2012 Duck Dodge Rum Run – Cake or Death Officially Christened!

Nicole and I recruited 6 hearty sailors to assemble and make our boat go fast against other sailors as the temperatures drop and the skies keep a wee bit grayer here in Seattle… November means Rum Run and this race was particularly special to us as we were removing her former name and unveiling the new vinyl in a proper ceremony where much champagne was spilled into the briny deep, much to Yalda’s chagrin.

After an uneventful locking through, exchanging pleasantries with big sister SJ28 Zephyr, we swooped into the Shilshole marina to fetch a wayward Koepke and meandered out to the starting area. SE breeze around 10kn and a building ebb made the decision to start on starboard with the big genoa, crash the breakwater and ride the locks flush out to our first mark at West Point. We had a reasonable start, for the first time ever, and picked a good lane to weather of the tuna 525 Full Moon and the R22 True Blue.

First time locking thru - Nicole, Kyle, & Yalda

Becker, Jill, Fisch, and Caleb. Keeping the outboard shaft on the transom dry.

The farther south we got the lighter and shiftier the wind went and the boat started to feel a bit fat and hungover. Friday, a Hunter 31 who may have been the only other boat farther in the bay than us reached down and over the top of us 2/3rds to the mark, seemingly heckling us as they passed by – a shout of “you got nuthin!” was directed in the general space we occupied at the time. Not sure why, but it got our attention, for the first time ever.

Somewhere between questioning why our fleet was rounding to starboard, which we didn’t see on the course board for 3^rd start, and looking to lay the West Point can the port jib sheet separated at the bowline, for the first time ever, forcing an earlier tack than desired. Laughter naturally ensued. Cleared the can by fistful of whiskers and gybe set for a hot reach towards Meadow point hoping to grind back some distance the fleet ahead had gained. We tried to talk ourselves into believing we had the speed and course to cross Neptune’s Car, approaching on her 2^nd lap to the West Point can, but common sense eventually prevailed and we ducked the 70 footer.

Still hunting the 4 lead boats we spied everybody setting courses for starboard rounding’s. Full Moon, first around the can, hitched immediately and headed west for Port Madison – both out of reach and on one. Meanwhile, in the “didn’t read the 3^rd start course board”, Blue Jeans and Friday kept a close hauled course heading south back to West Point with the previous fleets. After the rounding we hauled ass to re-rig for a second launch, and watched ahead as the two leading boats stuck with whites on the reach across to hidden cove as the breeze crept up to double digits. In true Wild Rumpus style, we put nipples to the ripples and hoisted first with breeze square on the beam for the first time ever.

We ground down True Blue, the first time ever, and peered into the mist ahead searching for the finish. Our crew spotted an orange mark set to the right of a large motorboat flying a red flag and we assumed it was the finish. Ahead of us, Full Moon dramatically adjusted to weather as though they just noticed the same line. Our kite was doused as we nosed up for the apparent line amid horn blasts for phantom finishers. It quickly dawned on us that we were approaching a fishing boat with nets strung out, signaling danger to sailors and generally wondering what the hell we’re all thinking, and maybe we didn’t want to go in there… Full Moon bore safely away about a hundred yards ahead while boats to weather were slightly less graceful in avoidance and started mutual round-upping.

As we eased sheets and reached for the pin, the real finish line now in sight with Full Moon just over, we held off a hot charging True Blue and R26 Rascal who seemed to come out of nowhere. The horn sounded, the headsail dropped, and a hot new duck was collected from the mighty race committee… happened to be a bronze duck but that’s okay, we know where we actually finished.

Cake or Death collected her 1^st official duck and much rum was shared amongst the crew. Sailing for the first time ever was Caleb getting pitty with it, Becker and Nicole stringing the colorful canvas and outsmarting the skipper, Brian teeing up the pointy end, Fisch and Yalda breaking running rigging and making the crew wear look good, Jill running the mast and sniffing bottles of J. Rogét, and Kyle trying to keep the tiller extension securely seated. Truly a fantastic day of sailing and an epic maiden voyage for the newly christened Cake or Death!

Thank you, Eddie Izzard, for the inspiration...

