Banderas Bay Regatta
Every year the highlight of our season seems to be the Banderas Bay Regatta. It is soooo much fun to get together with friends and folks who want to sail in such an outstanding venue with warm winds and water. It all starts with a parade out of Paradise Village just before noon for three or four hours of racing. All the boats work feverishly trying to be assigned a phrf handicap that represents what the boat can do if sailed to it’s potential!
Di’s Dream parade ready with crew ready to go!
Start line with 470 “Cest La Vie” and Di’s Dream
Day one sailing was very good and we managed a
4 th place in Class C. We did pick the wrong side
of the course on the second downwind leg and
let a few boats get back ahead of us.
Day two we were ready to go but with the Tsunami in Japan and everyone was concerned about a tsunami wave hitting the west coast. We were hit in the Puerto Vallarta area with strong enough currents and tides that the racing for the day was cancelled. By 12 noon we heard much about the damage to Cresent City and Santa Cruz and made the decision to take the boat offshore before 1 pm to avoid possible damage in the Marina by the torrents of water rushing in and out of the breakwater.
After sailing for 8 hours we were prepared to try to re enter the Marina but the Mexican Port Captains had closed the ports at all three harbors. Dave’s wife Leslie and I had to tough it out by anchoring out, watching the sun go down and having some nice wine and munchies till well after nightfall. Dave watched us closely!
Then after the patrol boats vacated the area and fellow boats called us on the radio suggesting it was safe to return we returned under the cloak of darkness.
Day three was all clear and we were ready to go again !!!! We had found on our Friday sail that the La Cruz side of the Bay seemed favored late afternoon so decided on a strategy to tack back to better wind on the second and third legs which proved to be more far more effective on the last day of racing .
Final results we managed to be third. But the greatest fun was sailing with our buddies Kieth and Susan on 470 # 33 Cest La Vie, Orlando and Linda on “Cubre Libra 3” along with their sailing therapist, and Eric and Maryln on Full Shell for the Regatta festivities.
Lou on “Cirque” was for the third year in a row the winner in Class A, Chip and Katie
on “Miss Teak” a Morgan did well and finished 2nd in Class E as well! Congrats!!
Kieth and Susan on 470 # 33 “Cest La Vie”
Chip and Katie on “Miss Teak” Morgan 45
Roger, Terry, Dave and Leslie on “Di’s Dream” Catalina 470 # 147
Terry and Michelle from “Coastal Passage” were able to be down with us and a special thanks goes to Dave and Leslie from “Sunshine Daydream” for all their help and support during such an outstanding race and event! They may even bring their new Catalina 445 down next year along with friends Mark and Mimi on their 440.
Lou and Laura on “Cirque “ Always FAST!
Great friends Mike and Sylvia ”Sabatical”
To whom we owe huge thanks to for a sail repair
and assistance getting home to Puerto Vallarta
Andy and Liz phrf handicaps extraordinary, thank you for taking our washer/dryer into consideration!
Orlando and Linda with "sailing therapist"!
Eric and Maryln on
“440 Full Shell”
It was as always, a fabulous time with great folks in a fabulous location.
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