Last Sunday, July 27, Lisa and I were lucky enough to take a morning Cruise on Derek Hatfield's Open 60, Spirit of Canada.

It was the most exciting thing we have ever done on the water at 13.5 knots.

I have down loaded a couple of movies. One is a clip of Lisa working the "coffee grinder" to raise the 400 # sail. To see a main sail almost 10 stories high is incredible! And of course the boat is kept sailing flat by simply swinging the deep keel bulb over to windward with a push of a button (hydraulics).

The other movie clip is from mid-ship facing the cockpit to give an idea of the smooth and fast ride.

By the way, Derek has worked so hard to develop and build this amazing machine in Canada but he is short of cash to start the race in October. Please support him anyway you can at SpiritofCanada.net.

2008 Interclub

It's not something Messenger's crew ever thought they'd see: the entire C fleet in their wake.
That was the sight at the start in Presqu'ile Bay for the C fleet of the Lake Erie Interclub Cruise June 28.

It set the tone for a week of bow to bow racing in an extremely competitive fleet.
That day Messenger finished 5th, eventually climbing to take a first in the fleet in the Long Point Bay race Sunday, missing the coveted Ivey Cup to another PDYC boat, Ritual, by an agonizing 45 seconds.
Messenger chased Powder Hound, Dreamer, Honahee and other boats in the fleet the next two days, missing third spot by moments but finishing second in the Point Abino to Buffalo leg.
That rally led to a second place overall finish.
Not bad for a boat that totes an air conditioner, refrigerator and enough beverages for the seven plus crew members aboard.
Skipper Scott Marr offers many thanks to the commited, consistent excellent performance by Bill Lawrence, Art Alyea, Ryan Lawrence, Ken Ball and Steve Sieber with awesome help from Bill Gass, Mark Thomas, Rob Young, Lisa Marr and Reg Marr.