Becker consuming a post race lock thru energy disc.

A load of epic crew for a small boat - Jill, Fisch, Becker, Brian, Yalda, Caleb

Skipper & Skipperette w/ fancy new graphics!

2012 AYC Champagne Series #3, Post Point Race Recap

The blog has experienced some neglect lately as I've had a few events lately that have sucked much of the writing free time available earlier in the year, but I haven't ceased to race! Emoyeni sailed her last AYC race of the year on 10/7 and there was, in fact, enough breeze for a great sail - read on...

With a little nip in the air the Anacortes Racing season came to a close October 7^th with the annual Post Point race, a 25 nautical mile jaunt from Fidalgo Bay north, around the R2 nun at Post Point & back. Early fog burned off for sunny skies and a shifty breeze. The race was started, quite possibly on pacific Schwenk cell phone time, with Emoyeni leading the way with no less than 1 crew member severely hung over.

Off the line boats beat their way northeast towards the first convergence zone off guemes and huckleberry islands. Kinetic Ki, the only pitchfork in the fleet, mowed the lawn first while Little Annie and Syndicat drifted into the right wind line off long bay and managed to make the gap between Huckleberry and Guemes Islands pay. Meanwhile, drifting in a vacuum, Emoyeni crew struggled their way along the west saddlebag shore with Kymodoce and Hassenpfeffer hot on their heels.

Dug-in firmly in the first steady breeze from the NW Kinetic Ki quickly disappeared and boats behind started working on the C fleet leaders Little Annie and Syndicat. Walt navigated deep enough into padilla bay that I gotta believe they’d wetsanded the bottom of their keel through several tacks. The breeze faded and soon drifters were launched off Point William with the back of the feet making gains on the catalina and beneteau.

Vegas odds at this point looked like an over/under on wind holes would be somewhere around 4 throughout the course as Syndicat popped a kite in a building west-northwesterly with Little Annie scrambling to find the Rubbermaid bin. Emoyeni, working with unusual pinpoint focus, got her kite in the air no less than 20 seconds before the breeze filled and took off in pursuit, the Ericson and Hare behind left scrambling to hoist their own reach-worthy canvas.

It became a struggle to hold a kite about the time Kinetic Ki popped back on the radar and looking something less than fast on the right. Kites were interchanged with white sails as boats turned up, save for the well heeled Hassenpfeffer crew who sailed on their ears well longer than any of her competitors. With the multihull notably parked in Samish bay the boats that could keep farthest left sailed by in steady pressure. Little Annie and Syndicat failed to put enough in the bank and found themselves sucked into the same deadzone that ensconced Kintetic Ki and Emoyeni re-took the lead.

Kites were re-launched around R2 and boats immediately reached hard to the west looking for the steadiest and strongest pressures. Emoyeni seemed to extend her lead till near Eliza rock where the breeze again deflated temporarily. Just as Kymodoce approached from behind Emoyeni slipped back into the breeze and rocketed away doing 7.5kn broad reaching our way towards saddlebag island.

Onboard the rip roaring islander the crew obsessively long eyed the winds in all directions and recognized getting back into fidalgo bay would be just as hard as the earlier attempt to get out of it. Kymodoce and Kinetic Ki were charging quick while Emoyeni drifted slowly past Saddlebag. Agonizing over the strong lead evaporating and the fresh breeze funneling down Guemes Channel, Emoyeni deployed the drifter again and nosed her way into paydirt that would seal her victory. Kinetic Ki was stuck in a Huckleberry flyer while Kymodoce stayed too far right on the saddlebag shore to catch the eddy that slid the islander into the new guemes breeze and Emoyeni crossed the line shortly after 4:30.

On Emoyeni we saved the best for last – Our victory in Post Point made us overall fleet leaders in the Champagne series and challenged our focus, determination, and tenacity like no other race this year. Our dialed in crew for the finale was Deano on the wheel, pointy end Brian, Skipper Chris on strings and long eyes, and Kyle on the maple bacon ale and vitamin advil. 

