Race 1:
RACE 1: May 31, 2009
Almost everyone showed up for the race, except the wind. It has been blowing hard for the past month every day. This was the first day I looked out at a flat lake and when the forecast said the winds would be 2-3 mph until noon I expected we would be disappointed. We had such a great turnout, 13 boats and two sailors on the committee boat. Wonderful turnout for a first race.
We did delay a few times and the guys were enjoying the beautiful weather. Mike took a nap I think. But not to be discouraged, Joe shows us that there are plenty of ways to enjoy the lakes, Look at him go.
See you next week.
peter
06/07/09
Race One
It was all in the Start.
We set the course at 8:15 with the wind coming from the south, by the time everyone was out there around 9:30 the wind had clocked around to Northwest. So we set a shorter course and had at it. Most sailors crowded around the committee boat for the start, Jim and I hung on the line slowly moving toward the pin. Unfortunately for Jim the watch still had a few too many seconds on it when he reached the pin, he had to duck it and come back. I lucked out and came up to the pin just at the horn sounded. In addition to being there a puff came in and dragged me over the line and up the course. The first time I looked back I was 100 yards ahead of the closest boat. I went to the left because I felt that it had the stronger steadier wind. After rounding the downwind leg was a pretty straight shot, I didn’t head up or down, just went for the mark. I saw others riding up and back but could not tell if it was helping. At the leeward mark I went right to avoid all those downwind boats. I was enjoying the clear air, and didn’t want to take a chance of getting messed up in the fleet. The other legs were basically the same, keep it moving, don’t point too high, don’t heal too much take the shifts as they come. It was a lot of luck and a lot of fun. The newer boat is definitely faster, especially coming out of a tack, it gets up to speed quicker than the yellow boat. John and Rob were behind but never too far. Each sailed a solid race to finish 2nd and 3rd. The other finishers were in order:
Jim
Mike
Jack
Doug
Walker
Curt
Des
Dave
Joe
Jeff Lindenburg
Tony (M-16)
Great turnout and a great race day, considering how it looked when we first went out around 9:00, see you next week for the Bradley Cup in Middle Lake.
peter
06/07/09
Race Two:
The wind was up to 6.5 mph so we decided to make it a 3.5 lap race. Then just as the horn went off the wind let up considerably and the three of us starting 2 minutes later were not that far behind. The wind filled in again and we had a race on our hands. It appeared that Curt, who stared at the pin and went left was having the best of it. Jack, Doug, Jim and Mike were on his tale. Dave was doing very well off the start as was Des. Rob and I went left and gained on some of the boats, and passed a few at the mark. I was getting good wind and moving but seemed to be a long way from Jim, Jack, Doug, Curt and Mike. I’m thinking a 6th is about as good as I can expect in this race. But I kept at it and seemed to be gaining. But Rob was right there never getting too far behind. Curt lost his lead with one bad tack and Jack and Doug were mixing it up for the lead. I just wanted to stay close. On the last leg down Mike went right a bit and I was able to pass. On the last leg up Jim went right. I was expecting him to cover me so I spun around the mark and went hard left, not pointing but going fast to prevent him from covering. He took a tack and caught a header and had to tack back, that let me out for good and I began to focus on Curt. Doug and Jack were beyond catching but Curt was not that far off. I caught a few nice lifts and was gaining. Curt was coming across on starboard and I believed I was on the lay line for the committee boat. I held my course trying to go fast and not pinch. I was very happy with the speed and for a moment thought I had a chance, but Curt flopped to port and headed for the line. He was to weather and could ride down a bit to max his speed. I was out of it. He got the horn several boat lengths ahead. Great race start to finish, Curt. Contrats to Jack who edged out Doug in the last minutes. Balance of the finish order:
Rob 5th (didn’t I tell you he was tailing me close the whole race)
Mike
Jim
Walker
John
Des
Dave
Joe
Jeff Lindenburg
Tony and son (M-16)
Next week is the Bradley Cup. Chuck will be on the committee boat to start the race. Remember, it’s on Middle lake.
