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.

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

July 15, 2009 Pictures

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

It just doesn't get much better: Sunday July 13th Notes and Results

What a gorgeous day to be out sailing at North Cape. Our second Sunday afternoon Midweek Wednesday Evening Race (are you following that?) was yesterday and it was a fabulous day for sailing. If you were there, you know how much fun it was. If you missed it, well, shame on you. Summer sailing won't be better.

Thanks to Les Lashaway and the crew of Mega for RC duties and to John Heagy for providing the committee boat.

The weather leg was a real challenge. Constant mini lifts and headers, velocity up and down, major lifts and headers. I suspect that everyone was in first and in last at various points of the leg. Big fun!

Notes and results: Wednesday July 8th

So, just another perfect weather night on the lake was waiting to greet us for the Wednesday night race. Is the lack of significant meteorological events depressing you too? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AFf0ysgNiM What I wouldn’t give for a good line squall or maybe just an old fashioned twenty-plus on the nose with short-spaced three-foot Lake Erie chop to make the weather leg interesting. Not buying this, huh?

Just so I don’t forget, let me start with upcoming events: Two more racing opportunities at North Cape this week plus Jolly Roger’s Buccaneer Race on Saturday.

Friday evening (July 10th) is our Full Moon Friday Night race for July. If you haven’t been out for a FMFN, they are laid back Jib and Main events giving us an opportunity to go sailing in a relaxed situation. Have someone different that normal steer, be sure to bring along some wine or another favorite beverage, provide a snack for the crew (aerosol spray cheese in a can is always a classy touch!) and enjoy! You don’t need to be a regular racer or have registered your boat and there is no fee for the race. Everyone is welcome! Starting time will be 7:00 PM. Oh and best of all, Barb Hickey has said she will have Lasagna available for us for after the race. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yhp_pLWHIvU Good Food! Good Times! Good drinks! It’s all a sailor needs. See you there. If the weather is questionable we’ll just eat drink and be merry and save the sailing for another day!

Sunday afternoon (July 12th) is the Summer Series Sunday Afternoon Midweek Race (SSSAMR, I’ve got to start working on better acronyms). If you missed this during the Spring Series, we have added one Sunday afternoon race to each five week Wednesday Night Series. Normal weeknight course followed by a potluck meal after. Bring some meat to do on the grills behind the club and something to share. It was a fun afternoon and a great feed last time and this one promises to be even better.

The Buccaneer Race (Saturday July 11th) is JRSC’s annual long distance race. I’m sorry I don’t have a lot of info to share but the start time is 10:00 AM and registration will be Friday evening at JRSC’s clubhouse on Edgewater Drive in Point Place. Come out and support the sport!

Now on to the business at hand. Last night aboard Foghorn we decided to change things up a tiny bit. Sandy drove the whole race except the start and did very nicely. She still needs to work on improving her ability to shoulder her way and slug it out in close quarters with other boats, but overall the race went well. I got to apply my considerable bulk to rail meat duties and handling the traveler during the tacks as I passed through the cockpit on my way from one rail to the other and I also got a whole new perspective on the crew’s interaction from that vantage point. Saw some things and overheard some stuff on the boat that I just don’t get to absorb when I’m attending to my duties behind the wheel. Can you say uuuuggggllllyyyy? Wow, it’s scary knowing what goes on in the rest of the boat!

