12th Hobie Challenge

... and this time we'll be part of it!

Mere 50 days before we will explore the smallest and most remote islands around one of the Philippines' most magnificent tourist spots - Palawan - on our Hobie Cats!

Team Tiger Gambas is registered (look for us under "participants"), excited, and very careful not to break any limbs or boat parts!

Exploring the Philippines on a boat, even as small as a Hobie 16, is just amazing! No other mode of transportation is more suited to go between islands so small they are not even tagged on Google earth yet.

A Challenge? Our pleasure!

A cat's broken tale

The 2011 Hobie Cat Traveler Series kicked off with a fancy bang at Hamilo Coast, Nasugbu! The people at the newly opened Hamilo Coast facilities fell over themselves to provide everything a sailor heart craves: strong drinks, good food, and a hot shower!

The colorful sails of 11 Hobie Cats in the picturesque Pico de Loro cove were a sight for sore eyes! Everything could have been so perfect... If only team Tiger Gambas didn't break its Cat's tail: the boat's rudder!

As beautiful as the cove is to look at, it's rather a challenge to launch the boats off from. Head-on wind and breaking waves near the shore made it almost impossible to push the boats into the water. Timing was everything. We waited for the waves to subside before throwing our full body weight onto the boat to withstand the oncoming forces. Our Cat rose like a wild horse trying to shake off an unwanted saddle! Both rudders speared the bottom of the sea. The impact broke one of the rudders right off the hull!

That was the end of race day number one (even before it began for us). On the positive side, we had the whole day to explore the resort, enjoy our nice room for a nap, and to beach-bum collecting shells and driftwood.

At 6am on Sunday, Dr. Boyet (the most able boat man at Taal Yacht Club!) together with Glenn, conducted open heart surgery on our tamed Cat. After 1.5 hours, the patient was still drowsy but restored to health and seaworthy.

Slightly traumatized we pushed out again into the open sea, which on day two was less rough. We joined two races but no matter how hard we tried, we couldn't advance beyond being DFL (Dead F@*%ing Last).

Well, looking at it from the bright side of life: it can only get better from here! More races in store for this year’s Traveler Series!

Sailors are happy people. There is little which dampens our sailing fun! Storm is wind in our sails and rain merely a by-product of interesting wind conditions. And interesting they sure were during this year's Independence Day Regatta in Subic! The two-day event has seen it all: wind, no wind, rain, no rain, and a combination of all or none.

We soon found out we had chosen the right boat to crew on! Helping out Dale and Richie on their 30 foot cruiser turned out to be a perfect choice! Being a cruise boat it might not be the most competitive dog out there but surely the most comfortable.

Although the little sun roof proved to be an accessory rather than a protection from the elements we were given rain jackets (just like the ones we had forgotten in our car!). We were fed apple pie with cream and delicious tuna sandwiches! The latter started flapping in my face like a chatty mouth when the wind suddenly picked up. All I could do is quickly put my wet thumb on its lid to keep it from flying!

Drinks, just like food, come in handy when the wind dies for an hour or two... And trust me we had a lot of no-wind-time to cover. Time for me to take over on the helm and practice some light wind maneuvering!

The board engine becomes the sailors best friend when the open bar at the marina calls with free drinks but the wind decides to not collaborate at all. Called it a lack of enthusiasm or simply being practical. After two days on the boat we had grown quite some sea-legs. Which turned out to be useful during the tropical depression which wet the 113th Anniversary of the Philippines' Independence!

Back on track!

After 4.5 months forced retirement from sailing, team Tiger Gambas is finally back in the game! With low expectations (from our out-of-shape performance and from the seasonal low to non-existing wind) we joined the Taal Lake Yacht Club Sunday race. To our surprise, we came in second overall, scoring first place twice in 4 races! Seems our sailing spirit hasn't faded in the past months! My (according to my doctor) fully recovered arm did a great job in pulling ropes and fixing sails. I even dared helming for a little while and maneuvered some maneuvers.

