Boat Shows

2008 SEAWIND WESTCOAST RALLY – CATALINA ISLAND

By Roy H. Adcock

DAY ONE

It started on the water around dusk. Everyone had gotten a message from Kurt to hop in their dingy and meet at Sea Ya, a Seawind 1000, for the Meet-and-Greet. She was a veteran of the past West Coast Rallies and her owner, Joe Weathers, had again volunteered to provide food and drink onboard for the rally opener.

We were among the last to arrive and when we boarded we were immediately absorbed into a group of party goers that seemed to fill every square foot of her cockpit and saloon. Then when I looked forward I noticed even more people had gathered on her foredeck. All tolled she was carrying about 30 people plus Happy the wiener dog. Nevertheless, Sea Ya sat stable and flat regardless of where the party crowd gathered on her 35'-5” length and 19'-5” beam. I doubt that any lesser vessel of comparable length could have hosted that group without spilling cocktails or pitching people overboard.

DAY TWO

The next evening we gathered at the outdoor arena on the beach for a BBQ. Red Rally tee-shirts were handed out and everyone slipped one on for group photographs. The tee-shirts were emblazoned with logos, the Rally slogan and the names of the Seawinds in the fleet. Then, while the food and spiked punch was being enjoyed, red Rally burgees were given to everyone and a perpetual trophy was offered to the winner of the Just-For-Fun race.

DAY THREE

Cat Harbor. A natural hurricane hole that has provided shelter for ships as long as sailors and explorers have wandered the Pacific Coastline. It lies almost directly west of Two Harbors and if it were not for the knoll that separates the two natural bites of land Santa Catalina would be two islands. Above the harbors, high on a hill sits The Banning House Lodge. That was where the Seawind group, including Happy the Wiener Dog, gathered for Happy Hour and a view of our raft that spanned over 120 feet across the anchorage.

As the sun neared the horizon we all migrated down the hill to gather on the boats for our last night together. The evening on the Seawind flotilla was filled with singing, stories and memory making. Every boat had snacks and drinks spread out on Saloon tables and we wandered from boat to boat eating and drinking like party animals stranded on a floating island. Then as evening faded into night strumming guitars drew everyone together for stories and singing which confirmed that most of us should keep our day jobs. Around 10:30 p.m. we called it a night and climbed into Selah's berths while the laughter and singing went on unabated three boats away.

Sometime around 5:30 am I was awakened by the sounds of dock lines being tossed onto the deck. I made it topside in time to watch them slip away into the faint glow of predawn morning. They returned my goodbye wave and faded from view. Then during the next hour I sat on the cockpit bench sipping coffee and watching as one by one the Seawinds freed themselves from the raft and motored away, waving back as they left. Soon they were all were gone, some to head home and others to sail away to distant and exotic ports-of-call.

2009 Seawind West Coast Rally

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