Cat’s Paw 2010 Final (?)
The Cat’s Paw Series is over with provisional results since there has been no decision made about how to handle the multiple races from a few evenings. An unidetified Catalina 36 finished next to last at 19:58:52. […]
Audi MedCup – On board Luna Rossa – Barcellona
One of the fun things that's been happening with sailing is the improvement in the video presentation of our sport. Here's a great one, on board the Italian TP52 Luna Rossa at the Med Cup in Barcelona. Lots of great stuff to see and enjoy, or as we say on the Bay, "L'ultima regata della tappa catalana dell'Audi MedCup, vista da bordo di Luna..." Thanks to Zerogradinord.it. who put it on YouTube here.
Maybe this is why the boat felt slow ….
Saw a post this morning on a rather large Humboldt Squid that washed up onto a beach on Discovery Bay. The best quote from the article might be "There are numerous reports of the squid attacking fishermen when hunted, and it is a predator to some creatures." Maybe sailboat keels? Geoduck farmer Peter Downey called to tell me that he found an 11 foot long Humboldt Squid (Dosidicus gigas) washed up on his beach on the 26th! The squid is not usually found around these waters, but one was caught about a year ago, if my memory serves me well. [...]
Cat’s Paw 9 and overall after 9 races
Cat’s Paw 9 was run from the Dock with a steady 8 kt NW wind. Tarfon and Step’n Annie haven’t participated in any Cat’s Paw races so they have been removed from the scoring for this series. Hopefully they’ll both be back out soon. […]
Missing Miss Annie
Since this spring's Round-the-County, Annie Too has been sitting at the dock with her stick out. According to Ted Pike, the mast cracked in the high winds of the race and he's been working hard to put it back together. You got to love a town where folks take a classic, race the hell out of it, and if it breaks, know how (or know someone here who knows how) to put it back together again. Hopefully, she'll be back out on the Bay soon. But until then, a gallery of pictures to remind us what great lines Bill Lapworth [...]
Port Townsend Youth Racers Sail Well at First Annual PT Youth Regatta
34 Youth Sailors took to the tricky waters of Port Townsend Bay this past weekend July 17th and 18th. The competitors ranged in age from 9 to 17, and were either in Optis, Laser (Full Rig and Radial) or Vanguard 15s. The is the first time that Port Townsend has hosted a non-high school youth regatta. Port Townsend was recruited to be a regular venue on the NW Youth Circuit all signs point to higher participation next year. Visiting families all commented on how sweet sailing out of the NWMC in PT was. Thanks to nice weather, good [...]
New ferry Chetzemoka will sail Puget Sound during sea trials July 20-22
A post by Tim Flanagan on the Puget Sound Maritime blog here. Puget Sound residents may get a glimpse at the new state ferry Chetzemoka this week as it travels through the Sound on sea trials. Contractor Todd Pacific Shipyards is required to conduct these trials to demonstrate the vessel to U.S. Coast Guard and WSDOT Ferries Division (WSF) inspectors before WSF accepts delivery of the vessel. The sea trials team is comprised of a Master and crew hired by Todd with their Test and Trials Department. The sea trials must be conducted away from other marine traffic to complete [...]
Cat’s Paw 2010 Race 8
Can’t see anything I can add to previous light air comments. Rumors that I brought the wind to Canada with me are unfounded (although it has been quite windy). […]
When the Going Gets Light…
Last night the forecast strong “dinner winds” never appeared. Instead, the southerly stayed for awhile, wandered away for a bit as the westerly paid a visit, then came back, then left again. It was one of those nights. Through it all the flood roared. If you were going into it, you were parked while 100 feet away a boat was happily being swept along in a small counter current river. Sometimes an idea worked, sometimes it didn’t. One minute the goat, the next the wisest of old salts. What did pay off in the end was staying with it. Vivace [...]
