When the Gladiator crossed the finish line May 26, the Sidney-based crew didnB次元官网网址檛 know they had just won the Juan de Fuca Race for Monohulls.
It wasnB次元官网网址檛 until sailor Garry Sagert saw the race master come down to shake their hands that he had an inkling they might one of the winners in the 76th annual Swiftsure International Yacht Race.
The Sidney North Saanich Yacht Club crew was made up of three experienced sailors: Sagert, Phil McLean and skipper David Schmidt, and two younger mariners: Martin Schmidt, 16 and Justin Pazder, 20.
And while it wasnB次元官网网址檛 the GladiatorB次元官网网址檚 first time taking on the Swiftsure International Yacht Race, it was the first time that the five-man crew raced together in the world renowned West Coast competition.
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The Gladiator, an ultralight Cheetah 30 displacement sail boat, actually crossed the finish line third, but with the competitionB次元官网网址檚 handicap system, it ranked ahead of the My-Tai, from the same yacht club, and the Kahuna, out of Seattle, Washington.
The weather for this yearB次元官网网址檚 competition was detrimental to a number of competitors, about half withdrew from the race due to the lack of wind.
But the Gladiator, without the heaviness that comes with the comforts on larger yachts, planes on top of the sea like a water-ski boat B次元官网网址� a characteristic that propelled it, literally to the big win.
B次元官网网址淎 little puff of wind would come along andB次元官网网址e would glide along,B次元官网网址� Sagert said. B次元官网网址淲e could go from zero to two and a half knots with just a puff of wind.B次元官网网址�
But that doesnB次元官网网址檛 mean the crew had an easy go.
B次元官网网址淭he weather this year was quite atypical. It was very confused weather with wind from every direction, so that made it really, really hard,B次元官网网址� Sagert said, adding that currents were another challenge.
B次元官网网址淚n this particular race, the floods were very weak. It was ebbing most of the race. So what happened is, a lot of boats got out there in really light conditions and they couldnB次元官网网址檛 get back B次元官网网址� including us, we were stuck, going in circles around Sooke for about six hours,B次元官网网址� Sagert said.
And the swell was stomach-turning. More than one of the GladiatorsB次元官网网址� crew members lost their stomach while sailing the Strait. Weather on the second day of the competition pounded sailboats with heavy rain. The Gladiator crew was using sponges and buckets to remove rain and sea water from the boat. The lightweight vessel has no space for shelter B次元官网网址� sailors are exposed to the elements night and day, rain or shine.
B次元官网网址淲e never discussed [turning around.] I donB次元官网网址檛 think it came up out loud,B次元官网网址� Sagert said. B次元官网网址淲e might of thought it as individuals but I donB次元官网网址檛 think we discussed it as a group.B次元官网网址�
Justin Pazder agreed: B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 to the bitter end,B次元官网网址� he said.
The crew recalled one hour of totally calm waters.
B次元官网网址淲e had dead calm around 1 a.m., and then a light wind started up, pointed right towards Race Rocks, we slowly built up doing seven knots until about 2 a.m.
The stars came out, the clouds cleared away. It was perfect conditions for Gladiator, because sheB次元官网网址檚 so light, in really calm seas, thereB次元官网网址檚 nothing to slow her down.B次元官网网址�
And eventually, Gladiator sailed past the finish line and back to the inner harbour.
It was a few hours before results and handicaps had been tallied to reveal the Sidney-based yacht as the winner of the Juan de Fuca race. The Gladiator had been on the water for 27 hours, two minutes and 33 seconds.
B次元官网网址淚t was a solid list of competitors that we were racing against,B次元官网网址� Sagert said. There were good boats out thereB次元官网网址�. I was hoping to come in the top six or something. So to come first was pretty cool, in that fleet.
Sometimes Swiftsure is a matter of survival literally, if its blowing 30 knots, and sometimes itB次元官网网址檚 like this, where youB次元官网网址檙e just coasting along.B次元官网网址�
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