See you next week
peter
06/21/09 Race Three
19 MC’s on the starting line for the Bradley Cup
This is the largest number of boats for a Sunday race for many years. It looked terrific with all those sails and boats, just a wonderment. The wind was light, only 2-3 mph for most of the race. But it was enough and all went well. From my vantage point it was to get to some clear air as fast as possible. I ran down the line on port and swung back just alongside Jack who was on starboard. The horn sounded and we took off. I had space below me to head down and get going so that’s what I did. Then I trimmed in and headed up. Jack was right on my starboard hip and I believe he expected that 2225 was going to walk over ‘ol 1886 but it wasn’t to be. I held on and put some distance, maybe a boat length or so, between us. We both tacked and he commented on my boat speed. That felt good. We headed on the port tack for some way and worked our way up the weather mark. We passed a lot of boats but could see early on that it was Jim and Mike out there with the best clean air and they were moving away from the fleet. I think Jim was first around but I’m not sure. I managed to get to the mark before Jack but about a quarter of the way down he moved from behind and to my left over to the right, took my wind until I was almost stopped and then went by. Good move, I should have headed up to prevent but didn’t move on it quick enough. So I spent most of the rest of the race chasing Jack who was chasing Mike and Jim. It seemed that Mike and Jim switched places on the downwind and Mike was holding him off. I tried to go wide right on the 2nd time up but didn’t gain much. Last time up I kept pretty much to the middle but on the second half of the leg saw better pressure to the right and took it. Jack stayed left which didn’t turn out as good and I passed him just before the finish. Even though we were scheduled for 2 races we ran only one. Wind was still light and its Father’s day. So happy Father’s day to all you guys. Official finish was as follows:
1-5 Mike, Jim, Peter, Jack, Doug,
6-10 Curt, Skip, Bruce, Joe, John
11-15 Rob, Walker, Bob , Susan &Al, Ray
16-19 Des, Rex, Dave, Jeff
Did not start: Greg, Bill.
I would like to give special attention to Bob and Susan & AL who sailed a very good race and finished ahead of quite a few more experienced boats. Well Done.
Next week two races if the wind is good, on Green Lake. See you there, Peter
JULY 5TH -RACE 4 - ROJO CUP
RACE ONE: ROJO CUP- JOHN HAMILTON WRITING IN PETER'S ABSENCE
Wind was very light with pockets of air and large areas of dead air. The zero starters were mostly going to the left toward Doug's house and by the two minute start they had not gotten very far. I planned to start Starboard but I wasn't pleased to see how little movement there was on the left side. I felt the breeze come a bit and just after the start I flipped over to port and sailed toward the Girl Scout Camp. I caught a filling in breeze and sailed pretty fast for much of that upwind leg. I looked back at the start and saw Jack, Mike and Jim were stalled.
As I approached the first mark, Bruce and Curt had come from the left side and caught a good fill in from the left and beat me to the mark and sailed away. We fought very poor wind in the downwind and the group from behind could not get going well through slow wind and mountains of boat waves. One the second lap the wind seemed better coming from the west and I went there and was lucky to get some sustained wind. I also found that same wind on the final upwind leg, but noticed that Doug had caught a good fill and was coming in from the Girl Scout Camp.
As we approached the line, Doug was on Starboard. I had to give way then ducked in just behind and was able to pinch across the line without hitting the committee boat.
As I looked at others coming to the windward mark, you could see the frustration of massive 4th of July boat waves and a swirling wind with huge wind shifts.
I do not yet have the full finish results:
1. John Hamilton
2. Doug Ward
3. Curt Bullock
RACE 2 FOR THE DAY - RACE 5 FOR THE SEASON- BUD WEISER CUP- MIKE JAEGER WRITING FOR PETER
The wind and wave gods decided to make the sailing ticky on Sunday. One time in the first race a wave hit my port side in and a 90 degree shift in 5mph breeze occurred and I “autotacked” without changing heading. The equivalent of a zero degree tacking angle. After bobbing up and down like a life boat out to sea and watching John sail home with the RoJo cup I decided to concentrate more for the coveted Budweiser.
I concentrated so hard that I could not get my watch set. Doug thanks for the countdown. In the ride down the lake from the end of the RoJo to the starting line I sensed a bit more pressure coming from the NNW. At the start I was alone at the committee boat, not out of planning mind you, but because of the watch thing. The first starters were off to the left and seemed to be languishing a bit. Jack and Jim further down the line for the start and out about 30 yards were battling but didn’t have great pressure. I flopped over to a clear right side and went about 100yards on a nice lift and then tacked into a nice shift with good pressure and a less frustrating wave pattern. At times on this tack I approached the lay line angle. I could see I was building a sizeable lead and felt great (thinking checkmate) until 30-40 yards from the mark. I started to zig when I should have zagged and zagged when I should have zigged and felt the fleet crawling down my back. (Editorial note: I think we should move the mark further off shore when we have light air over the bluffs). I finally made it around the mark when I enormously overstated the layline, giving myself some relief from having to tack in the monstrous waves with no wind. I thought I had lost most of my lead but then saw the others dealing with same wind and wave problems in the last 40 yards to the mark. I got a good breeze on the downwind leg and sailed off the wind about 20 degrees to maintain power in the waves. In addtion, I really focused on avoiding the tsunamis by changing direction and sheeting in or out to maintain some speed. I did see John and Jack battling for 2nd and 3rd. Jack made some pretty moves and John covered well. From my angle on the last tack I though Jack had him but Jack could quite get through the committee boat. As Peter found out in the first race of the year and John in the first race Sunday, getting into clear air makes all the difference.
