Don't call it a comeback!

I had a very pleasant online experience a few days ago. As part of my excitement over entering the 2010 Three Bridge Fiasco, I obsessively hit "refresh" on the Sailing Anarchy thread devoted to the topic. You know, on the off-chance that somebody posts something about the race.

In this topic, El Capitan Valis posted, I posted, and a few SA regulars that I'm friends with posted. But then I saw a familiar sail number: 184. I've never actually been on that particular boat but I know a lot about it because one of my favorite sailors owns her. And, oh boy, does he sail her well.

Sail a Vie is an Ericsson 35 that has criss-crossed the Pacific singlehanded at least three times that I know of, possibly four. She is helmed by an incredible sailor that I have sailed with many times, even completing the formidable task of finishing the 3BF together in 2009. And, this year, he's singlehanding again after taking about a year off for some odd aeronautical pursuits.

Sail a Vie rates 150 (starting with the Moore 24s, hah!) and Valis rates 126 so we get to start 10 minutes after him and chase him around the course. Assuming, of course, there is wind and he picks the correct route. Of course, we will quickly overtake him if he goes the right way and talk trash and yuk it up a bit.

Either way, we'll see him on the water even if he won't have the pirate hat on this year.