Velocity Sailing

Tad’s note: I apologize for the lack of content update on the site in the past months. I’m going to try to ramp updates in the new year. It was my resolution – really.

Brett and Alan at Tradewinds 2010. Photo credit Cindy Cady at http://www.racebook-us.com

Having completed the 13 hour drive from the Atlanta area to with Trey, I have to admit that even in my relatively young years – I was tired. The double stack carrying Trey’s boat and ole Undecided had been parked in Founders Park in Islamorada and we had retired to the social life of the Key’s night life with our fellow sailing friends and competitors. Bailey White had been participating in the A-Cat regatta the weekend previous to Tradewinds and so was already there, ready to greet us to the normally warm and inviting Florida Keys. Unfortunately, the climate for Bailey was anything but warm. A record-breaking cold snap had stricken the normally tropical Keys and had really chilled the shallow waters. The marine wildlife couldn’t take the abuse for so long – and the dead fish had piled up on the beaches all over the islands. An omnipresent stench of dead fish lingered over the area.

Thomas picks up one of several dead juvenile stingrays on the beach of Bahia-Honda State Park in the Florida Keys

Thankfully – by the time that the first race was run – the weather had warmed up considerably. The wind had moderated from the 30 knots that Bailey had sailed in earlier in the week to a pleasant steady 15 knots of breeze. The beautifully therapeutic water was chilly but tolerable with spray gear.

Three days of intense racing, including near blow-out conditions on Saturday, and Trey Brown, sailing with legendary catamaran sailor and fellow Tybee 500 veteran Jamie Livingston scored 9 bullets and a third to walk away from the competition the first place Nacra 20.

Trey and Jamie bear off around the windward mark. Photo credit Cindy Cady at http://www.racebook-us.com

Four teams from Velocity competed at his race – and good times were had by all. Alan Friedman flew over from St. Thomas to sail with Brett Robinson and Sam Carter sailed with ground crew chief Ryan Boyle. I of course, sailed with Bailey White for perhaps one of the last times before I have to relocate away from the area. Good times are ahead though for Bailey and Velocity – as we will announce in the next few weeks.