Great frivolity, much self deprecation about sailing ability and competitive drive, and some very loose rule making made for a great evening. The forecast for a good breeze and Paul’s suggestion of a wonderful easy cruising course put everyone in the mood for a great day of Maine sailing.

At the 10:00 am skippers meeting some strict rules were adopted. Everyone was to tow their dinghies, only fly a #3 jib (and a spinnaker if they wished), engine use approved if conditions dictated, and the start would be roughly between a rock and a dock when Gordon said go! Guess who led the first leg.

Indeed Eventyr led for half of the first leg (14 miles) before a well-timed head fake from Bravo got her a safe lee bow position, which she was able to extend by the turning mark (south end of Isle au Haut Island) to a minute or so. After her fifteen minutes of fame, and being the first with a spinnaker, Bravo politely fell into a hole, Paul and Marty picked up on it immediately and sailed by while the Eventyr gang finished lunch before hoisting—but still early enough to overtake Bravo and later Spirit; those folks have their priorities straight!

Eventyr and Spirit south of Isle au Haut

Eider ducks churn the water.

On the long downwind leg up the bay, Eventyr and Spirit sprinted off into the funneling winds between the islands while Bravo, running the only symmetrical spinnaker, chose the direct deep course almost directly downwind. While Spirit and Eventyr changed the lead position several times, almost out of sight of Bravo, a tortoise and hare story was taking shape.

Eventyr

Halfway up this leg, the breeze filled and Bravo began to move.

Bravo

On the first cross, Spirit and Eventyr reached across her bow at a great rate…by the next pass it was close, and finally the unfair symmetrical chute claimed the sixth and final lead change for the win at the finish, followed by Spirit and Eventyr.

Prizes were distributed to all at the evening gam on Spirit anchored at Orono Island.

 Carol Haaland and Marty Rogers

 Tom Babbitt, Gordon Haaland, Jennifer and Brian Corrigan

It was a wonderful event—all fun and no pressure. Many outfitting, maintenance and upgrade ideas were exchanged, as well a few fibs about how things really went during the “passage” that day—we don’t like to use the “R” word. 

All in all it was an invigorating rendezvous with most of the boats handled strictly by husband and wife, beautiful scenery, massive rafts of Eider ducks boiling the water and a strange creature bumping the bottom of Bravo’s keel at one point.

The crews of Spirit and Eventyr,
waving to a departing Bravo

Post Script:

On Sunday, Jane and I had to get back to Camden for work, and for the first time we got to experience what our J/42 could do in a bit of a breeze. Our first leg was two hours to weather in 20 to 25 knots in a 2- to 3-foot chop with a gentle ground swell. As we expected, the full main, a good bit of backstay and the #3 (we have no other head sail) was a perfect combination. After 20 minutes on autopilot, and then 20 minutes of hand steering, I noticed that I wasn’t really doing much with the helm—so I locked the wheel and just watched. Hmmmm…45 minutes later, the boat had tracked perfectly between 30 and 32 degrees apparent wind angle, had adjusted perfectly to every wind shift and wave set and was doing much better on her own than she had done under autopilot or under my command. In truth, the only reason I took off the wheel lock was because we were about to become one with an island if we didn’t tack.

Crossing East Penobscot Bay was a different kind of test. Again she handled and tracked beautifully under autopilot, locked helm or personal attention from the helmsman. But the weather was changing, and now we were on the wind in 25 to 30 knots, then some periods over 30 knots, and finally some moments going to weather in peaks of 38 knots. The boat just kept going, staying on her feet, as I applied increasing amounts of sail and helm feathering….but she never lost her cool (nor did Jane). In truth, above 30 knots to weather a reef might have been a benefit; above 35 knots, we actually thought about it, but it all worked just fine.

On the reach home across West Penobscot Bay, we were treated to some modest surfing conditions at a steady 25 knots. While 8.5 to 9.5 knots of boat speed seemed the norm, when a decent wave presented itself, a very happy 11.7 would readily appear on the speedo. What a wonderful civilized boat!