We have 9 more races and 2 more drops.
1 John Mike
2 Doug John
3 Curt Jack
4 Bruce Bruce
5 Des Doug
6 Jim Jim
7 Jack Rob
8 Joe Joe
9 Mike Skip
10 Dave Bob
11 Sue/Al Dave
12 Skip others did not start or did not finish
13 Ray RC Walker
14 Bob
15 Rex
RC Rob
Others did not start
July 12- SEASON RACE 6 - club race
07/12/09
Race Six (being sailed as a make-up race)
The wind was nice when we set the course at 8:00 am but by 9:30 it looked like it might fail us again. Then just before start the wind filled in nicely and the race was on. Most went right since one could barely make the buoy on starboard tack. Ray and Des went left and I thought that looked like a bad idea. I got a good start with Doug, and Mike, Jack, Curt and John were too close to the pin and had to duck and then wiggle back into the race. Jack said later he was last to start,(but first to finish). Mike and I went right quite a ways because the wind was good there were some lifts and we were fast. But on my first tack I see way over to the left, Ray going like a bat on some really nice wind. I wanted to be there and stayed on Starboard until I got into that great wind. It was then I realized that all the good wind was being initiated from the left, Skip saw it too and was hugging the left and making good time. Jim came from the right and along with Ray, Bill and Des were ahead of me at the mark. The downwind was pretty much of a parade straight for the mark. I worked to catch and pass Jim who went a bit wider than I to the right, flopping over to port for the last 300 yds was fast going to the leeward mark. Going up the second time I kept to the center and left trying to catch the new wind from the left before others, it was fast. On the last leg up I felt I was in the lead going up the middle, I looked left and was ahead of Jim, the closest boat to me so I stayed in the center, off to my far right was Curt and I got it into my head that he was going to catch a good wind and cut me off, so I had to cover Curt, I stayed on the port tack too long, waiting for Curt to tack, he did and I saw by his angle he was no where near passing me, but after I tacked I was shocked to see Jack, Skip and Jim charging up the left side with a speed I knew was destined to have them finish before me. I thought Jack was way back there somewhere. I had focused on Curt and never looked left to see what was happening there, if I had I could have covered but it was too late. I put the nose down for all the speed I could muster to get back in this race, held starboard for plenty of time to get a fast finish then tacked and went for the line, the horns for Jack and Skip went off but I still had a chance with Jim and passed at the last minute, I lost that race because I did not look to see what the other boats were doing. Got to know all the time what the completion is doing on both sides of the course.
Great racing, not many power boats and just enough wind.
peter
July 12 - second race - SEASON RACE 7- FIRST OF THE REGATTA SERIES
07/12/09
Race Seven (second race of the day)
Bill and Dave got very good starts and went up the middle, these two guys led most of the race, few mistakes, adjusting to the shifts and keeping the boat moving. In the light wind, keeping the boat going in the most important; if you are going along with a light wind and you start slowing down you MUST bear away from the wind to maintain speed or tack. If you don’t you will slow to a stop and then bearing off or tacking is almost impossible. So as soon as you slow down no matter where you are on the course you must fall off the wind or tack. If you choose to fall off you will keep going, if you fall off more to keep going you will realize you are too far off the mark so you then tack. Because you have kept moving you are able to tack. Now you will find that you are going at a great angle to the mark. All that falling off the wind on the other tack means that this new tack is a great lift and you will love the new angle. Keeping moving is most important in three places on the course. At the start, you must be moving all the time so you don’t find yourself parked behind the line unable to move when the horn sounds. Also at the marks, keep the boat moving, sail past the mark before you tack, sailors are losing 1-3 minutes to round a mark because they lose forward momentum by pointing too high and letting the boat slow down, never let it slow down, if you keep it moving and stay on the tack a few seconds longer you will make the mark easily and with some speed. The worse cases I see are at the finish line. Sailors are sitting there pointing at the finish line and not moving and watching others pass them at the last minute. Bear off, fall off the wind, sit low in the boat loosen the sail to make it go on either tack, as soon as it is moving your next tack will become obvious to you and you will finish. Remember when you get close to the finish one of the tacks (angle to the finish line) will look like you are way off the wind, you are not way off the wind if you are moving, keep moving and then the next tack will take you over. The whole race I focused on Bill and Dave, they were doing it right and leading us all. On the last leg up I got close to them at the half way mark, Dave had let his boat slow and lost his momentum, Bill and I caught a lift from the left and moved away, with Bill in the lead. He stayed between me and finish as he should but I stayed on a tack whose angle would not let either of us make the mark, I tacked first but only went forward on starboard just enough to make the line then I slowed to let Bill pass and I tacked back, Bill tacked too but a second too late, I caught the new wind and crossed the line less than half a boat length ahead. That’s exhilarating !!! peter
