The Dragon Fly, a brand new Beneteau 47.3, was delivered to us in Annapolis on July of 2001.
It was an exciting time full of long days checking and rechecking all the new systems. She came equipped with Air conditioning, heat, Refrigeration, Roller Furling main, genoa and a plush interior with awesome electronics. She caries 200 Gallons of water and 56 Gallons of fuel allowing travel to as far as 450 miles.
It was a regular occurrence to log 180 miles a day on the delivery.
Upon completion of all the factory work we sailed Dragon Fly through Chesapeake to Norfolk, down the inter coastal and out into the Atlantic at Beaufort N.C. The intent was to sail Dragon Fly straight to Miami Florida but a little Hurricane named “Gabriella” chose to cross Florida and exited to the Atlantic in front of us. Electing to be prudent, we went to Charleston instead and spent two great days. Three days later, we arrived at Miami for re supplying and some crew changes on our way around to Marco. As you’ll see in the photo I was glad to be arriving. Once back established in Marco, the refinements continued to focus on the sails. The goal was to make the boat distinctive and memorable enough to all that saw her. The plan was to use Kevlar race sails but that just wasn’t good enough. So we’ve decided to put the boat logo on the sails. The result was stunning. See bottom left photo (Before the logo on the sail) and bottom right photo (after the logo was used on the sail).
One of the best feature that the Dragon Fly has to offer is her instruments and electronics package. She has everything from radar and chartplotters to full electronic wind, boat speed and depth system. In addition, Ham, SSB, VHF and UHF radio capabilities. These are all available at either the Navigation station or the helm position. Photos on the top left corner.
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The start of the race was with a light southeasterly on a slightly cloudy cool day. After jockeying into position we raced off to win the lead heading south.
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At this point we are trimming and setting up the boat to keep our lead from the faster and bigger boats behind us. It’s a truly inspiring sight. Everybody is focusing very hard at getting all the boat speed they can. Well, almost everybody. Next mark Miami. |
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Because of the late start (1 p.m.) it seemed that the day was ending rather quickly. There were eleven of us on board and we had already designated the watches. We chose a simple spaghetti dinner because of the number of people on the boat and it worked out well. It was a close reach all the way to Miami. We were able to put up the spinnaker. We worked it hard all the way to and past Miami and were able to then ease off and switch to a lighter kite. |
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| The night and the next day all came to pass under the watchful eye of the spinnaker as it became more and more of a run with us jibbing to the shifts trying to pick up as much wind as we could. | |
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Next Day |
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| As we approached the Key West sea buoy, we picked up a large group of Dolphins and they made for good company. | |
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When it was all said and done, the boat put away and our finish time recorded, we retired to Harpoon Harry’s for an after race analisys. We all agreed that it had been a very long time since we had fun sailing on a Fort Lauderdale to Key West race. |
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Go To Top
We entered Dragon Fly in the Key Largo Race for Cruising class ARC having gotten fed up with the PHRF struggle. It was wonderful as it was also a Mount Gay event this year. Miami Yacht Club and Ken Benton in particular bent over backwards to help us out, offering dockage, ice etc..(plus we got the Mount Gay hats).
We started at 8 am at the Rickenbacker causeway in Miami. 195 boats all starting at the same time. There was light wind on the starting line and I don’t know how it happened, but there was nobody around me on the line.
We had a clean start in the middle of the line and were able to get away from the bad air of the crowd at the pin end, and into the new wind. We closed reached for about 11 miles in 10 knts of wind and because of the clear air start it took most of that leg for the race boats to catch us. We then turned to starboard 11 degrees and put up the 1.5 ounce spinnaker and were able to hold onto the all the boats except the Hobies and the Tripp 33.
It was just a beautiful day with clear skies and very blue clear water, although I would have liked more wind. About an hour later we turned some more and as the wind was farther behind we switched to the 3/4 ounce spinnaker and that would be the last change as we carried it all the way to the finish. Up to this point we had been boat for boat racing Extreme a Shock 35 race boat. As we came to the last cut before Card Sound Bridge with Extreme just in front she tried to cut the corner getting into the channel and ran aground doing about 6 knts and were stuck solid as we rolled by in the middle of the cut. We had a minute of tension as we went under the Card Sound Bridge with the Spinnaker up and hoping it really was 65 feet up (we are 63 off the water).
The multihulls beat us in, but in monohulls we were fourth to cross the finish line. We had not seen any of our class as they were buried in the start pile up and we had snuck away with a good head of steam. We turned around and headed back to Miami and it took us 30 minutes motoring to get to the first boat in our class, a Swan 46. As we turned around and headed back we pulled out the Biminis and pulled out the beer, chicken wings, sandwiches and in the end the coffee ice cream. As we passed Stingray (Hobie 33) also on her way back, I was once again grateful for the comforts on Dragon Fly.
