Here is a recap of the first wounded-veteran sailing clinic that I wrote for Sailing Anarchy. Pictures and video will be posted soon.

Link here: http://www.sailinganarchy.com/article.php?get=9195

Last week in San Francisco, 5 wounded Iraq and Afghanistan veterans were brought in from around the country to participate in the first sailing clinic to be held by Hope for the Warriors and BAADS (Bay Area Association of Disabled Sailors). With injuries ranging from a reconstructed knee to psychological trauma, paraplegia, blindness and being shot in the head, the group was a diverse collection of veterans consisting of 3 males and 2 females from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. With very limited sailing experience upon arrival, the veterans were given the opportunity to sail the waters of McCovey Cove and San Francisco Bay for 3 full days with a handful of them competing in several practice races, sailing alone in their own Access dinghies.

The goal of the program is to help re-inspire these combat-wounded veterans and I truly believe that we did that. With 1 on 1 sailing instruction from an all volunteer group of diverse local Bay Area sailors, the clinic was an intimate environment where people could be truly touched and lives positively impacted. Kicking off on Wednesday,

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Video from the SSS Corinthian Race. I raced US 101 in the Singlehanded Sportboat division and finished 4th in class and 5th overall in the Singlehanded Division (35 boats).

This weekend’s SSS Corinthian Race was difficult and frustrating, but not every race can go smoothly! Between fluky breeze, not knowing where a couple of the marks were, tearing a spinnaker and getting fouled really badly near the finish, it just wasn’t my day. We still placed pretty well though, which gives me a lot of confidence moving forward. 

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This weekend was the Doublehanded Farallones race, and for the two of us on “US 101” it was one of the greatest days of sailing either of us have ever had. It didn’t hurt that we caught a couple breaks and placed 1st in class and 1st overall! The Moore continues to impress as I prepare for Singlehanded Transpac, but the real key to the day was my crew Ruben Gabriel. Ruben is a close friend of mine, and will be competing against me in this year’s Singlehanded Transpac, also sailing a Moore 24. With very severe weather at the start and lumpy conditions offshore, getting to the Farallones and back made for a long, wet and challenging day, but we sailed hard the entire time and came away with a result and experience that has already become very special to both of us. An absolutely amazing day on the water on “US 101”!!!!

With a very severe forecast, most of the fleet stayed home with just 14 boats taking the start and 8 boats finishing, out of 58 entrants. The forecast called for 20-30 knots of Southwesterly breeze with gusts over 40 in the early morning and up to 20 foot breaking seas in the evening. The gusts in the morning definitely materialized

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