Spinnaker Practice

Thanks to the crew that went out yesterday afternoon for some spinnaker training: Risa, Dave Lyon, Larry Palmer and Liz Roberts, our newest race crew member. Welcome Liz!

Although the wind was light, we had a good training session, raising the chute, gybing two or three times and then dousing it. We still have a couple of minor gear issues to work out (like the foreguy that is just a little too short) but all in all it was a great time. None of the gybes were bad but each got progressively better as everyone got more comfortable with their role and the duties of their position. As with most things, we still need to practice including having different crew members at different positions so for now we will continue to race in the non-spin class in the next few races. Also with the holidays upon us, it was difficult to get most of the crew together and will be for at least the first race.

For the first race of the year, Mille will be racing in the Malibu and Return hosted by the Del Rey Yacht Club on Saturday, January 2nd. Check back on this space after Saturday to see how we did.

Happy New Year to All!

Race Results

On Sunday, November 22nd, we raced in the 8th and final race of the Carl Anderson Memorial series in Long Beach. As part of the crew we had Dave Lyon and John McAllister plus Bill Beaver joining the crew for the first time this season. Thanks to all for a great day of racing.

The winds were light at the start as they usually are but right after the start we headed out towards the Long Beach breakwater and the winds were steady in the 10-12 knot range. In addition to ourselves, we had "Wine Down" a Catalina 32, an Olsen 30 and a 27 foot trimaran. Although PHRF is one of the better rating systems even it doesn't square up racing when you have a rating range of 100+. In reaching and running to make the first mark we made good time and were in 3rd place at that point. The downwind leg was slow and particularly uneventful. Racing in the non-spin class almost assures that if you have a downwind leg, it is going to be slow. The last leg was a reach back to Marker 39 (the usual start marker for Shoreline Yacht Club) during which the boat and crew performed well. After rounding the last mark and heading for the finish line, we had better wind and were able to close haul to the finish with two short tacks thrown in to avoid pinching into the finish.

We placed third overall on both order of finish and the corrected results after the PHRF handicaps were applied.

Thanks to all of the crew that raced on Mille Onde for her first races. We all look forward to some good racing next season.

Happy Holidays to all

Race Results

On Sunday, November 1st, we raced Mille in the Carl Anderson Memorial Series Race 5 with crew of Eric Doyle, Dave Lyon, Jim Merk, Capts Risa and Stephen. The start proved to be slow as the wind was light in the area between Island Grissam and the Mainland in Long Beach but the wind picked up and we had a good run out to the marker near the breakwater. After a good run back to the closing mark and a very close rounding that almost involved being bumped by one of the other competitors, we made a run to the finish line. After crossing what was thought to be the finish line, we fired up the motor for the trip back to the slip in Rainbow Harbor. The only problem was that we weren't over the finish line and therefore we were disqualified. Not a great finish but still a good time in sailing the boat.

On Sunday, November 15th, we raced Mille in the CAM Race 7 with a crew of Dave Lyon, John McAllister and Capts Risa and Stephen. As with Race 5 the start was slow but after we got out onto the race course, the wind picked up nicely. We made a long run with several tacks to a mark outside the breakwater and then the opposite run back into the closing mark. As would be expected, the wind lightened as we got deeper into Long Beach and at that time we were able to close on the two boats ahead of us. The finish (yes, this time we found the finish line) is a little tricky as it is between the breakwater just outside Long Beach Marina and Island Grissam. As you might expect, the winds are really light and shifty. We didn't play the shifts quite right but finished a respectable 3rd of 5 boats.

Last race for the season is Sunday, November 22nd which is the Carl Anderson Memorial Series Race 8. More to report after that race......................

Race Practice

On Saturday we took Mille Onde out for a practice to get her (and the crew) ready for her first race. Thanks to Gary Muller and John McAllister for their help. It looked like it was going to be light winds, much like for Sunday's race, but the winds cooperated and we had a great time. We got to round several of the marks that could be used in the actual race. The race we were preparing for was the fifth in the Carl Anderson Memorial series sponsored by the Shoreline Yacht Club. As should always be the case, we continue to tweek the rig to try and squeeze a bit more speed out of Mille on each run.

