Let's Go Racing!

You know we live on a sail boat, but much of the time we forget that fact since now we're in a marina and have been known to motor around a lot. So when Mike & Kathy on Orion asked me (guest writer Alan) to go out racing last Sunday, I jumped at the chance! Since I haven't actually raced a sail boat since 1965, I wasn't the most qualified crew. However Mike has never owned another sail boat (he owns a power yacht in WA for summer fun) and never raced at all. Blind leading the blind? At least Roger and Jeffrey (our rigger) knew the finer points of, say, the start and sail trim.

Sunday came with very strong winds in the 25 knot range, and this big catamaran could handle it well. Each of the crew were given tee shirts that read on the back: "ORION of the Sea of Cortez... I'd rather be trimming your sails on the seas that you roam than freezing my ass on the shores back home". My thoughts exactly! Since Mike is from Tacoma, he knows what he's saying.

The Start with Strong Air

All of the 12 boats entered were staging for the start 1/2 hour early, and with strong wind that alone was a challenge! Orion was third over the line at the start. First over the line and the fastest boat was "Aventura", who we caught on the down wing leg and Orion rounded the first turn in 1st place!

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Hunter 41' "Aventura"

Trimaran "Sea Otter"

This tri was the only other multihull in the race.

"Shadowfax" Looking Good

They really didn't defy gravity...

The Brain Trust on "Orion"

Human Whisker Pole Alan

Many hands make light work?

"Sea Otter" has some problems...

Most of the Crew

Cats have a problem going up wind. You have to sail more "off the wind" and hence take a longer route. Aventura passed us a ways before the second buoy by sailing "higher" and hence a shorter route, and lead across the line. We didn't know it at the time that it was a handicapped race and when the results were posted on Monday, Orion won by 1 second over the first finisher Aventura!

You can tell from the tees and shorts, even with 25 knots of wind, it's not at all cold down here.

Thank you Mike & Kathy for a delightful day out on the water!