a question. What does 'port to port' mean as in:

It is billed as the largest race from port to port in the United States.

The Mac race and the Hook race in Lake Michigan are both over 200 nm from start to finish (port to port?). Or do the Great Lakes not count as they used to not count for the America's Cup until Buddy Melges made the scene.

Bob

Bob,

Thanks. Port to port means from one port in the U.S. to another port in the U.S. I don't know if this really is the largest race (280 boats this year), because I am not familiar with what else is out there, but anyway, it's a lot of boats, and a site to see. But that's what I've been told. It's a hoot no matter how you shake it.



GreatCells@aol.com

[John MacArthur]

Attention all,

I'm proud to announce that Spanish Eyes, my 1983 Cape Dory 30 Cutter, won a second place

snip

Conditions were not the best.

and snip

Carl Jones
Captain, Spanish Eyes

Congratulations! Sounds like the conditions were perhaps "the best" for the Cape Dory. In lighter air and chop maybe you wouldn't have done so well. Sounds like you had a blast -- good going.

Johnny MacArthur
CD-30C STORK



jmac@laplaza.org

[Larry DeMers]

Congratulations Carl!! Good Going..The CD30c is a fast boat, and you had perfect conditions with her it seems.
No Cape Dory's are not slow..I still hear people saying that, but now I step in and correct their misconceptions.

In our local races, I have entered once..and took 5th place out of a field of 10. Not bad for 3-5 kt winds, and a first race ever. Additionally, my dock neighbor has a sister ship to ours, and has taken first place the last two years in a row. Now granted your race was far more grueling, and a better test of her abilities. So you defended the Cape Dory name well..congrats again. Carl would be proud of you.

Cheers,

Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30 ~~Sailing Lake Superior~~~

Attention all,

I'm proud to announce that Spanish Eyes, my 1983 Cape Dory 30 Cutter, won a second place in the 15th annual Harvest Moon Regatta. This is an 150 mile offshore race in the Gulf of Mexico, from Galveston, Tx to Port Aransas, Tx. It is billed as the largest race from port to port in the United States, with a record 280 boats entered this year. It was staged on Thursday, Oct. 4th, during the Harvest Moon, with the first start at 1400.

We had a photo finish with 2nd through 6th place separated by only 25 minutes on corrected time. The Alberg's had a family feud between Spanish Eyes and two Alberg 37's. They fell to 3rd and 4th. We beat 3rd by 4 minutes and 4th by 12 minutes! Fifth was an S-2 7.9 by 17 minutes, and 6th was a Catalina 27 by 25 minutes. We had 14 or 15 boats in our class with the remainder way back or DNF. They included a Cherubini 40 something, Bristol 40, Bayfield 40, Wauquiez, and Columbia. The close finish was somewhat spoiled however by the first place boat. She was a Pacific Seacraft 44 and beat us handily by 1 hr 10 minutes. I guess she was a little above our class. The Catalina 27 had a faster (lower) rating than us and we passed her in a sprint to the finish and finished about a mile or so ahead. Our entire fleet contained about 45 boats in three classes.

Spanish Eyes was excellently crewed by Captain Roger Bunker, Coast Guard Master and live aboard his boat show perfect Cape Dory 27, Phillip Wright, local boatwright, woodworker supreme, and magical trimmer, and my 15 year old son. We had planned to go 2 up and 2 down, but this was my son's first trip offshore and his sea legs let him down, so the three of us sailed the whole race, with only one hour rest at a time, keeping two up at all times, and sometimes all three.

Conditions were not the best. The whole race was a close reach to a beat on port tack. The swell was 30 degrees off the port bow. Winds started out at 10 knots Thursday, built to 20+ Thursday night and then went up and down, requiring furling and unfurling the Yankee many, many times. Friday saw three thunder squalls due to an approaching front, and a lot of rain, some very heavy. Winds in squalls reached about 30 knots. In between, they were light. There was a nasty cross chop on top of the swell that would stop the boat when the combination was right (wrong). The seas started out at 3 to 5 and reached 6 to 8 before it was over. They were very short and steep.

Spanish Eyes loved it all! Much of the time we were doing well over 6 knots, with hull speed (6.8 to 6.9) often, but we also had a lot of 5's. We even sustained 7.0 to 7.2 for 10-15 minutes at a time. I've never seen her sustain that much! Our elapsed time was 26 hours 28 minutes for an average speed of 5.7 knots.

We entered the PHRF Cruising Spinnaker fleet, however we were only able to fly the chute for about 30 minutes Friday morning, when the wind lightend and moved to the beam. Shortly later it freshened and headed and we couldn't make our course.

I crewed on a Beneteau 38 last year and we beat her by approximately 1 hour. We also beat a Beneteau 36-S7 that I have crewed on three times by an hour and a half! They used to make fun of my old fashioned boat. No more! The awards ceremony saw them awed at their defeat, but congratulatory, and with our respect level raised a couple orders of magnitude. How sweet it is!

I am proud to bring honor to the Cape Dory fleet. Don't let anyone tell you that these boats are slow, and don't be afraid to enter some races and show the rest who has what it takes.

Proud of my Cape Dory,

Carl Jones
Captain, Spanish Eyes

demers@sgi.com

[Leo MacDonald]

Congratulations Captain Jones,

BZ (WELL DONE)!!

We have to invite you and 'Spanish Eyes' to the NE Fleet CD Race next summer. You will be the one to watch (along with Sam & Nancy York's CD27 'Carina'.)

What say you CDSOA #1?

Leo MacDonald
NE Fleet Captain, CDSOA #1 (Spinnaker Class)




macdore@aol.com

[Captain Commanding, Hanal]

Captain Jones, (any relation to said John Paul?)

'Tis a fantastic story you weave about the voyage. Congratulations to you and your crew. These CD-30Cs are SOME vessel if handled properly. As the Fleet Captain suggests Sir, the crew of Hanalei would be most honored to meet you at sea off the coast of New England next summer to contest the ranking of CD-30C "#1". A glass of Port with you Sir, and I remain, your most HUMBLE servant.......

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

[Carl Jones]

Captain Jones, (any relation to said John Paul?)

'Tis a fantastic story you weave about the voyage. Congratulations to you and your crew. These CD-30Cs are SOME vessel if handled properly. As the Fleet Captain suggests Sir, the crew of Hanalei would be most honored to meet you at sea off the coast of New England next summer to contest the ranking of CD-30C "#1". A glass of Port with you Sir, and I remain, your most HUMBLE servant.......

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

CDSOA #1

Thanks for your congratulations and your invitation to trade tacks off the New England coast. My crew and I would be very honored to do so and vie for the position of CD30 #1. If there were any way we could we would, however the logistics of getting there and back from Texas make it doubtful. Be assured however, that we will continue to hold the line on the Gulf coast and harass the Beneteaus, Catalinas, and Hunters, and teach them respect for the name of Cape Dory and Spanish Eyes!

Patrolling the Third Coast,

Carl Jones
Captain, Spanish Eyes
CD30 Cutter



GreatCells@aol.com

[Leo MacDonald]

Captain Jones,

By your verbiage it does sound like you belong sailing with Capt. D. Stump and/or challenging him.

Are you going to the CDSOA GM meeting?

Continue your good job of "Patrolling the Third Coast."

Fair Winds,
Leo



macdore@aol.com