I am pleased to be able to report two new championships earned by members representing North Cape Yacht Club:
1. Gary Hall's and Bruce Geffen's catamaran Nice Pair has repeated its 2008 Great Lakes Multihull Boat of the Year championship once again in 2009. The Pair has built on its 1st in the Chicago Mackinac Race, and 2nd in the Chicago to Port Huron Super Mackniac, and 1st in the Port Huron Mackinac Race by now taking the overall championship for the lakes. Congratulations Gary, Bruce and everyone else involved in this effort!
2. Anna Tunnicliffe has (temporarily at least) changed disciplines and taken on Match Racing. After a nonstop year of Laser Radial sailing she has given crewed boats a try. In just her second match racing event ever, this past weekend against a fleet of eleven other boats crewed by members of the male persuasion, Anna and her crew of three other women have won the 2009 Detroit Cup at Bayview Yacht Club in Ultimate 20s. Congratulations Anna and crew!
Upcoming racing events:
1. This Saturday September 12th: North Cape hosts it final weekend race at the club for the year. The Mid-Channel Race is for PHRF and JAM. See the attached NORs, SIs and entry form.
2. This weekend, Grosse Ile Yacht Club is having its Blue Nose Regatta on Saturday and Sunday. Info is attached.
3. Next weekend, Jolly Roger Sailing Club is holding its Fall Series Regatta for PHRF, JAM and One-Deisgn classes. Info is attached.
4. Next weekend Ford Yacht Club is having its International Fall Classic. A Saturday race from Ford to Leamington and a Sunday Race back. Info is attached.
FUTURE EVENTS:Port Clinton Yacht Club's Snowflurries Regatta on October 3rd and 4th
NCYC's George O'Connell Memorial Fall Bay Regatta on October 10 and 11th
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Notes and results: September 2nd
Shamelessly swiped from another site, the 16 reasons Sailing is better than sex:
1. You don't have to hide your Sailing magazines. 2. It's perfectly acceptable to pay a professional to Sail with you once in a while. 3. The Ten Commandments don't say anything about Sailing. 4. If your partner takes pictures or videotapes of you Sailing your beachcat, you don't have to worry about them showing up on the Internet if you become famous. 5. Your Sailing partner doesn't get upset about people you sailed with long ago. 6. It's perfectly respectable to Sail with a total stranger. 7. When you see a really good Sailor, you don't have feel guilty about imagining the two of you Sailing together. 8. If your regular Sailing partner isn't available, he/she won't object if you Sail with someone else. 9. Nobody will ever tell you that you will go blind if you Sail by yourself. 10. When dealing with a Sailing pro, you never have to wonder if they are really an undercover cop. 11. You can have a Sailing calendar on your wall at the office, tell Sailing jokes, and invite coworkers to Sail with you without getting sued for harassment. 12. There are no Sailing-transmitted diseases. 13. If you want to watch Sailing on television, you don't have to subscribe to the Playboy channel. 14. Nobody expects you to Sail with the same partner for the rest of your life. 15. Nobody expects you to give up Sailing if your partner loses interest in it. 16. Your Sailing partner will never say, "Not again? We just Sailed last week! Is Sailing all you ever think about?"
I'll get a report and results on last Sunday's final midweek Fall Series race out to you soon but I realized that the results got corrupted when I reran them last night. So, I'll have to stop by the club and fix the results before I can send them out.
Last night was the first race of the three-race Captain Morgan's Series. A beautiful evening just approaching a full moon but with fairly light easterly winds that had been dieing off in the late afternoon. John and Judy Greiner are serving their traditional role of Race Committee for the entire three-week series (thanks tons, Greiners!) and decided to limit the race to out to the Center Mark and back. As it turned out, a very good choice. The course set up as a good (if slow) beat from West to Center, a 1.4 mile leg, and then a run back to the finish for only 2.8 miles total but enough given the conditions. We have inverted the starts for the Morgans Series so JAM B (9 boats) then A (7 boats) preceeds PHRF C (8 boats), B (8 boats) and finally A (9boats). A very nice turnout, but then what would you expect when we are finally getting down to the serious prospect of racing for real prizes: RUM! The inverted starting order makes for lots of good passing opportunities on the race course, both upwind and down and gives you the opportunity to see some of the fleet you might not otherwise get to sail close to during the balance of the season.
The beat was pretty square and had slightly lumpy leftover chop from the earlier wind of the day so figuring out your best boatspeed to weather was king. The downwind leg provided opportunities to research what angles your boat would go quickest in light apparent wind. The Jammers turned at the Center mark and mostly went wing-and-wing straight to the finish. The spinnaker boats exhibited lots of options: some straight down, some reaching off to the left, other parts of the fleet reaching away to the right side of the course. Eventually everybody found their way back together at the finish line with plenty of overlaps to keep the race committee busy guessing who would be ahead of whom. Jim and Chris Davis's Orange Crate led the parade getting the first gun of the evening by a few seconds over Andrew Regan's Rocket Science
In JAM B, from 9th to 1st, it was Seahawk, Full Ride, Caprice, Fiasco, Aftermath2, Autumn Wind, BeachComber3, Super Zena and Jamaican Me Crazy, Chris Kretz's Catalina 22 that took the measure of the class.
IN JAM A, 7th to 1st were the Hunter 460 (sorry, I need to find out who you guys are), Baci, Double O Seven, Breakaway, Mega, Rocket Science and Orange Crate.
PHRF C saw 8th to 1st as La Chiva, Flak Bait, Sophia, Saving Grace, Orange Barrel, Defender, Wildcat and Laszlo Goda's Splash Dance taking the win.
In PHRF B, 8th to 1st was Group Therapy, Wicked, Foghorn, Liberty, Consigliere, Baby Clown, Send in the Clowns, and Wizard bringing out the guns to climb to the top of the podium.
IN PHRF A, 9th to 1st were Three Niner (showing some radical angles downwind, especially on port jibe), Holy Toledo, Legs-A-Shakin, Jubilate Deo, Fupastank, Natural High, Time Machine, Abracadabra and Bad Fish.
Thanks all for coming out on a great evening. See you the next two Wednesdays.
Don't forget this weekend's events:
FRIDAY Full Moon JAM Race at 7:00 PM. Pizza and salad afterwards available at the club.
SATURDAY: Dedication Day Race to Port Clinton 9:00 AM Start time. Registration Friday night or before 8:00 AM Saturday.
SUNDAY: PCYC's Green Island Race. Registration info available on-line at http://www.portclintonyachtclub.com/SailingInfo.htm
Have a great weekend!
1. You don't have to hide your Sailing magazines. 2. It's perfectly acceptable to pay a professional to Sail with you once in a while. 3. The Ten Commandments don't say anything about Sailing. 4. If your partner takes pictures or videotapes of you Sailing your beachcat, you don't have to worry about them showing up on the Internet if you become famous. 5. Your Sailing partner doesn't get upset about people you sailed with long ago. 6. It's perfectly respectable to Sail with a total stranger. 7. When you see a really good Sailor, you don't have feel guilty about imagining the two of you Sailing together. 8. If your regular Sailing partner isn't available, he/she won't object if you Sail with someone else. 9. Nobody will ever tell you that you will go blind if you Sail by yourself. 10. When dealing with a Sailing pro, you never have to wonder if they are really an undercover cop. 11. You can have a Sailing calendar on your wall at the office, tell Sailing jokes, and invite coworkers to Sail with you without getting sued for harassment. 12. There are no Sailing-transmitted diseases. 13. If you want to watch Sailing on television, you don't have to subscribe to the Playboy channel. 14. Nobody expects you to Sail with the same partner for the rest of your life. 15. Nobody expects you to give up Sailing if your partner loses interest in it. 16. Your Sailing partner will never say, "Not again? We just Sailed last week! Is Sailing all you ever think about?"
I'll get a report and results on last Sunday's final midweek Fall Series race out to you soon but I realized that the results got corrupted when I reran them last night. So, I'll have to stop by the club and fix the results before I can send them out.
Last night was the first race of the three-race Captain Morgan's Series. A beautiful evening just approaching a full moon but with fairly light easterly winds that had been dieing off in the late afternoon. John and Judy Greiner are serving their traditional role of Race Committee for the entire three-week series (thanks tons, Greiners!) and decided to limit the race to out to the Center Mark and back. As it turned out, a very good choice. The course set up as a good (if slow) beat from West to Center, a 1.4 mile leg, and then a run back to the finish for only 2.8 miles total but enough given the conditions. We have inverted the starts for the Morgans Series so JAM B (9 boats) then A (7 boats) preceeds PHRF C (8 boats), B (8 boats) and finally A (9boats). A very nice turnout, but then what would you expect when we are finally getting down to the serious prospect of racing for real prizes: RUM! The inverted starting order makes for lots of good passing opportunities on the race course, both upwind and down and gives you the opportunity to see some of the fleet you might not otherwise get to sail close to during the balance of the season.
The beat was pretty square and had slightly lumpy leftover chop from the earlier wind of the day so figuring out your best boatspeed to weather was king. The downwind leg provided opportunities to research what angles your boat would go quickest in light apparent wind. The Jammers turned at the Center mark and mostly went wing-and-wing straight to the finish. The spinnaker boats exhibited lots of options: some straight down, some reaching off to the left, other parts of the fleet reaching away to the right side of the course. Eventually everybody found their way back together at the finish line with plenty of overlaps to keep the race committee busy guessing who would be ahead of whom. Jim and Chris Davis's Orange Crate led the parade getting the first gun of the evening by a few seconds over Andrew Regan's Rocket Science
In JAM B, from 9th to 1st, it was Seahawk, Full Ride, Caprice, Fiasco, Aftermath2, Autumn Wind, BeachComber3, Super Zena and Jamaican Me Crazy, Chris Kretz's Catalina 22 that took the measure of the class.
IN JAM A, 7th to 1st were the Hunter 460 (sorry, I need to find out who you guys are), Baci, Double O Seven, Breakaway, Mega, Rocket Science and Orange Crate.
PHRF C saw 8th to 1st as La Chiva, Flak Bait, Sophia, Saving Grace, Orange Barrel, Defender, Wildcat and Laszlo Goda's Splash Dance taking the win.
In PHRF B, 8th to 1st was Group Therapy, Wicked, Foghorn, Liberty, Consigliere, Baby Clown, Send in the Clowns, and Wizard bringing out the guns to climb to the top of the podium.
IN PHRF A, 9th to 1st were Three Niner (showing some radical angles downwind, especially on port jibe), Holy Toledo, Legs-A-Shakin, Jubilate Deo, Fupastank, Natural High, Time Machine, Abracadabra and Bad Fish.
Thanks all for coming out on a great evening. See you the next two Wednesdays.
Don't forget this weekend's events:
FRIDAY Full Moon JAM Race at 7:00 PM. Pizza and salad afterwards available at the club.
SATURDAY: Dedication Day Race to Port Clinton 9:00 AM Start time. Registration Friday night or before 8:00 AM Saturday.
SUNDAY: PCYC's Green Island Race. Registration info available on-line at http://www.portclintonyachtclub.com/SailingInfo.htm
Have a great weekend!
Notes and results: Sunday August 30th
Well, Labor Day weekend is upon us: the traditional end of the Summer season and the beginning of Fall on the water. We surrendered our summer hopes at home and gave up on our above ground pool last weekend, the water temperature was never going to recover with our 50 degree nights. But what better reminder of Fall on the Great Lakes than the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. For those of you who don't have time for Gordon Lightfoot's epic version of the storytelling, here is a slightly shorter version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfHJ_G5V0M0&feature=PlayList&p=AB001B8CD5C604C5&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=21
I wasn't able to make last Sunday's midweek race due to a family birthday celebration and the desire to remain in the will. You know how that goes. But Sunday was the sixth race of the Fall Series and the final Sunday Potluck Race in our slightly expanded version of Wednesday Night Racing this season. For those of you who have chosen to not pay attention, let me beat you over the head with it one last time. In addition to the normal five Wednesday nights of each of the Spring, Summer and Fall series we opted to add a Sunday afternoon version to each series. Eacxh of the Sundays was followed by a potluck for the racers. I think the concept was pretty well received by the participants and was a worthwhile addition to our calendar. There is some thought that perhaps next year consideration be given to tweaking it into a separate series of once-per-month-Sunday-afternoon races. It's an idea worth exploring. Stay tuned.
With 24 boats participating, it was another good turnout.
In JAM B, La Chiva was 3rd, Beach Comber3 was 2nd and Mike Bellg's Fiasco took 1str place.
In JAM A, in a six boat class, Tyrannous was 3rd, Breakaway was 2nd and 1st place went to Orange Crate.
In PHRF C, Splash Dance was the 2nd place S2 meat in a J30 sandwich between Sophia in 3rd and Wildcat in 1st.
In PHRF B, with eight boats on the line, Baby Clown took 3rd behind a close battle between 2nd place Full Tilt and 1st place Wizard.
And in PHRF A, with 007 performing race committee duties (thanks Rick and crew!) it was Jubilate Deo in 2nd with Abracadabra in 1st place.
Overalls went to Orange Crate in JAM and Wizard in PHRF.
Thanks to all who were willing to give a new idea a try and helped make the Sunday races a success this year, both the race committees and you racers too.
Two more weeks of Wednesday Night Morgans Races. Don't miss them. It was great to see a couple of different boats out on the water for those races. Don't forget the first start is at 6:45 PM.
And though I know you don't need to be reminded of coming events, I get my hand slapped by the powers that be whenever I don't fulfill all my Yachting Activities Chair obligations of sharing information: so, tonight (Friday September 4th) is a Full Moon JAM Race on the actual Full Moon night this month, it promises to be a good one. Tomorrow, (Saturday September 5th) is the Dedication Race to Port Clinton (9:00 AM start, register tonight at the club or tomorrow before 8:00 AM) and Sunday (September 6th) is the Green Island Race. Monday you can cut your grass or join me in the walk across the Mackinac Bridge.
Have fun this weekend.
I wasn't able to make last Sunday's midweek race due to a family birthday celebration and the desire to remain in the will. You know how that goes. But Sunday was the sixth race of the Fall Series and the final Sunday Potluck Race in our slightly expanded version of Wednesday Night Racing this season. For those of you who have chosen to not pay attention, let me beat you over the head with it one last time. In addition to the normal five Wednesday nights of each of the Spring, Summer and Fall series we opted to add a Sunday afternoon version to each series. Eacxh of the Sundays was followed by a potluck for the racers. I think the concept was pretty well received by the participants and was a worthwhile addition to our calendar. There is some thought that perhaps next year consideration be given to tweaking it into a separate series of once-per-month-Sunday-afternoon races. It's an idea worth exploring. Stay tuned.
With 24 boats participating, it was another good turnout.
In JAM B, La Chiva was 3rd, Beach Comber3 was 2nd and Mike Bellg's Fiasco took 1str place.
In JAM A, in a six boat class, Tyrannous was 3rd, Breakaway was 2nd and 1st place went to Orange Crate.
