We we raced Saturday in the NC/SC Governors cup and placed 2nd in cruising class. What that means is that Al who I whupped up on a week before racing whupped up on me two races in a row 🙂 The other boat racing in cruising had to turn back before the start of the races as they lost all electrical power and couldn’t turn their engine off because they wouldn’t have been able to get it started again.
I forgot my camera so there are no pictures to share until Mathew gets me some of the ones he took while we were out there. Mathew and Chapel graciously came aboard at the last minute to be crew for me so that I wouldn’t have to race alone 🙂 I thoroughly enjoyed their company for the day 🙂
Over all it was a disappointing turn out for the race. At one time prior to me being a member of the club I hear there had been as many as 70 boats show up to race in the Governors Cup. There were only 7 that showed up this year (all local boats). We actually spent a bit of time discussing it at the party Saturday evening and a lot of us see a trend both short term in economic hard ship due to a slowing economy and more expensive fuel prices. As well as in the increasing cost of keeping a boat in the water. I don’t think anyone from the club here has done an out of town race this year other than the beneteau factory boat. Last year I took my boat to two out of town races and crewed on another boat for a third race. This year I haven’t been able to afford it.
Next is the cost of keeping a boat in a slip and I’m not the only one feeling it. I have a extremely cheap slip by local standard and with business like it is I am having to think about in a month or two maybe pulling the boat and seeing if I can rig her to be easily trailer sailed. The almost 3000 a year in slip fees is getting expensive and unfortunately the amount I am taking her out is not justifying the cost. I figured it is now costing me an average of 50-75 dollars for every time I go out just in slip fees. I could easily go sailing every weekend and some weekdays on other peoples boats as crew. That would leave my boat on the trailer near the workshop to get some of the projects more tool worth projects done. Then I could do some travel sailing. Maybe actually take the boat down to the keys on the trailer for a weekend or week this year or early next year.. or jump over to the Bahamas.. who knows. There are also some lakes around here that I could take her up to.
Whats scary is some of the guys that sail up around Southport are paying 650 to 800 a month for a 35 ft boat slip. We are still half of that here, but it is going up.
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