A loud horn indicated the start of the race.

Mytilene's Bounty [26]
(18 + 4 + 3 + 1)
Total progress: 26

The Nessie Riders [27]
(17 + 4 + 3 + 3)
Total progress: 27

Sonata Nautica [13]
(10 + 3)
Total progress: 13

The Law [9]
(6 + 1 + 2 )
Total progress: 9

Ketch of the Day [17]
(2 + 4 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 2 )
Total progress: 17

Noah was determined to do his very best. He knew a little about boats since some of his childhood friends had been fishermen's children and they had taken him on boat trips now and then.

It was long ago however, and so he was happy to listen to Mr. Benjamin for orders. He too eyed the strangely attired newcomer with suspicion, but he soon focused again on the task at hand, holding this rope to keep the boom and sail steady against the wind until they had to be moved to a different position.

That was to say, he focused on it, until his attention was drawn by a disturbance on some of the other boats. He looked. He let go of the rope. Immediately the sail and its boom to swung round dangerously across the deck.

Christine heard shouting and saw two men calling to the girl on her crew. Just then a horn started. Making her jump. "Ah! Let's get going!!" She pushed them to get the boat moving as fast as possible as others started.
She leaned over the side of the boat to the men and cupped her hands. "Stop trying to sabotage me! You can't have any of my crew!"

Murphy was getting ready to position. "The stern is where I am in the back and.." he noticed the others shouting and frowned. He was about to speak when the horn blasted.

"Untie the line. Raise anchor!" He was trying to get things done that the others weren't already in position to do. He glared at the man Tobias. "The race has started. Let's sail!"

Benny was getting them untied and anchor raised when the horn blasted. "Dammit we're late. We-" He saw the sail whip around by the wind towards them as the idiot younger man let go.

He wanted to shout out a warning, but pulled down his boss who was closest so he'd avoid getting plowed in the face. He sort of hoped it would hit the other guy. "Focus!!"

Yes! Time to set sail!

Edwin stood, a little wobbly on his feet, and immediately got smacked in the back by the errant sail.

"Wo-ah!"

Try though he did to catch hold of something, he tumbled off the edge of the boat and into the water with a splash.

Oh! Drama! Zechariah picked up the binoculars around his neck to gawp at the building Ward-on-Ward violence tossed across the wind. Then he caught sight of Alice’s husband, who looked suspiciously like the fellow he had not bothered to meet before zipping off an affirmative to him on the last minute.

Had he not spotted a man looking just like him, he would have been certain on his approach that it were time to flee.

Zechariah took Noah on for two reasons: one, he made the same mistake as Zechariah, but made his lover pay for it … and two, eh, he couldn’t really escape his request what with Zechariah knowing where he worked.

Extraordinary decision-making. So extraordinary it could not have been a more obvious choice if it smacked him right in the face! But there was Mr. Benjamin, shoving him down?!

His lip was pulled back in a disgruntled sneer before why swooped, quite literally, right over his head.

… And right into what he had thought was their second best sailor, now sailing face-first into the ocean.

“The-… lifeboats will handle that, yes?” he said, lowering his binoculars.

God damn it. Were they going to have to stop to pull up their second best sailor?

Mehmet rushed to follow Murphy’s orders.

“… Aye aye, sir!”

Did he really sign up for this just to lose out on pirate jokes? No, sir. Not him.

He started trying to untie the sail first with gloves on, then pulled one off with his teeth and pocketed the other. He managed, and they caught a nice breeze with just the ladies chasing their tails.

This was fun.

Lory was glowing.

“Hi, Uncle Ben!” she called, cheerily, lifting her arm in a dramatic upward arc to wave.

She looked over at Alice’s husband when he called out like one cow echoing the next. Her smile was smug as she leaned against the mast.

When Christine shouted her admonishment, Alice echoed:

“You heard her!” with a big grin.

There was only one boat ahead!

“You’re doing it, you’re doing it!” she called out gleefully to Alice. “One boat ahead!”

Benny ran to secure the sail and gave Noah an angry look. 'I can't do everything alone! You have to pay attention! You okay, boss?" He called out to the guy and then ran to pull up the anchor and nearly tripped over some unsorted line before reaching the wheel. It was a wonder they hadn't crashed...yet.

They were in last place. He ground his teeth as he turned the wheel and got the boat going after the others. He hoped this ship was small enough and fast enough to catch up. He took a deep breath and kept the wheel steady. "Make sure the sails remain pointed at the wind! Keep an eye out for trouble!" There wasn't anything right now, but if he took tight turns or they did beat the boats, he couldn't trust the others to be aware enough to not smash into them.

"I'm sure someone will get him!" He said to Zechariah. Fool should be able to swim to shore.