In PHRF C, Splash Dance was the 2nd place S2 meat in a J30 sandwich between Sophia in 3rd and Wildcat in 1st.
In PHRF B, with eight boats on the line, Baby Clown took 3rd behind a close battle between 2nd place Full Tilt and 1st place Wizard.
And in PHRF A, with 007 performing race committee duties (thanks Rick and crew!) it was Jubilate Deo in 2nd with Abracadabra in 1st place.
Overalls went to Orange Crate in JAM and Wizard in PHRF.
Thanks to all who were willing to give a new idea a try and helped make the Sunday races a success this year, both the race committees and you racers too.
Two more weeks of Wednesday Night Morgans Races. Don't miss them. It was great to see a couple of different boats out on the water for those races. Don't forget the first start is at 6:45 PM.
And though I know you don't need to be reminded of coming events, I get my hand slapped by the powers that be whenever I don't fulfill all my Yachting Activities Chair obligations of sharing information: so, tonight (Friday September 4th) is a Full Moon JAM Race on the actual Full Moon night this month, it promises to be a good one. Tomorrow, (Saturday September 5th) is the Dedication Race to Port Clinton (9:00 AM start, register tonight at the club or tomorrow before 8:00 AM) and Sunday (September 6th) is the Green Island Race. Monday you can cut your grass or join me in the walk across the Mackinac Bridge.
Have fun this weekend.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Notes and Results: Wednesday August 26th
I just realized that I had failed to post this entry to the blog. Here it is for those who may have had sleepless nights worrying about its absence:
Oh ye of little faith! It is time to come to meet your maker! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05cyyVnZVSQ Wednesday afternoon you probably looked out the window at the office or glanced up from reading Mary Worth in one of America's formerly great newspapers in your easy chair and saw buckets of rain coming down and thought to yourself: "Self, it's raining today, I'm not going sailing" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6gBz9Hv3Mk Well, I'm here to tell you: you screwed up! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U09fj0iPT4M
Okay, it poured on the way to the boat, it rained as I got out of the car, it was coming down while I was getting the boat ready, it was drizzling as I dug my cell phone out of my foul weather gear to hear my crew (who were sitting at the bar in the club) try to beg for clemency and be let off for good behavior (as if!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-meudnw2KlA .
But those of us who were good and faithful true believers http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRuXPsfaGNA were rewarded once again with a nice night of sailing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LANwIgpha7k
By the time we got out to the west mark, Skip Dieball and Team I-Ball were in place for race committee aboard Lola and a few boats were milling about. The weather was starting to look promising. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YvUSZ-Jajs Greiner and us were the only two PHRF B boats out so far and he instantly started lobbying to not put up our mains and just head back in! Soon enough though we were joined by Full Tilt, Clowns, Group Therapy and Baby Clown and PHRF B at least was going to happen this night. Overall twenty-three boats were out for the last regular Wednesday night of the season, only about half of the regular fleet. As for the rest of you, well perhaps a visit to this site is in order: http://www.manolith.com/2009/08/04/how-did-you-lose-your-man-card/
We had a northeasterly wind and so we were off on a weather leg start toward the North Mark. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6BCf_b8GfE
A nice square weather leg with a big lift just at the end for the boats coming in on starboard, a tight reach for the spinnaker boats to the East Mark (we set our A sail but most boats stayed with their jibs) and then a good downwind leg to the finish back at West. We even got done before it got dark! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOLSgB2Zuc0 Isn't it supposed to stay light til like midnight in the summer?
In JAM B, Aftermath2 led the way over BeachComber3, La Chiva, Fiasco and Autumn Wind.
JAM A saw all three participants on the podium with Rocket Science taking the gold over Mega and Tyrannous.
PHRF C was also a three boat class with Defender, the J22 showing its heals to its two big J30 sisters, Wildcat and Sophia.
PHRF B found Full Tilt getting the best of Send in the Clowns, Red Cloud, Group Therapy, Baby Clown and Foghorn.
In PHRF A, Fupastank, Abracadabra, Natural High, Legs-A-Shakin and Jubilate Deo captured the placings.
Overall winners were Rocket Science in JAM and Full Tilt in PHRF.
This Sunday is the final Sunday Midweek Series Race followed by a potluck. The race starts at 1:00 PM.. Be there and bring some food to share for the meal after. The grills will be available for you to cook out if you wish.
Next Wednesday starts the Morgan Series. Why is the rum gone? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JImcvtJzIK8 Never fear, we're racing for rum! Be there or we'll withhold your ration! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YMb9bBnrIA Three races, September 2, 9 and 16. We start at the West mark and sail out to one mark of the race committee's choosing, North, Center, East or South, and then return directly to the West mark for the finish. Red Cloud will be race committee for all three races. Start times is revised: the first start is fifteen minutes earlier than usual: 6:45. Start Order is also revised, slow boats start first: JAM B, then JAM A, then PHRF C, then PHRF B, and finally PHRF A.
Labor Day weekend gives you three opportunities. A Friday Night Full Moon Race. Saturday is the Dedication Day Race to Port Clinton. And Sunday is the Green Island Race at PCYC.
See you on the water!
Kent
Oh ye of little faith! It is time to come to meet your maker! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05cyyVnZVSQ Wednesday afternoon you probably looked out the window at the office or glanced up from reading Mary Worth in one of America's formerly great newspapers in your easy chair and saw buckets of rain coming down and thought to yourself: "Self, it's raining today, I'm not going sailing" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6gBz9Hv3Mk Well, I'm here to tell you: you screwed up! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U09fj0iPT4M
Okay, it poured on the way to the boat, it rained as I got out of the car, it was coming down while I was getting the boat ready, it was drizzling as I dug my cell phone out of my foul weather gear to hear my crew (who were sitting at the bar in the club) try to beg for clemency and be let off for good behavior (as if!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-meudnw2KlA .
But those of us who were good and faithful true believers http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRuXPsfaGNA were rewarded once again with a nice night of sailing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LANwIgpha7k
By the time we got out to the west mark, Skip Dieball and Team I-Ball were in place for race committee aboard Lola and a few boats were milling about. The weather was starting to look promising. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YvUSZ-Jajs Greiner and us were the only two PHRF B boats out so far and he instantly started lobbying to not put up our mains and just head back in! Soon enough though we were joined by Full Tilt, Clowns, Group Therapy and Baby Clown and PHRF B at least was going to happen this night. Overall twenty-three boats were out for the last regular Wednesday night of the season, only about half of the regular fleet. As for the rest of you, well perhaps a visit to this site is in order: http://www.manolith.com/2009/08/04/how-did-you-lose-your-man-card/
We had a northeasterly wind and so we were off on a weather leg start toward the North Mark. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6BCf_b8GfE
A nice square weather leg with a big lift just at the end for the boats coming in on starboard, a tight reach for the spinnaker boats to the East Mark (we set our A sail but most boats stayed with their jibs) and then a good downwind leg to the finish back at West. We even got done before it got dark! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOLSgB2Zuc0 Isn't it supposed to stay light til like midnight in the summer?
In JAM B, Aftermath2 led the way over BeachComber3, La Chiva, Fiasco and Autumn Wind.
JAM A saw all three participants on the podium with Rocket Science taking the gold over Mega and Tyrannous.
PHRF C was also a three boat class with Defender, the J22 showing its heals to its two big J30 sisters, Wildcat and Sophia.
PHRF B found Full Tilt getting the best of Send in the Clowns, Red Cloud, Group Therapy, Baby Clown and Foghorn.
In PHRF A, Fupastank, Abracadabra, Natural High, Legs-A-Shakin and Jubilate Deo captured the placings.
Overall winners were Rocket Science in JAM and Full Tilt in PHRF.
This Sunday is the final Sunday Midweek Series Race followed by a potluck. The race starts at 1:00 PM.. Be there and bring some food to share for the meal after. The grills will be available for you to cook out if you wish.
Next Wednesday starts the Morgan Series. Why is the rum gone? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JImcvtJzIK8 Never fear, we're racing for rum! Be there or we'll withhold your ration! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YMb9bBnrIA Three races, September 2, 9 and 16. We start at the West mark and sail out to one mark of the race committee's choosing, North, Center, East or South, and then return directly to the West mark for the finish. Red Cloud will be race committee for all three races. Start times is revised: the first start is fifteen minutes earlier than usual: 6:45. Start Order is also revised, slow boats start first: JAM B, then JAM A, then PHRF C, then PHRF B, and finally PHRF A.
Labor Day weekend gives you three opportunities. A Friday Night Full Moon Race. Saturday is the Dedication Day Race to Port Clinton. And Sunday is the Green Island Race at PCYC.
See you on the water!
Kent
16 Reasons: Notes and Results from Wednesday September 2nd
Shamelessly swiped from another site, the 16 reasons Sailing is better than sex:
1. You don't have to hide your Sailing magazines. 2. It's perfectly acceptable to pay a professional to Sail with you once in a while. 3. The Ten Commandments don't say anything about Sailing. 4. If your partner takes pictures or videotapes of you Sailing your beachcat, you don't have to worry about them showing up on the Internet if you become famous. 5. Your Sailing partner doesn't get upset about people you sailed with long ago. 6. It's perfectly respectable to Sail with a total stranger. 7. When you see a really good Sailor, you don't have feel guilty about imagining the two of you Sailing together. 8. If your regular Sailing partner isn't available, he/she won't object if you Sail with someone else. 9. Nobody will ever tell you that you will go blind if you Sail by yourself. 10. When dealing with a Sailing pro, you never have to wonder if they are really an undercover cop. 11. You can have a Sailing calendar on your wall at the office, tell Sailing jokes, and invite coworkers to Sail with you without getting sued for harassment. 12. There are no Sailing-transmitted diseases. 13. If you want to watch Sailing on television, you don't have to subscribe to the Playboy channel. 14. Nobody expects you to Sail with the same partner for the rest of your life. 15. Nobody expects you to give up Sailing if your partner loses interest in it. 16. Your Sailing partner will never say, "Not again? We just Sailed last week! Is Sailing all you ever think about?"
I'll get a report and results on last Sunday's final midweek Fall Series race out to you soon but I realized that the results got corrupted when I reran them last night. So, I'll have to stop by the club and fix the results before I can send them out.
Last night was the first race of the three-race Captain Morgan's Series. A beautiful evening just approaching a full moon but with fairly light easterly winds that had been dieing off in the late afternoon. John and Judy Greiner are serving their traditional role of Race Committee for the entire three-week series (thanks tons, Greiners!) and decided to limit the race to out to the Center Mark and back. As it turned out, a very good choice. The course set up as a good (if slow) beat from West to Center, a 1.4 mile leg, and then a run back to the finish for only 2.8 miles total but enough given the conditions. We have inverted the starts for the Morgans Series so JAM B (9 boats) then A (7 boats) preceeds PHRF C (8 boats), B (8 boats) and finally A (9boats). A very nice turnout, but then what would you expect when we are finally getting down to the serious prospect of racing for real prizes: RUM! The inverted starting order makes for lots of good passing opportunities on the race course, both upwind and down and gives you the opportunity to see some of the fleet you might not otherwise get to sail close to during the balance of the season.
The beat was pretty square and had slightly lumpy leftover chop from the earlier wind of the day so figuring out your best boatspeed to weather was king. The downwind leg provided opportunities to research what angles your boat would go quickest in light apparent wind. The Jammers turned at the Center mark and mostly went wing-and-wing straight to the finish. The spinnaker boats exhibited lots of options: some straight down, some reaching off to the left, other parts of the fleet reaching away to the right side of the course. Eventually everybody found their way back together at the finish line with plenty of overlaps to keep the race committee busy guessing who would be ahead of whom. Jim and Chris Davis's Orange Crate led the parade getting the first gun of the evening by a few seconds over Andrew Regan's Rocket Science
In JAM B, from 9th to 1st, it was Seahawk, Full Ride, Caprice, Fiasco, Aftermath2, Autumn Wind, BeachComber3, Super Zena and Jamaican Me Crazy, Chris Kretz's Catalina 22 that took the measure of the class.
IN JAM A, 7th to 1st were the Hunter 460 (sorry, I need to find out who you guys are), Baci, Double O Seven, Breakaway, Mega, Rocket Science and Orange Crate.
PHRF C saw 8th to 1st as La Chiva, Flak Bait, Sophia, Saving Grace, Orange Barrel, Defender, Wildcat and Laszlo Goda's Splash Dance taking the win.
In PHRF B, 8th to 1st was Group Therapy, Wicked, Foghorn, Liberty, Consigliere, Baby Clown, Send in the Clowns, and Wizard bringing out the guns to climb to the top of the podium.
IN PHRF A, 9th to 1st were Three Niner (showing some radical angles downwind, especially on port jibe), Holy Toledo, Legs-A-Shakin, Jubilate Deo, Fupastank, Natural High, Time Machine, Abracadabra and Bad Fish.
Thanks all for coming out on a great evening. See you the next two Wednesdays.
Don't forget this weekend's events:
FRIDAY Full Moon JAM Race at 7:00 PM. Pizza and salad afterwards available at the club.
SATURDAY: Dedication Day Race to Port Clinton 9:00 AM Start time. Registration Friday night or before 8:00 AM Saturday.
SUNDAY: PCYC's Green Island Race. Registration info available on-line at http://www.portclintonyachtclub.com/SailingInfo.htm
Have a great weekend!
1. You don't have to hide your Sailing magazines. 2. It's perfectly acceptable to pay a professional to Sail with you once in a while. 3. The Ten Commandments don't say anything about Sailing. 4. If your partner takes pictures or videotapes of you Sailing your beachcat, you don't have to worry about them showing up on the Internet if you become famous. 5. Your Sailing partner doesn't get upset about people you sailed with long ago. 6. It's perfectly respectable to Sail with a total stranger. 7. When you see a really good Sailor, you don't have feel guilty about imagining the two of you Sailing together. 8. If your regular Sailing partner isn't available, he/she won't object if you Sail with someone else. 9. Nobody will ever tell you that you will go blind if you Sail by yourself. 10. When dealing with a Sailing pro, you never have to wonder if they are really an undercover cop. 11. You can have a Sailing calendar on your wall at the office, tell Sailing jokes, and invite coworkers to Sail with you without getting sued for harassment. 12. There are no Sailing-transmitted diseases. 13. If you want to watch Sailing on television, you don't have to subscribe to the Playboy channel. 14. Nobody expects you to Sail with the same partner for the rest of your life. 15. Nobody expects you to give up Sailing if your partner loses interest in it. 16. Your Sailing partner will never say, "Not again? We just Sailed last week! Is Sailing all you ever think about?"
I'll get a report and results on last Sunday's final midweek Fall Series race out to you soon but I realized that the results got corrupted when I reran them last night. So, I'll have to stop by the club and fix the results before I can send them out.
