Race Day

     Lunch was packed, life-vest, jackets on the ready and we were waiting for Martha’s call, when Dan showed with the dinghy.  It was time to get moving onto our respective boats and head out for the St. Augustine’s Yacht Club Commodore’s Race, the final race of the season.  We ladies will be racing on Brunelle, while the gents will be racing Sevilla. We had to make the 11:30 Bridge of Lyons opening to head to the 5 mile ocean course. The winds are very light (10-12 NNE). Fifteen boats ranging in size from 25 to 50 feet in length completed in the either the racing or cruising class.

Everyone jockeys for position.

The race begins.

     I learned that races are run under specific rules. The rules are based from different area of the country and the origins specifies the handicapping for each vessel. (i.e., tall masts vs. standard, wing vs. full keel, standard prop vs. folding, etc.)  Apparently, each race has slightly different rules for starting as well.  We crossed the start on the minute warning gun, not a starting gun so we had to round back on the start.  As a result we were last off the start.

     The race was a great experience for a novice crew.  Martha was a great instructor and captain. Brunelle is rigged so differently from our individual boats, but with some really great ideas.  Of course, when you place women together for any more than 5 minutes together conversation is bound to progress and over 5 hours we surely did our fair share!  We also saw a huge sea turtle sunning on the surface.    

Ladies Day!

The Men of Seville

      The guys on Sevilla thought they had the race made at the start when Brunelle was called for jumping over the line early.  Truthfully, the race committee kept confusing the two boats and called Sevilla as the one that jumped the line.  Anyway, the guys wound up heading straight for the wrong buoy.  Once they realize the error of their way, we had a substantial lead that their handicap could not compensate.

Maureen winning the battle against the Viagra-enhanced buoy!

   We finished the race right behind the 50 foot cruiser, Hunter’s Child, and were asked to head out to pick up the one race buoy. We had to wait an hour and a half for the last two racers to complete that last leg . . .then we had to figure out how to get the buoy on board Brunelle.  With the sun going down, entering an unfamiliar inlet without electronics, shifting shallows in failing light, a bridge opening to make, and dinner at the St. Augustine Yacht Club at 6 PM we told the race committee we were holding on to the racing buoy and Jay would drop it off later.  With a bit of a Chinese fire drill, we were able to secure the boats, return the buoy, attend the dinner and we ladies aboard Brunelle walk away with the St. Augustine Commodore’s first place Trophy for the Cruiser’s Division!

We Girls Rock!

     A great day was had by all.  For all of us novice racers, it was truly a learning experience and not just for racing.

                           ~  ~ (\_~ ~ ~     Kathy and Pete