Cake or Death takes Silver on "Dead Celebrity Night", Duck Dodge 2012

Normally I don’t recap the duck dodge because there are too many and drinking is usually involved. But on the epic night of 7/10/2012 the crew of Ana Maria, AKA “Cake or Death”, AKA Stiff Kitty (talk to the duck dodge chairman) put together a solid performance which deserves memorializing in standard recap fashion…

Sunny and 75 (literally) on the shores of Lake Union and a race was underway before Ana Maria even left the dock. Crew members Milad and Fisch were likely wishing they could scuttle land yachts as they zigged and zagged their way across the rush-hour asphalt from the eastside to Lake Union Waterworks excessively late for dock call. Bets were placed on who would make the boat first and it was Milad by a unibrow. Both were dressed somewhat appropriately.

Wind at pre-start was blowing roughly 10-12kn predominately from the NW. We positioned ourselves well on the line on starboard towards the pin at the gun and created ourselves a clear lane to tack onto port for the first beat to Aurora. After a few hitches in noticeably softer pressures we tacked to lay Aurora a bit early. While the bow gals worked on a bear-away set-up we watched Sushi, who was also low of the mark, take a monster lift about a boat length before rounding. Good news was we made the mark, bad news was the new breeze made the proper
rounding a gybe-set. The really bad news is this further bolsters the bow gals position that I will never, ever, make up my mind, ever, about how to set for a rounding.

We weren’t the only boat to struggle with how to round the mark so we didn’t lose much ground while the rigging was mirrored. We made some moves out to the middle of the lake and put a gybe in while Milad distracted the competition by performing a baba karam in his Hugo Boss suit (yes, like a boss). We had a decent douse, albeit a bit close to AGC, and broke away in clear air with Anakena sneaking in to weather at the mark.

You. Submit to my trimming prowess.

Back upwind we traded crossings with Anakena, us coming out on top by the last flop to the freeway mark. I got rather confused when Full Moon rounded and didn’t set for the finish, assuming Fisch was already drunk when he confirmed the evening’s course. Meanwhile, Tantivity was arriving on her second lap and tacked a bit too soon creating some expensive looking congestion at the mark. I think Caleb channeled his inner Yoda and used the force to ratchet Tantivity’s momentum factor up as she sailed about a boat length head to wind around the mark, just in time to clear the zone for the first few 3rd starters approaching.

Kyle rightfully chastises fisch for excessive pinching. Milad spills beer on his head.

Our second hoist went much better but the breeze continued to go soft and a little shore breeze on the east started looking favorable. We put a gybe in but couldn’t cross Anakena who was on starboard so the effort was negated. The final run to the finish was a concentration on trim as it became obvious that Full Moon had switched to 2nd start and the only boat ahead of us in 3rd start was the well sailed Sushi… We kept both Anakena and True Blue at bay as we waited our first signal blast in a duck dodge – but it didn’t sound!!! Anakena got hers and I thought Nicole was gonna go all Lou Ferrigno on the RC volunteers. Turned out there was a nearby wardrobe malfunction distracting the horn operator and we did indeed earn 2nd place and our very first vinyl duck! In the end we didn’t even need the blast from the RC as it was evident that Jill brought enough guns for everybody.

Sun sets on our 1st podium finish!!!

Our fantastic crew for the evening was Caleb Patterson Heath Ledger’ing the sail trim, Milad Sadegi Ayatollah Khomeini’ing winch work, Kent Fischer David Carradine’ing the snake pit, Jill Bruins Anna Nicole Smith’ing the spin pole, Nicole Haustveit Farrah Fawcett’ing the foredeck, and Kyle Roethle Billy Mays’ing the tiller.

It's okay, Jill carries a concealed weapons permit for those.

Celebratory beers with the boss.

1st duck for team Cake or Death! (2nd Place!)

2012 SYC Tri Island Series #3, Blake Island Race Recap

Having missed out on the SYC Vashon race, #2 in the Tri Island Series, I cleared my docket for the final race in the series and signed up to crew with greater Seattle area favorite Shoot the Moon. Blake Island throws a fun tactical twist in the SI’s that allows competitors to round in either direction, and following the race is usually a great party with free beer that against my better judgment I have never attended. In our fleet, the Moon was sitting mid-pack in 5^th place overall.

