Jan. 19, 2019
1st. completed race of the Frostbite Series:
boat time corrected time rank
Una 141 138 1
Séance 132 141 2
Betsy B 139 145 3
Summer Wind 170 157 4
Kindred Spirit DNF
SHEARWATER 2018
The lucky sailors participating in the 2018 Shearwater experienced a day any sailor would relish and glorify for a lifetime. Starting at Willingdon Beach our course took us around Harwood Island clockwise and then back to Willingdon, a distance of roughly 30 kilometers. Not only was the weather wonderful for the 10th of November with plenty of wind to fill our sails and glorious sunshine to warm us but more amazingly the sea was alive with life. First it was the humpbacks rising and blowing on every horizon before groups of playful Orcas showed up seemingly cheering us onward in our quest. One large male even adopted Kindred Spirit for several minutes giving the crew some pretty amazing luck as they propelled from somewhere near the back of the pack into 2nd place. Herds of sea lions barked their warnings from the shores of Vivian Island while others along with seals seemed unconcerned as they splashed and frolicked around us. Maybe the Orcas were the Resident type that don’t eat seals or maybe everyone was just in too good a mood to be frightened. Our course took us through huge flocks of seagulls that looked as though shear numbers would block or slow our passage but they parted willingly allowing the sailboats their silent passage unhindered before closing ranks in their wake. And the race was completed by a very respectable 3:00 PM., Séance being first to cross the finish line with Kindred Spirit just 6 minutes behind. Corrected times according to PHRF ratings showed a different outcome however as Una and crew were presented with the Shearwater trophy for 2018.
RESULTS
Boat time time corrected rank
Una 276 min. 261 1
Kindred Spirit 275 272 2
Summer Wind 303 281 3
Solitude 310 285 4
Séance 269 289 5
Oct. 27, 2018 1st race
Boat time corrected rank
Kindred Spirit 40 39 1
Una 41 40 2
Séance 38 40.8 3
Solitude 55 51 4
Summer Wind 58 54 5
2nd race
Kindred Spirit 34.3 33.9 1
Una 35.4 34.6 2
Summer Wind 38.2 35.4 3
Solitude 38.45 35.4 3
Séance 36 38.6 4
Nov. 3, 2018
It was the final race of the Fall Series. Winds were from the south east at 15 – 20 knots and rising. Una was leading the series with 10 points while Kindred Spirit and Séance were tied at 13 apiece. The chosen course was roughly 8 nautical miles and Séance won the race in just over an hour at times reaching a thrilling10.5 knots. Kindred Spirit came just ahead of Una at the line to take second place.
It was Una however that managed once again to take home the series trophy.
Race results
Boat time corrected place
Séance 75 80.5 1
Kindred Spirit 85 84.1 2
Una 86 84.8 3
Summer Wind 113 105 4
Fall Series Results
Boat points place
Una 13 1
Séance 14 2
Kindred Spirit 15 3
Solitude 33
Summer Wind 40
Freyja 43
Note* Like golf the lower the number the higher the rank. Boats not able to make a race automatically receive 7 points for that race. Each boat discards the results of the worst single race result from their total.
Oct. 6, 2018
Race #5 started really really slow with barely enough wind to get us past the start line at Grief Point but with little but the shear power of optimism we eventually found the wind and lots of it and made lunch right on time at the Texada Inn. Congratulations to Terry Norault and crew for his first win on only his second race on his new boat Solitude!
Boat time time corrected rank
Soitude 113 104 1
Una 111 108 2
Freyja 110 109 3
Séance 105 113 4
Kindred Spirit DNF
Sept. 29, 2018
Without a breath of wind to be felt 5 valiant crews set out to race and perform in front of the town. No wind and a northbound current had us going backwards in our attempts to just get to the start line. As we ventured further out into the straight a gentle breeze filled in and freshened and before we knew it we were gliding along at over 5 knots beneath colorful spinnakers. It turned into one absolutely beautiful day to be out on the water in a sailboat full of friends and another successful race was completed in under 2 hours.
