Gilligans run recap posted by Matt on the F16 forum:
This last weekend was the Gilligan's Run hosted by Fleet 80 in Daytona. It is one of the Endurance series races and one that is always one to put on your schedule as it is a great sailing spot and logistically simple, starting and finishing in the same spot. Plus Steve and Cindi Carron host the traditional fish fry after, that is not to be missed even if you did not sail.
Last year I sailed with my daughter Riley (11 then)for her first full racing experience and entered this years constest as the defending champions. This year however there was going to be quite a bit more competition from the fleet. A very good mix of spin boats was on line (M20, 3-F16, 4-F18, 2-I20, SC20 w/12 beam, ARC21, H20 w/sp). Also a whole variety of non spin boats who given the right conditions can always correct out very well with handicap racing.
The course consisted of an on the water down wind start going North to the the Ocean Deck bar, then rounding to head South to the bell bouy at Ponce inlet, and finally a return to the start line. All up somewhere around 28 miles I am told.
We ran the line before the start an it looked as if it was going to be a spin reach down to the Ocean Deck. Not feeling real confortable reaching with the spin and Riley, we started on the high end and reached way up over the fleet before pulling the spin and heading down. Several of the other boats pulled spins early and hit the line full speed. The M20 took a pretty good lead on the first leg, but there were the next 7-8 boats all within about a min of eachother rounding the first mark. After rounding the mark it turned out to be a beat all the way to the inlet. Most boats headed right away down the beach, but about at the original start line a few started to try and tack out to sea. This posed a huge dilema as it was obvious as the boats started going out that there was more pressure out side than up the beach. Nervously we watched these boats, but after about half the leg it became clear that even though there was more wind, the direction off shore was not as favorable and they all slowly got sucked back down, ending at about the same line and position as they were before tacking out. We therefore stayed right along the beach (occasionally getting sucked all the way into the surf line). The sea life was full all along the way. I was in trouble from my crew for hitting a small sea turtle as well as running right into a flock of eagle rays that scattered spectactularly all around us. We also sailed right through a large pod of dolphin playing and a couple fully breached just a couple of yards from the boat.
As the tide was going in we sailed all the way right up to the crook in the jetty before tacking out. Staying up the beach and doing everything we could to keep momentum we had managed to creap out a 4 min or so lead on all the boats but the M20. The M20 had set a decent lead at the first mark and just motored away from the rest of the fleet. Looking at our watch at the bell bouy they had built almost a 20 minute lead on us when their spin went up.
The sea breaze had finally built up about the time we were rounding the bell bouy. Throwing up the spin it was the perfect wind to just sit on the hull side and ride. Windward hull flying there was just enough swell to be able to surf and haul a** down wind. A lot of years this race is not just about racing your competitors, it is about racing to get back to the beach before the afternoon thunderstorms. This year they all stayed West and it was a beatiful sail in the ocean. The only downer was dodging the fishing trawlers and bunch of dead fish they were dumping.
Heading down wind we noticed that we were able to keep building on our lead from the pack and it looked like we were cutting down the gap with the 20 but were not so sure. After hitting the beach we wer told that we had in fact closed the gap with M20 down to about 12 1/2 minutes. Now it was up to the math guys and at the awards ceremony it came out that Riley had indeed succesfully defended her Gilligans run title.
The party at the Carrons was as advertized. Steve had recently suffered a heart attack, but typical Fleet 80 style he was not going to let that stop a good party. The Fleet 111 guys all pitched in with the Fleet 80 guys to have one of the best yet. I managed to over achieve a little and Sunday was recover day. Loading up a gang we all headed out for a sail on the SC20. What a blast for that kind of sailing and the copious amounts of spray did wonders for my head, as did the Blackened Mahi tacos at the Ocean deck.
A great weekend and great people. For those who missed it (Tiki) it needs to go on your calendar next year,
Matt
