Meeting up with friends on the Catalina 36 Rippin before the start.
	Action after the start of PHRF 5
	We enter into Mexico.
	Off Rosarita.
	Heading downwind at 5 knots.
	Photos of Indiscipline
	Near sunset
	Crew of Two at the party.

Bottom line results - we finished all races and were not the last boat in:

San Diego - Ensenada PHRF Class 5 - 8th place out of 8
San Diego - Ensenada Double Handed Division 3rd out of 3


Completing a 17 hour day to return: 75 miles to weather, Ensenada to San Diego, clearing customs, and then San Diego to Mission Bay on the inside route at night during lobster season with nothing broke - PRICELESS.

Here's the story.

After weeks of work, planning, and preparation Indiscipline left for San Diego at 8 AM Friday with Joe and I on board. Weather forecast was NW 10 to 15 going SW after midnight. Basically a PERFECT forecast. We never saw any of that.

The 11:20 AM start was very light wind, upwind. We close reached outside towards the Coronado islands. Our game plan was to run offshore about 10 miles, then head for Islas de los Todos Santos. Hold that course until Ensenada was abeam, then turn in. Light or no wind was expected within 5 miles of shore in the wee morning hours.

We were running well with all the Class 5 boats rated PHRF 150 and above. We were the smallest and slowest entry. We sheeted the 155 in on my inner jib tracks, sheeting the genny inside the lifelines, and discovered a significant increase in pointing.

The morning SW winds started to go W and we cracked off and soon were rolling in the lee of South Coronado Island. Perhaps we ran out too far. About this time we lost sight of almost all boats. Only a few slower boats in the cruising class were in sight. About 3 PM we went up with the spinnaker.

Speeds were good once we were out of the lee of the island. We were averaging over 5 knots. As sunset came on we were about 6 miles offshore (we planned to be 10) and the winds were very strong with seas about 5 or 6 feet. Steep, lumpy, whitecaps, and rounding up under spin in the big gusts. We had a wrap on the forestay. There was too much wind and it was getting dark. I went on the bow to get it unwound, and it eventually blew the wrap out. We decided to get it down and go up with the 135 jib. I can pole out the 135 with the spin pole but I don't have a whisker pole for the 155. Besides, winds were W or NW at 15 to 20 knots. While I was bagging the spinnaker, bagging the 155 and going up with the 135 during twilight, the vast majority of the 155 went overboard and I dragged it up and stuffed it in the bag sopping wet.

By the time this was done, it was dark. I had on my light foulies, sweathirt, lifejacket/harness with strobe. Joe was helming and was also fully equipped. It was cold and very damp and I was drenched with sweat. The winds went lighter and lighter. We did pole out the jib, but the winds went forward in the gusts, and aft in the lulls. Eventually we had light N to NE winds about 2 to 3 knots. We soon got the pole back down.

In these conditions we endlessly debated putting up the 155, putting up the reaching spinnaker, or having another beer. Eventually we did nothing. It was also too challenging to eat the dinner my wife had prepared. I took a nap from about midnight to 2 AM and Joe worked us to within 5 miles of the finish. At times we were in a puff running 5 knots. Then it would be down to 1. We worked every shift the best we could and searched and searched the lights of Ensenada for the flashing yellow strob marking the committee boat.

Eventually we drifted across at 3:48 AM pretty sure we were the last boat in.

Click HERE for Regatta de los Todos Santos

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