2015 Chronicle - Charlotte Harbor Americas Championship
By Travis Vetter
Adventures are adventures precisely because of the excitement, experience, and the obstacles overcome along the way. For the three teams representing Mission Bay Yacht Club (MBYC) - Team Miller (Scott, Patty, Alberto), Stroebel (Steve and Eytan Moudahi) and Vetter (Travis and Jason Jarrell), the Zhik F18 Americas held in Charlotte Harbor Florida in October 2015 were no exception.
After finalizing preparations on Saturday, Steve and his Canadian crew Eytan “eh-tan”, who flew in from Vancouver just hours before, made the trek Eastbound over a three day, 2500 mile (4000 km) marathon session arriving around 9pm Tuesday. We started unloading the boats that very night to avoid the hot and humid day time sun and had the boats reassembled by midnight. From then on it was non-stop sailing for ten days at Charlotte Harbor.
Wednesday was the start of our sailing clinic from Red Gear Racing led by Robbie Daniels and Jill Nickerson. Over the next four days of generally lighter wind, the group with Patty on Casi Listo (Scott’s boat) did prep in the morning, then went sailing and worked on starts, boat handling, skipper and crew ‘choregraphy’ and other skills during the day. As soon as the boats were put away and crews cleaned up, it was over to the training house for dinner and film review. 15-20 people in a room watching and analyzing what each other did and how to do it better can be rough on the ego but the good nature, focus on better made the improvement and learning well worth it! Then if was off to bed. Rinse, Reset, Repeat!
Wind forecasts for the following week of racing were incredibly high but each day the forecast would come down a bit leading to excitement for an unusually windy but manageable regatta. Sunday’s practice race was great as each boat started to settle into the racing groove. After a great upwind tuning leg for all three MBYC teams and a quick practice pitchpole with the spinnaker up for Team Vetter we returned to our rental home ready to hit the water for the week of racing.
Then Monday went nuclear… of the 25 starters, 8 would finish, 4 hulls would be destroyed with three of them sinking. Multiple mainsails, tiller cross bars, jibs and a mast would be destroyed over the next four hours. Reports from the race committee were winds starting in low 20’s and building to 27s and gusting over 30 kts. It felt like it but rather than just blowing it was guys, lulls into the low teens followed by a 30 kt puff. Scott and Alberto didn’t make it the fun as the struck a shallow underwater very strong object on the way to the race course causing daggerboard damage and splitting the trunk wide open, as the hull sank, they willed the boat back to shore and instantly began repairs. Out on the course there is video of the crash right at the start that sank one hull and totalled the two month old hull of team Daniels and Keenan. New hulls were put on trucks that afternoon for a midnight delivery. Team Vetter rounded the top mark and felt strong, only to punch it hard at the offset and somebody fell through the main. After getting the boat secured a tow back was the only option followed by a new main and measure that evening. Steve and Eytan didn’t finish but proved their wisdom and seamanship retiring on the first beat and heading for home with no damage. Significant discussion amongst the fleet the rest of the week reflected the uncertainty with what was the right course of action in such conditions.
The rest of the week with good wind saw the regular and various struggles and tribulations of a national regatta. Great racing, close calls, moments of speed and moments of ‘ugh’. The fleet continued to improve and the racing got closer and closer. Alberto would claim his fir mainsail on Thursday. Upon return to the beach, damage was discovered in the headboard of the main. Swapping to the backup main, Casi Listo returned to racing the next day. Race two saw mainsail number two rip in half at the 4th batten. Scott and Alberto coaxed the boat up the second half of the last upwind leg and set the spinnaker downwind to secure an 11th! Are you kidding me? Then sailed upwind home under their own sail. Team Vetter finally found (with lots of help) the upwind gear we were missing all week and pulled out an 8th in the last race. We look forward to traying and sharing what we learned on the waters of San Diego.
Finally the boats were put back on the trailer and Scott and Steve began the trip home to San Diego. They were able to stop in Houston, Texas to see Matt Morris who was just weeks out of his brain surgery. Yes, Matt even walked outside to great them at the apartment complex gate and we’re all happy to hear of his progress and prognosis. We can’t wait to sail with him again.
Ten days of close living, every meal, each sail, each repair, update, errand, task, could not have been executed without a great group of helpful, supportive and strong people for such an adventure. After striking his knee on a daggerboard so hard Scott had to tcheck the board… and inquire of his crew’s health, ‘you ok?’, Alberto replied, “talk to me later” and kept on sailing. Like so many multihull regattas, the group kept it fun, kept it going and kept it FAST!
Many thanks to Steve for use (and driving) his truck both ways. And many thanks to Dave Meacock, whose generous support with his trailer made a 3-boat on one trailer trip possible and to Patty Miller whose toughness, support generosity and morning stretching routines kept each team focused and operating at our best. And finally for this skipper, to Scott and Steve, it was my first national multihull competition, and I can’t fathom a better group to do it with. Perhaps more MBYC boats shall head to New Jersey next year? … I hope so!