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Sailing

Sailors in Mexico race fight an intense storm

By Dave Ellis
Published May 18, 2005

It seemed that all of the required gear and safety preparation for the blue-water journey from the St. Petersburg waterfront to Isla Mujeres on Mexico's Yucatan peninsula would be just excess baggage.

The weather computer models showed a pleasant light air sail for several days after the start. On the morning of April 29, each class had a smooth sail out of the bay and under the Skyway Bridge.

A sign of the times was the inclusion of the security zone around the pillars of the bridge. Vessels have to stay at least 100 feet away from the edges of the center span. The warm water and air didn't read the computer models. Soon, the smaller, slower boats in the fleet were experiencing increasing wind. Then it became scary. Winds were reported at a steady 40 knots with higher gusts.

Mike Boom was on the yacht Mi Vida Loca.

"We watched lightning strike all around us for seven hours," Boom said. "It was the most intense storm I have ever seen. We hove-to for 2 hours in wind gusts exceeding 65 knots."

There were many knockdowns, and several in the fleet had sails blown out. Two vessels were struck by lightning, there was one dismasting, and two other boats were disabled. A successful medevac rescue off a yacht saved a crew member who had become ill. The Coast Guard towed that vessel back to port. Seven boats returned to their Florida ports.

Then the wind quit. Ironically, several of the vessels that had weathered the storm found themselves carried northward by the 4-knot current off Mexico. The boats had to beat back upwind and up current to the finish.

Many sailors chose to use the engine to get to the festivities. Only 14 of the 30 vessels in the Cruising divisions finished under sail. The larger, faster racers missed the mid-Gulf storm. It was a port tack close-hauled course for the successful boats, with only one hitch near the Mexican coast. Their big wind was at the finish, with 35 knots across the deck.

Fred Bickley of St. Pete Beach sailed with his wife, Penny, and son, Freddie, along with Joe and Cindy Frohock and John Quicksall. They sailed the venerable Irwin 54 Mango Latitude. "Last year, we held back a bit to save wear on the boat and crew," Joe Frohock said. "We came so close to winning. This year, we raced the boat all the way."

This did not mean that comfort and fun were cast aside. "We ate well," Cindy Frohock said. "Spaghetti, pot roast and chicken were the main courses the three days." They sailed the arcing great-circle route, not heading to the finish until it bore 240 degrees. A rumb line from St. Petersburg to Isla Mujeres is about 210 degrees. A northerly course stays out of the stronger current until nearing the coast of Mexico when there is no other choice but to cut across that strong flow. Their efforts were rewarded, as Mango Latitude placed first among all of the boats on corrected time. They were among the first vessels to finish, all of which owed handicap time to the cruising boat.

The Spinnaker class saw the Tartan 41 Midnight Rider skippered by Forrest Banks take the honors. In second was Steve Pettingill's Hunter-50 Hunters Child II. This racing craft did not save her handicap time despite a fast crossing.

There were two multihulls. The 76-foot Patriot dashed across the 500 miles in less than two days. But Sierra Hotel, a Lagoon 47 sailed by James Fauske, easily saved her handicap time to win. The Non-Spinnakers were led by Scott Collins' Severance, a Tartan 34, followed by Boom on Mi Vida Loca, a Beneteau 40cc.

In the True Cruising A fleet, the Beneteau 53 Relativity of Hall Palmer was victorious, with the Catalina 42 Escapade sailed by Mark Wesson capturing second. The True Cruising B was led by Bickley. Trailing was High Cotton, Curtis Beebe's Jenneau 40.

The True Cruising C victor was the Island Packet 42 Reflection sailed by Mitchell Massie. Sea Biscuit, Steve Leonardo's Heritage 36, was the runner-up. The D class had an Island Packet 42, Ryan Cox's Southern Cross, as the winner. Island Packets did well, with the IP 38 Sunset of Steven Higger taking top honors in the E class. The Crusing F class was headed by Mike Noble in his Morgan Out Island 41 Nobility.

[Last modified May 18, 2005, 00:50:19]