MARTHA and crew just finished the 2014 Classic Mariners Regatta and boy, what a hoot.
The weather has been strangely warm this spring and at times we have had an odd wind direction and strange wind shifts.
Saturday started light with a East/North/East wind and by the end of the day it was a ripping West wind.
MARTHA struggled through the day with gremlins, missed shifts, slipped halyards, sheeting issues, and some poor calls by her skipper. Sailing a big boat around a short course is a lot of work: approach the weather mark, round, set the kites, and before you can tune up and get the old girl going your approaching the leward mark and now it’s time to strike the kites and go to weather. The crew has been commended for a good job; they were worked hard and put away wet!
Sunday was a bit different, light NorthEast, maybe 4 knots. MARTHA with a Genoa, Queen Fisherman and Main was able to point as high and foot with PACIFICA and SPARKLE; and more importantly MARTHA rolled LUCKY STAR in wind that until recently LUCK STAR would have walked away in.
MARTHA played with PACIFICA, changing places a few times. We never caught SPARKLE she was well sailed and long gone, and LUCKY STAR was never able to catch us or the leaders of A class.
All in all it was a great learning experience and the NWMC hosted a fine regatta. We send our thanks and gratitude for the race committee and all the crew who make these events happen. MARTHA enjoyed having a lot of her local crew, supporters, and board members sailing with us, along with a student who came all the way from Colorado to sail in this event.
There are some great photos on MARTHA’s face book page, check them out!