07/19/09
Race 8
Light wind but enough to have a race. Dave was pumped today and Des was focused. Both were off to a good start and shared the lead with Joe close behind. It was Des, Dave, Joe at the first mark, Des, Dave, Joe at the second, then it was Skip, Des and Dave at the third and Des, Skip and Dave at the fourth. Fifth and final mark was Skip, Pete and Jack. Great Race for the Skipper, read the wind like a master and it took a master especially on that last leg, I must have tacked 20 times. Second week in a row that Dave is in 2nd place for 4 out of 5 legs, if he figures out how to finish he’s going to be tough. Great Race for Des as well, leading 4 out of 5, clearly focused and fast. I was happy with the start, heading left but not too far. The wind was coming from the left as it did last week but there were some breezes from the right as well. I didn’t want to gamble on either so I stayed more to the center. First time up I was trailing Doug, we crossed several times. At the mark the wind was too light and shifty and crowded with other boats but I got lucky and went a bit right and came down on the mark to pass Doug. Had a good downwind, nice breeze most of the way on port and then a nice lift on starboard at the end. I went right this time up but back to center about a third the way up, watching Skip all the time. He seemed to go too far left for my liking but he was still ahead of me. Second time down was a killer, slowwwwww. Especially because Doug had caught me upwind and was now ahead. RC announced a shorter race so all the cards were on the table. There were too many boats ahead but the wind was freshening again. Kept to the middle and close to Doug, Skip had passed Des and Dave and I we were gaining on them. The dark water was to the left, Doug and I headed for it but he went farther and it hurt, I went only half as far and tacked into good wind for the mark. Doug Stayed left and Skip was right, I then see dark water to the right and tack for it, Skip comes from there yelling starboard, I duck and hold the tack to get up into this new breeze hoping it will take me home. Doug is too far left to enjoy this wind, I tack for the line, then Skip tacks but he’s much closer, maybe he won’t make it………. The horn, he made it must have got a last minute lift, I head for the pin and then who shows up on the scene but Jack, screaming in from the right headed for the line, I’m running out of gas and barely moving, holding on and coasting to the line…. Jack is hiked up and coming hard….. The horn…. I got him by two seconds, Luck!
Finish order: Skip (the Fox) Peter, Jack, Doug, Bruce, Des, Rob, Bill, Dave, Walker, Joe, John, Ray, Rex, Greg, with his new boat and newer Appendectomy scar.
Second Regatta Race next week, see you there.
peter
07/26/09
Race 9
What a beautiful day to be a sailor on Lauderdale; nice wind, few boat waves, not too hot, not too cold, it was just right, especially for Jim, Des and Dave. Dave had a great start, hot off the line, pointing high and going fast, Des took a few seconds to get it going but he too was moving well. Joe got a great start as well. I must tell the new guys that Joe and Dave were timid of the line as well but now they know that it is so important to how you sail so Ray and Rex and Greg, force yourself up on that line in the last minute and get her going, you’ll see a big difference in the outcome. Most of the early boats went left on starboard, I went right to get the slower port tack out of the way. The lifts were on starboard but only about a third of the way up. That worked fine I was happy with my position working my way up the fleet. But as we got nearer the mark the wind got very shifty and it was like a roll of the dice, one time the tack worked the next time I tacked into a header that almost stopped the boat. I had to lay off and off and off again to keep the boat moving and lots of boats caught up during that fuss. Once around the wind was nice but everyone went the same way basically and few positions changed. Mike and Jack and I were together all the way down and chasing each other all the way up. Second time up I tried a port tack in the middle of the leg and caught a lift just as Jack was coming at me on Starboard, only lift on port tack all day for me. I was ahead then Mike would pass then Jack would come in from somewhere, Jack reported that he pretty much favored far left and coming in hard on starboard, and be just behind or just ahead. The three of us worked our butts off to gain and inch on each other but the quirky wind at the windward mark was such an equalizer. We seemed to gain on the leaders, Jim, Des, Joe and Dave for most of the race, but not enough to catch them. So it was the three of us fighting it out in the middle of the fleet, changing positions and trying to hold the lead and then lose it again. Des and Dave led the first half but Jim took the lead and extended it. There was no way to catch him. As Jim was going up the last leg, the committee boat left to give Greg a hand. Greg tipped his brand new boat but had it up in just a few minutes. The RC had to race back to put a line in order to finish. Thanks to everyone’s for keeping cool with the sloppy finish, RC’s first duty is to help a flipped boat.
