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.
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| First time locking thru - Nicole, Kyle, & Yalda |
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| 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 3rd 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 2nd 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 3rd
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 1st 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!
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| Thank you, Eddie Izzard, for the inspiration... |
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| Becker consuming a post race lock thru energy disc. |
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| A load of epic crew for a small boat - Jill, Fisch, Becker, Brian, Yalda, Caleb |
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| Skipper & Skipperette w/ fancy new graphics! |
