The GBCA Cannon - May Issue

by Chris Kelley

Summer brings the return of the heat and humidity we're so accustomed to. Fortunately it also marks the return of GBCA's popular rum races. Race #1 will take place the evening of May 31st. The navigation for the approximately 13 nautical mile triangular course is very simple, with fixed rounding marks and the start/finish between Clear Creek markers one and two. This is pursuit style race, with slower boats starting first. Participants have the option of racing spinnaker, nonspinnaker or in the shorthanded class. Of course, there is an awards party at the GBCA clubhouse at Watergate Marina once the toys are put up for the evening. The NOR is posted on the homepage of www.gbca.org or if you have questions call the GBCA phone at 713-820-7245.

Also starting on June 6^th is the Veracruz regatta we do in partnership with Lakewood Yacht Club. Once again all the racers will have onboard GPS transponders. Throughout the first and second week of June, you can check the progress of your favorite boats as they make their way south over the 630 nautical mile course. All you need to do is add www.iboattrack.com to you web browser. The transponder and mapping technology has improved from the last Veracruz race, two years ago. The tracking now updates hourly with available surface wind and sea temperature data overlays. In addition, time lapse animation really gives an idea of how the race is progressing. It's almost as good as being there, well almost.

In July GBCA has a sailboat racing event happening every weekend! Rum races will take place the first three Saturday evenings. The last weekend of the month, July 24 thru 26, will be Texas Race Week at Galveston. Texas Race Week features day races out of the jetties with the possibility of some courses going to the Flagship hotel and back. Over the years, Luc and his staff over at the Galveston Yacht Basin have gone out of their way to make this a great event. It's the area's premier summer offshore racing event.

Speaking of Galveston Yacht Basin, GBCA's first ever "Conundrum" race took place the evening of April 18th. By all measures, the event was a huge success. The wind, weather, moon and tides were nearly perfect for the shorthanded crews. Of the 15 boats that participated in the overnight event, 3 teams we're father and son. One of the father son teams, Team Bad Moon traveled their J24 all the way from Dallas to participate in this inaugural event. The only married couple was Beverly and Walter Caldwell, who placed a very respectable third in non-spin in their new boat. We're pleased to report that marriage counseling was not be required after the race.

After the success of the "Conundrum" it was evident the GBCA race committee had cashed out all their good weather karma for the GBCA Spring Regatta held April 26 and 27th. The fleet was at the mercy of a giant weather vortex, as the winds varied from 31 knots to zero in every direction and in very short order. Such winds made setting up a race course an exercise in futility. As the hours wore on, it appeared that the same low level clouds would move south, then north, and back again. Stuck in a weather stalemate, even the pelicans looked confused as they flew through a variety of wind speed and directions in a span of a few hundred yards. On Sunday the race committee opted to start racing an hour earlier to make up for Saturday. Just as the last boats finished, ominous clouds appeared from the southwest and the distant lightning and thunder signaled an end to the racing for the weekend. At the post race awards, many of the long time Galveston Bay racers remarked that it was some of the strangest weather they have ever seen.

Finally, GBCA members are looking forward to participating in Houston Yacht Club's Leukemia Cup on June 21 and 22, and the happy hour kickoff party June 12 at The Drake near downtown Houston. This is a great cause to support, even if you don't sail. We'll see you there!