Dauphin Island Race Mobile Bay

I am thinking of taking my 1978 E29 tall rig to enter the Dauphin Island race at Mobile Bay in April. Has anyone entered that race or have any experience with Mobile Bay that might help me prepare for the race. There are several boats from the Rome Sailing club planning to enter.

The three days of party interrupted by two sailboat races sounds like fun. Actually I want the experience and chance to learn.

DI Race

Can be a great race or a brutal one. Since it is a point to point w/ only one mark (the Middle Bay Lighthouse) to leave to stb, if you're heading into a S wind, it can be a lonnnnnnnnnnnng day. If you've got a N wind just pop a chute and a top. It's definitely worth the trip. Unfortunately I'll just be getting off the road and can't make the race this year

Hey. I'm new to this forum having found it the other day while researching a 35-3 that is for sale locally. So, I just came across this old post. I've done the DI race many times over the years. Like the above poster said, it can be a lot of fun whether the winds are favorable or not.

Did you end up in the race? Have a good time?

Randy,
Check the GYA web page; there are lots of links to the clubs, including Mobile.

http://www.gya.org/Clubs/MemberClubs.htm

You can probably pick up a lot of info, if not some members e-mail contacts. I think the Gulfport/Pensacola race is moved up a week or so this year, that is always a good one.

Thanks guys. I have race DI race last two years finishing 4th in 2008 and 3rd in 2009 for my grouping. Great race and I plan to be there for the week before the race and hopeful of another move up in position this year.
I have visited Buccaneer Yacht Club in November to check out the venue for the 2010 race. From what I see the BYC group will be hosting a great event and I am looking forward to hanging out with them and hopefully the Rome Sailing Club members that will be attending the race, we hope to have five or more boats from our club.
If you get the chance to attend this race it is well worth the effort. I trailer my E29 and that is not an easy thing with the 700 mile round trip and handling the mast down and up at each end. Again it is worth the effort. If you have a fixed keel boat and she weighs more than BYC can lift there is no deep water launching. Grand Mariner marina just south of the Dog River bridge off Dauphin Island parkway is reasonable pricing for the travel lift and very friendly.

Congratulations Randy and a belated welcome to Mobile.
Though it doesn't appear to be posted yet, this year's DI Race is scheduled for April 24 with the warm-up race the Saturday before on the 17th.

It's that time again

you guys racing again this year? Randy, I think I followed you out last year. Had a great finish #1 in our old, slow boat class. Hoping for a repeat this year.

After searching hard all over the Southeast for an Ericson 35 or38, my brother and I gave up on finding one in reasonable condition that fit our criteria. I sure like the design though.
We found an Endeavour 38 in south Florida and she is here at home on Wolf Bay now and renamed Pandelirium. We will enter the DI Race this year in the portsmouth division. Hope to see y'all there.
Tim

Not sure if I've ever seen an Endeavour....
Could you "endeavour" to post up some pics?
I know that are none in our YC moorage, and they might be generally rare in the NW.

I hope that you enjoy your new (to you) boat!

Loren

At 17,600 lbs displacement, she is a bit heavier than her Ericson counterpart. She handled some very rough conditions on our Gulf crossing very well. Here she is anchored in Destin Harbor on our trip home last week.

...back to DI Race discussion

... back to the DI Race discussion. I got to meet two Ericson owners this weekend and they represented their ilk well.

Randy Rutledge of Rumkin took home a trophy and it was easy to spot them in the crowd proudly wearing their t-shirts with the giant Ericson logo on the back. The crew of the Ericson 38 Invisible also took home a trophy. He and his family have redone the interior themselves and they did a fine job. I got to tour Invisible at the MYC dock after yesterday's race and she is in excellent shape.

The race was postponed to Sunday and the course changed to a long down and back course when some really nasty weather came through our area on Friday and Saturday. It was a disappointment to not finish down at Dauphin Island, but yesterday's sailing conditions were perfect.

Congrats to the crews of Rumkin and Invisible.

Tim thanks for the kind words. I wish we had had more time to talk, next trip lets plan to meet early.
The trip was a real rollercoaster ride, my stepfather die the Thursday before my scheduled departure of 4-19, we handled that and at the insistence of my mother, still got out on schedule. The 350 mile tow went well though the new setup on the trailer placed the boat too far back and she swayed badly making the drive tiring and a strain on my ½ ton GMC.
The Buccaneer Yacht Club was a real pleasure and made the week’s stay on the boat at their club a real hoot.
We had a great time at the club, a couple of days of sailing mid week and the race was great, top apparent wind speeds we noticed 27.5 knots and chop of three feet or more. Oh did I mention the times the wind was at 2-3 true speed. The race offered a little of everything as it often does.
Second in class was one more step up, 2008 4th, 2009 3rd, and 2010 2nd so I have to go back next year.