Skippers Meeting
We brought Dragon Fly up the day before and put it at Pier 66, the closest to the starting line we could get. Went to the skippers meeting at their new location, Café Cascade, a hip location on the water at River Walk. The package with its add on’s alone was worth the entry fee and the entire staff was helpful. They got the Skippers Meeting off in good order and finished it off with the new song Ned had written for the race.
The Race
This is a great venue, for when you finish that is where you place. The start was a pursuit start. They started the little boats first and then worked up.
We started under a kite and headed to the first mark and I was swearing under my breath as we watched Gaucho walked up on us and Dakota stayed right were they were. We took the spinnaker down at the next mark and started to beat. We can’t point within 10 degrees of the competition. Dakota is going to weather and Gaucho is just making trees to weather. As everyone can imagine at this point I am about to send an hate e-mail to the measurer while I’m passionately thinking of the after race party.
We can not go up wind with Dakota and Gaucho is doing a horizon job on us. It looked pretty dismal but we made it through that first windward leg and started our next leg a with short reach. Lo and behold the boat grew legs, the wind picked up and was up to 18 plus. The boat seemed to fly. Dakota was four, two and finally even when we got to the mark. Up went the kite we were off downwind with a perfect set.
We knew that everyone was having problems. Bandana was in front of us and dropped the spinnaker instead off jibing. Dakota didn’t even raise their spinnaker. Gaucho, also in front of us finally dropped it. It was starting to look better and better. We pulled off three jybs to get to the leeward mark and rounded a good three minutes ahead of Gaucho, feeling pretty good about our chances. Headed to weather and damned if Gaucho didn’t eat us up. He caught up to us about halfway up the leg and then proceeded to cover us for all he was worth. We talked close to shore hoping that something would give but nothing did so in we came a second to his first.
Talk about a day of transitions. We saw moderate air with sunshine and heavy air with some rain. It was truly a day where you needed to shift gears.
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From the very beginning we had planned to return this year and we did it in style. We had taken delivery of Dragon Fly a Beneteau 47.3 last July. Seeing the boat and realizing it’s potential I had committed to doing the 2002 race. July 1st I had a charter that ran thru the 1st of July and I was not able to leave until that evening. The delivery over from Marco Island was uneventful except for the occasional thunderstorm, and the dozen or so freighters. After the first 24 hours it started to get old and by the time we arrived at Hole in the Wall it was just another 65 miles or so, for delivery of just over 350 miles.
July 3 Having gotten in on the morning of the third, it meant I had to clear customs, put on the racing sails, and arrange everything for the racing the next day. The skippers meeting was an informal affair, and a relief after the rush of the last two weeks. I gave them our PHRF rating and took the racing package. The packages are fun because you never know what you’re going to get in them; this year was no exception, ray ban sunglasses, T-shirts and lots of other goodies. The main theme was it is a fun regatta and we do not want any complications, so NO PROTEST!
July 4 – Green Turtle Race The first race was very light out of the southeast. We watched PHRF 1 start dodging mother tubs that were in the way. They slowly went up to the left. I chose to start in the middle and got a good clean start. We went up the to left hand side of the course and had to tack early for we could not point as high as Whisper. Fortunately for us that turned out to be the favored side of the course. We arrived at the windward mark in third and so it would remain ’till the finish. Screaming Mimi and J-46 at first, Whisper and a C&C 38 talking second.
When we returned to anchor, there was a brief respite and then it was off to the after race party. It was a grueling schedule but some body has to do it. Once ashore we could see the party at Settlement Point. Stands selling conch salad and fritters as well as chicken dishes were readily available. Low and behold, all the drinks were free. As we mingled, we connected with people we had not seen since last year. And the thought occurs, this is what its all about. We collected our third place trophy and congratulations all around. July 5/6 The next day was a lay day. We were up early, raised the anchor and headed towards the Great Guana Key. A great place for diving, Guana was to be our home for the next few days.
It was calm as we motored away from Green Turtle. There was a sense of contentment aboard. We anchored and spent a few hours in the post card picture perfect northeast side of Guano. We then motored between Guana and a small key on the end and headed towards the anchorage. They had moorings, which were very nice, as quite a few boats had dragged in years past. Time for an afternoon siesta and off to the Nippers Party. Anyone who has been to Nippers can tell you it is an unbelievable place. Set high (for the Bahamas) on the side of a bluff it has one of the best views in the Bahamas. The parties are great and they’ve added a pool. Next day and it’s off to the races. A little bit of air could be felt every once and awhile. We went swimming and stared at a starfish fifteen feet down on the bottom. There was a postponement while we waited for the wind to make its appearance. When it finally filled in, it was a mere shadow of the real thing. Thus was race two. We started. They sent us off on a four mile course and we managed to finish fourth with an ex IOR one ton called American Pie in third, Screaming Mimi in second and Whisper in first. Now it was time to go back to the anchorage and get ready for the Mount Gay party and the hats. We got cleaned up and headed to and arrived 45 minutes early only to find the line has over a hundred people in it. We waited to no avail. The hats were gone before the line was half way to us. Oh well, have to settle for the rum. Darn. Next day was a lay day, and again, we did some diving and meandered our way to Marsh Harbor our home for the rest of the regatta. We arrived late afternoon and made our way to the Jib Room, a marina on the north side of Marsh Harbour. It had been bought out by an American couple, and it was very clean and this year they had added a pool.
