Wynn and I made ready to go to the regatta, per our usual, loading the camper and securing the boat to the trailer. Harriman "Harry" Whitcliff, our third crewmember, heir of the Whitcliff Sail Corporation family and long-time friend of Wynn's, said he would meet us there. He never stayed in the camper. He always drove his MG and took a room at a nearby motel.
I had crewed as foredeck man for Wynn for 7 years, since I was 16. It was my job to man the jib, set and fly the spinnaker, hang my 130 lb. ass over the rail in heavy weather and crouch motionless by the centerboard trunk when it was calm.
Harry was our spare pair of hands. He adjusted the centerboard, helped me set the spinnaker, helped Wynn handle the main and positioned his ass as the skipper directed, as well. Harry was kind of a playboy... or at least featured himself as one. He would find some lithe honey at the opening get-together and date her for the weekend, meaning they would be at his motel room Friday and Saturday nights, screwing their brains out. Harry was absolutely in his element at regatta; trolling for the Wellfleet, Corinthian and Eastern Point trust fund chics was the sub-sport at hand.
Nonetheless, I'm sure neither he nor Wynn, for that matter, ever minded watching my ass as I crawled up on the foredeck to set sail, make fast the bowline or lie prostrate, legs spread, to snatch the mooring. Further I knew they both enjoyed seeing the contours of my tits with hardened nipples through my clinging tee shirt when cold spray soaked me. In fact, I was rather pleased that they watched me.
Although, I had always gone to regattas with Wynn and bunked in close quarters, he had never made an inappropriate move towards me. Fifteen years older than I, at 38, he had a wife, two sons and a great career as a corporate VP in finance. But for me, having lost my virginity two years earlier, he rose on the horizon as one hot handsome hunk of a man.
The ride to the regatta site was uneventful and pulling in around 7:30 PM, we unhooked the boat, set up the camper for the night and headed for the opening cocktail party. It was BYOB, unless you were satisfied drinking the rum punch they served by the tumbler. The women's auxiliary of the yacht club hosting the regatta had outdone themselves: the munchie and hors d'oeuvre choice was spectacular. Canned Muzak played in the back- ground until the "young people" got to the stereo system and things began to cook.
I didn't want to get blitzed because there is nothing worse than puking your guts out and then having to crew hungover the next day; so I stuck to my usual three drinks, which got me lit without doing me in. I chatted with people I knew from the racing circuit and danced. At 11, Wynn cut the guy I was slow dancing with and, taking his place, announced that it was bedtime.
"Yes, daddy," I jokingly sulked.
Wynn danced me out the door; and, as we walked across the yard, we had the first of our usual pre-race conversations to assure that we would be on the same page in the morning. It was a pretty walk. The moon was full, making that classic poetic silver path across the water.
Now I don't credit the phase of the moon entirely, but
on the same page
β competitively, I wondered about, as we drifted across the yard, how we might get
in the same bunk