Finish order: Jim, Des,(still some good races in that yellow scow, and in our senior sailor, Dave, Rob, Bruce, Jack, Peter, Joe, Mike, Walker, John, Skip, Doug, Ray, Jeff, Rex and Greg. Jack is RC next week. See you then.
peter
8/2/09
Race Ten
For me this race started on Friday about 6pm. I went for a sail in medium wind with some gusts. In one heavy bit of wind I put the vang full on to hold the boat down, when I tacked I heard a thump like something hitting the hull, looking things over I discovered that the starboard stay had only 2 or three unbroken wires holding the mast up. I quickly tacked to put the pressure on the other stay hand headed home, made it. A new stay requires the mast be brought to Melges, the ends are put on with a very specialized machine. I called and emailed. Then I called Jack, who has RC duty Sunday and asked if I could serve, he vary graciously agreed. I told him I would continue to try to fix it. Got an email from Andy, someone would call Sat and meet me. No call by noon so Mary suggested I borrow Bradley’s whole rig. I talked to Chuck and he graciously agreed. After I switched rigs Melges called, told them Monday would be fine. Called Jack and told him he was RC again. Then it was Sunday and the race was on.
John and I went left for about a third of the leg, great wind, good angles sand some lifts. Port tacks were not good, no lifts, just some gusts so we stayed on starboard as much as possible. Most of the boats had gone further on starboard but I think missed some of the better lifts in the center of the course. John and I passed a few boats. Downwind was pretty much of a parade, most stayed on the rhomb line. I swung the boom to right or left several time to improve my speed, seemed to help. Leaders at the leeward mark were Des, Bruce, Rob and Joe. Next time up I went right for several minutes then left, lots of great lifts up the center of the lake, John and I were gaining, then down again. Leaders the second time at the leeward mark were Des, Rob, Peter and John. Third time up was a blast. John and I passed the leaders, I caught this great lift in the last 50 yds to the mark and just made it. John, just to leeward didn’t. That gave me some breathing space from John. Jim and Rob were back there too, but not so close. Last leeward mark leaders were, Peter, John, Des, Rob and Jim. Now all I have to do is cover John, no one else is close, we go right, but how far. Technically I should stay on this tack until he tacks, then tack to cover. I got impatient with the wind let up and went left long before John did but not to worry I’m well ahead. I stayed right too long, John was to windward and riding better wind. He could make the mark I could not, I think I blew it, I should have covered, my mistake, no excuse, damn. The as we got within 100 yds of the finish the wind let up, no great lift like the last time around or John would have had it made. We both fell off to catch wind, then I tacked, it was now or never had to get to windward of him if I expected any chance to win, but could I tack and clear him, I went for it and got a lift which was a header for John. As I went higher he had to fall off so I cleared him with ease. Now I’m to windward and in control, I tacked back and stayed on his tack until he was actually past the buoy, then I went for the line. The committee boat was serving water, soda and bloody marys. John had a bloody mary. We both enjoyed the start to finish competition and I was lucky with the wind both times at the weather mark. Luck counts.
During the race Al tipped and Jack actually dove in to help him get the boat up. That’s a dedicated RC sailor. Hat’s off to Jack on his B/D. I guess that’s the real reason for the Bloody Marys. Des had another great race following his 2nd place finish last week. He led most of the way in this race. Rob was happy with his third place finish. In order: Peter, John, Rob, Jim, Bruce, Curt, Skip, Des, Bill, Joe, Ray, Jeff, Greg, Al.
