Association Forum - Cabrillo 2 - SUgarloaf Rock Race (non C25)

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Cabrillo 2 - SUgarloaf Rock Race (non C25)

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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Initially Posted - 02/06/2006 : 00:13:34

CLick below for photos from this race

http://www.indiscipline.org/cat25/sugarloaf.html

The race was very long and offshore. 60 nautical miles round trip (rhumbline). Sugarloaf Rock is a pinnacle rock outside of Rosarita Beach, Baja CA, Mexico. We started at 11 AM and finished about 2 AM, placing 6th out of 11 in PHRF Class 4. I was in bed on board Indiscipline III by 04:30 AM, slept till 08:30, came home, had breakfast, talked with Spike and the kids and slept until the SuperBowl. Every muscle in my body is sore and I feel like I got beat by a stick.

The start was easy and I was working foredeck as well as just helping out all over the boat, wherever it was needed. The start was in liight air with all boats popping chutes as soon as possible after going over the line. We had an early lead on most of the class, except the pesky Sea Maiden, an Ericson 35. We pretty much sailed the rhumbline down with the chute out all day. The afternoon winds came up, reading 18 knots apparent, we were cruising at 7.5 and surfing at up to 9. I knew we would pay for the easy afternoon as soon as we rounded the rock.

We rounded at about 4:30 PM with 3 or 4 boats in our class. We had a tough time dropping spin because the winds were so strong. Also, we made a blunder on the foredeck and stuffed the chute back in the bag on top of the lazy jib sheet. We could not tack until we got this straightened out. During this fiasco, we took some green water over the bow, soaking us on the foredeck.

We were way overpowered for a 155 mylar genoa but toughed it out, sitting on the weather rail and dumping main in the gusts. I got out of my wet clothes and into my foulies. Ever after that, I got all the wet jobs up front (Jim, you've got foulies, you go up). I had to secure the spin pole while the bow was flying 5 feet up into the air off the big waves then punching through the next. I stayed dry but my feet got soaked. But I got the job done. The rest of the crew on the weather rail got soaked, too.

After a while, our skipper, who had been at the helm for about 12 hours, gave me the wheel. I enjoyed it, but I had to fight the boat in tough seas, big winds, way overpowered, and it was now dark. I helmed for about 2 hours and was pretty exhausted at the wheel. But the winds were down and we were well on our way back to San Diego.

One of our crew, Lori, took the wheel and did a very good job in air that was gradually getting lighter. When she got tired, I took it again. Between the two of us, we brought the boat home. It took 3 hours to make the last 3 miles as the air just went dead and the fog came in. We were all really pleased to light the motor and get back to the slip.

Today, I am dead tired, with every muscle sore. Foredeck work, many hours of bracing yourself at 45 degrees of heel and lots of pitching and yawing. Skipper got seasick. Crew got soaked (several of whom went to bed down below). Little to no dinner (too rough).

Personally, I feel I proved myself a sailor - I took on the toughest jobs, got them done in very rough conditions, and never gave in to sleep or the warm comforts of the cabin. Wet, cold, sore and tired I worked with the others to bring the boat in.

Many things broke on this rough trip - the compainway ladder broke while someone else was using it, when I came down it gave way completely and I fell 3 or 4 feet into the cabin. The toilet seat broke (a bother for the ladies). I fell against a stereo speaker in the cockpit and it broke. There was lots of water in the cabin because a bilge pump wasn't working. And worst, when we were coming in and getting ready to furl the main the topping lift broke dropping the boom into the cockpit. Thankfully no one got hurt and no one went overboard (almost happened though, during the spinnaker broach). I was the only one with foulies and wearing my life jacket/harness and personal strobe.

Fun? I don't know. But it was a challenge, I enjoyed being part of this team, and like I said, I proved something to myself.

Indiscipline 1978 FK SR #398

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 02/06/2006 : 10:30:57

As you look back at your powerboat days I know you have lots of wonderful memories... but ain't sail'n a hoot!

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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 02/06/2006 : 19:58:03

Sailing is a sport, power boats are a boat ride. Indiscipline III is my 3rd boat, slowest, yet most fun. Even though I took a year long voyage on my power boat, travelling almost every day, I now have more sea time on Indiscipline III - a lot more.

I know I could have taken my C25 on this race with a crew of 2 (plus me). It would have been wet, cold and bumpy, but so was the Ericson 38. At least my boat is rigged to reef and I have smaller headsails ready to go. The C30 did finish but not until 5 AM (3 hours after us). I figure I would have been in around that time.

Indiscipline 2 ? Well I figure running down to Sugarloaf and back would have taken about 5 hours. In a power boat I would have left at 5 AM and been home by noon. I would have burned about 60 gallons of diesel - maybe more if I got delayed and found myself running home into the 20 knots of wind we were seeing in the afternoon. Probably would have anchored off South Coronado Island or continued down to an Ensenada marina and made a Mexican weekend of it. No real reason to go otherwise.

Telling the story of the spinnaker broach here today at the office is a lot more fun than living through it. I guess that is why people go to sea in sailboats.

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Keith D.
Navigator

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USA
233 Posts

Response Posted - 02/06/2006 : 23:41:37

Jim sounds like you had a good race, I wouldn't feel to bad about being behind that pesky Sea Maiden out of Southwestern Yacht club, you realize that the owner and some of the crew were on the U.S. Olympic sailing team. They pretty much have the same crew all the time and go out on just about every race. If you were running with them you were doing good.

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Ben - FL
Admiral

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880 Posts

Response Posted - 02/07/2006 : 00:50:25

Thankfully you didn't drop the camera overboard! Makes my blood start pumping just seeing the pics! That's what life is all about in the free world... doing what one loves to do. Glad you didn't hurt yourself too much and made it home safe.

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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 02/07/2006 : 15:07:05

Yes and Sea Maiden was PHRF Class 4 champion last year. We beat them in the around the Coronados race. Also Dennis Conner was in this race, in PHRF Class 1. So the level of competition is quite high.

Hopefully I'll get some notice and can get a ride on boats in the Transpac or the like in coming years.

Edited by - JimB517 on 02/07/2006 15:10:03

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