Last night was the first race of the three-race Captain Morgan's Series. A beautiful evening just approaching a full moon but with fairly light easterly winds that had been dieing off in the late afternoon. John and Judy Greiner are serving their traditional role of Race Committee for the entire three-week series (thanks tons, Greiners!) and decided to limit the race to out to the Center Mark and back. As it turned out, a very good choice. The course set up as a good (if slow) beat from West to Center, a 1.4 mile leg, and then a run back to the finish for only 2.8 miles total but enough given the conditions. We have inverted the starts for the Morgans Series so JAM B (9 boats) then A (7 boats) preceeds PHRF C (8 boats), B (8 boats) and finally A (9boats). A very nice turnout, but then what would you expect when we are finally getting down to the serious prospect of racing for real prizes: RUM! The inverted starting order makes for lots of good passing opportunities on the race course, both upwind and down and gives you the opportunity to see some of the fleet you might not otherwise get to sail close to during the balance of the season.
The beat was pretty square and had slightly lumpy leftover chop from the earlier wind of the day so figuring out your best boatspeed to weather was king. The downwind leg provided opportunities to research what angles your boat would go quickest in light apparent wind. The Jammers turned at the Center mark and mostly went wing-and-wing straight to the finish. The spinnaker boats exhibited lots of options: some straight down, some reaching off to the left, other parts of the fleet reaching away to the right side of the course. Eventually everybody found their way back together at the finish line with plenty of overlaps to keep the race committee busy guessing who would be ahead of whom. Jim and Chris Davis's Orange Crate led the parade getting the first gun of the evening by a few seconds over Andrew Regan's Rocket Science
In JAM B, from 9th to 1st, it was Seahawk, Full Ride, Caprice, Fiasco, Aftermath2, Autumn Wind, BeachComber3, Super Zena and Jamaican Me Crazy, Chris Kretz's Catalina 22 that took the measure of the class.
IN JAM A, 7th to 1st were the Hunter 460 (sorry, I need to find out who you guys are), Baci, Double O Seven, Breakaway, Mega, Rocket Science and Orange Crate.
PHRF C saw 8th to 1st as La Chiva, Flak Bait, Sophia, Saving Grace, Orange Barrel, Defender, Wildcat and Laszlo Goda's Splash Dance taking the win.
In PHRF B, 8th to 1st was Group Therapy, Wicked, Foghorn, Liberty, Consigliere, Baby Clown, Send in the Clowns, and Wizard bringing out the guns to climb to the top of the podium.
IN PHRF A, 9th to 1st were Three Niner (showing some radical angles downwind, especially on port jibe), Holy Toledo, Legs-A-Shakin, Jubilate Deo, Fupastank, Natural High, Time Machine, Abracadabra and Bad Fish.
Thanks all for coming out on a great evening. See you the next two Wednesdays.
Don't forget this weekend's events:
FRIDAY Full Moon JAM Race at 7:00 PM. Pizza and salad afterwards available at the club.
SATURDAY: Dedication Day Race to Port Clinton 9:00 AM Start time. Registration Friday night or before 8:00 AM Saturday.
SUNDAY: PCYC's Green Island Race. Registration info available on-line at http://www.portclintonyachtclub.com/SailingInfo.htm
Have a great weekend!
News and Notes: Sunday August 30th Midweek Race
Well, Labor Day weekend is upon us: the traditional end of the Summer season and the beginning of Fall on the water. We surrendered our summer hopes at home and gave up on our above ground pool last weekend, the water temperature was never going to recover with our 50 degree nights. But what better reminder of Fall on the Great Lakes than the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. For those of you who don't have time for Gordon Lightfoot's epic version of the storytelling, here is a slightly shorter version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfHJ_G5V0M0&feature=PlayList&p=AB001B8CD5C604C5&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=21
I wasn't able to make last Sunday's midweek race due to a family birthday celebration and the desire to remain in the will. You know how that goes. But Sunday was the sixth race of the Fall Series and the final Sunday Potluck Race in our slightly expanded version of Wednesday Night Racing this season. For those of you who have chosen to not pay attention, let me beat you over the head with it one last time. In addition to the normal five Wednesday nights of each of the Spring, Summer and Fall series we opted to add a Sunday afternoon version to each series. Eacxh of the Sundays was followed by a potluck for the racers. I think the concept was pretty well received by the participants and was a worthwhile addition to our calendar. There is some thought that perhaps next year consideration be given to tweaking it into a separate series of once-per-month-Sunday-afternoon races. It's an idea worth exploring. Stay tuned.
With 24 boats participating, it was another good turnout.
In JAM B, La Chiva was 3rd, Beach Comber3 was 2nd and Mike Bellg's Fiasco took 1str place.
In JAM A, in a six boat class, Tyrannous was 3rd, Breakaway was 2nd and 1st place went to Orange Crate.
In PHRF C, Splash Dance was the 2nd place S2 meat in a J30 sandwich between Sophia in 3rd and Wildcat in 1st.
In PHRF B, with eight boats on the line, Baby Clown took 3rd behind a close battle between 2nd place Full Tilt and 1st place Wizard.
And in PHRF A, with 007 performing race committee duties (thanks Rick and crew!) it was Jubilate Deo in 2nd with Abracadabra in 1st place.
Overalls went to Orange Crate in JAM and Wizard in PHRF.
Thanks to all who were willing to give a new idea a try and helped make the Sunday races a success this year, both the race committees and you racers too.
Two more weeks of Wednesday Night Morgans Races. Don't miss them. It was great to see a couple of different boats out on the water for those races. Don't forget the first start is at 6:45 PM.
And though I know you don't need to be reminded of coming events, I get my hand slapped by the powers that be whenever I don't fulfill all my Yachting Activities Chair obligations of sharing information: so, tonight (Friday September 4th) is a Full Moon JAM Race on the actual Full Moon night this month, it promises to be a good one. Tomorrow, (Saturday September 5th) is the Dedication Race to Port Clinton (9:00 AM start, register tonight at the club or tomorrow before 8:00 AM) and Sunday (September 6th) is the Green Island Race. Monday you can cut your grass or join me in the walk across the Mackinac Bridge.
Have fun this weekend.
I wasn't able to make last Sunday's midweek race due to a family birthday celebration and the desire to remain in the will. You know how that goes. But Sunday was the sixth race of the Fall Series and the final Sunday Potluck Race in our slightly expanded version of Wednesday Night Racing this season. For those of you who have chosen to not pay attention, let me beat you over the head with it one last time. In addition to the normal five Wednesday nights of each of the Spring, Summer and Fall series we opted to add a Sunday afternoon version to each series. Eacxh of the Sundays was followed by a potluck for the racers. I think the concept was pretty well received by the participants and was a worthwhile addition to our calendar. There is some thought that perhaps next year consideration be given to tweaking it into a separate series of once-per-month-Sunday-afternoon races. It's an idea worth exploring. Stay tuned.
With 24 boats participating, it was another good turnout.
In JAM B, La Chiva was 3rd, Beach Comber3 was 2nd and Mike Bellg's Fiasco took 1str place.
In JAM A, in a six boat class, Tyrannous was 3rd, Breakaway was 2nd and 1st place went to Orange Crate.
In PHRF C, Splash Dance was the 2nd place S2 meat in a J30 sandwich between Sophia in 3rd and Wildcat in 1st.
In PHRF B, with eight boats on the line, Baby Clown took 3rd behind a close battle between 2nd place Full Tilt and 1st place Wizard.
And in PHRF A, with 007 performing race committee duties (thanks Rick and crew!) it was Jubilate Deo in 2nd with Abracadabra in 1st place.
Overalls went to Orange Crate in JAM and Wizard in PHRF.
Thanks to all who were willing to give a new idea a try and helped make the Sunday races a success this year, both the race committees and you racers too.
Two more weeks of Wednesday Night Morgans Races. Don't miss them. It was great to see a couple of different boats out on the water for those races. Don't forget the first start is at 6:45 PM.
And though I know you don't need to be reminded of coming events, I get my hand slapped by the powers that be whenever I don't fulfill all my Yachting Activities Chair obligations of sharing information: so, tonight (Friday September 4th) is a Full Moon JAM Race on the actual Full Moon night this month, it promises to be a good one. Tomorrow, (Saturday September 5th) is the Dedication Race to Port Clinton (9:00 AM start, register tonight at the club or tomorrow before 8:00 AM) and Sunday (September 6th) is the Green Island Race. Monday you can cut your grass or join me in the walk across the Mackinac Bridge.
Have fun this weekend.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Notes and Reults: 31st Annual Irene Southworth Memorial Race
I'd like to give you a report on the Irene Race but unfortunately my dress was still at the cleaners and I had to miss the event. I long for those days when I had a whole wardrobe full of outfits for any occasion but unfortunately my cross-dressing days are mostly behind me now. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReJHZFge7n4 Also I broke a nail during Wednesday night's race and I'm just sick about it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jHpBkPcCl0
But seriously, last Saturday was the 31st Annual Irene Southworth Memorial Ladies Race at North Cape Yacht Club. This race dates from a time when women were much more the exception rather than the rule on racing sailboats and the race was started to help provide a venue wherein the women of North Cape could have an opportunity to race without an undue perceived pressure of competing against the men in the other races at the club. While I didn't personally know Irene, my understanding was that she was a real supporter of women's participation in racing and this race is a celebration of her memory. I suspect that at one time this annual event may have provided one of the few opportunities for the women of the club to "show their stuff" on the race course and this event regularly gathered a good number of boats with exclusively female crews. Over the course of years, as we all recognize and appreciate (at least I know I do) women have become a regular and valued part of our local racing crews and thus the concept of "women racing" doesn't provide the novelty and perhaps allure it once did. Over the years as participation began to wane, modifications were made to the rules of this event to encourage more boats to participate. Where once we had both Spinnaker and Jam classes and only women on board the boats, now all boats race Jib and Main. A Cruising Class was added to allow one male to be on board but not allowed to participate in the actual sailing during the race and then more recently a 50/50 Class where an entrant could have as many men as there were women on board, and the men could participate in the sailing with the restriction that only women were allowed to helm the boat during the race.
However even with the changes, this annual celebration is still a valued part of our summer sailing season here at North Cape and does provide us with the opportunity to see some boats out on the race course that otherwise are not present in any of our annual races. This year eleven boats participated in the event. Two in the JAM class of women only; three boats were in the Cruising Class that allows one male on board and six boats entered the 50/50 Class.
Race day dawned cloudy and unusually cool for what our August has been thus far. Joan O'Connell commented that it looked like we were having an Irene Snowflurries race this year. But the wind was present for a good day of sailing for our participants.
In JAM, Cindy Cherry's Full Ride took top marks with Judy Greiner's Red Cloud in second place.
In Cruising Class, first place went to Colleen Philips' Orange Burst, with Paula Nels' Hobby Sox in 2nd and Donna Eichbauer's Alibi in 3rd.
In the 50/50 Class, 6th place was Cindy Degolier's Lola, 5th went to Joan O'Connell's Tyrannous, 4th was taken by Robin Horvath's Erie Grog, the 3rd place flag was won by Barb Jordan's Liberty, 2nd place was gathered in by Michelle Porter's Jubilate Deo, and the winner of the largest class was Elizabeth Swisher's Jagen.
Following the race we were treated to a great meal prepared by the men of the club and then another appearance by Crucial 420, the reggae band that was such a hit at the Commodore Perry Race party.
Thanks to Kristen Kania for organizing this event and to one and all who participated in this annual tradition.
Kent Gardam
But seriously, last Saturday was the 31st Annual Irene Southworth Memorial Ladies Race at North Cape Yacht Club. This race dates from a time when women were much more the exception rather than the rule on racing sailboats and the race was started to help provide a venue wherein the women of North Cape could have an opportunity to race without an undue perceived pressure of competing against the men in the other races at the club. While I didn't personally know Irene, my understanding was that she was a real supporter of women's participation in racing and this race is a celebration of her memory. I suspect that at one time this annual event may have provided one of the few opportunities for the women of the club to "show their stuff" on the race course and this event regularly gathered a good number of boats with exclusively female crews. Over the course of years, as we all recognize and appreciate (at least I know I do) women have become a regular and valued part of our local racing crews and thus the concept of "women racing" doesn't provide the novelty and perhaps allure it once did. Over the years as participation began to wane, modifications were made to the rules of this event to encourage more boats to participate. Where once we had both Spinnaker and Jam classes and only women on board the boats, now all boats race Jib and Main. A Cruising Class was added to allow one male to be on board but not allowed to participate in the actual sailing during the race and then more recently a 50/50 Class where an entrant could have as many men as there were women on board, and the men could participate in the sailing with the restriction that only women were allowed to helm the boat during the race.
However even with the changes, this annual celebration is still a valued part of our summer sailing season here at North Cape and does provide us with the opportunity to see some boats out on the race course that otherwise are not present in any of our annual races. This year eleven boats participated in the event. Two in the JAM class of women only; three boats were in the Cruising Class that allows one male on board and six boats entered the 50/50 Class.
Race day dawned cloudy and unusually cool for what our August has been thus far. Joan O'Connell commented that it looked like we were having an Irene Snowflurries race this year. But the wind was present for a good day of sailing for our participants.
In JAM, Cindy Cherry's Full Ride took top marks with Judy Greiner's Red Cloud in second place.
In Cruising Class, first place went to Colleen Philips' Orange Burst, with Paula Nels' Hobby Sox in 2nd and Donna Eichbauer's Alibi in 3rd.
In the 50/50 Class, 6th place was Cindy Degolier's Lola, 5th went to Joan O'Connell's Tyrannous, 4th was taken by Robin Horvath's Erie Grog, the 3rd place flag was won by Barb Jordan's Liberty, 2nd place was gathered in by Michelle Porter's Jubilate Deo, and the winner of the largest class was Elizabeth Swisher's Jagen.
Following the race we were treated to a great meal prepared by the men of the club and then another appearance by Crucial 420, the reggae band that was such a hit at the Commodore Perry Race party.
Thanks to Kristen Kania for organizing this event and to one and all who participated in this annual tradition.
Kent Gardam
Notes and Results: Wednesday August 19th
This week's Wednesday night race seems like it was almost a week ago. Okay, it was almost a week ago and I'm behind. My crew tells me I'm a little behind all the time. Well, at least that's the way I choose to interpret what they are saying. "Behind", "ass", they mean the same thing don't they?
Anywho, before we get to Wednesday's race, this weekend was the Trans Erie Race from Grosse Ile to Erie Pennsylvania. North Cape wasn't as well represented as it has been in some years, but those who went showed their stuff. Bill Bollin's Badfish reveled in the conditions and led the way in a sportboat assault on the course with an overall win in a record setting run of 15 hours and 40 minutes for the 140 nautical miles, an average of 9 knots including a couple of hours of little wind! Check out this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2q5bF5HWLs4 from www.dieballsailing.com . Big time fun. That Melges 32 is not your typical 4KSB (if you know what I mean) or your father's Oldsmobile for that matter either. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDUrQS1C7dg . Results are attached.