Next week is the final of the Regatta Series and the Tim Walsh Memorial Trophy. Scott will be here to race with us. He is currently living in the Northwest and sailing in the Sounds. We’ll see if that has improved his scow sailing skills. See you next week. I’m off to see the man at Melges for some new stays, suggest each of you (except Greg) check yours.peter
Race 11 -third of Regatta series and Tim Walsh Memorial
14mph and pretty steady, nice long course with the wind out of the Southwest. Perfect day for the first annual Tim Walsh Regatta and the final race of the LLYC Regatta. Scott is in town and since he is not handicapped with an earlier finish he takes an early lead and never looks back. Sailed a great race wire to wire, never a doubt, except for the Bruce and the kid. Those two were shadowing him the whole race, never too close but close enough if Scott were to take a dip. Bruce and the kid kept him on his toes. Des and Dave were next and maintained their position for most of the race til Des took a dip on the downwind. Got to watch out for that downwind, no time to relax, keep your eye on the sail and the tell tails, you don’t want that big ol sail to come around when you’re not looking. The rest of us were fighting to gain on the leaders. Jim had a great start and when he rounded the mark caught one of those gusts that carried him all the way to the leeward mark. He was so far ahead after one turn I couldn’t believe it. I was working my way to keep up with Mike and Jack for the first part, but they progressively got further ahead. Next it was Rob and John trying to pass, Rob finally did but I was able to hold off John. Mike tipped and still stayed ahead of me. I thought this out and decided I was not prepared for the heavy wind. I was trying to sail the boat the same as I had in light wind. I was healing far to much. The rules say, keep it flat as possible in the heavy wind, put the board only ¾ down to windward, use lots of outhaul, (I totally forgot that one and never adjusted it at all, plenty of downhaul, ( I used a little) and lots of vang which I did mostly. But it was the healing that slowed the boat, it just never got going smoothly to windward, it was like I was fighting with the boat instead of coaxing it along. Jack said after the race that he reviewed his notes on heavy wind sailing and it helped him a lot. That is great advice, I’m going to do that from now on. Thanks to our RC for the three Regatta Races, Ken and Betsy Ingle. Thanks too to the several boats that helped downed racers,Mary Lou, Judi, and Kevin. The tippers were Des, Mike, and Curt twice (Curt told Judi after the second one, “I think I’ll take up the piano”) Next week is a Club race, I won’t be here. I’m taking my 11 y/o nephew to Glacier Natl. Park by train, be back the next weekend for our First XTRA WEEKEND Trophy Race. See you then. Results on the web page. peter
08/23/09
Race 13 The XTRA WEEKEND
It was really nice to have an extra weekend this year. We celebrated by having 16 boats attend our Sunday Race for the Xtra Weekend Trophy.
It was won by Curt Bullock. The story follows. The wind was light but steady at the start, neither side was favored so boats headed both ways. Curt and Mike got great starts and headed up in good order they were making good gains on the scratch starters who were having more problems with the lighter wind. We were all working our way up Jack and I pretty close on port tack, then Jack dropped off to starboard. I thought about it but I learned in a class by Andy Burdick to not tack right away on a wind shift, just hold for a few seconds, I usually count to 8, if it is still a header tack, if not stay with it. Well, it held and I kept going which means Jack tacked into a header and almost took himself out of the race. He was one of the last to reach the windward mark. Leaders at the first mark: Curt, Mike, Skip, Ray. After the first mark the wind got real light and the fleet was spread out all along the downwind leg, just bobbing along. I was behind Jim but trying to stay close. Then I look way back on the course at Jack and see the wind filling in behind him, within minutes he passed almost the entire fleet including Jim and I. Mike was ahead at the leeward mark with Curt close behind. They both were far ahead of Jack Jim and I. Next time up lots of wind shifts but the wind was mostly filled in. Leaders at weather mark on second lap: Curt, Mike, Jack, Peter. Next time down we again just bobbed, the fleet getting more and more spread out. Then we started getting some really bizarre wind. It came from the West and the Southwest and the North all on the same downwind. Tough on the new guys. All you can do is watch your tell tales constantly and adjust accordingly. At this point I was quite a bit ahead of Jim but I see him working over to the right as a dark patch is forming over there, he catches it and almost passes me at the leeward mark. As several of us were approaching the leeward mark I heard someone comment and someone else agree that this would be the last time up, I wasn’t sure but sailed as if it were. I was too far behind to catch Jack,(he and I are tied going into this race) so best I can do is cover Jim. So I spent much of the time on that third time up making sure Jim would not pass. I see Curt is first to the line and rounds the mark, Mike mistaken that this is the end of the race hangs around at the line and Jack and I pass him. Mike is upset but gets back in the race. I got a bit of luck on this downwind. I was right on Jack’s heels and the breeze was pretty good, about 1/3 the way down, we are almost side by side and I catch a great puff, pull up the board and skid past him, and not just a bit but by several boat lengths and were headed to the last leeward mark. Now the situation is in my control, last time up – the guy I have to beat is behind, all I do is cover. Just stay between him and the mark. If he tacks I tack, if he tacks back so do I. There should be no way for him to pass. Luckily the wind held steady. I could see Curt ahead and looking back at me, ready to tack of I did. Curt covered and won the race, I covered and finished ahead of Jack. A good puff at just the right time made all the difference.
