Guitar Surf

Tequila Derby

Posted on 08 September 2009

The Tequila Derby has two parts: a race from Ventura to Santa Barbara on Saturday and another back to Ventura on Monday.
As we motorsailed out of the harbor and headed for the start line, we were faced with choppy seas and about 15 knots of wind. Everyone donned foul weather suits as we took streams of water from the waves. Some in the fleet were feeling queezy. I was hopeful it would be a fast race. After the start, we quickly gained position and became the lead boat. Heading up the coast, we had good speed and were not too far off the rhumb line to the finish. Everything was going fine until we fell into a hole where the wind died. Had we gone offshore another mile or so we would have been in much better position. Live and learn. Everyone peeled out of the foulies as the sun warmed us. Our speed went from 6 knots to 2 knots in the last 6 miles of the course. Upon finishing, we learned that the other boats had gone offshore and beaten us (except for XS, who relied upon a malfunctioning GPS and sailed extra miles).
Anacapa YC sponsored the race and provided lots of food and drink for the crews to enjoy that evening. Doug Dodge was our host and did a great job accommodating the boats/crews. Later that night our crew went to Endless Summer where the drinks were cold and the one-man band was hot.
On Sunday we walked downtown after breakfast at the Breakwater. On the way we looked through the art faire on the beach by the pier. I visited the new Apple store on State Street. We returned after some refreshments and people watching on the busy street. Later that night we returned to Endless Summer where we were amused at the end of the evening by a young woman who was confused about how to behave in public.
The race back to Ventura was slow at first but as we reached out with the spinnaker up, we picked up speed. It was another war and sunny day, perfect for sailing.
Fusee’s crew consisted of Harry, George, Dave, Sandra, Bunni, Nannette, John, Brian and me. This was a great crew to sail with. Sorry, the pic of Nannette and Dave were out of frame.