Now back to our regularly scheduled feature. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sudrqrCxQQ Wednesday night's race was overcast but at least had more wind than last week. What is it about gray days that makes it seem like it's windier than it really is? It weas blowing about 11 to 12 but a number of boats were trying out their smaller jibs, even us, we went with a #2 although could have easily carried the #1. Course #2 took the spinnaker boats on a weather leg to East and then a chute run to North followed by a tight reach back to the finish at West. The Jammers beat to the Center Mark, turned left for a reach to the North and then back West. The first two legs were fairly uneventful. I think we went a little too far right with the leg slightly favored on the left side of the course. Figures, last week the right corner paid off. Our decision to go with the smaller shouldered reaching chute proving to be a decent choice for the fairly tight reach of the second leg. It seemed to be as fast with less drama than its bigger shouldered cousin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isM22ba4lVw .
We turned the corner at North to find that most of the fleet had decided that jibs made sense for the last leg. There were a few chutes up in front of us including the big black number on Presto. It took us a little while to square our act away but once we were dialed in, it proved to be a fairly easy chute leg after all. A little before the finish we saw Fred Hibbert's Fearless going the opposite way (northerly) alongside the race course with the sails being lowered. Hmmm, strange. But no visible signs of disress from the crew that we noticed. Dick Frazier's Sweet Carmela who was just ahead of us (and flying a jib instead of a chute) opted to go back to see what if anything Fearless needed. When we reached the finish a quick look over my shoulder confirmed that both boats were still back there and not headed in so we dropped sails and motored back up the course to see what was up. By the time we got there, Carmela had Fearless in tow and Fearless wass playing "crack the whip" in the waves at the end of the towline. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1nsz3pK6i4 The Fearless crew was gathered in the cockpit and didn't look all that happy about the situation. Tiller in hand, no rudder in the water. So what's more useless than a rudder broken off at water level? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-u9u_B_4OQ Okay, so now what? We motored up alongside Carmela (being careful to avoid getting tagged by Fearless http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHebZgv2_ck ) . Carmela suggested we take a line from our bow to Fearless's stern to try to slow the oscillations. Okay, done, with little discernible effect. We eventually figured out that by us motoring slowly in reverse with Carmela powering forward we could keep just enough tension on Fearless's bow and stern lines that we could keep them moderately under control. The only downside to that manuver is that Fred's formerly twenty-six foot long boat is now stretched to about thirty-two. Oh well, he was thinking about trading up anyway. At least we succeeded in getting them back in the cut!
In PHRF A, the night's festivities went to Holy Toledo sneaking in nine seconds in front of Abracadabra with Fupastank in 3rd.
PHRF B Full TIlt took honors in front of Red Cloud with Rodger and Carolyn Dutton's White Star showing excellent speed in 3rd.
PHRF C saw Rob Fox's J22, Defender, take the measure of the J30s with Robert Crumley's Sophia in 2nd and Wildcat in 3rd.
JAM A saw the orange boats take it to the red boats this week. MEGA in 1st, Orange Crate in 2nd, and Breakawy edging out Tyrannous for 3rd.
JAM B had Aftermath2 first, Dick Hamilton's La Chiva 2nd, and Bill Comber's Beach Comber in 3rd.
Overalls went to MEGA in JAM and a popular wind by Defender in PHRF.
Believe it or not, there are only two more of our regular midweek series races left, this Wednesday the 26th followed by our Sunday potluck race on the 30th. The Sunday race starts at 1:00 PM.
After that the next three Wednesdays are the Captain Morgans Series. We race out to one mark of the race committee's choice and return to the west mark for a two legged race as darkness tries its best to intrude on our fun.
Where, oh where is my underwear, errr, I mean, has summer gone?
For those of you planning a little ahead, Labor Day weekend will bring a Full Moon Friday fun race, the Dedication Race on Saturday to Port Clinton, and then the Green Island Race on Sunday. Hope to see you for one or more of those events!
Kent
Anywho, before we get to Wednesday's race, this weekend was the Trans Erie Race from Grosse Ile to Erie Pennsylvania. North Cape wasn't as well represented as it has been in some years, but those who went showed their stuff. Bill Bollin's Badfish reveled in the conditions and led the way in a sportboat assault on the course with an overall win in a record setting run of 15 hours and 40 minutes for the 140 nautical miles, an average of 9 knots including a couple of hours of little wind! Check out this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2q5bF5HWLs4 from www.dieballsailing.com . Big time fun. That Melges 32 is not your typical 4KSB (if you know what I mean) or your father's Oldsmobile for that matter either. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDUrQS1C7dg . Results are attached.
Now back to our regularly scheduled feature. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sudrqrCxQQ Wednesday night's race was overcast but at least had more wind than last week. What is it about gray days that makes it seem like it's windier than it really is? It weas blowing about 11 to 12 but a number of boats were trying out their smaller jibs, even us, we went with a #2 although could have easily carried the #1. Course #2 took the spinnaker boats on a weather leg to East and then a chute run to North followed by a tight reach back to the finish at West. The Jammers beat to the Center Mark, turned left for a reach to the North and then back West. The first two legs were fairly uneventful. I think we went a little too far right with the leg slightly favored on the left side of the course. Figures, last week the right corner paid off. Our decision to go with the smaller shouldered reaching chute proving to be a decent choice for the fairly tight reach of the second leg. It seemed to be as fast with less drama than its bigger shouldered cousin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isM22ba4lVw .
We turned the corner at North to find that most of the fleet had decided that jibs made sense for the last leg. There were a few chutes up in front of us including the big black number on Presto. It took us a little while to square our act away but once we were dialed in, it proved to be a fairly easy chute leg after all. A little before the finish we saw Fred Hibbert's Fearless going the opposite way (northerly) alongside the race course with the sails being lowered. Hmmm, strange. But no visible signs of disress from the crew that we noticed. Dick Frazier's Sweet Carmela who was just ahead of us (and flying a jib instead of a chute) opted to go back to see what if anything Fearless needed. When we reached the finish a quick look over my shoulder confirmed that both boats were still back there and not headed in so we dropped sails and motored back up the course to see what was up. By the time we got there, Carmela had Fearless in tow and Fearless wass playing "crack the whip" in the waves at the end of the towline. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1nsz3pK6i4 The Fearless crew was gathered in the cockpit and didn't look all that happy about the situation. Tiller in hand, no rudder in the water. So what's more useless than a rudder broken off at water level? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-u9u_B_4OQ Okay, so now what? We motored up alongside Carmela (being careful to avoid getting tagged by Fearless http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHebZgv2_ck ) . Carmela suggested we take a line from our bow to Fearless's stern to try to slow the oscillations. Okay, done, with little discernible effect. We eventually figured out that by us motoring slowly in reverse with Carmela powering forward we could keep just enough tension on Fearless's bow and stern lines that we could keep them moderately under control. The only downside to that manuver is that Fred's formerly twenty-six foot long boat is now stretched to about thirty-two. Oh well, he was thinking about trading up anyway. At least we succeeded in getting them back in the cut!
In PHRF A, the night's festivities went to Holy Toledo sneaking in nine seconds in front of Abracadabra with Fupastank in 3rd.
PHRF B Full TIlt took honors in front of Red Cloud with Rodger and Carolyn Dutton's White Star showing excellent speed in 3rd.
PHRF C saw Rob Fox's J22, Defender, take the measure of the J30s with Robert Crumley's Sophia in 2nd and Wildcat in 3rd.
JAM A saw the orange boats take it to the red boats this week. MEGA in 1st, Orange Crate in 2nd, and Breakawy edging out Tyrannous for 3rd.
JAM B had Aftermath2 first, Dick Hamilton's La Chiva 2nd, and Bill Comber's Beach Comber in 3rd.
Overalls went to MEGA in JAM and a popular wind by Defender in PHRF.
Believe it or not, there are only two more of our regular midweek series races left, this Wednesday the 26th followed by our Sunday potluck race on the 30th. The Sunday race starts at 1:00 PM.
After that the next three Wednesdays are the Captain Morgans Series. We race out to one mark of the race committee's choice and return to the west mark for a two legged race as darkness tries its best to intrude on our fun.
Where, oh where is my underwear, errr, I mean, has summer gone?
For those of you planning a little ahead, Labor Day weekend will bring a Full Moon Friday fun race, the Dedication Race on Saturday to Port Clinton, and then the Green Island Race on Sunday. Hope to see you for one or more of those events!
Kent
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Doublehanded Race: August 15, 2009
Okay, I've got some catching up to do. I owe you some race reports and I'm a week behind. So let's get started with last Saturday's Doublehanded Race.
Thirty teams of two were entered in North Cape's annual Doublehanded Race. This year the race was one weekend later than our traditional slot of the Saturday after the Bay Week regatta. We had moved to accommodate a request from Ford Yacht Club to avoid the same day as their regatta. We'll evaluate whether there is any real conflict for the future. But as it turned out this year the Saturday after Bay Week was rainy almost all day long and might not have been that great for the doublehanders. Saturday August 15th, however, dawned bright and warm if not just plain hot. A nice day? Well, yeah, if lack of wind was not a concern to you. Cris and Leanna Hastin and Helene Weber joined my on Foghorn for Race Committee duties. We, and 30 boats worth of racing partners, set up at the West Mark and looked for some wind to attempt the 15 miles for PHRF boats and 10.5 for the Jammers. It was light pretty much everywhere but we could see some wind just to our south and it appeared to be making its way in our direction. John Greiner drifted by the committee and lobbied for a two-hour delay because of the light wind because John really doesn't like light air (remember that for later!) But on the RC boat we felt that the 4 knots of wind we were seeing was enough to get things underway and the forecast didn't really promise a whole lot more later that would make a postponement a worthwhile gamble. So at 10:00 AM we had the sequence underway. Three classes of PHRF and three more of JAM got moving off the line, and, if not spritely, at least they were headed in the right direction toward the first mark of the course, the Harborlight. A five mile leg that started off the wind and eventually became a weather leg and seemed to go on forever for the racers. Back on the start line the wind was light but steady, generally four knots, sometimes five, occasionally six. Bet those out on the race course would have loved to have seen that much for most of the race! Club members stopped on by in powerboats to see what if anything was going on, wandered out on the racecourse and would report back on their return: not much happening out there on the lake. After a couple of hours or so boats were around the Harborlight and heading for their second marks, R10 on the channel for the spinnaker kids and the East Mark for the white sails fleet. Another long leg, at least in time if not distance, and then a turn for home and the finish at the West Mark. By this time the wind had gotten to a pretty solid 6 to 8 at the finish line. Out on the race course it was lighter but somewhat better than it had been earlier. A downwind leg and finally the agony was over after six plus hours for most of the fleet. No speed records were set on this day.
Maybe next year we should look at an option that provides us with an alternative course that uses some of the marks closer to the shore. It might mean a few more legs and resulting sail changes for the shorthanded crews but in conditions like we experienced it could mean a much quicker and more interesting race.
In JAM C, Todd Hartmann and Ken "Yoda" Kania Jr. took the measure of the class with Dan Sadoski and Melissa Schmitt of JRSC in Look Far in 2nd and Rich and Cindy Cherry bringing Full Ride home in 3rd.
JAM B went to Les and Ryan Lashaway in Mega over Jonathon and Tim Vosler in Aftermath2 in 2nd and Elizabeth and Tim Swisher borrowing Tyrannous to come home 3rd.
In JAM A, Bill Sommers and Gary Bernard brought Breakaway home in 1st only 11 seconds in front of Jim and Chris Davis's Orange Crate in 2nd and Rodger Dutton and Dale Roberts in 3rd in White Star.
PHRF C saw Jody Kjoller and Charlie Johnson 1st in Jody's Kirby 25 named Roschambo for the occasion. 2nd was Norm and Jim GLadieux's Saving Grace with 3rd going to Jeffrey Gordon and Max Frati in Presto.
PHRF B found John Greiner and grandson Brian Goldberg on board Red Cloud in 1st, Dick Frazier and Jamie Matuszak in Sweet Carmela in 2nd and Paul Hickman and Ben Mercer gaining 3rd place aboard Splash Dance while owner Laszlo Goda was busily occupied preparing his famous Hunky Turkey dinner for the racers after the event.
In PHRF A, Steve Attard and his daughter Kristen brought home Viva Las Vegas in 1st. Fritz Peterson and Jim Meehan's Heartbreaker approached the finish line overlapped with Mark and Lynne Melchior's Full Tilt. Both boats rated the same and were racing for position. With Heartbreaker on starboard to Full Tilt's port approach, Full Tilt was forced to give way and Heartbreaker finished 2nd to Full Tilt's 3rd.
Overalls went to Mega in JAM and to Red Cloud in PHRF. Remember how Greiner said he hated light air and couldn't be competitive in it? Uh huh, right John.
The Doublehanded Race also awards flags to the highest placing male/female crews. In PHRF the winners were Steve and Kristen Attard of Viva Las Vegas and our JAM winners were Jim and Chris Davis of Orange Crate.
Thanks everyone for coming out on a slow but challenging day and for sticking with the race. Hope to see you next year on a faster course!
Kent Gardam
Thirty teams of two were entered in North Cape's annual Doublehanded Race. This year the race was one weekend later than our traditional slot of the Saturday after the Bay Week regatta. We had moved to accommodate a request from Ford Yacht Club to avoid the same day as their regatta. We'll evaluate whether there is any real conflict for the future. But as it turned out this year the Saturday after Bay Week was rainy almost all day long and might not have been that great for the doublehanders. Saturday August 15th, however, dawned bright and warm if not just plain hot. A nice day? Well, yeah, if lack of wind was not a concern to you. Cris and Leanna Hastin and Helene Weber joined my on Foghorn for Race Committee duties. We, and 30 boats worth of racing partners, set up at the West Mark and looked for some wind to attempt the 15 miles for PHRF boats and 10.5 for the Jammers. It was light pretty much everywhere but we could see some wind just to our south and it appeared to be making its way in our direction. John Greiner drifted by the committee and lobbied for a two-hour delay because of the light wind because John really doesn't like light air (remember that for later!) But on the RC boat we felt that the 4 knots of wind we were seeing was enough to get things underway and the forecast didn't really promise a whole lot more later that would make a postponement a worthwhile gamble. So at 10:00 AM we had the sequence underway. Three classes of PHRF and three more of JAM got moving off the line, and, if not spritely, at least they were headed in the right direction toward the first mark of the course, the Harborlight. A five mile leg that started off the wind and eventually became a weather leg and seemed to go on forever for the racers. Back on the start line the wind was light but steady, generally four knots, sometimes five, occasionally six. Bet those out on the race course would have loved to have seen that much for most of the race! Club members stopped on by in powerboats to see what if anything was going on, wandered out on the racecourse and would report back on their return: not much happening out there on the lake. After a couple of hours or so boats were around the Harborlight and heading for their second marks, R10 on the channel for the spinnaker kids and the East Mark for the white sails fleet. Another long leg, at least in time if not distance, and then a turn for home and the finish at the West Mark. By this time the wind had gotten to a pretty solid 6 to 8 at the finish line. Out on the race course it was lighter but somewhat better than it had been earlier. A downwind leg and finally the agony was over after six plus hours for most of the fleet. No speed records were set on this day.