Finish order: Curt, Peter, Jack, Mike, Jim, Bruce, Skip, Rob, Chris (pretty good for his third race) (Jim gave him one of his older sails and a 2 hour lesson on Sat.) Des, Ray, Greg, Dave (I don’t know what happened here???) Rex, Jeff and John called it quits early. Not our favorite type of wind, hopefully we won’t have any more of that this season.
Thanks to Joe and Bunny on RC for the detail of the first 4 boats at the marks.
peter
8/30/09
Race 14
OOPS:
Going into this race I have 32 pts and Jack has 33 so all I have to do is finish ahead of Jack and win the jackpot, seems simple enough. If he finishes ahead of me and no boats between us we tie so I’m feeling pretty good. Horn blows but my watch is not properly set, I miss it, next horn I get it wrong again (wired you think?) On the one minute I try again, nope. So I’m hoping to nail it with the 2 min starters, nope, (next year a new watch) so I’m pretty much guessing when this race will start, when I hear the horn I can’t believe it’s the start but I’m on the line and get ‘er going. Two minutes into the race and I want to tack, I don’t want to go too far right or left. The shifts I saw during practice runs were big shifts, don’t want to get too far out and get a big shift, you end up pointing well away from the mark. So I see Jack and Mike side by side, no problem there is plenty of wind so I’ll just duck them both, tack now, oops I can’t control the boat, too much heal, rudder does not have a good bite, I crash into Jack, hit his side stay or I would have gone right up over his boat, He’s ok, I’m ok we move on. I owe a 360 turn but I think I’ll wait a bit. I need to get a lead on him then I’ll do it. So Jacks ahead I need to catch him, focus and gain, that’s the plan. At the weather mark I come in from the right and have a good shot at it, but others are on port and in the circle, my mast hits Jim’s sail, now I owe him a 360 turn, I’ll do it later. See Jack ahead down wind, focus and gain. I gain some but not too much, back up wind. He goes right then left, I’m gaining. He keeps going left and I gain some more and more and I pass him, now it’s easy right? Just got to cover Jack, do (2) 360’s and I win, keep going. I have no idea where other boats are except for Jack and occasionally I check to see that Jim is behind. Jim is in third place for the season and if he were to get well ahead and have boats between us he could finish the season ahead of me and Jack. I know Mike is ahead but too far back in the standings to win the whole thing. I keep thinking about the 360’s, I have to do them soon, but I don’t seem to shake Jack off me so I can do the turns. Then I remember an America’s Cup race where the leader owed a 360 and waited until just before the finish line to do the turns. That sounds good I’ll wait til the last minute do the turns and cross the line, but I still need more distance on Jack or it won’t work. Third time up I’m covering Jack, he stays left for a long way, I cover, he continues, I cover, he seems to be going too far, I’m stupid and tack, bad wind not going I tack back to cover, he has wind but so do I he I’m yelling starboard, he continues, I hold a straight course to be fair and at the last I have to duck to avoid a second hit. But this time It’s Jack’s fault and I tell him he owns me a 360. Then it occurs to me that if we owe each other one why not drop it for both, we discuss and agree, forget about the 360’s but Jack does not know I owe Jim one as well. Jack is ahead so I have to catch him again, I gain a bit downwind, can’t get the 360 off my mind, Jack goes right on the last half of the downwind, I keep a straight line a gain a bit. Last leg up I got to catch him, and I’m gaining, and gaining he tacks I hold and pass, I got him, now get some distance, those 360’s. Now I see Jack and Rob mixing it up, Jack tacks away for clear air, I’m ahead, got to do the 360s, I see a clear spot at the line, should be able to complete them and not mess anyone up, go for it, I see Jack and yell we better do these just in case, he agrees and does his, I complete the first one and go right into the second I’m coming out to head for the line and I hear Skip coming in on port tack yelling and watch as he avoids me, I bear off, see Rob go by and hear his horn, I heal it way up catch a breeze and I’m over, Jack just behind, I breathe again. Lots of noise and yelling, we had about 6 pontoon spectator boats today, that was nice. Jack and I agree we needed to do the 360’s, we can’t agree to cancel out because I could affect position with other sailors. He asks about the 2nd 360 I told him about Jim and explained I had no time to tell him about it. So we head home. But something is not right. What about the near miss with Skip. He was not going to win the race nor is he in contention for a trophy but how much in his way was I. I need to think about this. Skip talks to Bruce on the RC and Bruce said he really didn’t see it clearly, Skip calls and we talk. We sleep on it. I go over to Skips’ on Monday and we have a sit down. First he explains that the 360 must be done away from others, and that the person doing a 360 has no position rights. So even though he came in on port tack, he had right of way over a boat doing a 360. Next I ask about the America’s Cup race I remembered, he says America’s Cup has their own rules, not the rules we live by. So we decide that if the two of us were deciding this case for two other guys in the Fleet we would agree that Peter fowled Skip and would have to do another 360 before finishing. Since Peter did not do the 360 he would be disqualified from this race. So that is what we decided. It was a great race, other than I messed up the start, crashed into Jack,(no boat damage), fouled Jim, fouled Skip and created a lot of chaos at the finish. In between I felt pretty good. So it goes. There is always next year and I’m really looking forward to it. Next year I’m going to ………………………………
Finish order:
Joe, congratulations, we knew you had a first place in there just waiting to get out.
