GBCA Discussion Forum

We are needing someone to step up and organize the food for Rum Race 8 this Sat.  You will be re-imbursed, all you need to do is the legwork and set up.  Please email if interested at hayesrigging@aol.com. 

Thanks
Kevin Hayes

GBCA is looking for volunteers to help with the Rum Race parties.  We will make it very easy for you and provide you with guidelines that will outline budget and expectations.  Basically you will provide the food and set up the food for the party.  You will NOT be responsible for cleaning up, GBCA board members will do that.  You will be reimbursed for expenses as provided for by the budget. 

Please let me know if you are available and would like to help out!  Remember GBCA is run by all volunteers! 

If you would like more information or would like to volunteer please contact me at hayesrigging@aol.com.

Thanks

Kevin Hayes

I just sailed on Kenai in Key West Race Week which was scored using the ORC rating system.  I was very impressed with how it seemed to rate the races from heavy air at the beginning of the week to light air at the end of the week.  I really wish we could move this direction on Galveston Bay.  If you look at the results of the races it was very tight racing in almost every race (take away the result of Kenai in race 5 and 6, the three blade max prop wasn't folded and we were dog slow). 

The system uses a 3 rating band for light, med and heavy air.  The RC decides prior to the race which rating system will be used and can later change that if they deem the race was sailed in another wind speed band. 

I would like to see us run an ORC only event on GB at some point this year to be able to get our feet wet. 

Any thoughts??

Bill Coates Ker 43, Otra Vez was first in class and seventh overall in the Caribbean 600 last week.  The boat has entered every race under the GBCA burgee.  It was a wild start 16 min before our start we broke three batten receptacles off the mast slides fixed the issue and started approx 40 min late.  Great race, very intense with very little sleeping.  Highlight was blasting along between 15-18 kts with masthead code zero and spin staysail for 90 miles covering that leg in 6 hrs. 

http://www.rorc.org/raceresults/2015/rc600-ircov01.html

Next up is Les Voiles in St Barths April 13-18th then the boat will be shipped to Barcelona for the ORC worlds.  This will be the first time an American boat has entered the ORC Worlds in over 10 years. 

I just received an email from LYC that Howard Williams has passed away.  He was icon of sailing and racing on Galveston Bay and paved the way for GBCA in the early years.

http://www.ramseyfuneral.com/obituaries-memorials.aspx?turl=http://hosting-24615.tributes.com/obituary/show/john-howard-williams-101144599

We will have the Mojo Protector shadowing the race from the start to Port Aransas.  Hopefully it wont be necessary but if anyone is in the need of any emergency assistance you may trying calling them on Channel 16. 

Hope everyone has a safe and fun trip to Port Aransas!!!!

Congrats to Bill Coates and crew on winning the Heineken Regatta today. Way to go!!!

I am leaving with Mojo in the morning, driving to Puerto Vallarta.  We are doing the MEXORC Regatta there starting on the 28th of this month.  If anyone is interested the regattta site is www.mexorc.com it should be a blast!!!  We are racing ORR and are the smallest boat in the regatta but not the slowest (at least by rating!!)

Kevin Hayes

Captain Phil from Deadliest Catch died yesterday.  If you have never seen the show before it is a pretty cool show.  The new season should start here in the next few months.  RIP Capt. Phil!!!

Looks like Otra Vez is having a great day.  They have two bullets after there 6th yesterday in the around the island race.  Currently in 2nd overall.  Here is the link to the results.

http://www.yachtscoring.com/event_results_cumulative.cfm?eID=230

For those that care and also for those that dont care, Surprise is racing this weekend in Chicago at the NOOD Regatta.  I left Houston with it on Sunday and after 3 flat tires finally made it to Chicago on Monday afternoon.  Al Goethe, from Hamburg, will be driving the boat with crew from Hamburg and Surprise along with myself.  Hopefully we will do respectable, I believe there are around 12 109's racing.  Weather here has been on the cool side, yesterday bringing the boat to the Harbor it was very chilly, sure beats the 100+ degree weather down there right now. 

Good luck to the two J-122's in Block Island next week!!

Kevin Hayes