While on land, we paid a visit to the office of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Philvocs) at the shore of Taal Lake. The office is rather unimposing. It houses a few computers monitoring the seismic activities of Taal volcano. With 115 earthquakes in 24 hours, the staff should be rather busy. Or maybe not. For the longest time signal 2 has been issued. The status quo hasn’t changed in weeks now.

However, according to the office's own documentation pinned to a simple corkboard I would say it's time for signal 3! Interviews conducted with residents on the main crater (where permanent settlements are strictly not recommended since it is declared a Permanent Danger Zone) confirmed some of the earthquakes were 'felt'. According to Philvoc's documentation, 'seismic squirms of felt quakes' are indicators for signal 3. While seismic activities seem to increase, boat operators started 'sightseeing' tours on the lake again. In the wake of the current fish kill I wonder which 'tours’ exactly are being offered. Fishing for beginners?

Philippine Hobie Challenge

How many ways are there to get from Manila to Boracay? You could fly, of course. You could also take a bus and some ferries. How about a sailing a Hobie Cat down to the beaches of Philippines’ most promoted island? Crazy, you say? Well, the 12 teams joining this year’s Philippine Hobie Challenge, did exactly that and approached the well know white beaches of Boracay from a less know angle, from Sybuyan Island.

The six day sailing event, from Lucena, Quezon to Boracay, covers roughly 200 nautical miles (about 360 kilometers). This year’s event, organized by the Philippine Inter-island Sailing Foundation (PHINSAF), was the 11^th of its kind. Three Australian teams made their way to the Philippines to join this event. All of them well known to the Philippine Sailing community for their outstanding performances in previous regattas, in and outside the Philippines.

No other than Bob Engwirda and Bradley Wilson took home this year’s Hobie Challenge trophy, 10 and a half minutes before the team of Bruce Tradrew and Eric Tomacruz, and almost 25 minutes before the third placed team of Andrew and MJ Locke.

My congratulations go out to all of the participating teams. I can imagine that this year’s strong Amihan wind showed no mercy and required every skipper’s and crew’s sailing skill available to guide the boat safely through the open waters.

While all the sailors are celebrating their great achievements I’m sitting at home, staring at my broken arm asking myself how much more mistimed my sailing accident could have been?! I was signed up as third crew on the winning boat! Just imagine how much I could have learned sailing with two of the best Hobie Cat sailors out there? Well, there is always a next challenge!

1st Week Anniversary

Like a murderer returning to the crime scene, I went back to Lake Taal just one week after my sailing accident that left me with a broken arm. I got some behind-the-scene information from members of last weekend’s race committee. Apparently, according to the Race Official, at the moment of measurement, the average wind speed was ‘merely’ 17 knots (around 30km/h) with gusts in the low 20s. The Race Official did not see the need to cancel the race with wind speed below 25 knots. (In the Hobie Worlds for example, the maximum wind speed for a safe race was 25 knots.)

The opinions of bystanders and sailors on the wind speed ranged from 17 knots with gusts up to 30 knots. Which, I believe, we were beaten with at least a couple of times. Coupled with big waves and wind shifts. All these factors changed constantly. Monitoring wind speed is only a fraction of grasping the whole situation the sailors are in.

The number of capsizes and the damage to boats and sailors alarmed other members of the race committee. Members who usually steer our club races and other sailing events. People who know the capabilities of the teams. According to them, it was time to pull the plug on the race to avoid further incidents. It took 8 boats retiring early and two trips to the hospital to put the race on hold after the first race of the second day... never to resume for the Hobie Nationals event 2011.

Despite an unlucky finish of the event, team Tiger Gambas placed 10^th in the Nationals (17 teams competing), and 13^th in the Open (20 teams). I’m proudly carrying Tiger Gambas’ individual trophy, complete with the National’s logo, on my arm... for another 7 weeks!

Philippine Hobie National Championship – TS 4

For team Tiger Gambas, the Philippine Hobie National Championships (counting as the fourth race of the ongoing Traveller Series) turned out to be the last sailing event for this season.

The crews of 19 registered boats, including three price-winning teams from Hong Kong and two crews from the Philippine National Sailing Team, looked forward to an event-packed sailing weekend at our known turf, Lake Taal.

