NOR Single/Mixed Double Regattas - August 21 and 22

[STuma]

If there are enough boats registered for the spin fleet, i'll be down.  Great fun last year (and only one crash) on Saturday. 

Love me some GBCA racin'

Jeff, come on down... if it blows 20 again, I'll jump on board with you!!!!

You will need to dress in drag   eewwww - that's a scary image

Thank goodness the pictures are gone...

[dilast1]

Question:
I've got a Santana 525 Hull 139,  but don't have my PHRF rating.  Do I need to get this to register and race? Can we go by the one on the PHRF site for Hull 191?
Thanks

Personally, I say come on out, but I'm far from the official word... I'll only complain if you beat me.. :-)

I don't think we will win. But me and my daughter like to race double handed.  Its more for fun and working on teaching her how to drive the boat. If Alex gets out there with his santana 525 then you might have to worry.  I'm a first year sailer and only crewed last year for 1/2 of the wednesday night races.

[Jonsey]

Tuma, pictures are NEVER gone....  everyone's waiting until you get famous (we have all the confidence in the world) My hard-drive is packed!

dilast1 - good for you dude.  I've done the entire texas series and several big out of town regatta's on our Viper with my 11-year and wife.  Good stuff, quite often we have one of those "Entry fee $70.00, gas beer and gatorade $45.00, 5 hours with you kid and no TV or Xbox -> priceless" moments. 

Favorite so far was Wustfest last year at Lake Canyon.   Camped at the club (first weekend in Nov) Friday and Sat. night.   Good fun racing, adults sitting around a big camp-fire at night while all the kids ran around the club grounds playing tag or whatever.  On the way home the little dude said "we're going to do that sailboat race again next year, right?". 

Back on topic - think we're in for this regatta.   Someone's going to order up a bit of breeze and sub 90 deg temps, right?     Anyone know how i can get in touch with the Melges 20 owner that registered for Leukemia cup?

[ChrisK]

Speaking of crash pictures...I had to dig this one up
Jonsey in action, in last years Singlehanded.
Puff on!

Not much gets by the sharp eye of John Lacy...
Full res link series IMG_7598 to 7607

[Sailaway]

Speaking of crashes. "Tramp" is back on her keel. We want to thank Drew from "Alert" for his help in getting "Tramp" back in form. Also want to thank Ben Miller  for his fast turn-around. We tried to get our Gator "Elsie" back from retirement at our neighbor's pool, but she refused,so....... A new Diversionary Device will be in use. The newly designed "Destroyer DD-690" hence known as "DD" will take her place. "DD"  will put on display of force prior to racing. With an unlimited supply of ammunition ( NaCLH20 ) ,she should be a deterrent to all!
"Tramp"

[ChrisK]

That's great news from Tramp.
So far just over twenty 25 single handed, and 28 mixed doubles boats have signed up.

Are your cameras ready?

[awalker14]

Leigh Ann - We signed up late today for both the Single and Double Handed Regatta's.  Registration only shows my entry for the Single but please copy my info over to the Double Handed Regatta also.  Paid for both and don't want to give my helmsman any reason to back out for Sunday.

Thanks,
TENACITY - A28
Ash Walker

[dilast1]

dilast1 - good for you dude.  I've done the entire texas series and several big out of town regatta's on our Viper with my 11-year and wife.  Good stuff, quite often we have one of those "Entry fee $70.00, gas beer and gatorade $45.00, 5 hours with you kid and no TV or Xbox -> priceless" moments. 

our goals for this:
1. have fun.
2. no crash
3. hope some one takes pictures and post them so I can copy them and give them thanks for taking them.

[Jim Powers]

Single Handed Results:http://www.regattanetwork.com/clubs/gbca.html

[Leigh Ann]

Mixed Double Results: http://www.regattanetwork.com/clubs/gbca.html

[dilast1]

Mixed Double Results: http://www.regattanetwork.com/clubs/gbca.html

Thanks for the results.  It was way to hot out there today.

[Sailaway]

Got yesterdays Mixed Double loaded and one from the Single Handed.  Getting ready to load everything else....

