Every other year there is a simple race. Marblehead to Halifax. It is 400 miles and is generally done in about 3 days depending on the wind. And the fog. And Navigator.
It is a race we would end up doing three times – first on Finesse and then two more times on Commotion, getting a little better each time and even winning our class one year.
This year the boat was Finesse, a C&C 38 I bought in 1990 to get back into racing. The crew was somewhat seasoned and generally enthusiastic consisting of Mark Madison, Godfrey, John, Will Blackall, Todd Drake, Jay Karas and Peter Deary. The trip was fairly simple, race to Halifax, spend the evening and then leave the boat for the boys to bring back to Marblehead.
On the way we had nice wind for the initial crossing, no wind off the southern tip of Nova Scotia and then too much wind closing Halifax in the afternoon.
How many times can a C&C 38 broach under spinnaker when it blows 35 knots and most of the crew are new to the boat? More then once is the answer but we made it into town in one piece.
Halifax is an amazing maritime city and worth noting for the 18th century citadel that overlooks the harbor, as well as the maze of interconnected bars that make up the 5 Fisherman light night entertainment complex. Needless to say I left the boys with Will Blackall running into old school mates and wondering how they were going to be feeling when they set out on the delivery home the next day.