Boat time corrected time rank
Una 92 90 1
Séance 96 103 2
Kindred Spirit 106 105 3
Solitude 122 112 4
Freyja A 119 118 5
Sept. 22, 2018
Winds were from the southeast at 5-15 knots. Once again Una had the best start and this time managed to hold the lead. Rain, heavy at times was hardly noticed by anyone. The 6 nautical mile (12 km) course was completed in just over an hour.
Una 71 69 1
Séance 72 77 2
Kindred Spirit 79 78 3
Sept. 15, 2018
2nd. Race Fall series
Winds were from the southeast at 15 knots gusting to 25. Again Una had a fine start but again it meant little. Like a repeat of last week Séance soon took the lead and Kindred Spirit managed to squeeze into 2nd place on the upwind leg to Grief Point. The race was fast and complicated taking in 6 turning marks and 5 legs in a distance of roughly 6 nautical miles. In the end victory went to Séance with a happily cheering crew while Kindred Spirit managed 2nd place by just 10 seconds in a tense duel with Una.
Boat time corrected time rank
Séance 64 68.71 1
Kindred Spirit 72:51 71.59 2
Una 73:30 71.76 3
Sept. 8, 2018
Our fall series kicked off in style with exhilarating 15 to 25 knot southeast winds and no rain. Una led through the start but was quickly overtaken by Séance who led for the rest of the race feeling quite confidant in flying her big genoa under brand new standing rigging. Kindred Spirit with perhaps a bit too much sail area was very fast but couldn’t point as close as the others and had to endure a couple of extra costly tacks. Results as follows:
Boat time corrected rank
Séance 74 79 1
Una 85 83 2
Kindred Spirit 87 86 3
THE ALGERINE 2018
This year’s Algerine race route started at the Bell Buoy at the entrance to Comox harbor , took Vivian Island to Starboard and finished offshore of the lookout south of the south boat harbour in Westview. On the morning of May 20th eight hopeful keelboats headed out from Comox to start the race. Two came from Deep Bay, three from Comox and three from Powell River. The winds were forecast to be south east 5 – 15 knots and slowly dying off but instead came from the North. The weatherman did get the speed right though, especially the dying part. We had a great start just before 9:30 am. with a good fresh breeze filling our sails. The boats easily locked 5 knots. Conditions held for the front runners as far as Vivian Island where things got a bit tricky. A strong north running tidal current swept a couple of boats too far north while another fell into a no-wind hole just west of Vivian. We watched it all unfold from the back of the pack as Una had a slow start and just couldn’t find the wind groove that most of the others were in. We watched Séance with her newly modified genoa slip past one boat leaving them dazed in her wake as she set her sights on the next one in front of her. With Una and Reprieve languishing in the back virtually without steerage at times, Séance was the only Powell River boat that stood a chance. After Vivian with the tide in her favour she sailed south up Malaspina Straight and then jibed to the finish only to have the tide change direction and the wind drop. Over an hour would pass before she could inch her way across the finish line. Only 3 boats managed to complete the race. First place in corrected time went to Tom Gornall of Comox (once again) while second place went to Laser, another Comox boat. Séance finished in third place. Congratulations to Brian, Bob and Kim for persevering.
A big thank-you as well to Terry Noreault for standing by for 4 hours on Sail Mates to take the time of those finishing. Also a really big thank-you to Alane and Bonnie for organizing the dinner at THE LITTLE CURRY HUT where the food and service were excellent. Everyone was very impressed.
Results:
Boatlapsedcorrectedrank
Nyyak6:35:256:07:501st
Lazer6:34:506:24:002nd
Séance7:33:357:33:353rd
Hakuna MatadaDNF
UnaDNF
PrincesaDNF
ReprieveDNF
TenaciousDNF
April 21, 2018
Our anticipated Spring series was launched on this warm, sunny day. A brisk north-west breeze at the start slowly diminished to a mild westerly allowing 3 out of 5 boats to finish. A large pack of white sided dolphins were seen playing in the distance. A decent start and a well behaved spinnaker made the difference for Una as she managed first place ahead of Kindred Spirit.
