Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Coconut Grove Sails and Canvas Invitational and Intergalactica

     I traveled down to attend the Invitational and Intergalactica in Islamorada on Saturday the 11th.  The Invitational was held on the 13th and 14th and we had beuatiful conditions of 15 knots and sunny. After battling with Tracy Oliver, who was sailing on a Barracuda, I emerged with a narrow victory.  Then Ben Hall, Ben Moon, Bailey White and a group from Atlanta showed up for the Intergalactica, which began on Thursday.  After a light day one I was winning a tie breaker with Bailey White for first.  Bailey sailed a DNA.  Friday brought breeze in the morning, which died to nothing in the last race.  Ben Moon, on a Nikita, won the day, but could not overcome Bailey on the DNA. I placed third after tying with Ben Hall, who used a Barracuda with flat sterns and L rudders.

    Overall it was a great experience and I met many good people.  It was a busy week sorting out issues with my boat and I would like to thank O.H. Rodgers for helping me with my repairs and Skip Kaub for donating carbon for a minor rudder head repair.  I also would like to thank O.H. for the use of his molds and the help along the way.  He designed a fast boat, which won all three races on the first day of the Invitational, Woody won the first two and I got the last one.  I went on to win two more the next day.  After some modifications, the next event is A class Midwinters at Davis Island Yacht Club.

from left to right: Tracy Oliver, Jeremy Herrin, Mike Krantz

Downwind in Breeze

Boat Start

Racing Downwind against Tracy