More about the race later............................

First Catalina Trip

Mille Onde made her first trip (of many) to Catalina over the past weekend. On board were Chris and Amy Olsen (Captain Stephen's daughter and son-in-law) and Gary Muller a very good long term friend, in addition to Captains Risa and Stephen.

We left Long Beach a little later than planned on Friday after loading up on fuel (totally unnecessary) in case we had to motor most of the way over and back. On the run over on Friday, we had great winds (18-23 knots) that moved enough north over the afternoon that we were able to make Avalon on the same tack that we left Alamitos Bay on. Since the C&C's are a solid build we were able to keep her pushed hard and averaged between 6.5 and 7 knots for the entire run over to Avalon. We made it in and were able to find our mooring and get settled in before dark. Due to the traffic we had to moor on the north side of the Casino which gave us the thrill of listening to a bunch of drunk wedding goers toasting the bride and groom into the night Friday night.

Saturday was a day spent exploring the island and even going on a 11.5 mile hike from the Airport in the Sky back to Avalon (Captain Stephen's idea of a nature walk) which left us all tired and thirsty enough to share a couple of cold beers upon our return to Avalon. We found a nice place to watch the baseball game (Lobster Pot) only to find out after we settled in that it had been rained out. Oh well, we still enjoyed the good food and drink and our waitress certainly added to the evening with her fun attitude. Nice to have visit a spot where folks are enjoying their jobs.

The trip back from Avalon on Sunday was a motor all the way as the wind didn't show up until after lunch and we had to get Amy and Chris back to the airport so they could get home to their kids (four legged kind) in the Phoenix area.

First Race Planned

We have received our PHRF rating and it is now time to plan the first race. Mille Onde will be entered in the "Daylight Savings Time Farewell Race" which is part of the Carl Anderson Memorial Racing Series sponsored by Shoreline Yacht Club. Crew call has gone out and at least one has responded in the affirmative. Race is on Sunday, November 1st - watch this blog for the results!

Powers Capital Investments Outing

The entire team at Powers Capital Investments in Anaheim Hills took Mille Onde out for the afternoon yesterday. We were lucky to not be affected by the smoke from the fire at Rancho Palos Verdes and had a great couple of hours of sailing around Long Beach. After leaving Rainbow Harbor we made a run across the bay on a broad reach and then decided to duck around the south end of the breakwater. Due to the prevailing winds the team got some practice tacking to make the run back up the outside of the breakwater and back into the bay.

Everyone had a great time and for most it was their first time sailing. The boat performed magnificently and the weather was great. Although it had been hot inland most of the week, once we were on the water it cooled down and was a relaxing afternoon for all.

Thanks to Pat Powers, the founder of Powers Capital Investments for hosting this event.

She Sails!!!!!

We got Mille out of the boat yard late on Saturday and moved to her permanent home at Shoreline Village in Long Beach. After a bit more cleanup (wow are boat yards dirty places) on Sunday, my darling Captain Risa and I got her out for a sail. She jumped up to 6 knots in light wind in Long Beach Harbor - a very sweet ride. Can't wait to get more time out on the water trying the different sail combinations.

Mast Is Getting Ready

Don Holland and the other fine folks at Cabrillo Boat Shop are working hard to get the rigging ready (including finding one halyard that was lost inside the mast during transportation from Seattle) so the mast can be stepped and Mille Onde will be ready to go out for her maiden SoCal voyage.

New Bottom Paint

As of this writing, Mille has new bottom paint and a eye-catching bright red boot stripe. With a little more work to be done while she is on the hard and then they are ready to step the mast and get out sailing. Should be by the weekend

San Diego to Ensenada Race

We are thinking about entering the San Diego to Ensenada race with Mille Onde. There are lots of details like getting a current PHRF rating that have to be handled before the final decision. More later.............................

On the Hard

Mille Onde has arrived in Long Beach. She is on the hard at Cabrillo Boat Works getting a few things done before she is ready to take her maiden SoCal voyage.

Mille Onde is on the truck and headed this way. She should be in Long Beach next Tuesday (July 28th) and in the water ready to sail by the middle of the following week. Be the first to charter her.