Shellfish at risk: Puget Sound becoming acidified
The waters of Puget Sound and Hood Canal are becoming more acidified as a result of rising carbon dioxide from industries, power plants and vehicles. Scientists from the University of Washington and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration warn that the shifting water chemistry could damage the region's shellfish industry. By Craig Welch Seattle Times environment reporter The waters in Puget Sound's main basin are acidifying as fast as those along the Washington Coast, where wild oysters have not reproduced since 2005. And in parts of Hood Canal, home to much of the region's shellfish industry, water-chemistry problems are significantly [...]
Erik Tries a Swift Solo at the Gorge
I recently was given the opportunity to attempt to race a Swift Solo skiff in the Columbia River Gorge. When my 505 crew and good Colorado buddy Philip Ryan told me of the possibility of getting a loaned boat I thought, “Go down to the Gorge to sail an overpowered singlehander with a main, jib and a HUGE kite all while hanging on a trapeze? Sounds like what I call fun!” In the back of my mind I knew there was a distinct possibility I would be blown off the river. I’ve sailed there three times previously and [...]
John Bailey Sr. 1929- 2010
John Bailey Sr. passed away July 11th at Kai Tai in Port Townsend. John was the partner of Betty Champlain of Port Townsend. He was the father of Megan, John Jr., Bill, Debbie and Robin. John and Betty had many happy years together in Port Townsend. They enjoyed gardening together and sailing a small sailboat around the bay. John was an accomplished woodworker and sailor. John and his ex-wife, noted sailing writer Jo Bailey, burned a love of sailing into the whole family by sailing the Sound and San Juans in the late 50s and 1960s. John was a professional [...]
The Nordlund Skiff
A wonderful article on building the Nordlund Skiff at the Boat School by Bryan Mann, lifted from the Port Townsend Maritime Trades Association Summer newsletter produced by Diana Talley. We’re fortunate to have so many local treasures from Dale Nordlund, to the Boat School, to the PTMTA. The entire newsletter is available here. Building the Nordlund Skiff Written By Bryan Mann As Dale Nordlund walked into the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding, all of the usual banging and banter came to an abrupt halt. Dale was immediately swarmed by a crowd of anxious aspiring boat builders (myself included), [...]
Cat’s Paw 2010: Race 7
14 boats came out for Cat’s Paw race 7 (& 8, not). A nice NW breeze (11 knots at the start) made a windward/leeward using Indian Point and the tower possible. The first start was a bust with most of boats OCS and the RC unable to see the pin, thus a general recall. There was room for confusion since the committee boat was stern to the wind so the RC flag was on the course side of the class flag. REMINDER: as suggested at the last skipper’s meeting, the Start line is between the pin and the class flag [...]
Light Air Wednesday
Rob sent us out to the Mobilisa buoy on a evening that started with light air and got lighter. Fun to watch how well Scott and his crew kept Tzieu moving in just a wisp of a breeze.
Animated Rules of Sailing
A recent video on the rules from US Sailing.
Upcoming 6 Metre North Americans in PT
Exciting news from Adam Henley, the 6 metres are coming back to Port Townsend Bay for their North American regatta. Dates are August 13 - 15th, so far 10 boats are signed up. The host club is the Port Townsend Sailing Association.
JOSHUA SLOCUM: His Family Cruise Aboard Liberdade
While we're waiting to see if summer really does arrive on the 5th of July, an interesting post by Charles Doanne on Joshua Slocum before he circumnavigated. Before Joshua Slocum could become the man we remember today--the one who invented bluewater cruising by sailing around the world singlehanded in a rebuilt oyster smack named Spray--his prior life first had to be unmade. Identifying such turning points is sometimes an arbitrary business, but in Slocum’s case there is little doubt about when his world was first turned upside down. The date most certainly was July 25, 1884, when his first wife, [...]
Cat’s Paw 2010: Races 5, 6 & overall
The July 2 races offered variety, place changing racing, and early fireworks. The first race was a short windward/leeward in a light easterly wind that barely held for all boats to finish. After a delay, the expected NW wind filled and the committee boat moved for a windward/leeward course using the Y mark and tower. Shortly after the start the wind was clocked at an average of 12 and by the finish was averaging 17. Rush had two great races which put them in first place overall, one half point ahead of Oden. Second race fireworks included Tzieu t-boning Thatuna on [...]