SYSCO Thursday Nights Summer Series 2019

The SYSCO Thursday Night Summer Series has been different from the Spring Series. The first race was cancelled due to first lack of winds. Then as they RC was cancelling the races, the wind came in and knocked down a Venture 21, which promptly sank. It sank leaving about 3 feet of the bow pointing to the sky above water. What I know about what happened is they had a spinnaker up when the wind was very light and before the races were cancelled. The wind developed rather quickly. The spinnaker knocked the boat on its beam. The boat has a swing keel that may be self rights with a normal genoa and mainsail. The spinnaker is known as the only sail that will sink a boat. The crew and skipper were dunked in the water, but all were wearing PFD's. Poncho got them out of the water. 911 was called and the Port Authority Fire and Rescue along with the Sheriff's boat with sirens and flashing lights. It was quite a spectacle.

The second race was much better attended, the wind showed up. Crew tonight was Eric, Jon, and John. The course was "T" (S-1(Buoy 2)-3-Finish). The wind was from the west at about 8 knots. We had a great start, but rounded the windward mark third. We decided to go around the finish line to 3. The rest of our fleet was staying in the main channel. We had clear air and was catching the rest of the fleet. By the leeward mark, we had a 4 boat length lead. As we were taking down the whisker pole, the sheet wrapped the pole and knocked it out of Jon's hands. It went over board. We rounded the mark, barely. We missed the mark by inches according to the crew. We stayed on port close haul tack for a bit and then headed to the finish. We came in first.

We went back to pick up the whisker pole, but could not find it. I am in the process of making my third pole. The first two broke in half under heavy loads. This one will be almost the same as the last one, but I have made both ends this time on my 3D printer, as the only Forespar end I had left, went with the last pole. Cost of the replacement tubing is about $100. I looked at poles at Sextons Chandlary. The pole I would need cost $465.

Third Race Track

The third race of the season was another typical summer race, S-2-14-F. This time we stayed in the channel and came in third. I have decided not to play with the rest of the fleet. We managed to get a late start. We made up time at the windward mark even getting into second, but Blew Streak was just to tuned in. He finished first, we finished third.

The fourth race was something else. The wind was from the South South West. The course was S-C-14-F. The wind was light. On close hauled port tack we could go straight up river. On close hauled starboard tack we could go across the river, but could not go directly across, but went diagonally down river. This made getting to "C" a voyage a long way up river, almost to 14, then going to starboard tack to drift down to "C". We were third around "C". But the boat was not sailing well. Wildheart crept passed up, putting us in last place. Then I discovered I had been a butt cleat on the lazy sheet putting a hook in the head sail. Once I moved off the line, we maintained out position.