Maybe next year we should look at an option that provides us with an alternative course that uses some of the marks closer to the shore. It might mean a few more legs and resulting sail changes for the shorthanded crews but in conditions like we experienced it could mean a much quicker and more interesting race.
In JAM C, Todd Hartmann and Ken "Yoda" Kania Jr. took the measure of the class with Dan Sadoski and Melissa Schmitt of JRSC in Look Far in 2nd and Rich and Cindy Cherry bringing Full Ride home in 3rd.
JAM B went to Les and Ryan Lashaway in Mega over Jonathon and Tim Vosler in Aftermath2 in 2nd and Elizabeth and Tim Swisher borrowing Tyrannous to come home 3rd.
In JAM A, Bill Sommers and Gary Bernard brought Breakaway home in 1st only 11 seconds in front of Jim and Chris Davis's Orange Crate in 2nd and Rodger Dutton and Dale Roberts in 3rd in White Star.
PHRF C saw Jody Kjoller and Charlie Johnson 1st in Jody's Kirby 25 named Roschambo for the occasion. 2nd was Norm and Jim GLadieux's Saving Grace with 3rd going to Jeffrey Gordon and Max Frati in Presto.
PHRF B found John Greiner and grandson Brian Goldberg on board Red Cloud in 1st, Dick Frazier and Jamie Matuszak in Sweet Carmela in 2nd and Paul Hickman and Ben Mercer gaining 3rd place aboard Splash Dance while owner Laszlo Goda was busily occupied preparing his famous Hunky Turkey dinner for the racers after the event.
In PHRF A, Steve Attard and his daughter Kristen brought home Viva Las Vegas in 1st. Fritz Peterson and Jim Meehan's Heartbreaker approached the finish line overlapped with Mark and Lynne Melchior's Full Tilt. Both boats rated the same and were racing for position. With Heartbreaker on starboard to Full Tilt's port approach, Full Tilt was forced to give way and Heartbreaker finished 2nd to Full Tilt's 3rd.
Overalls went to Mega in JAM and to Red Cloud in PHRF. Remember how Greiner said he hated light air and couldn't be competitive in it? Uh huh, right John.
The Doublehanded Race also awards flags to the highest placing male/female crews. In PHRF the winners were Steve and Kristen Attard of Viva Las Vegas and our JAM winners were Jim and Chris Davis of Orange Crate.
Thanks everyone for coming out on a slow but challenging day and for sticking with the race. Hope to see you next year on a faster course!
Kent Gardam
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Notes and results: Wednesday August 12th
Well, I guess we were due. It took til the 15th midweek race of the season before we had our first really light air night. Not quite a drifter, but certainly not a quick race either. Thankfully, although it resembled it, this race didn't last as long as the four days of my Chicago Mackinac experience this year.
Forty-seven boats participated last night. I think that's a season high. Thanks everybody for supporting North Cape's Midweek Program!
Before the race the wind direction kept flaking around, easterly, southerly, southeasterly. Jonathon Vosler and his Aftermath2 crew picked a tough night to be race committee. We consulted and chose Course #2 (East and then North; Center and North for JAM, marks to Port). No that wasn't going to work, the wind moved southerly and there wouldn't be a weather leg. Okay, then how about Course #3 (North and then South; North and Center for JAM, Marks to Starboard). By the time Aftermath2 picked up anchor and reset on the other side of the West mark the wind moved back to the southeast. Okay, one more try: Course #4 (South and then North, South and Center for the JAM fleet, Marks to Port). Aftermath2 was up with the anchor and moving again. This time the wind decided to stay fairly steady from the southeast. Thanks for being a good sport, Jonathon. So once again we were off to the South Mark for the first leg of the course. That's been happening a lot this year. This time however, it was a loooong weather leg. Two miles to weather at 2 to 3 knots or so ain't happening quickly! Most of the spinnaker fleet pack converged at the South Mark and journeyed together to North.with the JAM boats eventually finding their way to the Center Mark and a welcome turn for the finish line.
It was well after dark before much of the fleet finished and well after most people had gone home before I got a chance to crank out some results which are attached to this email. Congratulations to all the winners and also to everyone who came out to enjoy a quiet evening!
In PHRF A, Abracadabra pretended that there was plenty of wind and cruised to 1st. Mojito rode their subtle lime green chute to 2nd and Fupastank edged out the rest of the fleet for 3rd.
In PHRF B, John Kosmalski's J80 took the honors with a convincing win over Full Tilt in 2nd and Wizard in 3rd.
In PHRF C, Laszlo and the boys romped home in 1st, with Presto using their black chute to advantage for 2nd and Defender in 3rd. Apparently that class has finally found a way to beat the J30s, just sail on nights with no wind!
JAM A found Breakaway breaking away from the orange boats for the win with Mega in 2nd and Orange Crate in 3rd.
JAM B went to La Chiva in 1st over Beach Comber3 in 2nd.
In the overalls, PHRF was 1st Abracadabra, 2nd Mojito, and 3rd went to the J80. JAM was taken by Breakaway with Mega and Orange Crate in 2nd and 3rd.
Hope to see you all this weekend at the Doublehanded Race!
Kent
Forty-seven boats participated last night. I think that's a season high. Thanks everybody for supporting North Cape's Midweek Program!
Before the race the wind direction kept flaking around, easterly, southerly, southeasterly. Jonathon Vosler and his Aftermath2 crew picked a tough night to be race committee. We consulted and chose Course #2 (East and then North; Center and North for JAM, marks to Port). No that wasn't going to work, the wind moved southerly and there wouldn't be a weather leg. Okay, then how about Course #3 (North and then South; North and Center for JAM, Marks to Starboard). By the time Aftermath2 picked up anchor and reset on the other side of the West mark the wind moved back to the southeast. Okay, one more try: Course #4 (South and then North, South and Center for the JAM fleet, Marks to Port). Aftermath2 was up with the anchor and moving again. This time the wind decided to stay fairly steady from the southeast. Thanks for being a good sport, Jonathon. So once again we were off to the South Mark for the first leg of the course. That's been happening a lot this year. This time however, it was a loooong weather leg. Two miles to weather at 2 to 3 knots or so ain't happening quickly! Most of the spinnaker fleet pack converged at the South Mark and journeyed together to North.with the JAM boats eventually finding their way to the Center Mark and a welcome turn for the finish line.
It was well after dark before much of the fleet finished and well after most people had gone home before I got a chance to crank out some results which are attached to this email. Congratulations to all the winners and also to everyone who came out to enjoy a quiet evening!
In PHRF A, Abracadabra pretended that there was plenty of wind and cruised to 1st. Mojito rode their subtle lime green chute to 2nd and Fupastank edged out the rest of the fleet for 3rd.
In PHRF B, John Kosmalski's J80 took the honors with a convincing win over Full Tilt in 2nd and Wizard in 3rd.
In PHRF C, Laszlo and the boys romped home in 1st, with Presto using their black chute to advantage for 2nd and Defender in 3rd. Apparently that class has finally found a way to beat the J30s, just sail on nights with no wind!
JAM A found Breakaway breaking away from the orange boats for the win with Mega in 2nd and Orange Crate in 3rd.
JAM B went to La Chiva in 1st over Beach Comber3 in 2nd.
In the overalls, PHRF was 1st Abracadabra, 2nd Mojito, and 3rd went to the J80. JAM was taken by Breakaway with Mega and Orange Crate in 2nd and 3rd.
Hope to see you all this weekend at the Doublehanded Race!
Kent
Coming Events: Ford Nite Race, NCYC Doublehanded, and MBC Ladies Race
And now, coming events:
Three racing opportunities this weekend:
1) NCYC's Doublehanded Race is this Saturday August 15th.
2) Info on the Ford Nite Race on Friday August 15th:
Ford Yacht Club Nite Race, Starts 20:00 hours (8:00 PM EDT) Friday evening, August 14, until ??
Don't miss this AYC counter race. Around the Detroit Light, East Channel Marker and Colchester Reef light. Sailing Instructions: http://www.fordyachtclub.com => Sailing Tab Application form at the top and bottom of the page: http://www.fordyachtclub.com/Sailing/RaceApplication09_7-7-2009.doc
3) The Monroe Boat Club Ladies Race is this Sunday.
Three racing opportunities this weekend:
1) NCYC's Doublehanded Race is this Saturday August 15th.
2) Info on the Ford Nite Race on Friday August 15th:
Ford Yacht Club Nite Race, Starts 20:00 hours (8:00 PM EDT) Friday evening, August 14, until ??
Don't miss this AYC counter race. Around the Detroit Light, East Channel Marker and Colchester Reef light. Sailing Instructions: http://www.fordyachtclub.com => Sailing Tab Application form at the top and bottom of the page: http://www.fordyachtclub.com/Sailing/RaceApplication09_7-7-2009.doc
3) The Monroe Boat Club Ladies Race is this Sunday.
I-LYA BayWeek and Toledo Deepwater results
The first of three separate posts today. This one has the results that I just received for the Toledo Deepwater Race and the Bay Week Regatta for both Handicap and One-Designs attached.
Congratulations to the following local boats on their results:
TOLEDO DEEPWATER
PHRF A
1st Lynx
2nd Abracadabra
3rd Wizard
PHRF B
1st Wildcat (by just two seconds!)
2nd Consigliere (so close!)
3rd Red Cloud
PHRF Overall
1st Wildcat (by those two seconds!)
2nd Consigliere
3rd Red Cloud
JAM A
1st Jagen
2nd Erie Grog
JAM B
1st Full Ride
2nd Cracker Jack
3rd Catch 22
JAM Overall
1st Full Ride
2nd Jagen
3rd Erie Grog
BAYWEEK HANDICAP
PHRF C
3rd Wizard
PHRF E
1st Red Cloud
JAM A
1st Orange Crate
3rd Jagen
JAM B
1st Discover
2nd Cracker Jack
Cruising Class
1st Shortwave
BAYWEEK ONE-DESIGN
Hobie Wave
1st Mike Fahle
3rd Ray Matuszak
Windsurfer
1st Rod Clevenger
Interlake
1st Bob Bradley
2nd Tom Marriott
3rd Ron Soka
BeachCats
3rd Mike Deye
Congratulations to the following local boats on their results:
TOLEDO DEEPWATER
PHRF A
1st Lynx
2nd Abracadabra
3rd Wizard
PHRF B
1st Wildcat (by just two seconds!)
2nd Consigliere (so close!)
3rd Red Cloud
PHRF Overall
1st Wildcat (by those two seconds!)
2nd Consigliere
3rd Red Cloud
JAM A
1st Jagen
2nd Erie Grog
JAM B
1st Full Ride
2nd Cracker Jack
3rd Catch 22
JAM Overall
1st Full Ride
2nd Jagen
3rd Erie Grog
BAYWEEK HANDICAP
PHRF C
3rd Wizard
PHRF E
1st Red Cloud
JAM A
1st Orange Crate
3rd Jagen
JAM B
1st Discover
2nd Cracker Jack
Cruising Class
1st Shortwave
BAYWEEK ONE-DESIGN
Hobie Wave
1st Mike Fahle
3rd Ray Matuszak
Windsurfer
1st Rod Clevenger
Interlake
1st Bob Bradley
2nd Tom Marriott
3rd Ron Soka
BeachCats
3rd Mike Deye
Friday, August 7, 2009
Time Machine rescues sailors on Lake Huron
Is this just an incredible coincidence or yet another example of a skipper and crew that are ultimately prepared for what can be encountered on the lakes? Judge for yourself the following story from Robert Gordenker's Time Machine blog:
http://tmsailing.blogspot.com/
Congratulations to Robert, his two unnamed crew members, and to their attention to detail. You make us proud at North Cape.
http://tmsailing.blogspot.com/
Congratulations to Robert, his two unnamed crew members, and to their attention to detail. You make us proud at North Cape.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Notes and Results: Wednesday July 29th
Last week I passed along my Chicago Mackinac Race thoughts. This week we have the following from an email Mike Fahle sent in. Mike crewed aboard one of the fastest of the multihulls in the Port Huron to Mackinac Race:
Hi Kent,
I raced aboard the "Cheekee Monkee" this year and spoke with this reporter (from the attached Detroit Free Press report on the race). I thought that you would know the people who might like to see this and be able to share it with them.
I read your Chi-Mac race report and hope you enjoy this brief account of racing the Cheekee Monkee. We had only three aboard so it was a workout and both nights it was probably the most difficult helming I have ever done.
Although I have known Ron White (who was the PRO and is the current chief measurer for the Chicago Mac) for many years, this was my first sail on Cheekee Monkee which started life as a stock Corsair F-31 and some of its modifications include: mast canting of about five feet side to side at the masthead, mast rake adjustment of about six feet at the masthead (both while under sail), lifting foils on each ama (not pontoons as per the article), a taller and longer chord all carbon wing mast, better designed all carbon beams with higher clearance (the rear beams on these boats typically act as brakes in wavy conditions), a whole new carbon interior, two feet added to the transom on the main hull, higher aspect ratio and better designed daggerboard and rudder, and all synthetic fiber rigging.
During the storms at night was probably the most difficult helming I have ever experienced. There was no horizon, no steering references, nearly constant firehosing, and chasing headings on the GPS or compass with even just a few seconds lag on a boat that can accelerate to 25 knots in a few seconds and quickly start flying the main hull was not only frustrating but also nerve wracking, especially when you do not know how much wind might be coming. The boat would easily plane and be out of the water to the daggerboard, feeling much more like a powerboat than a sailboat. It has a very flat bottom so it was slap, slap, slap on the wave tops with each slap sending big spray through the nets directly to the face (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHXve23fCZw&feature=fvw ). Just glad the great lakes are fresh water! The foils are amazingly effective and Ron told me that they were calculated to lift as much as 8000 pounds. That is why the beams had to be replaced (two broke under the load before they realized that the foils changed everything) and that is why the interior had to be redone in carbon to keep the hull from oil canning under the beam loads. Ron said the history of the boat has been responding to the next weakest llink as the previous one got upgraded. So it was a treat to be able to race the Cheekee Monkee and Ron is a passionate racer who would be fun to spend time with doing anything.
Thanks to Mike for that report. Cheeky Monkee took 3rd in the multihull class. So how about the rest of you? Still dreaming of racing aboard a multihull?
North Cape was represented by Nice Pair and Time Machine. Nice Pair with Bruce Geffen, Gary Hall and compatriots followed up their ChiMac win with yet another first place in the Port Huron Mackinac Race. Robert Gordenker’s Time Machine with Jeff and Colin MacKay, Rick Cross, Fred Berutti, William Hewett, Jim Schlee, Dennis Maurer, Carol Lybarger, and Shawn Hughes brought home a 4th in the J35/Thomas 35 class. Congratulations to you all.
