The Log of Indiscipline III

	Mexican Navy boat setting the start line and serving as R/C boat.
	The start.
	Race action.
	Joe with Punta Banda in the background.
	Indiscipline puts her rail down on the tack for the islands.
	Ancient Mariner Dolphin.
	Dolphin and the lighthouse on Todos Santos del Norte.
	Passed by a Catalina 27
	They got us on the front side of the island.
	Rounding the Island.
	Competition on the last leg.
	Flying the new reaching spin.
	Got them!
	Closeup
	Party at Sano's.

Saturday was a day of much sleeping, going to the after-race party, not winning anything at the raffle, no prizes, eating great Mexican food, and then sitting up in the cockpit of Indiscipline drinking rum until it started to rain.

Sunday was the Regatta de los Todos Santos. This is put on by the local Mexican yacht club. 16 boats were entered, about 1/2 were local boats. Some of these were quite well equipped and everything afloat was entered from a Hobie cat, an Etchells, a Westsail 28, and large wood "ancient mariners". We also had keen competition on a local Cat 27 with old but servicable laminate sails and a large spinnaker.

These islands are offshore in the Bahia de los Todos Santos (the bay of Ensenada) and the course is about 16 miles. You have to leave the islands to port, the northern island first.

There was only 1 start so for the first time ever Indiscipline was directly starting and going head-to-head with some of the finest San Diego race boats. Needless to say I settled for a clean start in good air at the favored end in the 2nd row of boats - about 2 minutes late.

We tacked out on starboard for 3 miles in winds about 12 knots. It was blowing medium and I had decided to be conservative so we were flying the 135 and planning to use my new #2 reaching spinnaker. After 3 miles we tacked and headed north, waiting until North Island was well past our beam. Eventually we tacked back for the island, now nearly rounding up in strong winds, no waves, and perfect conditions.

As we neared the island winds went light and lifted. We cracked off some. We were passed by 2 or 3 local boats at this time. I wished we had the 155 up but there is no way to do a peel without costing a lot of time. The spinnaker leg was just ahead.

We got spin up on the back side of the island with some excitement. We had the sail wrapped wrong way through the pulpit, thankfully the winds were light and I was able to hold on to the clew with one hand while untangling. Soon we were bobbling along and passed one of the boats again. The C27 was still well out ahead.

After passing south island we gybed the chute and hardened up for the finish about 6 miles away. We were soon on a close reach and I hardened up the spin for a reach (pole down, twinger on). The new spin is very small - about 3/4 size. But it lets me get it real tight for a reach plus can stand up to a lot more wind.

Joe helmed, I trimmed and we were able to lay the finish line - beating about 5 boats scratch and correcting out to 7th. The Cat 27 was well behind us.

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