Anyone have any stories or results from Slip to Ship? Wish we could of been there.

Strong E/SE winds lead the Race Committee to decide cancel the trip out to ship island, and keep the fleet in the bay Saturday. Some struggles with anchoring the marks found competitors bobbing patiently for almost an hour while the RC did their best in the choppy conditions. Those who were able to stick it out were treated to 2 fast, fun races, then headed to the beach for the Chicken, and thoughts of heading to the island Sunday.

Sunday morning brought a building breeze again as well unfortunately, and the RC decided to send the fleet south to the Range markers, the longest distance to be raced this year. Results should be out soon I guess.

Jambalya and beans were awsome Sat night, and it was good to see the rebuilding activity. The hwy 90 bridge to the casinos is scheduled to be open Oct/Nov of this year. Yacht club construction is to begin late next year, I think.

Everyone was encouraged to come on down/up/over for Horn Island weekend after July 4th.

What was the wind strength?

Forecast was 10-20 knots, with 4-6 ft waves. Not too bad for some of us, but more than the majority were comfortable with. Only had 3 or 4 committee boats, so it could have gotten interesting.

At the beach the wind was measured in the high teens-low 20s gusts, and with the easterly direction the beach was protected. Therefore it had to be blowing harder than that in the channel...

Beachcat conditions in the MS Sound were perfect--We (Shreveport crew) skipped the buoy races and sailed 2 H16s and a N5.8 to Ship Island on Saturday. The seas were only 2-3 feet--I can't understand why the RC was afraid of the weather.

What JMac said. Wind strength, no race to the island and delays getting started keep a lot of the fleet on the beach Saturday.

Not complaining because I think keeping the boats "inside" was the correct conservative move when considering all the factors (some boats went out the island for a pleasure sail anyway). I personally missed the start of the first race because I was sailing around (and eventually capsizing) after getting fidgety for the start of the 1st race. Once on the beach I decided to call it a day.

Sunday was more of the same, but a single distance race was run. Long beat followed by a wild downwind leg to finish.

JMac/Andy H won Open Spin (4 I20s, 2 F18s, 1 F18HT, 1 F16). H16, Open A and Open B fleets were designated, too - I think.

Excitement Saturday was a runaway F18/Tiger. Crew got separated after a capsize, the boat (well balanced) sailed a half mile or so back into the beach (east of the YC) while another competitor picked up the separated crew. The crew had whistles attached to their life jackets and were able to get the attention of the other competitors. From the beach, it looked as if everything was ok as boat slowly headed upwind. People on the beach chased the boat down and luckily found the beer still cold in the cooler.

Safety equipment should never be overlooked. I personally added a whistle to my personal gear for Sunday's race and will have it available from now on.

Tom-
Good point about safety stuff even for bouy racing. I have always just figured there were enough other boats around to not have to worry about it but having a whistle is a great idea to let another boat know about something "oh crap."

What can be found in or on my PFD:

Protest Flag (Never use that, now do we)
Course Shortening Flag (Hope to use it more often)
Strobe
Dive Knife (Only used for rescue, not for opening oysters)
Whistle
GPS
VHF
Cell (Distance Racing)

Probably missing something.

munchi bars

hand held skyblazer Flares for night sailing
strobe for night sailing

peice of line for quick lashing
multi tool

What do you need this for on a boat that's racing? Or is it a solid white flag?

It is actually yellow. We do not have race committee, soooo the procedure is for the first boat that reaches one of the race marks can, if conditions warrant, shorten course by sounding a horn or a whistle and hanging the yeller flag off of their boom or stay.

Example: Wind from the North at 12, course is Start line to "P" mark to G5, five times to "P" mark to finish line. 45 minutes after start, wind drops to 4. Three laps have been completed by lead boat, so the lead boats shortens course as they round "P" mark. The finish line then becomes the goal for each boat after they have rounded “P” mark for the third time.

I can already tell you what my "conditions" are...conditions for shortening course are if I'm in the lead! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

That is a standing joke at any skippers meeting. When it is your responsibility to make the decision, it is not that easy of a decision.

I remember one evening when the light was getting short and the wind was building and on the third or fourth lap we were about to take the lead. An N20, we were sailing 6.0 with huge jib and square top main, just beat us to the mark, we slowed down and rounded inside of them. They had to get the spin down and as it turns out shorten course. We didn't notice the shortening, since the wind started crankin, we had our hands full. We did another lap and ended up correcting to fifth, even the extra lap. Later at the bar I learned that the Commodore who was crewing on the other boat told his captain that they had to beat us to that mark so they could shorten course. Basically, because we were experienced enough to do it. Which was true, we had no intention of shortening the course. We had only experienced course shortening if the wind was going light.