This Wednesday was just another in a long line of great sailing nights we have had on Wednesdays this year. Fourty-four boats participated in another downwind start (we should be getting good at these), first leg to the South Mark, a beat (well, a port one-tacker) to the North Mark, and then a pretty tight off wind leg to the West finish. The wind either shifted between the time that the RC chose the course or else the direction was a little different out further on the lake then it was near to shore because Course #4 looked to be a good choice before the start with a fairly square beat from South to North. The first run was favored on port so that always sets up an interesting start line scenario. The few starboard tackers approaching the start have the right of way over the majority of the fleet coming in on port. It pays to pay attention and not get yourself in a position from which you have no options for escape. There was one starting line port-starboard protest in the PHRF A fleet but everyone else seemed to get away pretty cleanly. The run found some boats just pointing at the mark, some sailing the angles, and the asymmetrical boats touring the lake. None the less, at least in the PHRF B fleet we were all pretty close together by the time we got to the South mark. When we rounded South the beat was heavily favored on port tack and then freed up marginally by the end of the leg. I believe most boats ended up laying the North (or Center) mark and so with flat water and about 6 to 8 knots of wind, it was a good leg to work on boat speed compared to your competition. Turning the corner at the North mark, the question was “jib or spinnaker?” Of course I waited longer than necessary to decide and then called on my crew for a late change from our normal full shouldered downwind kite to the flatter small shouldered reaching chute and Davey, Barb, Helene and Sandy pulled it off flawlessly in the last couple of tenths before the mark. The PHRF fleet was divided on the “jib or spinnaker” choice with probably the majority leaning to jibs. Rounding the mark and setting the chute it seemed that perhaps it might have been the wrong choice as it took a couple of minutes to get everything in the groove and settled down for the leg. But we didn’t make a rash decision to go back to the jib and once squared away the chute speed was better than those who opted for jibs. It turned out to be a lovely last leg of the race even if fairly tight and was a really nice sail. Splash Dance pulled off one of the moves we are (in)famous for, going to weather with their kite to lay the finish pin, but they made it work. Thanks to the John Heagy and the bunch from Autumn Wind for Race Committee work. Another great night on the water.
In JAM B, Bill Comber’s Beachcomber3 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXhJ3HeTaBU ) showed Catalina 27 quickness in taking the win over Aftermath2 in 2nd and Full Ride (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IxXRqLjg5s See what happens when you wear a tinfoil hat?) in 3rd. Apparently that “3” in the name beats a “2”, huh Jonathon?
In JAM A it was Les Lashaway’s turn to shine with Mega ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbKYXiB5bKw OK, I apologize for that, a Britney Spears reference was just uncalled for.) in 1st besting Orange Crate in 2nd and Breakway in 3rd. Look for Bill Summers to be repainting his red boat orange this week to get in on some of that action (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxmu-UxQTVU ).
PHRF C found a common situation this year as Russ Atkinson and crew on Wildcat (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiFBbt-6yfU They take no prisoners!) got out early and stayed ahead to place 1st with Flak-Bait in 2nd and the aforementioned Splash Dance (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJtNh1F1mdk OK, I don’t understand it either but then that’s what Laszlo sounds like to me!) in 3rd.
PHRF B found Full Tilt (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXZQDtxV_8w ) taking the win with Sweet Carmela (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9hyu56wgtg ) in 2nd and Wizard in 3rd. Less than 45 seconds separated those three.
PHRF A saw Abracadabra (1st) sneak in 18 seconds ahead of Bill Phillips’ Natural High (2nd) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yci7PK6E7M There’s some cool cuts in that one) with Dave Branson’s Three Niner (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Larty_Three-Niner ) in 3rd.
Overalls in JAM went to Mega and in PHRF to Wildcat.
Oh, and just a little postscript. So you have thought that maybe someday in the future you could possibly be interested in considering serving as a flag officer at your yacht club? Well, let me tell you that here at North Cape we have incredibly high standards for our commodores. One must always comport themselves properly both off the water and on. Only the highest degrees of seamanship and proper boating technique and etiquette are acceptable for one who is willing to represent the club’s name. When out sailing for instance, one would never be caught with their fenders over the side. Or would they? See the attached photo. After all we don't want to encourage this type of behavior: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-HEkMWkDVU . I trust that Northcape's Board will be convening a court of inquiry in the near future.
Have a great week. For those who are going to the Bay Week Regatta or on the Deepwater Race, good luck, have fun and sail safe. Midweek Racers: remember that next Wednesday there will be no midweek race because of Bay Week so we’ll see you at the remaining midweek races on August 12th, 19th and 26th and Sunday August 30th. After that will be the Captain Morgan’s Series on September 2nd, 9th, and 16th.
Hi Kent,
I raced aboard the "Cheekee Monkee" this year and spoke with this reporter (from the attached Detroit Free Press report on the race). I thought that you would know the people who might like to see this and be able to share it with them.
I read your Chi-Mac race report and hope you enjoy this brief account of racing the Cheekee Monkee. We had only three aboard so it was a workout and both nights it was probably the most difficult helming I have ever done.
Although I have known Ron White (who was the PRO and is the current chief measurer for the Chicago Mac) for many years, this was my first sail on Cheekee Monkee which started life as a stock Corsair F-31 and some of its modifications include: mast canting of about five feet side to side at the masthead, mast rake adjustment of about six feet at the masthead (both while under sail), lifting foils on each ama (not pontoons as per the article), a taller and longer chord all carbon wing mast, better designed all carbon beams with higher clearance (the rear beams on these boats typically act as brakes in wavy conditions), a whole new carbon interior, two feet added to the transom on the main hull, higher aspect ratio and better designed daggerboard and rudder, and all synthetic fiber rigging.
During the storms at night was probably the most difficult helming I have ever experienced. There was no horizon, no steering references, nearly constant firehosing, and chasing headings on the GPS or compass with even just a few seconds lag on a boat that can accelerate to 25 knots in a few seconds and quickly start flying the main hull was not only frustrating but also nerve wracking, especially when you do not know how much wind might be coming. The boat would easily plane and be out of the water to the daggerboard, feeling much more like a powerboat than a sailboat. It has a very flat bottom so it was slap, slap, slap on the wave tops with each slap sending big spray through the nets directly to the face (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHXve23fCZw&feature=fvw ). Just glad the great lakes are fresh water! The foils are amazingly effective and Ron told me that they were calculated to lift as much as 8000 pounds. That is why the beams had to be replaced (two broke under the load before they realized that the foils changed everything) and that is why the interior had to be redone in carbon to keep the hull from oil canning under the beam loads. Ron said the history of the boat has been responding to the next weakest llink as the previous one got upgraded. So it was a treat to be able to race the Cheekee Monkee and Ron is a passionate racer who would be fun to spend time with doing anything.
Thanks to Mike for that report. Cheeky Monkee took 3rd in the multihull class. So how about the rest of you? Still dreaming of racing aboard a multihull?
North Cape was represented by Nice Pair and Time Machine. Nice Pair with Bruce Geffen, Gary Hall and compatriots followed up their ChiMac win with yet another first place in the Port Huron Mackinac Race. Robert Gordenker’s Time Machine with Jeff and Colin MacKay, Rick Cross, Fred Berutti, William Hewett, Jim Schlee, Dennis Maurer, Carol Lybarger, and Shawn Hughes brought home a 4th in the J35/Thomas 35 class. Congratulations to you all.
This Wednesday was just another in a long line of great sailing nights we have had on Wednesdays this year. Fourty-four boats participated in another downwind start (we should be getting good at these), first leg to the South Mark, a beat (well, a port one-tacker) to the North Mark, and then a pretty tight off wind leg to the West finish. The wind either shifted between the time that the RC chose the course or else the direction was a little different out further on the lake then it was near to shore because Course #4 looked to be a good choice before the start with a fairly square beat from South to North. The first run was favored on port so that always sets up an interesting start line scenario. The few starboard tackers approaching the start have the right of way over the majority of the fleet coming in on port. It pays to pay attention and not get yourself in a position from which you have no options for escape. There was one starting line port-starboard protest in the PHRF A fleet but everyone else seemed to get away pretty cleanly. The run found some boats just pointing at the mark, some sailing the angles, and the asymmetrical boats touring the lake. None the less, at least in the PHRF B fleet we were all pretty close together by the time we got to the South mark. When we rounded South the beat was heavily favored on port tack and then freed up marginally by the end of the leg. I believe most boats ended up laying the North (or Center) mark and so with flat water and about 6 to 8 knots of wind, it was a good leg to work on boat speed compared to your competition. Turning the corner at the North mark, the question was “jib or spinnaker?” Of course I waited longer than necessary to decide and then called on my crew for a late change from our normal full shouldered downwind kite to the flatter small shouldered reaching chute and Davey, Barb, Helene and Sandy pulled it off flawlessly in the last couple of tenths before the mark. The PHRF fleet was divided on the “jib or spinnaker” choice with probably the majority leaning to jibs. Rounding the mark and setting the chute it seemed that perhaps it might have been the wrong choice as it took a couple of minutes to get everything in the groove and settled down for the leg. But we didn’t make a rash decision to go back to the jib and once squared away the chute speed was better than those who opted for jibs. It turned out to be a lovely last leg of the race even if fairly tight and was a really nice sail. Splash Dance pulled off one of the moves we are (in)famous for, going to weather with their kite to lay the finish pin, but they made it work. Thanks to the John Heagy and the bunch from Autumn Wind for Race Committee work. Another great night on the water.
In JAM B, Bill Comber’s Beachcomber3 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXhJ3HeTaBU ) showed Catalina 27 quickness in taking the win over Aftermath2 in 2nd and Full Ride (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IxXRqLjg5s See what happens when you wear a tinfoil hat?) in 3rd. Apparently that “3” in the name beats a “2”, huh Jonathon?
In JAM A it was Les Lashaway’s turn to shine with Mega ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbKYXiB5bKw OK, I apologize for that, a Britney Spears reference was just uncalled for.) in 1st besting Orange Crate in 2nd and Breakway in 3rd. Look for Bill Summers to be repainting his red boat orange this week to get in on some of that action (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxmu-UxQTVU ).
PHRF C found a common situation this year as Russ Atkinson and crew on Wildcat (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiFBbt-6yfU They take no prisoners!) got out early and stayed ahead to place 1st with Flak-Bait in 2nd and the aforementioned Splash Dance (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJtNh1F1mdk OK, I don’t understand it either but then that’s what Laszlo sounds like to me!) in 3rd.
PHRF B found Full Tilt (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXZQDtxV_8w ) taking the win with Sweet Carmela (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9hyu56wgtg ) in 2nd and Wizard in 3rd. Less than 45 seconds separated those three.
PHRF A saw Abracadabra (1st) sneak in 18 seconds ahead of Bill Phillips’ Natural High (2nd) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yci7PK6E7M There’s some cool cuts in that one) with Dave Branson’s Three Niner (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Larty_Three-Niner ) in 3rd.
Overalls in JAM went to Mega and in PHRF to Wildcat.
Oh, and just a little postscript. So you have thought that maybe someday in the future you could possibly be interested in considering serving as a flag officer at your yacht club? Well, let me tell you that here at North Cape we have incredibly high standards for our commodores. One must always comport themselves properly both off the water and on. Only the highest degrees of seamanship and proper boating technique and etiquette are acceptable for one who is willing to represent the club’s name. When out sailing for instance, one would never be caught with their fenders over the side. Or would they? See the attached photo. After all we don't want to encourage this type of behavior: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-HEkMWkDVU . I trust that Northcape's Board will be convening a court of inquiry in the near future.Have a great week. For those who are going to the Bay Week Regatta or on the Deepwater Race, good luck, have fun and sail safe. Midweek Racers: remember that next Wednesday there will be no midweek race because of Bay Week so we’ll see you at the remaining midweek races on August 12th, 19th and 26th and Sunday August 30th. After that will be the Captain Morgan’s Series on September 2nd, 9th, and 16th.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Notes and Results: Wednesday July 22nd (and ChiMac thoughts)
Zzzzzz, snort, zzzzzzzzz, mmmmmmm, zzzzzzzzz, huh?, wha?, yeah I’m awake, just let me grab another five minutes and I’ll be right with you, zzzzzzzzz. Still catching up from last weekend’s sleep deprivation.
So I’ve been dreaming that I was sailing on a big lake with a group of strangers, going hull speed on course straight to the fudge island. Yeah, definitely was a dream.