We had one close crossing about three-fourths of the way out the weather leg with Group Therapy (we were on port but in retrospect clear ahead by a couple of boatlengths) but since Sandy has not normally been the person to assess the closeness of the crossing and whether to cross or duck or alternatively tack to avoid, that lack of experience resulted in a cluster eff for us. I probably should have been more aware of the possibility but from my spot on the rail the jenny blocked my view of GT (and other starboard tackers) coming at us and wasn’t able to help judge. When I am on the helm on a weather leg I am always tuned in to the concept of whether I am “making trees” on the crossing boat or whether conversely they are “making trees” on us and so it has become instinctive over the years as to whether we will cross, duck or tack. Bearing off ever so slightly and subtlely so as to duck a starboard tacker and having that boat appear close in front around our headsail at the very last possible moment is one of those few pleasures I get from the back of the boat as our weather rail crew instinctively sucks in their breath and goes “Woah, Baby” when the other boat suddenly appears. Perhaps that’s just sadism on my part to my crew, but then, hey, they undoubtedly deserve it for everything they put me through! While crossing situations can and do occur on the off-wind legs too, on a weather leg they are much more frequent, more intense, and the potential for harm seems much higher. But if you aren’t the one responsible for making that call on a regular basis then the natural reaction is to no doubt be conservative. So, back to our cluster. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFbwkO2nDU8 Sandy is driving and Cris is trimming the main. Cris is assessing the cross and telling Sandy that we are clear ahead. Not by a ton, mind you, but none the less, clearly ahead. Sandy, however, resorts to the natural reaction and decides at the very last moment to bail out and tack. It’s the natural reaction and that’s okay because you have to experience these situations in order to learn what is the correct choice, but it comes without warning to the five of us with our legs over the rail. Needless to say it’s scramble time as the boat starts its turn. Foghorn spins onto the new tack but unfortunately the old sheet can’t be released in time and the sail backwinds. Then as the old sheet is being unwound from the winch it fouls due to the new load from backwinding. So we are stuck in limbo, boat speed is gone and we can’t trim in to the new tack because of the fouled sheet on the other side. Nothing left to do but to tack back onto port and try to get the boat moving again. We do but lost a good number of boatlengths in the process. Oh well, that‘s part of the learning process, no collision, nothing broke, no injuries. Life goes on and Sandy will be better equipped to judge that kind of crossing in the future. In another of those close maneuvering situations, as we turned the East mark to set the chute Jubilate Deo turned just inside us and Sandy headed down to stay away from them. Jubie didn’t come up to course right away however as they were getting their chute up and so we found ourselves on the outside going the wrong way. Sandy, naturally enough again, kept going down with them to avoid them even those there was a margin of room for us to take Jubie’s stern. After a few subtle (well maybe not so subtle) words of encouragement from me, Sandy did poke our nose in there and we were on our way. Again, a case of learning to judge the available distance and the consequences of your actions. Another valuable lesson learned.

On the spinnaker leg from East to West I trimmed the pole to the wind the whole time and re-realized that the pole trimmer can make life a whole lot easier for the spinnaker sheet trimmer and their person on the sheet winch rather than if the pole is left static except for the occasional major readjustments during the big shifts. Last night the wind was great and it made for a nice ride on the offwind leg but it did come with some fairly constant changes in direction. With the spin sheet trimmed right for the curl, through my continually playing the pole it was a lot quicker and easier to keep the chute trimmed on the edge than it was by trimming the sheet continually. Many times when Helene would be calling to Barb for winch trim on the spin sheet I was already ahead of the game with the pole adjustment and before they could react to the angle shift the pole was already readjusted and the need for trimming the sheet was alleviated. The advantage in last night’s conditions of variable apparent wind angles was that the spin shape stayed relatively constant and oriented to the wind angle rather than flattening the chute through overtrimming to compensate for a tighter wind angle or easing the chute to belly it out when the wind comes back. This is pretty basic stuff that we as sailors all theoretically know, but it’s surprising how much more obvious it is when you adopt a different role on the boat and can see how the many parts interact. I know there are some crews who do a good job of rotating bodies around their boat so that everyone gets a chance to experience what others are doing on the boat and how their own particular job affects those others. I think it is good for all of us to do that occasionally so that when you get your chance to experience being on the bow during a gybe and realize that the person on the spinnaker guy hasn’t given you enough slack to work with to make the pole, then you gain a new realization and appreciation of how what you are doing (or not doing) on the other end of that line affects the success of the operation. Tailing in the cockpit during tacks, a seemingly simple (but critical) operation can gain you a ehole new appreciation for how your flying elbows can affect those around you. I think that rotating of crew members around the boat is a great practice and can only help to make all of your crew members more valuable to the success of your boat and unquestionably it makes all of them feel more a part of the operation.

