Joe and I on final approach to the windward mark.
Bret and James, just before they capsized and Bret put a human shaped hole in the mainsail.
Bret and James on Wednesday, our training day prior to the regatta.
The screaming reach in the first race. Team Key Sailing about to capsize.
My two weeks in Tampa went well, Angela and I did lots of awesome sailing, we were joined by my friends Tyler and Morgan from Connecticut to do some intense training as they get ready for the Tybee 500.
While in Tampa Angela and I participated in a short 30 mile distance race which developed into a blind sail in the fog, weathering out a massive thunderstorm on an abandoned island, and then abandoning the race and sailing back to the beach. Out of the original 13 boats Tyler and Morgan were the only die-hards to complete the course. Ourselves and another Nacra 20 did come close as the island we weathered the storm on was the turning point of the course, we failed to circumnavigate it though as we sailed past it in the dense fog.
After two weeks at Angela's I was ready to go to Islamorada (one of the Florida keys) and sail in the Tradewinds Regatta.
Little did I know however, that all this time spent in Florida waiting for this regatta, and I would not even complete a single race.
My friend Joe from my college sailing team joined me for this regatta as Brendon could not make it.
We spent Wednesday and Friday training with my friends Bret and James from New Jersey. We had some amazing conditions and beautiful weather! Thursday we chose to take a day trip to Key West. Joe and James had never been, while Bret and I have made it a tradition to go every year during this regatta. We had an amazing night on Duval Street which ended a little later than planned followed by James driving us back to Islamorada.
Finally Saturday morning came, we got out on the water and did a few nice double trapeze upwind beats and spinnaker runs. As it was blowing around 20mph and gusting to the high 20's. We did everything we could do to de-power the boat but it just wasn't enough, at this point I informed Joe that we were going to have our hands full.
Now for race one: We had a decent start and as we approached the first windward mark we witnessed our first capsize. We blew by the overturned boat and assessed our mid-fleet situation. This assessment didn't last long as we were hit by some strong gusts and were double trapezing on screaming reach hitting speeds into the mid to high 20's. The scene in front of us can be seen in the picture above as Team Key Sailing flipped in front of us. At this point 2 boats out of 14 were down. At the jibe mark, right in front of us, Team Key Sailing 2 capsized as well. Thankfully, we jibed successfully, I thought that if we made it to the leeward mark still upright we would be golden. As we approached the layline for the leeward mark, we turned into the jibe when I saw a boat go over behind us, realizing there was likely a strong gust coming our way I tried to prepare but it was too late. Over we went! Another boat in front of us went over from the same gust. By the first leeward mark 6 boats had been blown over.
We righted the boat, sailed back around the course only to flip in the same spot and in the same manner as the first time! After righting the boat this time Joe and I were exhausted. We decided to slowly sail up to the starting area and wait for the next race. We were still ahead of some boats, but I was pretty confused as to who as we had spent so much time on the side. I figured we would cut our losses and go all out in the next race. A minute after making this decision, we were sailing upwind, both on the trampoline and pinching up into the wind to de-power when a wind gust blew us over again! I managed to climb onto the top hull as it flipped, I sat on top of the hull, 9 feet up in the air, half trying to comprehend what had just happened and half contemplating how I was going to jump down without hitting the boat and at the same time not getting separated from the boat that was drifting/ sailing on its side way faster than I could have swam. Before jumping down I looked for Joe. He had been thrown about 30 feet away and was trying to swim back to the boat. Seeing a Hobie 16 nearby I waved them down and pointed to Joe. I told Joe to save his energy and grab ride rather than trying to swim. He was given a ride back to our boat where he informed me he was "legally blind" as he had broken his glasses. We made decision then and there that after righting the boat we were going in 1, because we were exhausted, 2 because his glasses were broken, 3, because a batten in the mainsail was broken. We righted the boat, but nothing was going right for us, so why would it be that easy? The tiller bar was flipped over causing one of the rudders to be pointed straight, so no matter how hard I tried to point the boat into the wind, it was not happening. Joe and I dragged from the back of the boat by the chicken lines, trying to head the boat up, for over 5 minutes, as the boat sailed off to God knows where. Had the boat flipped again I am not sure we would have had the energy to right it again for a while. We finally miraculously got back on the boat and had the most cautious sail in possible.
We arrived to the beach to find Bret had been thrown through his mainsail during a capsize and could not find a replacement. Many other boats were on the beach for broken parts such as, ripped sails, broken booms, etc. One boat even split it's bow open! Others had felt the conditions were too much for them and returned to the beach. Many people did not complete the first race. 9 of the Nacra 20's either didn't finish the first race or came in after they finished the first race. Few boats remained racing in what many called "survival" conditions.
Sunday we woke up, saw the forecast was for winds 35+, looked outside, noticed the trees blowing in the wind were indicating this was true, and decided to have a nice long breakfast and then go de-rig the boat. We arrived at the regatta site to find everyone else de-rigging, we had made the right call! Races had been called off, so we de-rigged as sand blew around us, stinging as it hit our skin, it was that windy! Awards were given, we said our good-byes, and finished derigging.
We got on the road to Fort Lauderdale to Brets grandparents where we would rest for a few hours before beginning our trek back to the frozen north.
Another great annual sailing trip to Florida over, I was excited to return home for the first time in a month! Now as I write this I wish i was back in sunny Florida sailing again! I guess I will have to wait until next year! I can't wait! Everyone should try to participate in these regattas sometime in their sailing careers.
Next possible regatta on the schedule... Spring Fever Regatta in Hartwell, GA over Easter Weekend. Then we will have a busy summer schedule with regattas throughout the northeast as well as the Nacra North American Championships in Michigan in late August.
Please stay tuned for updates! I still plan to tell the story of our 3,000+ mile round trip drive from Rhode Island to Florida and back.
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