Aboard the moon we drifted around the pre-start area under postponement till a light nor’ easterly descended on us. Not wasting any time the RC got sequences rolling and we started dialing up for the run south. Hoisted the #1 with issue as the head foil track was somehow misaligned in several places, preventing full hoist and making us look silly. Bad problem to have in less than 4min to the gun but a downwind start pretty much saved our race with a quick kite launch and some time to re-group.

After a gybe to starboard we turned attention (some of us trimming turned too much attention) to the problem with the foil. A reconnaissance trip aloft was necessary and Nicole literally was the short straw on the boat so she made the trip skyward as we headed for west point. Armed with an array of vice grips, pliers, hacksaw, and TIG welder in her bra she realigned the track and slid back down the forestay, letting go at just the right moment to swing Jane-of-the-jungle style aft towards the port lower shroud, which ultimately put Ed in an awkward position.

We crossed the shipping lanes where Julie’s shoes got wet and mixed it up with the Beneteau 45 Family Affair and J105 Last Tango en route to Wing Pt. The moon mostly squared up and stayed east of Blakely rocks while the leading boats seemed to split inside to Blakely harbor. Restoration Pt served up light and shifty conditions where leaders needed white sails while the boats in back made gains in the building northerly.

The fleet split probably 70-30% in clockwise vs. counter clockwise rounding’s and we had a good view of the Kiwi boat 39 Absolutely make use of her original heavy depth sounder at the SE end of Blake Island. Getting past the bottom of the island we were passed by Family Affair who’d gone CCW, against conventional wisdom, appearing to have made it pay. It was time to play “moment of truth” as we rigged and got a clean hoist on the headsail. Nicole had successfully willed the track back into alignment and we switched into upwind mode.

Getting around the island required a big focus on trim and clean air and as a result we’d managed to sort of lose track of our competitors. Passing Restoration pt and crossing the VTS lanes the wind had gone NNW and was up between 10-12kn. We relished the upwind conditions and lack of freighters. Skipper Don, the point whisperer, magically sailed 3-5 degrees higher than the fleet around us as we made huge gains on the way to the temp turning mark.

During the kite run south we were ensconced in a small rain squall with the best breeze of the day, knocking on the door of 20kn. The problem was turning the corner at Elliott Bay and realizing the finish was set in a vast windless expanse off the marina breakwater. Puffs and lulls to surge over the line made for a bit of an anticlimactic finish, yet a positive one as we had a good grip on 2^nd  place if the Dash 34 Izakaya behind fell into the same hole we did. In the end, the moon had enough time on the Dash to remain in 2^nd and we leap frogged from 5^th overall to 2^nd overall in our fleet for the series!

Shoot the Moon’s crack crew consisted of Skipper Don spinning the wheel, Steve the main man, Chris on kite strings, Trevor, Paul, Connor, & Kyle greasing winches, Big Ed on the mast, Mac packing a mean kite, Teresa filling in for Shawn in the pit (I’m considering submitting Shawn’s picture to local milk carton distributors), Nicole as lead rigger, and Julie making footprints all over the foredeck. Fun day had by all, and yes, we had positive water.

2012 AYC Corinthian Series Race #2, Team Emoyeni re-cap

Forecasted breeze was medium pressure out of the south west and looking like a sunny, pleasant evening in Fidalgo bay… We got the s’westerly but it came with a bigger punch than the guessers at NOAA were betting on. Most boats motored into the lee of cap santé head to hoist small sails and tuck in reefs. During A fleet pre sequence the mighty Pangaea’s 18^th century #3 headsail gave up and ripped from leach to luff, decidedly starting the carnage off proper. Course was a windward/leeward 2x around, ruh roh!

