I race on Tuesday nights with GYC in Rochester. I'm currently crew on a Santana 20, which is a fast little boat, when the waves are down. We went out last night in what looked like a passing thunderstorm. The race was postponed for a half hour, then we started, late to the line, but caught up to the leader downwind. It looked like we were going to catch them at the leeward mark, but all holy hell broke loose. The lightning and thunder started, and radio calls announcing DNF's were starting to come in. One more bolt, and the race committee bagged the race. We turned in towards the Genesee river, and WHAM, the wind and rain smacked into us, flogging the sail as we motored in; the little outboard screaming to fight the wind. The lightning was a bit too much for me, and I held on to the mainsheet with fingers crossed while we motor sailed to port.We broke a batten, and it poked through the sail. Skipper will not be happy. Now if lightning struck that little Tohatsu "piece of crap" outboard he has, I would be smiling the whole summer.
Yesterday was very frustrating, as I was stuck at the house, again, trying to get the cat on a flight out of here. This time it looked like a go, and I went to the airport for the drop off. Continental was the slowest moving ticket counter I have ever seen. I waited an hour and a half to hear the flight was 2 hrs delayed, and the cat would miss it's connector. Son of a $^%$. I just got to the yacht club in time for the opportunity to get zapped. Now the cat is going out at 8am tomorrow, so I miss an overnight on the boat, because I have to be at the airport at 6:30 AM! This week sucks so far.
It will get better when my daughter Nicole shows up. We haven't seen "Tex" in a while. Maybe she can help me fix the windlass :) She better bring a raincoat, and a fleece. The temps up here are a bit cooler than the coastal bend.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Racing in Lightning
I race on Tuesday nights with GYC in Rochester. I'm currently crew on a Santana 20, which is a fast little boat, when the waves are down. We went out last night in what looked like a passing thunderstorm. The race was postponed for a half hour, then we started, late to the line, but caught up to the leader downwind. It looked like we were going to catch them at the leeward mark, but all holy hell broke loose. The lightning and thunder started, and radio calls announcing DNF's were starting to come in. One more bolt, and the race committee bagged the race. We turned in towards the Genesee river, and WHAM, the wind and rain smacked into us, flogging the sail as we motored in; the little outboard screaming to fight the wind. The lightning was a bit too much for me, and I held on to the mainsheet with fingers crossed while we motor sailed to port.We broke a batten, and it poked through the sail. Skipper will not be happy. Now if lightning struck that little Tohatsu "piece of crap" outboard he has, I would be smiling the whole summer.
Yesterday was very frustrating, as I was stuck at the house, again, trying to get the cat on a flight out of here. This time it looked like a go, and I went to the airport for the drop off. Continental was the slowest moving ticket counter I have ever seen. I waited an hour and a half to hear the flight was 2 hrs delayed, and the cat would miss it's connector. Son of a $^%$. I just got to the yacht club in time for the opportunity to get zapped. Now the cat is going out at 8am tomorrow, so I miss an overnight on the boat, because I have to be at the airport at 6:30 AM! This week sucks so far.
It will get better when my daughter Nicole shows up. We haven't seen "Tex" in a while. Maybe she can help me fix the windlass :) She better bring a raincoat, and a fleece. The temps up here are a bit cooler than the coastal bend.
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