Key West Race Week and Conch Harbor Weddings

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Key West Race Week has come and gone. Light attendance—last year maybe 280 boats this year 150 boats but still great Key West weather. Everyday the Grateful Red crew changed—had a few Chicago Beer can sailors, nice contingent from the Lake Kegonsa Sailing Club and the core team from previous KWRW’s.

On Thursday we picked up a couple sailors from the Key West JWorld racing school—used the symmetrical spinnaker for the Thursday races. Ended the Key West regattas with two races on Friday. Used the A- sym and showed race committee the finest wigs for a Key West race crew. Lots of sailing fun.

Dock side we showed blender and the boat across from slip 24 at Conch was a nice Swan—the skipper came over to see the kegerator. Next thing I hear is that we are all invited to his wedding that afternoon on the Conch dock across from the Grateful Red. We donned our wigs, fired up the blender and joined the wedding ceremony. Great party and nice touch for KWRW.

Grateful Red upgrades

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Maybe I should be sorry to say this, but alas, it makes the Captain happy!

We have made some major domestic upgrades on the boat. If you look closely, this picture is NOT a shower at this time. It is, indeed, a high-tech keg-er-ator ready to fulfill your every desire (when it comes to beer comsumption).

One unfortunate fact…it will, most likely, only last one race at a time. Hence Captain Ken’s attraction to Schooners Wharf and Avelina and her unlimited source of restocking! All she asks is that we spend SOME time in her bar and run a reasonable tab during race week! Easy to do!

Testing the new Whisper Pole

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At the new Sunday meeting spot, Matt from JWorld Racing School, Stu his co instructor describe thier recent sail from Newport to Key West in Stu’s 40 foot racing boat a CX40 while consuming Bloody Marys. Winds of 50 plus waves over 30 feet they hove to for two nights before deciding to go to Bermuda to lay over. Took over 10 days to go from Newport to Bermuda (by the way Bermuda is 200 miles further from Key West then Newport).

Can’t wait to do the Charleston Bermuda race!

Stu, Matt and their third instructor Graham (Canadian from Nova Scotia) had only one student for the week in JWorld racing school – Larry. So they invited Larry and wife to sail with us on the Grateful Red on Tuesday. 80, sunny, winds of 15 + …… beautiful sailing. Sailed upwind to beyond the reef, hove to to eat lunch (Matt and Stu were experts at teaching this technique) then downwind. First with the symmetrical spinnaker and pole, then the new whisper pole and wing on wing sailing with the 150 genoa. Always sailing eight plus knots, good fun and three excellent teachers.

At Conch Harbor we removed the dacron sails to prepare for Race Week, drank rum and made plans. Perfect day!

Now back at Kegonsa – Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday high temperatures of less then zero. Why do we return?