On Emoyeni we opted for a little more powered up plan with a #2 and single reefed main, because we’re stupid – All C fleet boats were late but we were the least tardy to the start and got the boat end in clear breeze with Kymodoce in tow. Our canvas proved deadly as we began to walk away from the fleet en-route to the weather mark. After the rounding we shook out the reef and contemplated a kite but decided to stick to whites. Call to gybe and the main didn’t quite get sheeted thoroughly which resulted in what we’re calling an “unzipping” of the mainsail – the boom swung with such force that we tore every single car in the luff of the mainsail out of the track, bits of plastic raining down on deck like a polymer hailstorm. We were now sailing with a loose foot and a loose luff which was okay downwind but definitely wouldn’t work upwind…

Meanwhile in the action south, Kymodoce gybed proper and set her chute – quite the sight watching Kyle Saum drive his boat under the kite and keep the rig upright in those conditions reminding me that he’s got a pacific cup or two under his belt. They ate huge chunks of distance out of our lead while Walt and the Syn-di-Cat found themselves pulling an MOB from the bay during a gybe gone awry.

Emoyeni rounded the leeward mark in the lead and took down the injured main, so for those scoring at home we now had two yachts on the course powered only by a single sail (the other being Pangaea) Still truckin in the lead to the weather mark I think the salt water may have absorbed into our frontal lobes and misfired a few synapses as we actually went ahead and set a kite sans mainsail for the final downwind leg, which in retrospect was stupid. This may have qualified for the most entertaining and/or dumbest decision in a stiff breeze in recent memory (at least). Battled a gybe and had to shuck and jive to avoid the butt end; seemed like an American Gladiators try-out, then we suffered a knock-down that was really more of a pin-down. Everybody held onto the boat and our bowman, buried up to my rib cage in water and hanging from the shrouds, had to cry uncle and dump the kite halyard – kinda reminded me of doing double damned with Andy and Steph a couple years ago. After hauling the kite aboard and untangling the mess of sheets and gear we still managed to make the leeward mark ahead of our fleet although the chute malfeasance had destroyed any chance of gaining back the time we’d need to correct for the overall win.

In the end we crossed the line 1^st, pulled two buckets of green water from the bilge, and corrected into 3^rd place behind Kymodoce and Little Annie. The hearty crew was made up of Deano, Barry, Rich, and Kyle with the experience to match the severe lack of judgment, and then poor Dave and Pete who didn’t know any better… Yes we wore pfd’s, perhaps the only smart thing we did. Note to self, stop putting a kite up without the main. Just don’t do it… not in 20 knots anyway. Bad Deano.

2012 SYC Tri Island Series #1, Smith Island Race Recap

The last weekend of April would mark the second time this year I’d participate in a race around the curious chunk of wind and wave hammered sediment called Smith Island. Having already participated in a race around the island from Anacortes I was keen to experience the route from Seattle to the north and back. Currents and wind predictions suggested a “gentlemanly” sail.

Pre start conditions had a decent southerly and clear skies as the fleets prepped for a spinnaker start. Aboard Shoot the Moon we had a crew of 11 and enough bottled water for an extra 15 bodies. In our fleet of 6 distance loving yachts we were the slowest rated at 84 and likely armed with the most running jokes and best stories in the fleet. We’re also accused of being snappy dressers too.

At the final approach to the start we were the only ones going for boat end on port tack and although we didn’t have the legs to carry us across the fleet we had em’ right where we wanted em’ gybing several times to keep out of trouble before we could hoist the kite. We got settled in and were about 2hrs from Smith Island according to Michael who had yet to remove an article of clothing.

Michael expertly trimming the staysail for multiple tenths of a knot advantage - photo by Nicole Haustveit

Breeze freshened as we gybed and ran deep on the west side of the sound. Ahead of us was the bulk of our fleet that had found a small hole in the space time continuum and was able to eek several miles of distance on us. Directly behind the short course leaders were compressing with the J105’s J105’ing each other (surprise!).

Teresa and Nicole take time out to share a Facebook moment - photo by Nicole Haustveit

 The ebb continued to build and the geographic shift left kept us running on starboard in sunny skies. Being behind by several miles had the entertainment advantage being able to watch short course boats approaching their turning mark from the wrong board. Sailing upwind to make the leeward mark looks slow; did I mention the ebb was pretty strong?

Approaching Pt Partridge we had yet to gybe since Kingston while the Beneteau 45 in our fleet kept us company flopping shore to shore the whole way from Mutiny Bay to Partridge Bank. We were about 2hrs from Smith Island and we had the fleet right where we wanted them – ahead but showing a clear northerly breeze beginning to fill gently as the ebb tide faded. Big money boats had already rounded and were playing in the convergence, displaying the holes for the pack behind. Ruby came down and Blondie went up for the quick beat to the top of Minor Island.