Nobody was concerned about a lack of wind. The current North Easterly Amihan wind in the Philippines, also known as the trade winds, is blowing with all its might... and beyond! Day one of the two-day event saw a multitude of capsizes. At peak, as many as four boats were floating mast down at the same time! Approaching the windward mark from a different angle than most of the boats, we witnessed three boats capsizing in a sudden gust. They flipped like domino blocks as 25 invisible knots of wind speed swept over them.

It was not long before we encountered our first, second, and third capsize. To my surprise, I didn’t panic as I used to for the longest time. We fell, we swam, we climbed back onto the hull, and we right the boat. I even laughed when, grabbing the dolphin striker to prevent the boat from capsizing into the opposite direction, I was plugged out of the water like a feather. I guess 110 pounds don’t make much of a difference in these wind conditions.

After four exhausting races, we called it a day, licked our wounds, and retired early.

Day 2 greeted us with even more wind. Our unchanged battle cry was “mast up”! And we did... for the first 15 minutes of the first race. Approaching the windward mark a gust lifted our starboard hull. Higher and higher we went until finally the boat toppled. From my hiked out and fully extended position I had a two-meter drop ahead of me. My choice was hitting the mast, the boom, or falling onto the jib sheet. I think I hit all of the above, and with the biggest impact the port hull.

It’s interesting how hard it is to recall the details of a capsize. All I can remember is the sudden pain in my left wrist, the numbness of my fingers, seeing blood from an unknown source, and my words “I think I broke my arm”. I sure enough did. However, that didn’t matter much since we had to get our boat up and sail it back to shore. The wind didn’t show any mercy at all, threatening us to pitch pole on our downwind homecoming.

Several boats limped back to shore, dis-masted, with broken parts and pieces, and with shell-shocked crew. The regatta was cancelled after that race... our last race for at least eight weeks.

Punta Fuego Regatta - TS 3

Sailing is a great sport! Especially if there is wind. Without wind sailing becomes a excruciating and sweaty social experiment. How many hours can you endure with your skipper, trapped on a 1.5 x 1.5 meter trampoline, before one of you either drowns himself, or strangles the other with one of the many sheets on the boat, or before both of you capsize the boat fighting over the last drop of mineral water?

Luckily, none of the above happened during the latest Regatta of this year's Traveler Series. Despite the lack of wind the mood on the 18 Hobie Cats, two Getaways, 12 Optimists and six 30+ feet mono hull boats was surprisingly good.

On day one of the two day event we managed to sail three races. The word "race" might give a wrong impression of the action on the water. Colorful sails were propped by tired arms and legs just to keep them from collapsing. Instead of racing we snailed around the race course.

In light wind conditions a light crew is definitely a benefit. "Light" in Hobie Cat language means 285 pounds. Glenn and I are just 2 pounds above the minimum weight requirement! Perfect for last weekend's wind conditions.
I'm sure the skippers of the heavier boats (I'm talking 400 pounds!) toyed with the idea to get rid of their heavy counterparts just to keep the boat afloat and moving at all!

Although we were able to maneuver the boat around the course on race day number two, the race committee canceled the race due to insufficient wind. After sitting out on the water and experimenting again on human behavior in distress (heat stroke, dehydration, boredom just to name a few) we snailed our boats back into the marina. At least I got two hours of light wind sailing practice in!

All in all we ended 8th place (out of 18 - not too bad). Since we didn't get to race 5 races, the minimum number of races to call this event a race, the Punta Fuego Regatta will not be counted in the Traveler Series. Which keeps team "Tiger Gambas" in 3rd place for now.

Tali Regatta - TS 2

It is our goal to join as many races of the Travelers Series as possible. Even if that means I am postponing my trip to Germany. Instead of packing pasalubongs and heavy clothes for expected fall-weather in Germany I packed our sailing gear.

Heavy rain drowned Manila almost uninterruptedly the whole Friday. My guess for the weekend weather was either strong storms or no wind at all. Rain usually brings one of the two patterns. The 13 competing Hobie Cats set sail from Tali Beach under rather light wind conditions. Whoever was able to read the fluky wind, which was quite challenging with its 45 to 90 degree shifts, would win the race.