So anyway, I’m just a tad bit tardy with the report of last Wednesday’s race. I think I remember last Wednesday’s race. I was there, operating on a few hours sleep after the Chicago Mackinac Race, so I should be able to fabricate something to write about. I figure nobody ever reads this stuff anyway so whether what I write is true or not is pretty irrelevant. In fact, I could probably just fill these reports with some mindless prattle (what do you mean, that’s what you thought it was?) and nobody will notice. Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
So on to Wednesday in a bit but first allow me to prattle a little about my Mac experience. (Skip ahead to the next paragraph if you don’t have the time or inclination for this). I originally intended to take Foghorn back to the Bayview Mackinac this year. Last year was fast and wet and yet lots of fun. A return trip sounds like a good idea but unfortunately for a variety of reasons it just wasn’t in the cards for 2009. We’ll hope for better in 2010. But a month or so ago, a little too much time spent on the internet’s Sailing Anarchy developed into an opportunity to join a crew from southwest Michigan on a Schock 41. Quick Silver is a 20-year-old IOR boat that the current owner was going to take on his second Mac with the boat. A crew was coming together, Gint(aras), the owner, his two teenage sons, Aras and Vytenis, his good friend and dentist, Vidas (all of the afore are Lithuanians originally from Chicago) formed the regular core and six more of us were joining up for the race: Kevin Lemonds (owner of Say Uncle from Grosse Isle Yacht Club) and his son Matt, Jim Bougault (owner of Gus from GIYC), Mike from north of New York City, Craig (a cruiser from suburban Chicago), and me. It was a varied mix of talents and personalities that melded well and meshed into a nice crew that succeeded in pushing the boat hard for four days. We met at the boat on Friday, sat through the skippers meeting and weather briefing (if you think this stuff I write is fiction, you should check out what the race forecasters were passing off), and sat down to Greek food for dinner and race strategy. Eventually a plan emerged. We would hot foot it across the lake and work our way north in the eastern half of Lake Michigan. Not sure that Gint was completely sold on this strategy, he said that traditionally nothing good comes of going east of the rum line, but based on the forecasts it seemed our best shot. Saturday morning we were out early to try to figure out a brand new #1 and nearly new main. Our practice sailing went well but the wind was taking its leave from the area. By our start at 1:20, it was pretty well gone. So, 7 hours into the race we had managed 9 miles up the course. Hmmm, should I call my boss now and see if I can get my vacation extended to October? The good news, we weren’t alone in our suffering. Finally about 8:30 the wind filled in and we were off for a great night of sailing (actually the best sailing was at night all three nights). Sunday morning found us approaching Little Sable Pont and the wind departing. Another parking lot and test of patience. A lot of short tacking up the Michigan shore got us near Big Sable Point as the evening made its appearance. We had positioned ourselves inside the fleet and as the wind filled from shore we were reaching up the coast much nicer than the boats outside. Monday morning found us closing on the Sleeping Bear Dunes. Very pretty in the daylight from the lake. Next time I don’t need to see them so long. Continuing effort eventually brought us to a big time parking lot (remember how the Jeep parking lot used to look with all the unsold inventory sitting around waiting for shipment? We were that blue Cherokee with the aluminum wheels, 58th car over in the 63rd row, lost in a sea of similar looking cars) east of the Manitou Islands. This proved to be the turning point of our race. The fleet (including most of the five or six faster classes in front of us) was sitting there in the calm waiting for wind just beyond a very distinct wind line. We decided that just because everyone else had stopped didn’t mean we needed to. We worked the westerly side of the pack and just kept battling to keep the chute going when all around us were sitting. We ultimately worked about a half mile or more ahead of just about everyone before we also succumbed to the wind’s ennui. But, we were in front and as it turned out situated perfectly for the northwesterly that crept in on cat’s feet ever so gently in later in the evening. We jumped out while almost all the fleet sat with bated breath. As it turned out it ultimately took twelve full hours before the faster boats could run us down on Tuesday morning on the final approach into Grey’s Reef. One final parking lot just at Grey’s Reef for an hour or to before the wind built to a solid 15 on the nose for a 25 mile beat under the bridge and into Mackinac Island. At the start of the weather leg we knew that two boats in our section had gotten away in the various light spots and would have the battle for the win to themselves. Another boat in section (“class” for us on Lake Erie) had us by about 4 miles and then the rest of our 19 boat section were pretty close together. So it was a full on weather leg. As one of the slower rated boats in our section we were being passed by quicker boats but we knew we were in good shape to save our time on most of them. The slowest boat, however, had one helluva weather leg and came from well behind in the light stuff of Grey’s Reef to catch and pass us. Oh well, we aren’t going to beat them. So coming into the finish we knew at least four boats had beaten us and perhaps another. 72 and a half hours after the start our odyssey was complete and 5th or 6th out of nineteen isn’t so bad and would have been the best the owner had done on a Mac. Close but no cigar in a class where 4 flags would be given. But a surprise was in store. Later Tuesday evening after appropriate consumption of beers and Mount Gay, we got around to wandering down to the finish line tent to check the results. 4th! No way, check it again! 4th in section! All right! High fives all around. Where’s the skipper? We gotta let him know about the awards ceremony at 10:00 tonight! Back to the Pink Pony for some more celebratory alcohol. So, leaving the island on the last ferry Tuesday night was a great feeling. We were part of seeing our skipper earn his first Chicago Mackinac flag. Definitely a worthwhile expenditure of time and effort over those four days. Thanks to Sandy and Helene for making the meandering drive up (ask them about their Thelma and Louise trip) to fetch me and Bill Kellner, to Duane for the company and stories on the train ride to Chicago and to Dar for picking him up, and to Jeff Maludy and the crew of Adrenalin and Bruce Geffen, Gary Hall and the crew of Nice Pair for representing North Cape in the ChiMac fleet. Adrenalin got a 6th in their section and Nice Pair continued to demonstrate that it is a force to be reckoned with in the multihull ranks by winning their fleet and then continuing on to a 2nd place in the SuperMac Race which extended from Chicago clear around to Port Huron. As I write this, the Pair is racing back to Mackinac in the Bayview Race and nicely placed for another potential win.
So, back to the subject at hand. Wednesday. The Highlanders were at North Cape this week for their national championship and Ernie Dieball had recruited a number of them to crew on our Wednesday night race. We were fortunate to get Jon, his (approximately 12-year-old) daughter Ellie and their friend Boyd to come aboard Foghorn. A drizzly afternoon managed to shut off the spigot before the race started and the wind had put in an appearance, 12 or so knots worth from the southeast. Boyd drew jib winch duties with Barb and Helene there to coach in him anything that didn’t measure up to their standards (they are never shy about letting the guys on the crew know whatfor!) and Jon trimmed the main on the weather leg. Ellie spent the first leg on the rail. We rounded South and set the chute for the leg to the north followed by a jibe and the leg back to the West finish. Ellie joined me at the helm and did a great job steering a wheel boat having only ever steered tiller one-designs before. Hopefully the rest of the fleet and their visiting Highlanders had as much fun as we did.
The weather leg started square and then the boats on the left benefited from a nice shift that took them to the mark. That made the second leg a little tighter than expected for the chutes but the last leg was a fun ride. In PHRF A, it was Abracadabra’s turn to take the measure of the Hobies with Fupastank and Holy Toledo in 2nd and 3rd. PHRf B went to Wizard with Ernie Dieball on the helm and Mike D’Arcangelo and crew on Consigliere showing good legs to bring home 2nd ahead of Send in the Clowns 3rd. PHRF C went to Wildcat with Rob Fox’s J22, Defender in 2nd and Flak-Bait in 3rd. JAM A belonged to Blaine Little and Tom Corey’s J Bird followed by Breakaway and Mega in 2nd and 3rd. In JAM B, Dick Hamilton’s La Chiva led the way over Aftermath2 and Full Ride.
The overalls in JAM were J Bird, Breakaway and La Chiva respectively. In PHRF, the “W” in their names proved that Wildcat and Wizard would be the appropriate choices to tie for the win and Consigliere was a close 3rd.
Thanks everybody for coming out. See you this Wednesday!
Kent
So I’ve been dreaming that I was sailing on a big lake with a group of strangers, going hull speed on course straight to the fudge island. Yeah, definitely was a dream.
So anyway, I’m just a tad bit tardy with the report of last Wednesday’s race. I think I remember last Wednesday’s race. I was there, operating on a few hours sleep after the Chicago Mackinac Race, so I should be able to fabricate something to write about. I figure nobody ever reads this stuff anyway so whether what I write is true or not is pretty irrelevant. In fact, I could probably just fill these reports with some mindless prattle (what do you mean, that’s what you thought it was?) and nobody will notice. Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
So on to Wednesday in a bit but first allow me to prattle a little about my Mac experience. (Skip ahead to the next paragraph if you don’t have the time or inclination for this). I originally intended to take Foghorn back to the Bayview Mackinac this year. Last year was fast and wet and yet lots of fun. A return trip sounds like a good idea but unfortunately for a variety of reasons it just wasn’t in the cards for 2009. We’ll hope for better in 2010. But a month or so ago, a little too much time spent on the internet’s Sailing Anarchy developed into an opportunity to join a crew from southwest Michigan on a Schock 41. Quick Silver is a 20-year-old IOR boat that the current owner was going to take on his second Mac with the boat. A crew was coming together, Gint(aras), the owner, his two teenage sons, Aras and Vytenis, his good friend and dentist, Vidas (all of the afore are Lithuanians originally from Chicago) formed the regular core and six more of us were joining up for the race: Kevin Lemonds (owner of Say Uncle from Grosse Isle Yacht Club) and his son Matt, Jim Bougault (owner of Gus from GIYC), Mike from north of New York City, Craig (a cruiser from suburban Chicago), and me. It was a varied mix of talents and personalities that melded well and meshed into a nice crew that succeeded in pushing the boat hard for four days. We met at the boat on Friday, sat through the skippers meeting and weather briefing (if you think this stuff I write is fiction, you should check out what the race forecasters were passing off), and sat down to Greek food for dinner and race strategy. Eventually a plan emerged. We would hot foot it across the lake and work our way north in the eastern half of Lake Michigan. Not sure that Gint was completely sold on this strategy, he said that traditionally nothing good comes of going east of the rum line, but based on the forecasts it seemed our best shot. Saturday morning we were out early to try to figure out a brand new #1 and nearly new main. Our practice sailing went well but the wind was taking its leave from the area. By our start at 1:20, it was pretty well gone. So, 7 hours into the race we had managed 9 miles up the course. Hmmm, should I call my boss now and see if I can get my vacation extended to October? The good news, we weren’t alone in our suffering. Finally about 8:30 the wind filled in and we were off for a great night of sailing (actually the best sailing was at night all three nights). Sunday morning found us approaching Little Sable Pont and the wind departing. Another parking lot and test of patience. A lot of short tacking up the Michigan shore got us near Big Sable Point as the evening made its appearance. We had positioned ourselves inside the fleet and as the wind filled from shore we were reaching up the coast much nicer than the boats outside. Monday morning found us closing on the Sleeping Bear Dunes. Very pretty in the daylight from the lake. Next time I don’t need to see them so long. Continuing effort eventually brought us to a big time parking lot (remember how the Jeep parking lot used to look with all the unsold inventory sitting around waiting for shipment? We were that blue Cherokee with the aluminum wheels, 58th car over in the 63rd row, lost in a sea of similar looking cars) east of the Manitou Islands. This proved to be the turning point of our race. The fleet (including most of the five or six faster classes in front of us) was sitting there in the calm waiting for wind just beyond a very distinct wind line. We decided that just because everyone else had stopped didn’t mean we needed to. We worked the westerly side of the pack and just kept battling to keep the chute going when all around us were sitting. We ultimately worked about a half mile or more ahead of just about everyone before we also succumbed to the wind’s ennui. But, we were in front and as it turned out situated perfectly for the northwesterly that crept in on cat’s feet ever so gently in later in the evening. We jumped out while almost all the fleet sat with bated breath. As it turned out it ultimately took twelve full hours before the faster boats could run us down on Tuesday morning on the final approach into Grey’s Reef. One final parking lot just at Grey’s Reef for an hour or to before the wind built to a solid 15 on the nose for a 25 mile beat under the bridge and into Mackinac Island. At the start of the weather leg we knew that two boats in our section had gotten away in the various light spots and would have the battle for the win to themselves. Another boat in section (“class” for us on Lake Erie) had us by about 4 miles and then the rest of our 19 boat section were pretty close together. So it was a full on weather leg. As one of the slower rated boats in our section we were being passed by quicker boats but we knew we were in good shape to save our time on most of them. The slowest boat, however, had one helluva weather leg and came from well behind in the light stuff of Grey’s Reef to catch and pass us. Oh well, we aren’t going to beat them. So coming into the finish we knew at least four boats had beaten us and perhaps another. 72 and a half hours after the start our odyssey was complete and 5th or 6th out of nineteen isn’t so bad and would have been the best the owner had done on a Mac. Close but no cigar in a class where 4 flags would be given. But a surprise was in store. Later Tuesday evening after appropriate consumption of beers and Mount Gay, we got around to wandering down to the finish line tent to check the results. 4th! No way, check it again! 4th in section! All right! High fives all around. Where’s the skipper? We gotta let him know about the awards ceremony at 10:00 tonight! Back to the Pink Pony for some more celebratory alcohol. So, leaving the island on the last ferry Tuesday night was a great feeling. We were part of seeing our skipper earn his first Chicago Mackinac flag. Definitely a worthwhile expenditure of time and effort over those four days. Thanks to Sandy and Helene for making the meandering drive up (ask them about their Thelma and Louise trip) to fetch me and Bill Kellner, to Duane for the company and stories on the train ride to Chicago and to Dar for picking him up, and to Jeff Maludy and the crew of Adrenalin and Bruce Geffen, Gary Hall and the crew of Nice Pair for representing North Cape in the ChiMac fleet. Adrenalin got a 6th in their section and Nice Pair continued to demonstrate that it is a force to be reckoned with in the multihull ranks by winning their fleet and then continuing on to a 2nd place in the SuperMac Race which extended from Chicago clear around to Port Huron. As I write this, the Pair is racing back to Mackinac in the Bayview Race and nicely placed for another potential win.
So, back to the subject at hand. Wednesday. The Highlanders were at North Cape this week for their national championship and Ernie Dieball had recruited a number of them to crew on our Wednesday night race. We were fortunate to get Jon, his (approximately 12-year-old) daughter Ellie and their friend Boyd to come aboard Foghorn. A drizzly afternoon managed to shut off the spigot before the race started and the wind had put in an appearance, 12 or so knots worth from the southeast. Boyd drew jib winch duties with Barb and Helene there to coach in him anything that didn’t measure up to their standards (they are never shy about letting the guys on the crew know whatfor!) and Jon trimmed the main on the weather leg. Ellie spent the first leg on the rail. We rounded South and set the chute for the leg to the north followed by a jibe and the leg back to the West finish. Ellie joined me at the helm and did a great job steering a wheel boat having only ever steered tiller one-designs before. Hopefully the rest of the fleet and their visiting Highlanders had as much fun as we did.
The weather leg started square and then the boats on the left benefited from a nice shift that took them to the mark. That made the second leg a little tighter than expected for the chutes but the last leg was a fun ride. In PHRF A, it was Abracadabra’s turn to take the measure of the Hobies with Fupastank and Holy Toledo in 2nd and 3rd. PHRf B went to Wizard with Ernie Dieball on the helm and Mike D’Arcangelo and crew on Consigliere showing good legs to bring home 2nd ahead of Send in the Clowns 3rd. PHRF C went to Wildcat with Rob Fox’s J22, Defender in 2nd and Flak-Bait in 3rd. JAM A belonged to Blaine Little and Tom Corey’s J Bird followed by Breakaway and Mega in 2nd and 3rd. In JAM B, Dick Hamilton’s La Chiva led the way over Aftermath2 and Full Ride.
The overalls in JAM were J Bird, Breakaway and La Chiva respectively. In PHRF, the “W” in their names proved that Wildcat and Wizard would be the appropriate choices to tie for the win and Consigliere was a close 3rd.
Thanks everybody for coming out. See you this Wednesday!
Kent
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Twelfth Night: Notes and Results from Wednesday July 15th
Danger, Will Robinson! Danger! ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RG0ochx16Dg ) The following is loooong and I only have myself to blame.
First, I received a nice note from Bruce Geffen of Nice Pair after my posting of last week regarding swapping the helm assignment on our Wednesday Night Race. I hope people took it in the way that I had intended to write it, that is as an opportunity for learning and growing your knowledge on the boat. Bruce was kind enough to allow me to share some of his thoughts with you all:
"I want to tell you how valuable and meaningful a thing you did last night by giving up the helm. You may never fully grasp how beneficial that act was. So too bad other skippers/owners don't do it on a more regular basis. When I get an opportunity to speak with some of the elder statesmen/heads of our beloved sport, and listen in on the conversations they have at round tables, etc. the one consistent comment in how to grow our sport more for the masses is "let the kid drive." Or "let the woman drive." Some have even written on changing up crew duties on different races over a season. Not just once, but several times. I mean really, how important is that Wed night beercan flag, or whatever.On "Nice Pair," everyone drives, for the most part. And in the big races too. Rarely am I on the helm. I vividly remember a scene on my boat on the 2007 Bayview Mac race when we were at the top of the mitt, about 50-75 miles to the finish. I had 2 gals on board, one was Alan (Mr Clean) wife Mer, and the other was an old gal pal who sailed Crescents for years, and had done a race or so on my boat and is a whiz with the stick (helm). So it is in the last morning of the race and here was Mer and Kristen driving my boat around 10 kts or so, just chatting away about whatever gals chat non stop about, sharing a cig, and occassionally looking up at the sailsto check the trim or course or whatever, but only as an after thought to their own little world. Alan and I were down below and I elbowed him to check out that scene, and then mentioned how if it were me and him, we'd be trying to make it as dialed in as possible and would more than likely be going about 2 kts slower. We both roared and agreed wholeheartedly. And that sort of thing is how we roll on "Nice Pair."I know I am rambling on here but I can't tell you how many years I was on the bow, and a great bow dude too, if I may say so, but rarely, if ever, was my input or insight on a race ever considered or taken seriously. And we were all stuck doing the same job all the time. No one ever had a perspective of what the other team members were doing in sync with everyone else. Of course, later on as an older bow guy, my voice and input was accepted. And I also drive my boat just fine and am a more than decent helm.So what I am trying to say here is first off is encourage others in the fleet to do the same and change up folk's positions on a somewhat regular basis. I don't know...see what happens.Thanks for all your updates, and taking time to read through my long winded reply. Please pass on my "Hey!" to folks at NCYC and you all can track us for the Chi Mac/Super Mac, and Bayview Mac via internet and online tracking system that is updated every 10-20 minutes with the satellite. Also, you can follow us on Sailing Anarchy with "On The Water" reports by Alan (Mr. Clean) and Mer, his lovely wife, since they will be racing with us.Happy Sailing!Bruce"
Now on to this week's stuff:
So yesterday was the twelfth race of our Midweek Season. Allow me to wax poetic. Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears! I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. The evil that men do lives after them, The good is oft interred with their bones; So let it be with Caesar.
