Saturday sail and joined Annual Regatta.

We got up about 9 AM had bacon and egg breakfast. 

Set out just to sail around.  Sunday was supposed to be a write-off weather-wise.

Tried to call Andre by DSC, but we were not successful.  But we could reach her by VHF.

Took some pictures of second race of  the Annual regatta.  We chased a few boats around taking pictures. 

We decided to race the third race.  We did okay but not sure of our position due to racing secretary issues.  Probably 3rd out of 6 boats.  Results to come.

On our way back, we saw Zobra come out  near mid-channel.  Tried to radio them via DSC.  It worked but the radio died as we replied.  We had left the anchor light on for 20 hours and that killed the deep cycle battery (No. 1).   We switched to battery No 2 and started the engine and tried a single handed approach into my dock.  There were too many people watching so we did not try the single handed docking.

Washed the boat and charged the batteries.

Sunday was rainy and we did Ikea.

Friday Fun Race No 2

Winds looked very calm. Andrea wanted to invite the "girls" sailing.  They accepted.

Jimmy came along too, with his friend "McCelland's"

I arrived early to switch from the 155 to the furler for a relaxing, trouble free weekend.

We set out under motor. There was a little shifty southish wind and there was a race.

We had a very exciting start,  Equity touched Drifter caused by Wind Shadow's bad maneuvers.  I got out of there and almost contacted Ginger. All this killed out starting position, but Bellum was safe to race another day.

It was a nicely intense race. Came in 13th out of 31.

After the race, we dropped the hook and BBQ the chicken and Kefta and green peppers.

Motored back tot he harbour in the dark to drop off the guest as we went back out to anchor beside the club.

One BBQ is not enough for six people.

Boat maintaince - Saint Jean

Daniele was at a party up North.

Francoise and Lynda were considering coming out but the winds were a little strong for them.

I came to the boat at 11 to do some work or maybe go out sailing.

Polished scratches in cockpit with magic eraser, replaced the Engine panel, move RAM-3 higher up to have better access, added USB charger in cockpit, tacked down wires in Quarter Berth, installed Hobbs for diesel, drilled toe rail drains.

I heard some noise in the bilge.  Though it was the bilge pump.  Took off the floor and that was not the problem.  It turned out the be water flow from TRUE LOVE who was running her motor.  I cleaned out he bilge of stagnant water.

Spirit of St. Louis and Varuna were going out to the sandbars.  Varuna came back after engine problems.  Spirit of St. Louis came back with the rain that started about 6.

Tara II went out and came back when the rain started.  They invited me to race with them, but I had started doing too many jobs.


Dazzle, Therapy and Limoncello did race and when through a squall.

Never got to clean put in ribs in the storage locker.

Left at 9:30 and dropped off windlass cable to Andre.

Lord Strathcona Cup

Pat, Sylvie and Cedric came raced on Bellum for the Lord Strathcona Cup, one of the most prestigious races at the Royal St. Lawrence.

The course was a reverse course starting from the seaway near ile St Bernard.

Winds were light.  We set up the Mylar 155 with the spinnaker.

Poor start.  After about 20 minutes, winds favoured the spinnaker.  We stayed north side of he seaway, sticking close the shoal, winds abeam.  Resisting going down because, that was the best winds and we wanted to keep "space" to go down if wind shifted.

Must have been the right idea since a couple of Lasers did the same thing, but she got caught on the shoals.  We passed her.  Good thing we kept an eye on the chart plotter.

We lowered the spinnaker as winds shifted and died for us. But Mavi Deniz came flying by in a very favourable puff, passing us at blazing speed.

When winds were favourable, we raised the spinnaker again.  Shortly afterwards, the spinnaker halyard pelican hook opened, dropping the spinnaker and snuffer into the drink

We raised the jib and retrieved the wet spinnaker. 

Winds died as we passed wind mill point.  drifted for a while until the winds came up from behind, giving us a push towards two lasers, who did not get the wind yet.\

At 2 PM, Mink called the race.  We were about 1 1/2 miles from the first mark BEA B.  A few hundred yards from Convictus and Blu Nuit.

We motored back to the club and retrieved the lost halyard using Bosen Chair.  The string of the pelican hook seemed caught on between the shroud and mast, opening the hook.

We had a great show up.Maybe 12 boats

 Bellum did very well.  Great Crew, very very focused and present. 

First Friday Fun Race

Andrea, Daniele and I went out for a fun Friday race.

Since I had removed the drum on Wednesday, I put up the no 2 mylar head-sail.  Nice sail.  Never used it before.

Fun race, but we did not really do too well.  We were just behind Ghost Owl, Dissidence, ReGalia, Chaos, Prozac ... 

30 minute race only.

Our first race of this year.  Lousy winds on previous Wednesdays.

We can do much better.  But the sail was lots of fun ....

Windmill Point - NOT. SPI practise

Getting ready for the Strathcona Cup Race on Saturday, Patrick, Cedric, Sylvie and I took off with the intention to shake out the spinnaker for Saturday's big race

Winds were very light.  We sailed west of the fleet to start the spinnaker back but the wind changed 180 so we could have sailed the spinnaker out of the channel.

Put her up a couple of times.  Tried dip pole gybe and end-to-end gybe.  End to End worked easily.

Came back tot he club and had supper.

Lori took this as we were returning to harbour.

Fun Saturday, Go to Dowkers, Sunday Sail Past

I picked up the 6HP Johnson from Chris, went to Canadian Tire to get an inverter to try on the Nespresso and got to the club about 10:45 in time to meet for the Friday Fun race briefing.

I decided to unload the car and then go to the meeting, but that (and social stuff) made me late for the meeting. Nice meeting, Kelly, Ed, Jason are taking over the Fun Race with Nigel helping out in the background.

Daniele bought supper and breakfast so we could stay at Dowkers.  We left about 2 and had a nice sail until 6ish in 15 knot winds with gusts to 23 !

Dowkers was very crowded, so we headed straight for Dowkers South where there were only 3 boats.  Wind forecast was to veer from west to north so Dowkers South was better.

Danforth held very well, in clay and weeds. 

Finally fixed the wash down pump.  I bleed-ed the air by pushing on the outlet with a screwdriver got it working much better.  Stretchy hose was crap.  Coil hosed worked better.

Nice supper of Costco pork chops with Rosemary and garlic marinade.  Opened Lynda's VSOP.  Tried to launch some Chinese lanterns, but it was too windy.

Next morning the wash down pump was used to wash the cockpit.  The anchor was fairly hard to get up with all the mud and weeds.

Sailed towards Pointe Claire and then picked up Jimmy for the sail past at BYC.  I hit the dock with the bow on approach.  Josh will look at it.

Winds died and we drifted for a while to get in line for the Sail Past.  Had some beers at the dock and then drove Jimmy back to his car at BYC.

I came back to the club to close the boat.  Tried out the inverter and it could not drive the Nespresso.

Chatted with Mike and we tried to bring a kite stuck on his rigging. Got home about 10:30.  Should have eaten at the club.

Windless Wednesday

Andrea and Jimmy trying to race in windless conditions

It has been a long winter and a very long spring.  Last two Wednesday races were  cancelled due to excessive wind.  Now it was pretty much windless and Jimmy and Andrea and I were eager to get out.  Most likely there would be no race.

We motored out to the gut and sailed to the race area. 

We waited to race and when the race was declared cancelled, we started sailing back.

Jimmy was at the helm and I was not paying attention to the GPS.  Well, we ended up aground south of the Gut and had to get towed out.

Our tow out

 Lots of bugs, like last week.  New head sail had many moth cadavers from last week.