1358H: We have finished Race 8 ... reconciled the results and are heading in. Got LOTS of pictures for you ... see you soon!

Blogger Note:  I will post those photos later this afternoon when Cindy returns to shore.

1254H: Completed finishes for Race 7 and the J80s are in the box.
We thought the last race was close but you should have seen this one.
There were 3 J105s crossing the finish line together and only inches apart.
The inside boat was 2 INCHES from the Signal and the boom actually crossed over the stern.
Needless to say we were all bug eyed and not breathing for the whole length of Predacious, 65 feet.

1149H: We are confirming Commander's forecast is exactly what they said it would be. MOB from J105 ... was picked up by another boat who will ask for redress on time later.

1142H: could see wind speed lulls down to 15-16 knots

1140H: Notes on Race 6 - Melges were surfing like CRAZY ... didn't know Melges had canting keels ... We are monitoring commanders weather forecast and by noon it should be 030-035 ...

1129H: Wow, I thought for sure (more than a couple of times) that boats were going to hit our Signal Boat. They were sailing such hot angles coming to the finish. There were a couple more that wiped out at the finish line and one collision. The first Melges has already rounded the top in Race 7.

1120H: Completed finishes on Race 6 ... Melges and J105s have already started Race 7 ... J80s are 30 second from the start

1018H: Couple of boats have retired from this race but are hanging around for the next races. A couple of boats are doing penalty turns. Getting ready to take finishes.

1009H: Well, It is windy at approx 19 knots and several Melges had problems with their shoots on the leeward rounding. There are several press boats that hopefully got some great pictures ... too far away for us to capture the action. J105s are approaching now

1000H: All Classes are off and running. The Melges are about to round the gate .... they are flying. The poor line boat has been hit again ... this time by a J80.

0916H: Div 3 RC boats are: Signal-Predacious, WMB-Lowe Down, PB-Two Dogs, CLB- Alligator Boots, and Gate-Reef Madness. All are calling wind readings and getting in position to kick off Race 6 and the magic number is 040 degrees. White Caps are everywhere ... conditions are excellent.

0841H: Looks like the last day is gonna be the best day. The sailors will be going home as tired puppies after a longer day on the water. The weather couldn't be better

0838H: RC has anchored and in the process of setting Course 4 at 045 degrees with 2nm legs ... breeze is at 16

0758H: Signal boat has left the marina and is on station in the inner bay area for the morning announcement. Sailboats are piling out for the last day of racing. There is a large Coast Guard Cutter coming into the channel. George, from Commanders Weather, is on board with us says NE wind today that will build to 18-23 , the strongest being between 10:30 an 1300 hours.

24 Jan 2008

1719H: All boats have finished ... RC is collecting protest ... we are on the way in. Lots of "Thank you Race Committee"

1647H: Signal is getting in position to set the finish line for the Melges and J105s. RC is shortening the course for the J80s so they are only doing four legs and back to the barn. The Melges are on their last leg, the J105s are on their fourth leg and the J80s are on their 3rd leg. Boats are all over the place.

1631H: RC has made another adjustment to the course. The Brotherhood of International Mark Boat Operators (BIMBOs) work for food and have come to collect more sandwiches ... we are out of cookies.

1624H: Melges have just rounding the leeward gate ... three more legs to go. Awards have been moved back an hour. Have lots of picture today but the sun is in the wrong place right now for more ... you'll just have to take my word on this ... it's great !!!

1608H: South Florida and Key West ARE the best places in the world to sail. The J80s have a clean start .. Eureka !!!! We have posted course 5 for this race, therefore Signal boat is on the move to set up the finish at the top of the course.

1601H: Wind is 360 degrees and the Melges are 3 minutes from the top mark race 2. Beautiful day.

1556H: Verifying finishes for Jeff ... J105s just started race 5 ... missed the start of the Melges

1534H: Melges and J105s are finished ... waiting on the J80s. Taking protest now. Very sunny again. Eight minutes to the warning signal for the Melges

1458H: The Heli is hovering over the gate for a photo session. RC adjusted the weather mark for the second upwind leg . There is a Cruise ship coming in the channel, haven't seen the Navy's F18s yet today

1446H: The J80s are off and running ... Individual Recall !!! (what's new?) Melges class is already half way down the course to the leeward gate. Breeze is 12-14 now. We are going for 2 races

1435H: X-ray is still up .... J105 class warning in one minute. Where did the Sun go? J105s are all in the starting box and ready to go ... Individual Recall !!! Eager Beavers on the water today. X-ray is still up ???

1422H: We are in sequence now with "i" flag prep signal. Hopefully the center line boat will survive the Melges start. ... And they are off .... Individual Recall !!!