Having learned from our Corregidor Regatta experience we avoided what sailors call “banging the corner”. Instead, we choose a course that sticks closer to the mark which usually means closer to the shore. Although the wind might be stronger further out on the sea, the lay line to the buoy gets longer and less predictable.

With a delayed start on day one (due to the rain setting up the boats got delayed) and rain (resulting in no wind) we raced only two races. Starting early on Sunday we managed to get four races in and be done by 1PM. Our more conservative course choice worked fairly well and landed us a fifth place. Not too bad. However, the goal for the next race is to bring home a trophy again!

Gambas on the helm!

After two exciting and exhausting days in the mountains we couldn't be stopped! For the first time in 7 or more months, we joined the monthly Sunday Club Race at Taal Lake. Inspired by last week's 3rd overall place in the Corregidor Regatta, we dragged our sore bodies onto the boat and over the water, knowing that this is rather practice than competition.

With nothing to lose and a friendly soft breeze Glenn decided it's time for me to helm in a race.

With shaky hands I grabbed the tiller and maneuvered our Cat somewhere near the starting line. Starts freak me out, always. Everybody is fighting for a good start and clean wind. Naturally, the line is crowded, the skippers tense, and the mood competitive. In reversed roles, Glenn is counting down the seconds for me while advising in which direction to steer the boat.

I felt like steering the boat down a pizza slice: starting from the wide crunchy crust to the narrow cheesy greasy tip. Almost magically, I managed to slip our Cat between the committee boat and another competitor. A perfect start, which means a lot!

Just then, the wind basically died! Without any wind sailing becomes a whole different sport. Under such conditions, collecting stamps or holding down the couch become exciting and adventurous activities.

Rule number one in light wind: do not stall the boat! Easier said than done! I glued my eyes to the tell tailes on the jib. Let's keep them happily flying! I held the tiller extension so tightly, I think I squeezed some water out of the aluminum rod!

After what seemed hours, we were the second boat to round the first mark. Hoping for a shortened course, we aimed for the committee boat. No flag on the boat indicated any course change. So we dragged our hulls, leaning against mast and boom to keep the sails from collapsing.

We almost neglected the sound of the horn we heard. It was only then that we realized something was going on near the finish line. Could that be a shortened course? And could we be in perfect position to cross the line first? No way! And yet, we did! Beginner's luck!

Way to go, Gambas!

Corregidor Regatta - TS (1)

The sailing season has started in the Philippines! For two days, a light yet fluky wind carried nine Hobie Cats and three Hobie Getaways around the history-laden islands of Corregidor and 'Fort Drum'.

The Corregidor Regatta was the first of six races of the Travellers Series, an eight-month long sailing event organized by the Philippine Interisland Sailing Foundation.

Glenn and I, alias team Tiger Gambas, started the Traveler Series with a promising 3rd place! The first time ever we took a trophy home! Despite a torn trampoline (due to be replaced within the week), a missing fixtures one of the shrouds (which could have easily de-masted the boat), a few tactical and technical lapses (which buoy is the windward mark?) we managed to reap in two first places! Our combined fighting weight of 287 pounds (only 2 pounds above the minimum racing weight requirement) surely helped in the rather light wind conditions of around 8 to 10 knots.

While s(n)ailing our way from Puerto Azul Marina to Caballo Island just off of Corregidor, we had to cross the South Channel which connects the South China sea with Manila Bay. How exciting it was to tack last minute to evade a commercial fisher boat (yes, we saw it and heard its warning horn!) or to duck the Super Ferry to not be run over by it! Although our Cats are fast considering their size, there is no use in trying to bully a floating condo building.

The scenery of the race was great! Rounding Caballo Island we could see the remnants of buildings, once the bastion of the American military and later the battle ground during the Japanese invasion. Just then, the wind picked up. With good boat speed we passed Fort Drum, formerly a natural islets. With a considerable amount of concrete, the island was transformed into what looks like a war ship.

“Tiger Gambas” is definitely not a war ship. But, we are ready to battle for a good overall place in the Travellers Series! A third place is a good start, I’d say.