Friday Fun race with Jimmy, Fionna and Connie

Danièle was driving back late from Philly and could not make the Friday fun race.

We had a nice race followed by supper at the club.

I slept at the boat.

Kayaks a la Sandbars

Saturday was supposed to be windless.

So Daniele and I took the kayaks to the Sandbars.  Daniele helmed the iron sail and we dropped the hook in front of Zig Zag and Dissidence.  They were in the Mega Station.

We kayaked around the sandbars.  Nice.  Windless.  Easy.

Supper was pork tenderloin with a salty Teriyaki marinade.  Winds were forecast to be calm so we decided to stay.  Nice sunset and there were fireworks in St. Anne.

The night was very rocky.  Later Redline reported the night was very calm at Dowkers.

We got up with just and took off with just the head sail and the Kayaks in tow. They towed very well.

Watch the fireballs and Echell's at PCYC.

Saw some very interesting boats - catamaran, trimaran, house boat, and a gaff rigged tiny yawl

Came back to the club and washed the boat.  Daniele left about 4 to prepare for Philadelphia and I stayed and whipped all the lines and checked Cygnus and drained the bilge.

Friday Race No 3

Alain, Jimmy and Daniele came out for our Friday Fun Race.  First time for Alain on Bellum.

Nice race.  Bellum took off and we probably came in first or second.  I started the race and Daniele helmed the rest of the race.  Very precise crew.  No significant errors.  We came in fourth out of 17.

There was a loud collision at the windward mark, probably between Earendil and Prozac. 

Dropped the hook outside Beaconsfield and had a nice salmon supper.  We were expecting Canada Day fireworks that were supposed to be rescheduled from rainy Wednesday but they never happened.

Went back to the dock about 10:30 and slept aboard.

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.