Next day was the start of race three and it was blowing, 20 plus apparent. We started in the middle of the line and proceeded to lift off everybody including Screaming Mimi. We had ten degrees of pointing on her, this was a shock. We got to the weather mark 30 seconds in front of Mimi and 3 minutes ahead of Whisper. Off we were reaching, and Mimi gained and passed us on the two reaches. We started upwind and eating away at their lead. When we rounded the weather mark for the run to the finish we were a minute behind her. We covered as much as possible, stealing her wind and sticking to her like glue. We finished a minute thirty behind Mimi, to close to call. The rest of the pack was ten or more minutes behind. The party that day was at The Crossings Beach, a deserted stretch of beach with water on both sides, where locals take over and put up their stands for conch salad, fritters, assorted chicken dinners, oh and a bar. It was a good time and we waited for the trophy presentation swapping stories and telling tales. They awarded trophies and we beat Screaming Mimi by 30 seconds for first, it was a grand day.
No lay day, it was off to the races again. We had three of the crew return to the states. It was still blowing and we came to the race eager for battle. This was the Hope Town race, a long race full of power reaching and a little beating. We were off, 20 knots across the deck and hanging on for dear life. We started to lift off the competition and we were looking good. It was a short beat (3/4 mile) and as we came up to the windward mark, I did not have enough hands, and the boat rounded up to hit the mark, *#$*. The penalty called for a 360-degree turn, so we sailed clear of everybody and did the turn. Then came a three-mile power reach. We made up the distance lost and a bit more, to be the first boat around. Then a beat and along power reach in the open area of the sound. This was very exciting for we were doing 9 knots and just cooking. We round the last mark, and as were the first boat around looking for the finish line, we find it about halfway up and bear of a little. We cross and we can just see the fleet rounding the bottom mark. Our only concern was the Little Harbour 60 called Lady Hawk as she had a rating of 140 and she was all water line. We watched and she finished eleven minutes behind us, not enough, she won by thirty seconds or the time it took to do my penalty turn. Now we had a lay day and we spent it wisely shopping in town and relaxing. The last race was a disappointment. As we went out, it was 3 to 5 knots air, but we still had to try. We raced up the beat trading tacks with American Pie and actually beating them to the windward mark. We rounded with out hitting it this time, and it was a miserable reach. We could see Whisper some four minutes ahead and not moving. So I did what I could to go faster. I went and got some coffee ice cream and sat up forward and ate it. We finished third on a shortened course. The grand finally was that night at the jib room. We went, they gave out trophies, I collected our second and the third then listened to the war stories. I generally had a good time. The Jib Room put on a steak dinner that was just great , and around the room you could hear plans for next year. At the end of the night Linda (the owner) brought out some more Mount Gay hats and distributed them to the winning skipper, it was a perfect finish to wonderful week. |
The Dragon Fly, a brand new Beneteau 47.3, was delivered to us in Annapolis on July of 2001.
It was an exciting time full of long days checking and rechecking all the new systems. She came equipped with Air conditioning, heat, Refrigeration, Roller Furling main, genoa and a plush interior with awesome electronics. She caries 200 Gallons of water and 56 Gallons of fuel allowing travel to as far as 450 miles.
It was a regular occurrence to log 180 miles a day on the delivery.
Upon completion of all the factory work we sailed Dragon Fly through Chesapeake to Norfolk, down the inter coastal and out into the Atlantic at Beaufort N.C. The intent was to sail Dragon Fly straight to Miami Florida but a little Hurricane named “Gabriella” chose to cross Florida and exited to the Atlantic in front of us. Electing to be prudent, we went to Charleston instead and spent two great days. Three days later, we arrived at Miami for re supplying and some crew changes on our way around to Marco. As you’ll see in the photo I was glad to be arriving. Once back established in Marco, the refinements continued to focus on the sails. The goal was to make the boat distinctive and memorable enough to all that saw her. The plan was to use Kevlar race sails but that just wasn’t good enough. So we’ve decided to put the boat logo on the sails. The result was stunning. See bottom left photo (Before the logo on the sail) and bottom right photo (after the logo was used on the sail).
One of the best feature that the Dragon Fly has to offer is her instruments and electronics package. She has everything from radar and chartplotters to full electronic wind, boat speed and depth system. In addition, Ham, SSB, VHF and UHF radio capabilities. These are all available at either the Navigation station or the helm position. Photos on the top left corner.