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2011 Governor's Cup

3K views 16 replies 5 participants last post by  Sabreman 
#1 ·
Ok guys, I know there is one other regular Sailnet poster besides me signed up, but there are only 5 boats in Cruising Class.

Sure would like to see some more Sailnetters out there, especially in Cruising Class where we get an earlier start with the other slower boats and can fly asyms which should make it a lot more fun given Augusts typically light air. These changes are new this year and are intended to draw more non-race prepped boat boats and let them finish in time to enjoy the festivities after the race. While attendance is up in the other classes (likely due to rumors of the races demise), I wish there was more support for the cruising class so other distance races might offer such a class going forward.

Come on out and have some fun!
 
#3 ·
Done a few Gov Cups - fun race and lots of good stories.

Anyone coming from outside Annapolis that needs local support please feel free to get in touch. I can pick up Kattack units for folks and arrange limited inexpensive dockage on Back Creek.

Anyone on a clean and comfortable boat that needs an aging spinnaker whore as crew should also get in touch. *grin*
 
#5 ·
check your PMs.

Ready to rock. Moving the boat from Solomons to Naptown on the 30th or 31st.
Want to race more boats? Just sign up for PHRF B or PHRF C. We have lots. ;)
Well as a lesson in be careful what you wish for, Cruising Class is now up to 9 boats and EVERY one of them that signed up after me are about 30 seconds a mile faster than me. Doh!

Can you say check the watch for corrected time?
 
#7 ·
I'm in. Had trouble getting my crew sorted out. A couple of regulars from the last 3 years couldn't make it. One even had the audacity to accept a free week in St. Johns USVI in lieu of sweating on the Bay. Imagine!

We're staying at City Dock Thursday night / Fri morning. Stop by to say Hi.
 
#8 · (Edited)
Final Count is 155. Pretty cool.

I have high hopes for this year. New main from Evolution, new genoa, newish spinnaker, centerboard that works, and the boat's namesake (the Admiral) has finally deigned to sail with us. The planets are aligned.

Any of you guys in PHRF B? I don't see any names that I recognize.

Please please please let it blow stink out of the north!
AMEN!
 
#9 ·
I had the pleasure of meeting up with Sabreman and his wife tonight in Ego Alley as they relaxed waiyinhg for their crew and tomrrows Governors Cup. Their 38 Sabre is a beauty. We were able to hang out for an hour before i had to continue home. NIce meting a fellow Sailnetter who I have corresponded with a few times here. We had a lot in common including Ocean City NJ where I had lived for 18 years. They are nice people.

Hope they come cruising up the Bay again or we get to meet up when we head down to the Ycomico .

Have a great sail tomorrow night and fair winds...I am banking on better than 17 this year,

Dave
 
#10 ·
Sabre's are among my favorite boats, and I'm in the unfortunate postion of having to try to beat the one racing in Cruising Class.

Did I mention the skipper is the Race Chair and PRO for 30 years?

Not likely, but at least I know who to follow and try to learn from.

It's gonna be fun.
 
#11 · (Edited)
I was honored that chef stopped by to visit us. He was headed home from work and Annapolis is a bit out of his way. We had a great talk but the Admiral feels bad that we didn't even offer you anything to drink. Next time for sure!

We had a great sail that was quite athletic with 22kt headwinds a short, steep Bay waves greeting us all the way to Point Lookout. For a while, we were doubled reefed with about 110% genoa. Maybe not aggressive enough but brought the heel down from 35+ deg to 25 or so. Sabre says that the boat sails best at 26 degrees, so it seemed like the right decision. When putting in the second reef (in the dark) I realized that the extra roach in the new main (only the 3rd time up the mast) made the clew for the 2nd reef was misaligned with the turning block on the boom. I used the 1st reef block and it worked. I'll have to do some reconfiguring for a permanent solution. At about 0400, I came on watch to drive and noticed that the bow running lights were out, so I ended hanging upsidedown with flashlight in my teeth and changed the bulb. Got drenched up to my knees in the process. With so much water on deck I was very pleased that everything was tight below.

This was Vicky's first Gov Cup and she ended up loving it. Frankly, I am a little surprised. But she's already talking about next year and winning. After 30 years, she still surprises me. She even feels bad about dropping our nice chrome Lewmar winch handle overboard during an emergency tack. Oops. :)

We finished at about 1100. I don't think that we finished well but we didn't retire as others appeared too, the boat and crew are unbroken, and we had a blast for the 4th year in a row. My only gripe is that after 36 hours. The results still aren't posted. I can enter any $25 foot race and see the results online by dinner. I guess thus aspe t of technology hasn't caught up with yacht racing.

We met midlifesailor on the beach afterward and had a nice chat. The conditions pulled the stbd rubrail right off the boat. We thought that he was trailing a spin sheet! It turns out that our next door neighbor at Port Kinsale Marina was on midlife's crew. Small world.

It was a great time made better by meeting two more Sailnetters.
 
#12 ·
Another thing. This year, we instituted a policy of lifejackets after dark. Our personal policy is to wear jackets (inflatables) anytime that we reef. When we put in our first reef, I put on my vest/harness. The crew took that as a queue and donned theirs without a word from me. Their action reinforced to me yet again, that leadership is more about example than command.
 
#13 ·
Well Sabreman pretty well described the conditions we experienced. We put in one reef for a couple of hours between 1800-0000, but I had some beef on the rail. We mainly put the reef in for the comfort level of the crew while I was off watch. As soon as I heard a mumble about not needing the reef we shook it out.

We finished at 1130 for 6th in our fleet of 14. Mike Ironmonger on his Sabre 38 won our class, beating us by three hours and change. We have a few area where we know we can improve and look forward to the next time.

A couple of things should be mentioned to highlight the incredible joy of sailing this race. The parting of the clouds during the 0000-0400 watch revealing the Universe above was awe inspiring. Equally amazing was the biolumenesence which lit our bow wave like an led flashlight and bloomed in our wake like lookoing at lightning fro above the clouds, reminding us of the amazing Universe beneath our hulls.
 
#14 ·
I agree. This is a great race. The bioluminescence was fun to watch; every time that I looked at it while driving, I found that I was off course. Oh well. Vicky was really entertained, so I'm happy. Each year, we see shooting stars and this was no exception. I only saw one, but our record is unbroken.

I'm irked by the preliminary results. They show us as DNF. We were over early, but recrossed and received an all clear from the RC. At the finish, we finished with two other boats and received the finish blast from the Dove, so I know that they saw us finish. I sent them an email and will follow up with a phone call later today.
 
#15 ·
I'm irked by the preliminary results. They show us as DNF. We were over early, but recrossed and received an all clear from the RC. At the finish, we finished with two other boats and received the finish blast from the Dove, so I know that they saw us finish. I sent them an email and will follow up with a phone call later today.
Hope you can get it straightened out. I know that would irk me as well.

A friend of mine did Down the Bay and wasn't aware he was over early until he saw the results down in Hampton. Major bummer.

Good Luck.
 
#16 ·
Great race, sorry I didn't get to meet up with anyone. We did ok, but locked out a halyard during a sail change and paid for it dearly when we turned the corner. Highest position held was 2nd, spent most of the time in the top 5, and gave it away at the end for a 7th. Out of 28 boats, not bad, considering pounding into bay chop with 20' of waterline isn't the fastest point of sail for a 3000 lbs boat.

Watches? Reefs? What are these things you speak of? :p
 
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