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Cap'n Vic Hits the Naples Waves 2007/2008 Click here for recap of 2008/2009 season  |
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| Naples
Sailing and Yacht Club: Messmer Cup, April 2008 |
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| (Photo by Sandra Yeyati as appeared in the Naples Sun Times)  |
Down here in Naples
it is so sad when the sailing season comes to an end in May. Lots of people
return north, the water heats up to the 90s which cuts down the on-shore
afternoon breeze, and thunder storms pop up like magic during summer
afternoons. Vee Jay's last regatta of the season was the Messmer Cup -- another five spin races over two days. While Saturday was a great day, the wind kicked up on Sunday to macho strength ... and made it a little difficult for Skipper Vic to be on the foredeck. Dave, who had joined our crew several months earlier, decided that Vee Jay just was not exciting enough for him so he went out and bought himself a faster Wavelength 30 ("Shock") that has a bigger masthead spinnaker, running backstays, and is geared for racing. The boat hadn't been raced for a couple of years and Dave spent some serious time getting it back into shape for this race. Fortunately, we were able to scoop up (at the very last minute) enough extra Vee Jay crew and crew contacts for Dave to be able to race a very respectable first/last regatta of the season. See photos at right. Tim and I went out a number of times to help test sails on Shock, and Vee Jay and Shock practiced together for tune up. Shock is a harder boat to sail, but gave Vee Jay some scares during the regatta when she flew past us in one early race. Vee Jay's senior, well-trained crew with the help of a couple of young gals, managed to just edge Shock out for Third. Unfortunately, having the young gals on board nixed our status as the oldest J30 spin racing crew in the country ... but it was worth it. Next season we will have some pretty good competition with T-Bone, Shock and Vee Jay racing Spin B ... and we are looking for a few more good boats and great crews to join us. 2008/2009 will be the second season for the Naples Spin B Revival Association (NSBRA), and if you are interested in joining us either as skippers or crew contact us in October. |
Dave on
Shock |
Helen, Richard, Vic, Jay, Tim and
Lisa |
Carol |
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Joe, Tom, and Gary (on loan from Foreign
Exchange) |
Tom |
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"David" (Jason and his
brother-in-law) versus |
Mike |
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"Goliath" ... Guess who took First Place
in Spin B? David didn't. |
Walker |
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| Gulf Coast Sailing Club's 32nd Annual Regatta, Naples, March 2008 | |
| Photo by Mary Naylor as appeared in the Naples Daily News  |
 There is nothing
quite like starting a race with mixed size spin boats including 27 and 30 ft
S2s, J30, Soverel 33, J105, Farr 39.5 and a Tartan 4100 (#46 on dark brown
sail). Obviously Vee Jay's crew looking sharp in our red racing uniforms in the lead boat "was just in the way of #46." T-Bone tried to help by staying really close by. When the Tartan's full masthead spin is out it looks twice as big as Vee Jay and T-Bone combined.  Saturday we had four starts, the first called off by lack of wind, and as the wind built up during the day we scored a fourth, third, and second. But we were able to lock up third place in Spin B after the five races that weekend. Which was not too bad for the Oldest Spin Racing J30 Crew in the country. This race we picked up a young 62 yr. old foredeck guy who really dropped our average age down to 67.  Crewman Tim took this team shot of Dave, Richard, Vic, Joe and Tom. Total crew this race was six. |
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| Avow Hospice Regatta -- Naples, Feb. 2008 | |
 Joe, Francis, Richard (J/22), and Tim looking NonChaLant while racing. |
 Vee
Jay, a J30, {right} was more than happy to host its own Seniors' Spinnaker Race
Day at the Naples Hospice Regatta. Naturally, she took the record for the
oldest Spinnaker Crew of the regatta. Her crew's average age was 69. [77, 70,
69, 66, 64] The
regatta involved three grueling races in one day of light winds ... But as we
have noted before, Vee Jay is not really happy in light air. We were only able
to take third place ... sure, first place went to T-Bone with its under 30
crew. [Note photo {left} of T-Bone at its max speed. No, it is not caught on a
crab pot buoy.] Cap'n Vic did the
foredeck and really was OK until nap time ... something of a problem putting
spinnakers up and down a few times during races.
But it was also noted at the awards dinner that Vee Jay's crew was the "best dressed" and the crew did receive a number of positive comments from the gals ... always appreciated by our Seniors Crew. Vee Jay's new crew shirts and hats arrived just in time for the race. |
| Naples
Sailing and Yacht Club: New Year's 2008 Regatta Jan. 2008 |
 Tim driving, Joe trimming |
 First
Spin race of the year for old Vee Jay with four man crew of Jay, Joe, Tim, and
Vic. Hard fought battle with T-Bone.
Nine mile race, corrected to 46 seconds win for T-Bone. Vee Jay is not happy in light air. |
| Naples
Sailing and Yacht Club: Commodore's Cup, Nov. 2007 |
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| Shirley and Warren (Tri guys) | Doc's Tuna (caught from her kayak day after race near the old start line.) |
Vic, Doc, and Jay |
| Last 2007 Naples Regatta ...
standard three races, short handed, plus tuna. Conditions: 10-15, N to NNE, wind driven 2-4 ft. waves, non spin, Gulf current. |
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| Naples Yacht
Club Off Shore 90-Mile Regatta Naples to San Carlos to Boca Grande to Naples .... Oct. 2007 |
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| Jay (Freedom 39 Cat Schooner) | John (C&C 29) | Tim (Catalina Capri 22, Keuka Lake, upstate NY, +) |
| After its 1500 mile trip (Oct.
2007 via truck, 4 days) south to retirement in Naples, Vee Jay competed in the
Naples Yacht Club Off Shore Regatta which ran 90 miles from Naples Pier to the
SC light in San Carlos Bay to R2 at Boca Gande and returned back to Naples
Pier. Great finish with Jabu (Sabre 40), Air Supply (Jeanneau 35), T-Bone (S2 7.9 -- 26 ft.), and Vee Jay (J/30) finishing within minutes of each other just over 24 hours later, and having sailed within sight of each other during most of the race. Sorry to say half the fleet did not finish, but all arrived back safely. Conditions: high wind, good wind, 4 hours flat calm, sunny, cloudy, rainy, currents, non-spin (Vee Jay recently told Cap'n Vic that the warm water and sunshine makes its fiberglass feel good all over.) |
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| Vee Jay Delivery Crew ... Marco to Naples ... Oct. 2007 | |||||
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| Dr. Helen (Ranger 22) | Jack, (ex Coast Guard.) | ||||
| Flat seas, 20+ kts E wind, ideal conditions for old Vee Jay | |||||
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