Wings' 39th season

Photo: Close reaching under new Asym

Here we are in November about to start the 39th racing season on Wings. In Mexico the racing starts in December and goes through March. 

After racing, in April, I will again cruise in Mexico for three months or so. Then another summer of boat projects, upgrades and maintenance.

This summer has been busy getting everything done but the boat is ready. I had quite a list including propellor shaft and flange replacement, new bow pulpit (after a disastrous port starboard collision (we were on starboard and a boat to leeward decided to cross us on port. He didn't make it and I couldn't' avoid him, big OUCH). We have new Imron topsides and new epoxy deck paint. New toe rails fore and aft and winch revisions, and hydraulics and instrument upgrades. There were lots of other projects and many interior upgrades (some major) and maintenance (I live on the boat) including keel backing plate replacements and a significant enlargement of the aft cabin berth.

Actually, the list this year was really long but I got through it.

This year crew is going to be a challenge. Some of my most loyal crew are aging out and replacements are hard to find. One crew member, my beloved wife Judy, passed over a year ago and she is totally missed on the boat.

Last year was a good year for us with results in the top three on most of the 26 races and first or second on each of the major regattas and we will be out there again this year and as long as I can still sail, find crew, and keep up with the increasing costs.

Photo: Navigator Rhonda Miller looks for the mark

Photo: Cruising In the Sea of Cortez

    

Memories: Jam/MoJoe

Bill Gately on Jam/MoJoe:

"In the "small world" arena, the only other Serendipity 43 whose deck I have ever stood on is that of MoJoe!

Back maybe 15 years ago I sailed "Jam" back from Rockport [Maine] to Marblehead Harbor [Massachusetts] with Richard (I forget his last name), a then retired attorney who lived in Marblehead but had a house up in Maine.  At that time Jam's cockpit had been extensively modified with a very large metal dodger, her bridge deck cut away and a new 6' 5" [shoal] keel designed by Jim Taylor to replace the 7' 9" keel with which she came. 

I knew Richard and was familiar with Jam's new keel since Jim Taylor replaced my keel at the same time as he was replacing Jam's.  Jam and Fruition shared Jim's design cost and the mold that had to be made to cast the two keels.

When Jim Taylor made his proposal for a new keel he stated that, "You would never do this if you were going to race her.  You will lose a couple of degrees to weather but might gain some back downwind since she will be a little stiffer. "

 

This author is happy to report that our crew sailed MoJoe competitively and well even with that shortened shoal keel, winning many races, much like Fruition is doing even today!

Fruition Race Video

 Here is a YouTube video of Fruition at the 2022 Bone Island Regatta (Florida)

The annual Bone Island Regatta from the Sarasota area to Key West is held as the last event of the September-to-May “Boat of the Year” competition sanctioned by the Sarasota Bay Yachting Association. 

This regatta at about 160 miles is also the longest race race of the nine race “Boat of the Year” competition. Boats compete under West Florida rules in four separate fleets - spinnaker, non-spinnaker, cruiser and multihull. 

The regatta is a non-profit event organized selflessly and competently by Alice Petrat as a service to the sailing community with assistance by an all volunteer team. The land-based events at the end of the race are many and memorable.