Morpheus Sailing

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Images from Block Island Race Week

Inside "The Oar"

Late Night at the "Yellow Kittens"

Dinner at "Home"

Resting prior to heading out for the night!

Postponed at the Dock...

Patrick

Waiting for wind....

Postponed on the water....

This trailer once was organized. Really!

Emily chatting with....????

Post Regatta Dinner

Time to head back to Newport

1BI the classic rounding mark

Mo Pheus!!

Waving the Flag!

Non Virgin Mudslide

Lot's of wind on a relative scale...

The End

One of my favorite pictures from BIRW

Not only did I have the family boat at Block Island Race Week, I had the entire family together and onboard racing together!

It gets no better than that.

-Jim

BIRW: Best line of the week!!

Jeff "Pops" Krag to Bartender - "I'd like a virgin Mudslide please."

Bartender - "Well Sir, That would be a glass of ice..."

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Monday, June 27, 2011

Many of these boats getting ready...

To cross the Atlantic in a race!
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Morpheus Happy in Newport

Naval War College in background.
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Saturday, June 25, 2011

Friday, June 24, 2011

All Done!

We did it!! Could have done better, but for the conditions we had and the boats we were racing we can deal with it. (Sort of)

Pretty sure that all had fun, and quite sure that I did!!

Thank yous to follow...

For now...cold beer!

Jim
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Thursday, June 23, 2011

Round the Island

Had a great sail around the island today. Very grey almost rainy day.

Clockwise

First leg to 1BI was very light. We did well. But lost a bit near the mark in sloppy seas and current.

The backside was windy 15 to 18 close reaching with the kite. We extended on those behind us, and lost to those ahead.

Last upwind leg was a good one for us, but not long enough to real in the leaders.

Tonight is Mt Gay night in the tent and Mexican night at home!!

Nap time for jim is now!!!
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Lookin Good!!

Round the Island today!!!
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Day 4

Another day and thus far the only differences are that Christopher is here (yes!!) And its cloudy (boo). Still not much wind. Hoping for two races today somehow....

Storm Trysail party last night was fun!! Kittens after the party was great!!

Updates later.....
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Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Crew Meeting in the Rain!!

What do you do on Block Island when you can't sail???
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The other Davie Norris boat at Block Island Race Week

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Wind filling in

Having sent the fleet back to the harbor there is now wind on the way!! Unfortunately, it will arrive with rain!!!

We need more races not less.

Going to try the Symetric spinnaker today to see if that helps. Too many gybes on a short course. The symmetric spin will be better in the gybes...
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Another Day, another postponement

No wind, sent back to harbor???
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Tuesday, June 21, 2011

3rd race not so good

We sailed the boat well today. 3rd race turned for the worse as we got tangled up with other divisions, tp52s rounding the leeward mark with us, etc

Too bad, because we had a great start and were pretty launched off the line.

FUN!! All good!!

Jim
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Race 2

Much much better. Probable third, close to second. Will be a matter of seconds
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Monday, June 20, 2011

Well.....tomorrow will be better!!!

Good speed. Bad roundings. We did not do well, but at least we think we can fix it!!

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SPOT is on!!!

Finally heading out wind is 8 knots from 220M. This may be all we see!
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6000 plus miles for this??

No wind, postponed at the dock. Forecast less than 10 all day and not much more for the week....
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Sunday, June 19, 2011

Good day of practice

Everything and everybody still works. Off to mahogany shoals from mudslides now!
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Saturday, June 18, 2011

Mission Accomplished

Morpheus has arrived at Block Island
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Well....we were leaving!!

Until we saw two gigantic J boats racing in the harbor!!
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Friday, June 17, 2011

The boat, the bow, the stainless steel plate!!

Either you Know or you don't!

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Secret Scouting Mission Complete.

Kim and I have successfully completed our initial mission to Block Island.
Trailer parked and ready for relocation tomorrow...Check
Suburban parked and ready for relocation tomorrow....Check
Bike rented. Leo is wonderful. Check
House located. Dangerously close to Kittens and Nicks...Check
Roof Ball potential evaluated... Challenging
The Oar serves Sushi this year! Double Check!!
Cute waitress Liz warned about sailors. Check.
Wine Tasting at the Oar... Check!!
Deb

The Oar for lunch....

Naa na na Boo Boo

Made it to BI

Made it to BI with the trailer. Has to sweet talk a parking space since the field is not open yet. Ita is enjoying her only day on BI.

