Oy Vey!

Holy off the grid, batman! Where have I been?

Oh.  That's right.

Sailing.

And planning sailboat races. And stuff.

My last post summarized the epic (cold, wet, windy) fun that was Round the County 2012.  That was over 6 months ago.  Yes.  I'm sorry.  But it's ok because I only have four followers, those poor saps.

So a few center Sound series and tri islands later, before I knew it spring sailing season was in full swing and my lucky stars were being counted in perfect rhythm with the neap tides.  Neffy is as fast and as fun as ever with race week just around the corner, which means anyone in the Super30 fleet should start conditioning their livers for the fleet party right about, um, NOW.

And the kicker?  Ironically, as I write this from Cabo (Cape) San Lucas it is not without a very special fondness for another, far more Northerly Cape, having had the distinct pleasure of rounding it under sail during the 2013 Van Isle 360 just a few short days ago with some amazing folks aboard S/V Flash. 

Rounding Cape Scott, Vancouver Island, BC

 
Next?  PINK BOAT.  Yes.  And, um, shit. I have a lot to do.  But so help me, we'll see $50,000 this year.  We will.  Seattle has this thing in the bag.  I can feel it in my knees when the weather turns.  Anyone not familiar with the evolution of this beast can educate here, but suffice it to say we're at a precipice which I plan on launching from in some kind of device propelled by the good skill and craft of our sailing community.  So sign the hell up pretty please, with sugar on top, whether to race or just raise money for the cause. 

Very thankfully, my own mother is doing rather fabulously.  Her hair is growing back (curly this time!) and her ferocious attitude intact and thriving.   And being Canadian, she will be receiving a new rack shortly free of charge thanks to rampant socialism.  (detect sarcasm)

In good health and much love,

Go Sailing. 

Salty

PS Wojtek, you can kiss my ass.

Winter Harbour, BC.  Or an image from my sailboating dreams.  Can't quite be sure.

And then came 2012. Nefariously.

In with the old, out with the new!

Wait, actually- scratch that.  My 2012 philosophy is, decidedly...

If the old was good, KEEP it.  If the new is good, KEEP it.

That's it.  Period.  If you can read between the lines, then it reads something like:

DON'T KEEP IT IF IT SUCKS. 

Simple!  Here are a few steps I've found especially useful in making such a transition.  Disclaimer: I cannot guarantee that anyone in particular, or at all, will gain any value whatsoever from my own musings.  Carry on.


STEP 1: Acknowledge the positive and honor it appropriately.

Umm...so...like, mental note, right?  Moment of silence?  Quiet reverence?

Pfffft.  Get a freaking tattoo!  YES!

Act shocked. 



STEP 2: Keep (insert something you love here) Sailing.

How about a gorgeous New Year's Day sail on Elliot Bay with all of your favorite sailors?  Huh?  Maybe throw in a little 3rd place at Duwamish Head on a beautiful January morning?  Does that count?  Neffy got the gun (which is just so little kid-ish exciting!) but Dos and Brio beat us out fair and square for the lead on this one....congrats to them both!  (...official results...)


STEP 3: Throw caution to the wind.  

Appropriately-punned expression intended.  I can live no other way than to greet whatever may be carried in with the breeze... and since 2012 has started with some very serendipitous winds, I shall keep my fingers crossed for a gale and weather this storm with gratitude and a smile.  Plural.

Cheers, friends.  Sail true.  Happy year.

Salty.

A Limerick for Vashon.

I have chosen to summarize the 2011 Vashon Island race, 1st in the Southern Sound Series, by partially nonsensical limerick. Enjoy!

There once was a race in South Sound

To sail Vashon the wrong way around

I was late to the boat (!)

...worthy of a demote...

But at least Kirkland's nickname was found.

PS we won.  (2nd overall.)

Go team!

Out of the Woodwork, Into the SEA...

omg.

Really?

Yes.  Really.  It's really me.

But, for realsies?

Yes, for realsies.

After a brief hiatus from the planet, I'd like to catch up on a few (oh so very much fun) regattas we've had over the last few months, beginning, of course, with Round the County.  Why?  Because someone saw an Orca whale.  It wasn't us.  It was Neptune's Car.  But still...pretty cool, right?

# of days sailing around Island County, WA (read: the San Juan Islands): 2

# of crockpots needed to feed just the Peterson brothers: 1

# of crockpots needed to feed the entire rest of the crew: 1.5

# of gnarly rope burn incidents: 1

# of huge gloves on board: 4

# of crew members experimenting with the utility of replacing foul weather gear with a dry suit: 1

# of days the dry suit lasted: 1

# of huge wind holes we picnicked in 1/4 mile from the finish to avoid winning: 1

# of wipeouts: 2. Maybe 3

 # of wipeouts that weren't any fun: BIG FAT ZERO.

And to sum it up, a lovely photo taken by Sean Trew depicting the lovely, lovely weather we were so fortunate enough to reach around some islands in:

Nefarious!

Cheers everyone!

Neffy goes to Portland!....Wait...What!?

Because it's all about baby steps.

Except when it's about trucks breaking down while you're trying to tow a Nefarious Farr 30 800 miles and you're on mile 150, otherwise known as "almost to Portland."

And sometimes, it's about a truck breaking down while towing Neffy, that was borrowed from a guy (thanks Jim, you're awesome!) who spends all week towing boats with it.  Much heavier boats.  Lots of them.

Case Study:  a 'for instance', if you will.

Truck & Neffy leave Seattle on Tuesday, August 23rd (early morning hour too hideous to warrant mentioning) carrying 4 people:

• Dan (skipper & purveyor of making things happen...and of lost clipboards.)
• Andy (mast man, team big brother & laundry folder extraordinaire)
• Ray (jib trimmer, most quotable of all time & AMAZING musician)
• Myself (pit girl & team cheerleader.)  I can't help it.  I just get so excited. (!!!!!)

Truck & Neffy stop for gas:

10 feet wide.  13 feet tall.  70+ feet long.  And oh so pretty.

 Hmm...truck doesn't seem to want to start...?

Luckily, this cool dude gave us a jump.  Thanks cool dude!

Whew!  Okay, onward!!  ....wait....uhh...errr...truck kicks the bucket about 20 minutes later.  No juice. (Seriously?)

Teamwork in action!

And of course, in fine Ray fashion, Ray spends about 30 seconds making phone calls to find "a guy who can solve all our problems" while Dan arranges for towing.  As in, tow trucks.  Plural.

 One for the truck...

 

....and one for Neffy, aka the 'largest and weirdest object' the tow truck driver had ever encountered.   She shall live on even by word of mouth in the Northwest towing circuit. How is that not awesome.

And speaking of awesome, not only did Ray's 'guy' actually come through and 'solve all our problems,' (Hellooooo shout-out to Northside Trucks, thank you!!!!!)  THIS place was across the street:

This is not an airport.  Think harder.  Pretty clever actually.

Alas, however, it was decided that enjoying the sun at the nearest place with sailor accommodations (read: beer and a patio) was in order and at the end of the day, it was pretty difficult not to have had it be a great one albeit one with a slight (ok, pretty huge) delay.

 

Also pretty sure I'm not aware of any other way to wait for a truck repair.

There was even time to get excited about tractors, because, why not?

omgomgomg it's a tractor does everyone see the tractor it's big it's yellow it's exciting omgomgomg take our picture

Go team Neffy!