Yes it was hottttttt.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacyphotos/sets/

m/v Tramp

[CHull]

Well done Christina and Scott,

I guess the light air  lady is still fun.  Only thing missing in the pictures is the dual umbrellas!  Now, about missing a record 4th port, pin-end?

Before we donate the boat we just might have to go out with a bang in the GBPHRF regatta?

Clark Hull

[ChrisK]

I know this is a little after the fact, but I wanted to share (while fresh on the brain) a few things I've experienced or observed over the years on how to survive a Single-handed Regatta in the Houston.

Please feel free to add to this list!  So here goes....

Single-handed Hot Weather Sailing Tips:

- Splash and rig the boat Friday night when it's cooler.  Flake the main on the boom.  Attach outboard if you're going to use one.   Try to do as much as possible the evening before so you have a chance to recover.

- On race day, enlist your mixed doubles partner to help you with the finishing touches on rigging the boat. Help you raise the main. The goal is to minimize your physical effort.  Ideally you want to step on the boat, get out of the hot marina as soon as possible, get to the race course, and go racing

- Along with your regular cooler(s) Keep a soft cooler aboard in the cockpit.  That way, even as you race you can quickly pound drinks and not have to go down below.    

- Also use the ice coolers to cool limbs down, even the occasional head dunk.  If you put your hands at the bottom of ice filled cooler it will cool your core temperature.

- Take twice the ice you think you need. It melts quickly. If you do run out of water, you can drink the melted ice.  

- If you don't have a bimini, a golf umbrella or makeshift tarp will work. Use it between races to get some shade and keep you topsides in the breeze.  I've found going down below too hot (and you're not on the helm).  Plus if you do pass out below it may be several minutes before anyone notices.

- Full brimmed hat to keep from cooking your noodle.

- Invest in technical sun weather, polys.  I've got a long sleeve "underarmor" brand fishing shirt that really helps. You'll pay more for the wicking/dry technical materials but they are worth it.

- Waist belt style PFD. SOS Suspenders and the like are great but anything clinging to your torso holds heat

- Gatorade: A trick learned in bike racing: cut the portion/dilute in half with water. (At least for me) full strength is too sweet, shocks your system, I usually feel like I'm going to barf after slamming a ruby red...yum.

- Chilly wet towel in ice cooler, and a dry towel nearby.  The dry towel comes in handy is to wipe your brow, or at least the gallons of sweat off your sunglasses.

- For you spinnaker guys, it's ok not to fly spin every time!  Sometimes flying part of a leg is all you need, if at all, if the wind bumps up. Pick your battles. (I will be the first to admit that I have not actually practiced this one on the race course...)

- Sail selection is a matter of preference and boat (of course). In my opinion, the #3 jib sure is alot easier to handle. One or two bad or hung tacks with the big headsail can easily erase any advantage you would have.  Also, without crew to flatten your boat with the big genoa, you can quickly get over powered if the wind pipes up. That results in even more effort trimming, and then doing a headsail change between races. That's valuable time when you could be recovering/rehydrating.  

- Before, between, delay of race, with little wind, motor around and make your own breeze (up to the point you legally can do so).  Make sure you have enough fuel to do this and still get home if there is an abandon far across the bay.  

- Hide the crew in the shadow of the main or bimini.  Not only in the singlehanded, but this is a good tip any hot race.

- Have your mixed doubles partner help you tie up/clean up the boat Saturday evening.  You'll be dog tired enough to go fold sails by yourself, empty coolers, mess with docklines, and the like.  A chance you might be completely delerious and not care if you live or die, so have your partner take a quick inventory so you know how much more to bring on Sunday for the Mixed. The last thing you want is to run out of fluids with your lovely crew on board.
If you're really lucky, you might even be greeted at the dock with a cold beer!  

I'm sure I missed a few tips and tricks on coping with the summer heat Galveston Bay is famous for, please feel free to add anything else.

[Jonsey]

Good tips Chris - add to the list ;

1.  Catch the windard mark, swimming to clear the keel will cool you off.

2.  After you cross the finish line, crash...   swim...  recover... find flip-flops

Thanks for another great time, on and off the water.   I LOVE errr... racing with you guys.