Deb

Our piles in the Comfort basement!!

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And so it begins!!

Deb and Kim are off for the Block Island Ferry with the car and trailer!!
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Thursday, June 16, 2011

Morpheus holed in Newport on 1st Night!

From: Rob Moore []
Sent: Wednesday, June 15, 2011 12:59 PM
To: Jim Gregory
Subject: yikes

Sorry to read that "Mo_pheus" was attacked, but at least you ID'ed the perp.
Boy, if it's not one thing, it's another. Ironic that you incurred damage in
the most civilized place you've been on your whole journey.

[JDG: ] Well, we really were not attacked truth be told. It was the first
night on the mooring for any boat this year and when the storm blew through
our chain stretched out, but the six meter in front of me just sat there.
So...when the wind died and the current switched around we actually drifted
right down on top of her at a 90 degree angle. I had stayed on the boat to
make sure all was well while everyone else went off to a nice dinner at the
NYYC. But, with the storm over was below relaxing. Imagine my surprise
when we came together . I jumped up on the deck to find this beautiful six
meter impaled in the side of Morpheus. Unlike Etchells she had a stainless
steel plate covering her very pointy bow and she was fine. But, us not so
much! I do like Kevlar though, it kept things from being much worse. My
next problem was how to get the boat off Mo-pheus and find a way to slip off
the mooring without doing more damage to either boat! Pitch dark at 11pm
this was not so easy, but worked out. Then motored out into the anchorage
or what I guessed was the anchorage and dropped my anchor by myself. Yet,
another thing that I'd never done before!! In the end, I have to say I got
off easy. Thank god I stayed on the boat!!

Hope you can fix it in time for BIRW, but somehow that seems doubtful.
[JDG: ] Looks promising at this point if we can keep the rain away for
another day. 50/50.

When do you head over there -- Friday? Saturday?

[JDG: ] Plan to sail across on Sat.

... Did you get Tim to go?

[JDG: ] Did not work out.

Who is the tactician?

[JDG: ] Some guy named Andrew.

What is the final line-up?

[JDG: ] Jim Gregory

Debbie Gregory

Chris Gregory

Pat Gregory

Lyn Comfort

Peggy Comfort

Kim Comfort

Brian Comfort

Emily Comfort

Dan Hadley

Matt Coudert

Andrew Whittome

Guy Richter

Maybe you can update the blog so you don't have to answer all these dumb
questions!

[JDG: ] Good idea!!

PS -- Today is Hank's birthday. We're off to take him to lunch.

[JDG: ] Happy Birthday Hank!!!

Almost Race Ready!!!!

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Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Attacked by a 6 meter!

The lesson here is that mooring fields are dangerous early in the season when chains have not stretched out so everyone plays well together.
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Sunday, June 12, 2011

Lightning Sailing

We have probably raised the waterline by at least one inch as we empty the boat of all our cruising gear!!

All goes well, so I've accepted an invite to go Lightning sailing with Brian and Kim Comfort. As my family knows, this will be a giant flashback to my firsy day of sailing (swimming) ever!!

Jim
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Thursday, June 09, 2011

Storm out on the horizon!

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Something Evil This way comes....

Scary line of thunderstorms coming at me. All tied up on a nice mooring!!!
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NEWPORT!!

We did it!!
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Almost there!

Just exited Long Island Sound, we are now in ... Block Island Sound!!!!
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The Race

Plum Island in the background above. We are approaching "The Race" at the end of Long Island Sound". Two plus knots of current behind us and a big ole line of Thunderstorms ahead. Hopefully they will be gone before we get there!!

Last night was pretty wild at anchor in Duck Island Roads. We seemed to be right under a line of Thunderstorms that continued passing by and over all night long. A big set passed at about 3am. Wow!!! Not all that much wind, but the lightning was close and constant!! I video taped some of it and it came out great, will try to post later after our arrival in Newport!!

Jim
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Wednesday, June 08, 2011

Leaving Stamford Harbor

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Underway Bound for Newport, RI !!!

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Sunday, June 05, 2011

Happy Birthday Deb!!

East Coast Yachting??

I'm sure the invite said "Casual Dress"!

AYC wins the Commodore's Cup!

Deb and I spent the afternoon with Heather Sparkman watch AYC successfully defend its title. (Drake won it last year)

That was nice, but the highlight was Heather passing along Drakes 2008 Pacific Cup "ugly hawaiian shirt" to me for safe keeping!!

Thanks Heather!!

Jim