1409H: RC setting Course 4, 320 degrees at 1.4nm

1355H: Div 3 has seen breeze up to 6 at times ... could it be filling in a bit .... starting to look good ... HURRAAAAYYYY

1341H: DIV 3 has the postponement flag up. It is bright and shiny out here now ... not much improvement in the wind conditions

1256H: PREDACIOUS in on station ... the good news is the weather is improving and the sun is coming out. The wind is anywhere from 2 to 4 knots ... we do believe we will eventually get a race off

1029H: Div 3 - PREDACIOUS sits at the dock hoping today will not be lost. Current conditions are so still the birds are even napping. Nothing more enjoyable than messing around on boats which is what most people are doing now ... fixing this, cleaning that. Taxi driver lied when he told us it never fogs in here. Next update at noon

23Jan2008

1101H: Not much to report ... trying to figure out why the Key West Lighthouse is in the middle of the island ... could it be that things have just built up around it OR is it one of those that was moved? The Red Baron is flying around, a pretty little red by-plane

1031H: RC on station now ... What a difference. The good new is Blue Skies are everywhere ... the bad new is the breeze is below 3 knots

22Jan2008

1550H: Update to Race 1:  In the first race Bow 101 was in first place by lots BUT he finished on the wrong side of the signal boat. He corrected and finish properly but 3 or 4 down.

1512H: already done ... had Generator problems and had to shut down the PC until it was fixed ... they are heading back to the barn

1440H: We are on the 3rd race. The Melges are on their 2nd upwind leg and the J105s are rounding the leeward gate now. Current breeze is 12 knots at 100 degrees ... dark gray cloud overhead

1321H: Div 3 in into their second race. What an exciting first race! Nothing cooler than watching boats scream across the finish line on top of a wave and at times less than a second apart. We currently have a clipper ship spectator boat between us and the action. Gray skies

we are finishing race 2 .... get back with you!

1202H: One half of the Signal Boat is working on starts and the other half is still taking finishes

1151H: Very busy on the race course finishing and setting up for rolling starts. Wind has picked up as several Melges have rounded up approaching the finish line.

1149H: Distance to the weather mark is 1.5 nm. Melges Bow 71 was first to round the top mark at 10:56:00 am ... Bow 75 observed doing penalty turn .... last melges to round was Bow 60 at 11:01:30. Bow 67 has retired, equipment failure. First J105 to round the top mark was Bow 21 at 11:50:30 ... last to round Bow 22 at 11:18:50. Unable to get other rounding due to race committee radio traffic

1107H: J80s are off and all clear. Melges are about two minutes out from rounding the leeward gate

1104H: J105s are off with a very conservative start ... a 360 was observed shortly afterwards. Weather boat is reporting a Bow 75 hooked up on the weather mark for a short time taking it slightly out of position ... most of the fleet is around. Bow 80 is the Melges who had the incident with the center line boat.

1050H: The ground tackle of the Center Line Boat is wrapped around the keel of the Melges as they slowly sail away. We will be starting the J105s with a two boat line ... warning at 10:50

1043H: Melges and CLB are still hung up and we have the J105 class standing by for their start ... photo boat has offered assistance just as the two unhook

1037H: Individual recall flag is up. A returning Melges gets hung up on the anchor line of the center lin boat ... both are being dragged back.

1035H: Photo boats are lined up on the starboard side of the signal boat. A parade of Melges are approaching the line ... the jibs are being rolled out ... crews are hiking ... and they are off

1030H: Melges class flag is p and we are in sequence ~ UP!
"I" flag is up

1019H: We are currently under very partly sunny conditions and there are clouds to the South ... looks like it is raining on the other side of the channel where Div 1 and 2 are.

1013H: Center Line boat is moving into position for the starting line. Conditions are great for sailing and we are on schedule for the first warning. We have posted course 4

0955H: Blues skies are peeking through, so are the F-18s from the Naval Base. Winds are now 075-080 at 10-12 knots and the water is that beautiful cerulean color

0944H: Competitors are checking in ... they are wet like yesterday but at least they have some color in their faces and appear to be very excited about racing today

0911H: Rain cells come and go ... boats are everywhere ... it's like a drive in theater that has let out as they all navigate out of the harbor. Passengers on the cruise ship are out on the balconies .... must be an awesome sight for them

0900H: RISE and SHINE! 070 at 10 to 12 - seas moderate, 19 knots at 065, 21.8 at 080

21Jan2008

"We are ready to get racing, long week, try not to break the boat and very supportive of the RC's decision" ~ crew of J/105 "Jaded (They are old salts to KWRW, this will be their first race in their "new to them" J/105)

1250H: Abandoning Races

1245H: 23-24 knots ... Melges are flogging pretty bad going up wind ... preparing to set starting line. RC is sharpening more pencils, blue skies are gone ...

1236H: Warning signal on schedule for 1300 ... seas may be more than 4 feet ... heading 080.... Melges crews need snorkel gear

1227H: BLUE MOON bow73 ... mast has slipped off the mast step and crew is holding it up and trying to get back in ... safety boat standing by ... main is finally down and they continue to sort things out. Couple of melges 24s are petitioning RC to not run races today. We are posting course 4 with 2 mile legs

1221H: Seas are 3-4 feet ... 22 knots sustained ... white caps 2 to 10 feet long with tops coming off

1203H: Bow 24 won the check in race!

1155H: ... blue skies on the horizon finally.
Boats piling out of the marina ready for battle.

Wonder if WHERE'S BOB will do his usual routine of checking in at the last minute.

1146H: Bump, bump, roll, wave ....wave and water

RESULTS

DIVISION 1

DIVISION 2

DIVISION 3

DIVISION 4

DAILY VIDEO

 by Jobson Sailing

POD CASTS

by Sailing World

RACE TRACKING

 by Kattack