Best way to catch the fleet is to make Kirt eat a bear claw - photo by Nicole Haustveit

Teresa’s awesome enchiladas were loaded into the oven as we made a left turn at Minor Island and skirted the northern shore(s) of Minor and Smith. We set the kite for a run back thru Admiralty Inlet and it occurred to me we’d only used STM’s genoa about 25 minutes total. 

Trevor's amusing high fashion - photo by Nicole Haustveit

We ran east towards admiralty head in the building flood while the bulk of our fleet ahead was rounding Point Wilson, which was right where we wanted them. On the run a wayward cetacean breached abeam of us a few times signaling approval of our course. I’m not sure what type of whale it was, guessing minke maybe? In any event, Steve wasn’t anywhere near the helm so the whale was in no immediate danger. Michael noted we were about 2 hrs from the finish. 

Smith Island at 3pm with the fleet exactly where we want em' - photo by Nicole Haustveit

The remainder of the racing through Admiralty Inlet was extended puffs and lulls between the shores, with STM being the east most boat whilst the remaining fleet kept mostly west between Marrowstone and Foulweather Bluff. Ed cranked the fun meter up to 10.4kn beam reaching to Bush pt while our competition aboard Absolutely peeled to their dark kite and attempted to disguise themselves as a tree on shore.

Numbers we can live with - photo by Nicole Haustveit

Once a large container freighter was clear we gybed for the western peninsula shore in dying breeze and odd rolly wave sets for the prevailing conditions. Darkness had set in and we were only able to sight the two C&C’s Darby and ReignMaker in front of us and the large reachy Beneteau from Milltown. I think at this point we were about 2hrs from the finish and approaching Appletree cove. Never having followed our fleet the whole day we weren’t about to start now, and given we had em’ where we wanted em’ the decision was made to gybe over to Pt Wells in search of a stronger shore breeze and current relief from the beginning ebb.

The thing about Pt Wells was it was illuminated substantially well to see the lack of breeze but we remained in positive water. Skipper Don went below for a bit of decompression so Michael assumed the helm and promptly put the foredeck to work, threatening “Gybe or I’ll take off my pants and jacket!” (I might be exaggerating) – In the last 2 hrs of the race we did more maneuvers than we’d done in the previous 14 hrs of sailing, no rest for the wicked!

It seemed to take at least 2 hrs to make meadow point but the good news was we were only 2 hrs from the finish. I think from G1 into Shilshole bay was the first time the whole race we’d seen an extended period of negative current. At 01:28:14 the race committee signaled our finish, last boat in the fleet to the dock and by virtue, the boat and crew who got the most time in such unique conditions.

STM’s crew consisted of Skipper Don mainly driving but moonlighting in many other areas, notably bow, Sam working tactics and navigation, Kirt-Kyle-Trevor-Nicole mainly pulling the strings and updating the facebook, Teresa kicking it in the pit, Kristy swinging the main and warning the dangers of Brazilian shampoo (not what you’re probably thinking), Ed being generally all over the boat, Michael with a mean staysail trim, and Steve working the bow and whale targeting.

I’m guessing Ed must have spent the previous week helping little old ladies through crosswalks around Seattle and maybe Kristy donated some hair to a wig shop, otherwise I’m not sure what we did to deserve such a nice sail. In the end we only corrected over the Beneteau in our fleet for 5^th place. It’s fun to win but when you don’t perspective is your friend and I think Steve said it best when he opined, “…it’s worth noting that it could literally be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. A long (85 mile, 16 hour) out-and-back race that was at least 90% downwind and 90% positive current.” Shoot man, I had a blast!

And in retrospect we probably would have placed better if Shawn had chosen to pull lines and crank winches around her pit in lieu of gallivanting around igloos and hanging out with yetis on a snowshoeing adventure. Who does that in April anyway? I think we may have been dangerously low on EZ-Cheese too – also Shawn’s fault. (love ya Shawner!)