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| Scott Walsh Winner race 7 -2007 |
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Race 7 - July 15, 2007 Wind W-NW at 7
The wind is up to 6 and gusting higher, suns out, it’s a beautiful day to sail.
The boats are out early and have all had a chance to sail the entire course, some have done it twice. The gun goes off and there off in the distance is Scott coming down wind to the start which is close to Curt’s place. Slowly he comes dead downwind and the times clicking away. The 4 minute horn, seems like Scott is going to be late. Now we hear the one minute horn and Scott is still a ways away. Lucky for him, he starts two minutes back so he has a little more time. Gun goes off and the starters are off all on starboard, Des Rob and Dave with Rob looking good and Des too. Dave had a good practice start but blew the real one. Now we are down to 15 seconds before the 2 minute guys and Scott drops below the committee boat and is poised to start, gun goes off and he is in the thick of it.
Last week we mentioned that Mike, who won the race handily had practiced the day before, got to bed early, came to race course early, completed a full lap of the course and was very prepared. Scott on the other hand, ( I am assuming all of the next few lines because I haven’t talked to Scott) probably stayed out very late, maybe did not sleep at all, gets to the race course 15 seconds before the gun, brings a guy with him who doesn’t know sailing from Shineola but comes along anyway. Maybe went something like, “ Hey Dude we’ve been up all night and I ‘m too tired to drive home maybe I’ll just come sailing with you man. Hey man that’s cool I’ll show you what to do and we’ll do just fine. Come along it will be great” Think Bevis and Butthead at the Regatta. Any way B&B win the race. Someone should have rammed him, it’s not supposed to work that way.
I probably have it all wrong, they just set the alarm too late but had been going over the sailing routine for hours before getting to bed before 10:00 and up early for a job before getting to the boats. The crew is probably a sailing instructor who is trying out for the Olympics in the fall. Whatever, they won ………
Jim was over early and did a re rounding of the buoy which is the rule incase you do it. But finished third after being out in front for some of the race. Curt was never out of the race and finished a strong 2nd.
I fouled Doug and John at the start so I did a 360 and started last. But I worked my way up and passed Dave and Joe, and then I chased the others ahead and had some luck. Second time up Des, Mike and I were together in the middle of the course and got a great lift. It was one of those lifts that you know you are gaining on everyone on the course regardless of where they were. Des was ahead about 40 yard and Mike and I were neck and neck. We had crossed a few times and the last time I could not pass him so I tacked with him just before the big lift. We rode that lift for at least two minutes and it started slacken and it actually looked like a header for just a second on the leading telltale but a glance up to Des and I saw that it was a false header, it was actually a bigger lift so I hung there just a few seconds and it was on me. Mike on the other hand took the slack wind as a header and tacked, that was the last I saw of Mike. In just that little second he thought it was the next shift and I happened to see Des get lifted. That few seconds made all the difference. The bigger lift that took Des and me directly at the mark was a huge header Mike tacked into and was actually sailing away from the Mark. Just one little decision and you can lose lots of boat lengths. If Mike had been right and it was a header he would have beaten me to the lift and things might have turned out different. Mike is leading in the overall standings so this didn’t hurt him much.
Jim reports that on the last leg to the finish he was going up the left into the bay past Doug’s and was going good, went to tack and ran into the biggest wave he has ever seen on Lauderdale, a virtual tsunami. It went over the side of his boat and deposited 6” in it. Not only did it turn and stop him, he couldn’t get going and when he did Scott and Curt were across the line. Jim got a third for which I am thankful, now he can start back where he belongs.
Lastly I would like to talk about Bruce. No Rachelle this week so maybe he would be out of luck. Not so. I finally caught up to him on the last downwind. I passed him before the mark and so all I got to do was stay ahead. Not to be so. I went left, Bruce went right and when we crossed he was ahead. I tacked and tacked and tacked and tacked but could not get by him, it was close but he got the bell. He is so much better since he got that cow valve, where do we sign up?
Judi left the official results at the lake so we won’t have till next week but piecing things together I believe this to be close. I apologize to anyone I put further back than they should be. Here’s my guess for results of the first LLYC Regatta Series:
Scott
Curt
Jim
Jack
Bruce
Peter
Des
Mike
Dave
Rob
John
Doug
Joe
Dave C, Actually Dave was well ahead of Joe, but tried to cross with Doug and got headed into the wind and stopped; Joe sailed over him and finished 2 feet ahead. The whole fleet was close, no stragglers when you have Dave C and Doug finishing within seconds of each other. Well done to all.
peter
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