Boat time corrected rank
Una 148 145 1
Kindred Spirit 158 156 2
Maggi 181 165 3
Sail Mates DNF
Tuppins DNF
2017 Fall Series Results
It was an exciting and successful Fall racing series with 8 races completed out of a possible 9. The races were often faster than expected with boat speeds often exceeding 6 knots. Although we allow a full 3 hours for the races, five of the eight races finished in well under 90 minutes. Una once again prevailed in this series however there are strong competitors fully capable of winning on any given day.
Boat Rank
Una 1
Kindred Spirit 2
Sailmates 3
Naimh 4
Betsy B 5
Séance 6
Blue Run 7
Nov.4, 2017 Wind – Southeast 10 knots Distance - 7 nautical miles
Boat time corrected Rank
Una 77 73 1
Kindred Spirit 77 76 2
Sailmates 92 92 3
Oct. 21, 2017 Wind – Southeast 20 - 30 knots Distance - 6.5 nautical miles
Boat time corrected Rank
Una 68 64 1
Kindred Spirit 66 65 2
Oct. 14, 2017
Boat time corrected Rank
Sailmates 65 61 1
Kindred Spirit 62 61 1
Oct.7, 2017
Boat time corrected Rank
Una 120 113 1
Kindred Spirit 125 123 2
Naïve 138 134 3
Sept. 30, 2017
Boat time corrected Rank
Sailmates 53 49.47 1
Kindred Spirit 52 51.34 2
Séance 55 59.05 3
Summer Wind 70 64.9 4
3.RACE Sept 23, 2017 Wind – Southeast 5 - 10 knots Distance - 3 nautical miles
Boat time corrected Rank
Una 53 50 1
Naïve 62 60 2
Kindred Spirit 62 61 3
Summer Wind 69 64 4
Blue Run 67 68 5
Séance 67 72 6
2. RACE Sept. 16, 2017 Wind – West 5 – 10 knots.
Boat time corrected Rank
Una 91 86 1
Betsy B 95 101 2
Naieve 112 109 3
1. RACE Sept 9, 2017 Wind – South-east 10 - 30 knots
Boat time corrected Rank
Betsy B 109 115 1
Una 137 129 2
Kindred Spirit DNF
Séance DNF
Blue Run DNF
2017 Shearwater Trophy Race Nov. 12, 2017
This years Shearwater Race began at Willingdon Beach and followed a clockwise direction around Harwood Island, through the Shearwater Passage and back through the start/finish line at Willingdon, a distance of some 16 nautical miles. Six hopeful keelboats and one trimaran entered the race with crews pumped for the chance of owning the prestigious trophy that’s been presented since 1975.
Predicted south-east winds of 15 to 20 knots for the late morning were to drop to 10 to 15 however there was little confidence in the forcast. Until the final leg home from the northern end of Harwood back to Willingdon, all boats were in contention for a win but as we rounded the Harwood spit and started the homeward beat, strong, gusty winds and pounding waves gave advantage to the bigger boats. Congratulations to skipper Chris Coldham and crew of Betsy B. for a fine win, crossing the line in only 2 hours and 58 minutes. Our records indicate the corrected time of 189 minutes to be a new club record.
(Southerly winds were a bit stronger in 2016)
Corr. Time Corr. Time
Rank Boat 2017 2016
1 Betsy B 189 DNP
2 Kindred Spirit 193 222
3 Una 201 204
4 Séance 205 196
5 Sailmates 229 237
6 Naimh 262 DNP
7 Sovind 268
June 10, 2017
Our spring series wrapped up last Saturday with a race to Vananda in a healthy 10 knot north-west breeze. 5 boats participated in a close match followed by picnic on the Vananda dock. It was great to have Naïeve and Summer Wind join in for the final. The results had Kindred Spirit crossing the finish line first with Una just seconds behind and claiming first place in corrected time. The results however were somewhat misleading. Una was the only boat to fly her spinnaker, giving her a significant advantage. Otherwise in corrected time she would likely have come in dead last. As well after crossing Malaspina Strait the winds in Sturt Bay suddenly veered causing everyone a bit of grief with resulting changes in placement. The close finishing times show everyone had a reasonable chance of winning the race. We can look forward to great competition in the coming fall series.
Boat Time Corrected Rank
Una 58 55 1
Kindred Spirit 58 57 2
Summer Wind 63 58 3
Sail Mates 63 59 4
Niamh 63 63 5