From Wikipedia: "One of Shakespeare's better known comedies, Twelfth Night, or What You Will, prepares the audience for its jovial feel of festivities consisting of drink, dance, and giving in to general self-indulgence. The subtitle What You Will, implies that the audience is also involved in the merry spirit found in the play. The subtitle also refers to the wealthier characters who do little work and possess the liberty to do as they please, focuses on the aristocrats of society who are entitled to their pleasures while the only hard work being done is by their servants." (Hey, this sounds a lot like the skippers at the helm of our boats and the efforts of the crews that make it all happen for them!)
"Twelfth Night is noted as one of Shakespeare's most studied and best loved plays: the twin-based comedy of cross-dressing and mistaken identity is accessible to even novice Shakespeare scholars. However, the play has also garnered much critical attention for its nuanced and sometimes elusive treatment of issues of gender disguises, thwarted social ambition, and all the forms of love: misguided love, love conventions, self-love, and true love that wins through in the end." (Cross dressing, mistaken identities, twarted social ambition, misguided love, self love: all the makings of a successful Wednesday night at North Cape: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydSyKhdOnPg Stick with this and give it a chance!)
But I digress. (Oh yeah, say the assembled multitudes, there's a new concept.) Our twelfth race of the year and final race of the Summer Series finally got around to one of those long cherished traditions of sailboat racing: a protest! In fact where one is good, two protests must be even better. (Speaking of cherished traditions, here's one that I think I witnessed at the North Cape bar. If it wasn't there, perhaps we should consider instituting it as it would undoubtedly reduce our costs for beer glasses: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLiHwHWYS7k ). So results were a little delayed last night while three of our faithful were imposed upon to hear the pleaings of the agrieved and the agrievers. Needless to say, the protests were not clear-cut, but when are they ever when two opposing viewpoints are involved? Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio, a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy. He hath bore me on his back a thousand times, and now how abhorr'd in my imagination it is! My gorge rises at it. Thanks go to John Greiner, Jeff Mackay and Joe Sweeney for serving on the protest committee, hearing the witnesses, sorting the wheat from the chaff, weighing the facts and arriving at decisions.
Rich Cherry and friends on Full Ride served as Race Committee and used the Ohio Lottery's bingo machine to select the ping pong ball for Course #2 ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvaFN-gMSLU&feature=PlayList&p=A13634A2B7F3FDC9&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=4 ) and a good choice it was. A fast off wind leg to East (or Center for those of you who swing that way http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luhhBY-z0Js see, now wasn't that simple? You can be the life of the next party at the club) followed by a very fun beat from the North mark back to the West mark finish in 15 or so knots of wind. The fleet of 41 boats was all over the lake on the beat spread from about as far left as you could go to almost all the way in to shore on the far right. Obviously lots of thoughts about where the fast lane was on that leg. But come the finish, everybody was back together and most of them at the same time. The RC was very busy with numerous overlapped finishes. Great sailing everyone and way to keep the RC on their toes!
Thirty Spinnaker boats were out for the race: a non-baker's dozen in A, 11 in B and 7 more in C were complemented by 11 more of the JAM persuasion with 7 in A and 4 in B. Lots of pretty chutes on the first leg. We even exercised our fluorescent green chute for the first time this year so that Mojito wouldn't feel too lonely with their wardrobe. (See some of the pics uploaded at www.ncycsailing.blogspot.com . I've been trying to take lots of pics at the races so email me and I'll be happy to share what I have of your boat. No guarantees on photgraphic excellence, (you take your chances just like you do when you are reading this stuff). Obviously since we sail in PHRF B, my best opportunities to get pics come in that fleet but if you happen to err and sail close to us I'll get you if I can and my crew doesn't yell at me too much to quit looking around.
In PHRF A, the Hobies once again showed their stuff with Fupastank taking the win over Holy Toledo with Abracadabra saving enough time on the balance of their fleet to capture a 3rd. The PHRF B competitors continue to be amazed at how well John and Judy Greiner and crew are sailing Red Cloud this year, with the victor's laurels once again finding their way onto their heads ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziuRtVUbjz8 "Give me my robe, put on my crown; I have Immortal longings in me.") Full Tilt and Send in the Clowns (All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages.) rounded out the podium placings. PHRF C found J-boats big and little on top. Wildcat took the measure of Defender ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53PumbeAImI ) with Splash Dance battling their way back from an On Course Start to sneak into 3rd.
In JAM A Tyrannous seems to have their groove thing going ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=du6hCaCOAGU ) with first place followed by Orange Crate ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JocdM-bGxfs ) and J-Bird ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPYyUpVOSB8&feature=related ) hot on their heels. Jam B was the province of Aftermath2 ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IMfQ0CXuF0 funny, I never visualized Jonathon as an Iron Maiden kind of guy til I saw this) with La Chiva ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O36XSjES8w8 Hey! Where have they been keeping that crew? "And thus I clothe my naked villany with odd old ends stol'n out of holy writ, and seem a saint, when most I play the devil.") and Autumn Wind ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmiVYFueNvQ ) in 2nd and 3rd.
So farewell—to the little good you bear me.Farewell? a long farewell to all my greatness!This is the state of man: to-day he puts forthThe tender leaves of hopes, to-morrow blossoms,And bears his blushing honors thick upon him;The third day comes a frost, a killing frost,And when he thinks, good easy man, full surelyHis greatness is a-ripening, nips his root,And then he falls as I do.
Or maybe more simply: "When shall we three meet again In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"
Sail well! See you after Chicago.
Kent
First, I received a nice note from Bruce Geffen of Nice Pair after my posting of last week regarding swapping the helm assignment on our Wednesday Night Race. I hope people took it in the way that I had intended to write it, that is as an opportunity for learning and growing your knowledge on the boat. Bruce was kind enough to allow me to share some of his thoughts with you all:
"I want to tell you how valuable and meaningful a thing you did last night by giving up the helm. You may never fully grasp how beneficial that act was. So too bad other skippers/owners don't do it on a more regular basis. When I get an opportunity to speak with some of the elder statesmen/heads of our beloved sport, and listen in on the conversations they have at round tables, etc. the one consistent comment in how to grow our sport more for the masses is "let the kid drive." Or "let the woman drive." Some have even written on changing up crew duties on different races over a season. Not just once, but several times. I mean really, how important is that Wed night beercan flag, or whatever.On "Nice Pair," everyone drives, for the most part. And in the big races too. Rarely am I on the helm. I vividly remember a scene on my boat on the 2007 Bayview Mac race when we were at the top of the mitt, about 50-75 miles to the finish. I had 2 gals on board, one was Alan (Mr Clean) wife Mer, and the other was an old gal pal who sailed Crescents for years, and had done a race or so on my boat and is a whiz with the stick (helm). So it is in the last morning of the race and here was Mer and Kristen driving my boat around 10 kts or so, just chatting away about whatever gals chat non stop about, sharing a cig, and occassionally looking up at the sailsto check the trim or course or whatever, but only as an after thought to their own little world. Alan and I were down below and I elbowed him to check out that scene, and then mentioned how if it were me and him, we'd be trying to make it as dialed in as possible and would more than likely be going about 2 kts slower. We both roared and agreed wholeheartedly. And that sort of thing is how we roll on "Nice Pair."I know I am rambling on here but I can't tell you how many years I was on the bow, and a great bow dude too, if I may say so, but rarely, if ever, was my input or insight on a race ever considered or taken seriously. And we were all stuck doing the same job all the time. No one ever had a perspective of what the other team members were doing in sync with everyone else. Of course, later on as an older bow guy, my voice and input was accepted. And I also drive my boat just fine and am a more than decent helm.So what I am trying to say here is first off is encourage others in the fleet to do the same and change up folk's positions on a somewhat regular basis. I don't know...see what happens.Thanks for all your updates, and taking time to read through my long winded reply. Please pass on my "Hey!" to folks at NCYC and you all can track us for the Chi Mac/Super Mac, and Bayview Mac via internet and online tracking system that is updated every 10-20 minutes with the satellite. Also, you can follow us on Sailing Anarchy with "On The Water" reports by Alan (Mr. Clean) and Mer, his lovely wife, since they will be racing with us.Happy Sailing!Bruce"
Now on to this week's stuff:
So yesterday was the twelfth race of our Midweek Season. Allow me to wax poetic. Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears! I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. The evil that men do lives after them, The good is oft interred with their bones; So let it be with Caesar.
From Wikipedia: "One of Shakespeare's better known comedies, Twelfth Night, or What You Will, prepares the audience for its jovial feel of festivities consisting of drink, dance, and giving in to general self-indulgence. The subtitle What You Will, implies that the audience is also involved in the merry spirit found in the play. The subtitle also refers to the wealthier characters who do little work and possess the liberty to do as they please, focuses on the aristocrats of society who are entitled to their pleasures while the only hard work being done is by their servants." (Hey, this sounds a lot like the skippers at the helm of our boats and the efforts of the crews that make it all happen for them!)
"Twelfth Night is noted as one of Shakespeare's most studied and best loved plays: the twin-based comedy of cross-dressing and mistaken identity is accessible to even novice Shakespeare scholars. However, the play has also garnered much critical attention for its nuanced and sometimes elusive treatment of issues of gender disguises, thwarted social ambition, and all the forms of love: misguided love, love conventions, self-love, and true love that wins through in the end." (Cross dressing, mistaken identities, twarted social ambition, misguided love, self love: all the makings of a successful Wednesday night at North Cape: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydSyKhdOnPg Stick with this and give it a chance!)
But I digress. (Oh yeah, say the assembled multitudes, there's a new concept.) Our twelfth race of the year and final race of the Summer Series finally got around to one of those long cherished traditions of sailboat racing: a protest! In fact where one is good, two protests must be even better. (Speaking of cherished traditions, here's one that I think I witnessed at the North Cape bar. If it wasn't there, perhaps we should consider instituting it as it would undoubtedly reduce our costs for beer glasses: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLiHwHWYS7k ). So results were a little delayed last night while three of our faithful were imposed upon to hear the pleaings of the agrieved and the agrievers. Needless to say, the protests were not clear-cut, but when are they ever when two opposing viewpoints are involved? Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio, a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy. He hath bore me on his back a thousand times, and now how abhorr'd in my imagination it is! My gorge rises at it. Thanks go to John Greiner, Jeff Mackay and Joe Sweeney for serving on the protest committee, hearing the witnesses, sorting the wheat from the chaff, weighing the facts and arriving at decisions.
Rich Cherry and friends on Full Ride served as Race Committee and used the Ohio Lottery's bingo machine to select the ping pong ball for Course #2 ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvaFN-gMSLU&feature=PlayList&p=A13634A2B7F3FDC9&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=4 ) and a good choice it was. A fast off wind leg to East (or Center for those of you who swing that way http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luhhBY-z0Js see, now wasn't that simple? You can be the life of the next party at the club) followed by a very fun beat from the North mark back to the West mark finish in 15 or so knots of wind. The fleet of 41 boats was all over the lake on the beat spread from about as far left as you could go to almost all the way in to shore on the far right. Obviously lots of thoughts about where the fast lane was on that leg. But come the finish, everybody was back together and most of them at the same time. The RC was very busy with numerous overlapped finishes. Great sailing everyone and way to keep the RC on their toes!
Thirty Spinnaker boats were out for the race: a non-baker's dozen in A, 11 in B and 7 more in C were complemented by 11 more of the JAM persuasion with 7 in A and 4 in B. Lots of pretty chutes on the first leg. We even exercised our fluorescent green chute for the first time this year so that Mojito wouldn't feel too lonely with their wardrobe. (See some of the pics uploaded at www.ncycsailing.blogspot.com . I've been trying to take lots of pics at the races so email me and I'll be happy to share what I have of your boat. No guarantees on photgraphic excellence, (you take your chances just like you do when you are reading this stuff). Obviously since we sail in PHRF B, my best opportunities to get pics come in that fleet but if you happen to err and sail close to us I'll get you if I can and my crew doesn't yell at me too much to quit looking around.
In PHRF A, the Hobies once again showed their stuff with Fupastank taking the win over Holy Toledo with Abracadabra saving enough time on the balance of their fleet to capture a 3rd. The PHRF B competitors continue to be amazed at how well John and Judy Greiner and crew are sailing Red Cloud this year, with the victor's laurels once again finding their way onto their heads ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziuRtVUbjz8 "Give me my robe, put on my crown; I have Immortal longings in me.") Full Tilt and Send in the Clowns (All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages.) rounded out the podium placings. PHRF C found J-boats big and little on top. Wildcat took the measure of Defender ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53PumbeAImI ) with Splash Dance battling their way back from an On Course Start to sneak into 3rd.
In JAM A Tyrannous seems to have their groove thing going ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=du6hCaCOAGU ) with first place followed by Orange Crate ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JocdM-bGxfs ) and J-Bird ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPYyUpVOSB8&feature=related ) hot on their heels. Jam B was the province of Aftermath2 ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IMfQ0CXuF0 funny, I never visualized Jonathon as an Iron Maiden kind of guy til I saw this) with La Chiva ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O36XSjES8w8 Hey! Where have they been keeping that crew? "And thus I clothe my naked villany with odd old ends stol'n out of holy writ, and seem a saint, when most I play the devil.") and Autumn Wind ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmiVYFueNvQ ) in 2nd and 3rd.
So farewell—to the little good you bear me.Farewell? a long farewell to all my greatness!This is the state of man: to-day he puts forthThe tender leaves of hopes, to-morrow blossoms,And bears his blushing honors thick upon him;The third day comes a frost, a killing frost,And when he thinks, good easy man, full surelyHis greatness is a-ripening, nips his root,And then he falls as I do.
Or maybe more simply: "When shall we three meet again In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"
Sail well! See you after Chicago.
Kent
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