Rita and I got down to the boat in late afternoon, but there wasn't any wind to speak of, so we motored out into Lake Ontario, and dropped the hook:
In preparation for the 2022 season, more specifically the upcoming Susan Hood Trophy Race, we entered the ABYC coastal race. It is a medium distance race from Ashbridges Bay to Frenchmans Bay and back (25 miles).
We were the first start and the first gun was at 10:50.
I picked up Jenny at 8am, Mark at 8:30am, went to Metro to get some lunch before heading into National. We didn't get to National until 9:40, where Michael and Kris had prepped and moved the boat over to the wall.
We jumped aboard and left IMMEDIATELY as we would be hard pressed to make the start.
We took the route motoring inside the harbour,
Here we are in the eastern gap:
We raised the main just past the Leslie Spit.
Well the winds were only 4-5 knots from the south, and we were not going to make the startline that was approximately 2 miles past ABYC.
We motored as fast as we would toward the start line and started about 7 minutes late:
Soon as we crossed the start line, up went the A2 asym chute:
The race committee shortened the race to the Highland Creek buoy:
Winds had swung around from the south to the west, so it was a upwind beat back to the finish.
Our competitors went off shore, so we tried something different going inshore, tacking back out when we ran out of water. This payed off, as we caught up and passed the entire fleet.
Then the wind turned off:
 |
| 0.0 knots apparent wind 0.0 knots boat speed |
WHAT A GREAT DAY ON THE WATER
We flew the chute all the way back to National having to perform several gybes.
Much faster than motoring!
 |
| Click for BIGGER |
Last summer while cruising the 1000 Islands, Rita and I made the decision to apply for membership at Trident Yacht Club located between Kingston and Gananoque on the Bateau Channel on the St Lawrence River.
Our Location
Trident Yacht Club (TYC) is a unique yacht club situated in a perfect location on the Bateau Channel in the iconic Thousand Islands.
Whether looking for a short cruise a long distance challenging sail, or anything in between, you can do it all from TYC. With its strong infrastructure, exquisite environment and vibrant social and racing community, TYC is the place to be!
Every year we cruise east to the 1000 Islands, and usually make a stop at TYC.
We were #17 on the waiting list to get in, so we were thinking that it would be a year or two before we would even be considered for membership.
Well last month, we got a call and offered a slip; we were in!
We are going to remain members of the Whitby Yacht Club, and winter our boat close to home.
We want to use our boat as a cottage.
Drive up midweek when there is no traffic, and enjoy the boat for a week or so before heading back to do domestic stuff like cut the grass, and maybe race in Toronto on Wednesday nights.
The drive to TYC is a little over 2 hours along the 401:
Today is Trident's launch. It was delayed almost a month because of the crane operator's strike.
I decided to volunteer on the launch crew.
The sign on hwy #2 is inviting:
My shift working launch crew was in the afternoon, so I had a look around the club.
Trident has a little over 100 slips, and room to store 45 boats in the winter on land.
Their lauch/haulout is done with a smaller crane with a single spreader bar that allows boats to be lifted with their masts up:
It was pissing rain, and I had to head into Kingston to Marine Outfitter to get some parts for the race boat ZAMBONI.
The rain had cleared up for my afternoon shift. I worked the tag line crew keeping the hauling hooks away from the boat hulls before and after the lift, as well as guiding the boat in the air.
I met many ex Whitby Yacht Club members who have moved to Trident
There is another CS34 in the club called Chardonnay with the same colours as Still Time.
I talked with its owner Jim for a long time.
After all the boats were in the water, we put up the masting crane:
Having a beer in the bar afterwards, I met so many nice folks including our boat mentor partner Pierre.
Trident pairs new members up with existing members to "show them the ropes".
What a great idea!
Alas it was time to head home as the mist rolled in on the Bateau Channel:
After Wednesday's race disaster, I looked around online for replacement parts for our #3 jib car.
Marine Outfitters in Kingston had them in stock:
I brought the car that needs rebuilding with me:
Good thing I did because the kit I thought I needed was too big.
They had the properly sized kit and torlon bearings in stock too:
I bought the two kits that they had ($200).
Marine Outfitters is awesome!
BOTH online and instore!
Wed night race and the wind was honking: 14 knots constant with gusts in the high 20s.
At the dock I rigged the aft reefing line for the main, and we got the #3 on deck.
We had 6 of us:
Raising the main in the harbour, I had rigged the 2nd reef, so no reef for us!
Tons of wind and waves, was a little much for new sailor Tom.
We started late, but it was fine as we didn't want to be in close quarters at the start.
We had a good first upwind leg without any issues.
Hoisting the fractional Aloha chute, the halyard got struck in the upper spreaders and we could not raise it. By the time we got it figured out, it was time to douse, stuffing it down the front hatch.
Turning upwind on starboard tack, the forward jib car lost all of its delrin bearings and pulled away from the track. Back over to port to complete that leg.
Hosting the chute from the hatch, lines were crossed, the spin hourglassed and rapped abound the forestay. By time time we got it untangled, we were turning to go upwind. I had rigged up a snatch block on the rail to allow us to sail on a starboard tack (worked well).
When we turned to go downwind sans spinnaker and let the mainsheet out, we didn't have a stopper knot in the mainsheet, so we lost control of the main.
Check for lines in the water.
Start the motor.
Withdraw from the race
Drop the Main
Motor back
Then it started raining HARD.
WHAT A DISASTER
Glad this happened on a Wed race and not in the upcoming Susan Hood
The end cap for the jib car is broken and we need 60 delrin bearings:
 |
| Click for BIGGER |
