Twas a Few Days Before Christmas

Fleet Racing 12-21-14

Checking the trailer?

Stu and Paula ready to launch

  Happy Birthday Paula

They are off-  looks like Paula is at the helm and Stu is crewing.

     Stu set a long windward, leeward course in a nice southeasterly.  The prediction was for the day to go downhill but we got in two good long races before the rain came.  We heard some rumbling of thunder in the distance all day.  Mark's car failed him on the launch ramp so we only had three boats today.  We missed you out there Mark and Lil.

Bruce and Janet checking out the starting line.

The course started on the east shore by the houses and ran across the shoals almost to the channel.  The Kelly's ran aground a few times cutting the shoal too tight on the north side but it seemed to pay off for them anyway.  On the last race The Kelly's and Kreutzer's sailed to the south of the shoal which also seemed to pay off- and no one hit bottom.  Both races took about 35 minutes each. 

Paula & Stu with Bruce & Janet just around the windward mark near the bridge.

Check out the Kreutzers!

Nearing the finish.

Kreutzers in the lead

Twas a great day on the water.  We had to de-rig in some sprinkles but that's sailboat racing.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Next race Saturday, January 10, 2015 at Belleair Causeway 

12 noon Skippers Meeting, 1PM start

Other non-Day Sailer Class boats welcome to join us.

   

December 13, 2014 Winter in Florida's Gulf Coast

     The sky was as blue as could be.  The sun was warm in the lee.  The wind was a perfect 10 knots from the northwest.  The cool air in the 60's was a nice change and it kept the bulk of the power boaters on shore.  We pretty much had the Inter coastal Waterway to ourselves except for the occasional fisherman or tour boat passing through the channel.

Mark and Lil cruising around before the start.

Bob and Angie testing out their new spreaders

Andy on the helm leaving the dock with Stu and Andy sporting their team uniforms

 Team Red with Stu back at the helm

 Stu ahead.  You can see Mark and Lil through the triangle of Stooze Boat, properly flying their spinnaker

Angie dousing the spinnaker as they prepare to round the leeward mark

We could not ask for a more perfect day!  We had four races with a good course.  Nice reaches set by Stu though the first one was a little tight which the Kelly's could not get through their head.  They kept trying to fly their spinnaker and were passed to windward each time, however they did regain the lead again before the finish- but not by much.

Amateur photographer Chris in her winter woolies and foulies taken by Dave (Christmas colors too)

Don't forget next Sunday, Dec. 21st at Belleair Causeway

 

From dinner after racing Nov.29th.  Everyone cleaned up nice!