St Maarten and racing
2003-03-05

When we woke up in St Maarten, we had a different view for a change. Not the oceans and the reefs, but the island hills and the giant dock we were tied to. I skipped breakfast, I always do on the day of a race and we headed off to find our group.

St Maarten has 5 of the last 12 meter Americas cup boats ever built. Two of Dennis Conners Stars and Stripes, Canada One and True North. One of the Stars and Stripes was the one Conners won the cup back with in Australia. That was the boat everybody wanted.

They picked four women who hadn't a clue about sailing and made them captains. They then got picks to fill out the rosters. I was a first pick and M.E. Michael and Claudette got to come along with me. We were an instant contender so of course we got assigned the slowest boat, True North and of course we had to race Stars and Stripes. Great....

We all got use to our crew positions and I was assigned to be tactician. That job basicly gives the helmsman information on the opponent, the wind speed and velocity, whether we should tack or muddle on.

We won the start and were moving pretty well, but it was clear that Stars and Stripes was faster and could point higher. We were racing a shortened version of the old Cup course with the reaching leg. Nobody ever gets by on the reach so we were going to have to pull this out on the ups and downs.

A few times we got them in tacking duels and made out some there and we managed to catch a few wind shifts that they didn't get. We mostly heald our own through most of the race, but never could pull ahead. We had to bail on the last turning mark and started the final leg half a boat length behind. In or out, in towards the shore or out... I pick out and crossed my fingers...

When we crossed next we were half a lenght up, YIPPEEE! They tacked and tacked and tacked and we tacked every time and covered right up until we crossed the line first and got the gun. Sweet.... Then Ernie the captain let me drive for most of the way in. We got to talking and hit it off pretty well. He invited me to do the Hienekin regatta in a couple of weeks (I wish) and I invited him to the house and to do some sailing in the Bay sometime this summer. This could work out to be a pretty sweet deal... We'll see.

After the race they gave us beers and then rum punches and we bought shirts. Then the girls went shopping and Mike and I went in search of beers and lunch. My Roti (sort of like a Carribbean burito) only had a few bones in it. Not nearly as bad as the ines I've had further down the island chain. Oh and of course after that a shower and a nap.

M.E showed up eventually half trashed and crashed out too. We never did make the formal dinner that night, and both of us were in bed early.

I really liked St Maarten and hope I can get back for a longer stay. We'll see...

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