| Martha and her crew are about to finish a very busy 2010 sailing season. We enjoyed great people, great sailing weather and some fun and educational heavy weather sailing.
The Sail Training trips were extremely varied and all contained some wonderful learning experiences for both the students and the crew. Capt. MB Armstrong-Sigmond was able to sail a youth trip with in her last 6 weeks of pregnancy (WELCOME Timothy Reid Sigmond, 8/16/10.)
Our main deck-hand for the season, 16 year old India Richardson of Paradise Bay, provided students with a wide knowledge base as she led by both teaching and by example.
This year we were able to host many “family” trips with age ranges from 18months to 87 years. The fall brought us to the Victoria Classic Festival, followed by the Deer Harbor Rendezvous and the PT Wooden Boat Festival. Ending the sailing training season with a glorious 2 week trip to Desolation Sound has left everyone yearning for more sailing time.
A big surprise for the Foundation has been to meet a descendent of “Martha.” We look forward to keeping in touch with Martha Duncan and always learning more of the human history of this amazing vessel which we are all so lucky to be associated with.
MARTHA RACES:
We started our season with the Classic Mariners Regatta,“ CMR,” here in Port Townsend. A great event hosted by the Wooden Boat Foundation and a multitude of volunteers. The wind was light and the current strong, making for challenging racing. We battled for third place with the yawl Lotus and because of a foul on the start line, “my fault,” Lotus took 3rd place.
The CRISR started in Victoria with the wind west of 30 kts and gusts to 40. It was a great ride and wonderful to see a fleet of schooners and the yawl Lotus make quick work of a down wind start in fresh conditions. After four days of racing with varied conditions, Talisker of Skye took 1st in div.C, Grail was victorious in div.B, and Martha took 1st in div.A. We’re looking forward to CRISR 2011 which will rendezvous in Port Townsend on July 10th.
The Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival Schooner Cup was a very tough race with wind blowing 0 to 12 kts from west, east and south depending on your luck. Martha started on the pin end of the line on port tack in 10 – 12 kts and sky lined the fleet. Murphy was waiting for us at Point Wilson where we sailed into a hole and were swept past the mark “on the wrong side” and had to retrace our course and try to sail back into the course. It took an hour and a half, as we watched our lead evaporate while Alcyone then Nyla, then Maryke Violet approached the mark. It all led to an exciting drag race to the finish line with a fresh westerlie breeze. Martha took 1st place Alcyone 2nd and Nyla 3rd.
We will finish the season November 6th/7th when the Orcas Island Yacht Club hosts Round the County, “RTC.” Last year Martha took first in division and first overall. RTC can be a very difficult race and we will be up against some of the best in the north west we will be lucky to finish on time unless we see conditions that favor Martha.
There have been some interesting threads regarding Martha and the RTC on Sailing Anarchy, you can read them here : http://forums.sailinganarchy.com/index.php?showtopic=95813 |