Christian, WoW, no one in the history of this club has ever finished 2nd in his first year sailing. This guy is going to be tough next year. Thanks also to Jim’s sail and a few hours of instructions.
3 Mike, put himself back in the money, some truly great races this season
4 Dave – much improved
5 Rob- good season, becoming a very serious competitor
6 Jack
7 Skip
8 Jim
9 John
10 Curt
11 Jeff –nice improvement
12 Greg
13 Des
14 Ray
15 Walker –not like him to be here
16 Bob
17 Peter
Thanks to Bruce RC
See all of you at the starting line for the HST, we all start together, should be some great photos for Brenda. Picnic to follow, if you haven’t yet please contact Georgia and let her know you’ll be there.
peter
09/06/09
Harry S Truman 34th Annual
Not much wind but lots of boats so we decided to shorten the race to a finish at Goose island if the first boat arrived after 45 min, as was the case.
Wind was out of the east and we started at Green lakes’ west end. It was a great start with all the boats lined up and going at once. I started at the committee boat and wanted to keep to the right, but not too close to Doug’s shore. The wind kept me going but not fast. Off to my left were Curt and the Jaeger Team of Cathy and Mike leading most of the fleet out to the center of the lake were the wind was steady. After a bit I see Walker heading for Doug’s shore and I watch, he’s doing pretty good over there, I’m going to get some of that. I tack to the shore, Walker is slowing, I don’t think I’ll go as far as he did and tack back. Two more tacks and I can see the channel, so I hug the west shore and am moving good and creating a big gap between me and the next boats, then it dies. No wind in the channel, tack here and back, point here and there still nothing and they are moving. Soon the pack catches up led by the Jaegers and Curt. Jaegers pass by healing the boat way up more than I can they walk on by. We finally clear the channel and have some wind, I pass them, Curt is close behind. We move across to Flag island and the wind dies again. The Jaegers hike it up and move pass me again. We struggle for wind, nothing. Then it builds again very slowly I pass below them and back in the lead. Not much wind but we are moving out into the lake. I see some dark water along the North shore, not much but something. There is no sign of dark water anywhere else so I go that way. Jaegers and Curt head east. The wind has come from the East all morning, when it fills in again they will catch it first, but right now I am moving toward the mark and they are pretty much just sitting. The wind I saw keeps me moving and I am getting greater distance on them. Wind eventually comes in stronger and they begin to move but I am well ahead and can finish. Mike and Cathy next followed by Curt. We had decided with the RC to finish the race at Goose Island if the first boat reached there after 45 min, it was over an hour and no one was sorry. Dave Asbach joined us for the race, it was good to see him out there. He has won the Harry more than anyone in recent history. Finish sequence was:
Peter, Jaegers (winners of the 2-crew Trophy, Curt, Jack and Nancy, Walker, Doug and Cindy, Jim and Judi’s nephew, Bill, Joe and Bunny, Dave Asbach and friend, John and Connor, Des, Christian and friend, Bob, Bruce and #3 granddaughter, Rex, Greg, Dave and Rob did not finish.
Race followed by a wonderful potluck picnic at the Jaegers and organized with help from Georgia. Lots of food, trophies and fun for all.
Thanks to everyone for a great season of sailing and picnics. Special thanks for the Sailor of the year award it is truly appreciated.
Next week we take on the bad boys from Beulah. See you there.
peter
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