So what else did I learn from my new perspective on the rail during last night’s race? One thing that hadn’t been obvious from behind the helm. The compasses on Foghorn (we have four: one magnetic built into the binnacle, one magnetic on the bulkhead, one electronic on the instrument pod over the companionway, and one more electronic mounted to the top of the grab rail on the binnacle. We also have the GPS on a swivel in the companionway.) are well positioned for use by the helmsman. With those five readouts, everywhere the helmsmen looks there is an indication of the current course. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ac8ODZqe0mI However moving forward in the boat from the helmsman, that information is much less available to the crew. The main trimmer can see the GPS and two compasses. The jib trimmer can see the same if they are in the cockpit, but once you get to the rail, you can’t see nothing baby! From my spot on the rail I was left with judging tactics of when to tack by just observation of others around us. That’s okay but certainly is secondary knowledge and puts you in the position of reacting to what other boats are doing rather than making your own decisions. Gone was my ability to react to the changing heading and deciding whether a shift was something to tack on or not. Sandy steered well and kept us on the wind, but from the rail you don’t have that same innate sense of where you are with respect to the angle to the mark. In last night’s shifty conditions it definitely was a handicap for me. So the solution? I’ll be moving the electronic compass that is on the binnacle rail up to the mast where the rail crew will be able to access the info also and help to pick up on wind direction changes. Many eyes observing the changing situation is always better than only a few who may be distracted by other developments.

So all in all, another good night on the water. The choice of Course #6 (start at West, beat to South, reach to East for PHRFers or center for the Jammers and then offwind to the finish at West) was fun. The beat was good, there were enough shifts that playing them correctly was critical, the second leg turned out to be a fairly non-typical headsail reach for the PHRFers allowing them to play with jib lead positions forward and back and also athwartships (I always wanted to use that word) out to the rail to get best boatspeed, and then the final downwind leg was fun as the JAMMERS came from 90 degrees to our left and turned at Center to accompany us to the finish. There were lots of overlap situations and the Race Committee (thanks to John Kosmalski and his J80 crew aboard John Heagy’s boat for fine work) were challenged by forty-plus boats all finishing within a relatively few minutes, but the RC got the finish times, got almost all the sail numbers and we were ultimately able to get it all sorted out correctly.

In JAM A Berakaway finished a minute and 45 seconds in front of Tyrannous while owing them a minute and 45 seconds. A flat footed tie for first! Orange Crate corrected just behind in 3rd among a strong group of nine boats in class. Wooly Bully made its first appearance of the season with a good 6th place. The class as a whole sailed so well that perennial contenders Wing Jammin and Erie Grog ended up contending for last. Nice going JAMMERs. In JAM B we almost gave out first place honors to Caprice, even though the boat didn’t leave the dock. Once we straightened out the sail number issue, Aftermath2 took the glory with Full Ride and La Chiva edging out Fiasco and Autumn wind for the remaining podium places.

In PHRF A, ten boats battled it out with Abracadabra taking the measure of the class. Viva Las Vegas http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Knbh7TkX6A&feature=related and Holy Toledo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdMIUCQsmyA (now that one is good!) took 2nd and 3rd with their Hobie 33s just ahead of Legs-a-Shakin. In PHRF B, another ten boats were led around on corrected and almost on the water by Red Cloud in 1st with Team I-Ball slipping into 2nd (once we figured out the wrongly recorded sail number issue, what is it with that T10 and sail numbers anyway?). Send in the Clowns was a strong 3rd narrowly edging out Full Tilt and Wizard. In PHRF C, Flak Bait http://www.flakbait.com won the class (and were 4th overall) narrowly edging out Splash Dance in 2nd and Jeff Gordon’s Presto in 3rd http://www.metacafe.com/watch/2063583/presto/ (how come the sail number on that boat isn’t 24 anyway?).

Overalls in JAM went to Breakaway and Tyrannous in the aforementioned tie and to Red Cloud in PHRF. Congratulations one and all!

Sorry, this week’s report is a little short on humor (well, I think of it as humor regardless of what the rest of you think!) but hopefully a couple of the things I pointed out are of some value to others of you too.

Thanks to all for making our Wednesday night races the recreational highlight of my week.

Kent

Oh and don’t forget to check out the NCYC sailing blog. www.ncycsailing.blogspot.com It is incredibly well written and comes highly recommended (by me at least). J

Results: Wednesday July 1, 2009

Hi all,

Missed you. Well, okay, let's be real, maybe not. What can I tell you about last Wednesday? Let's see. Ringling Brother's elephants were great. The hotdogs at Nathan's with grilled spicey onions were fantastic, but I stopped after two, didn't quite have it in me to compete with the champions and get sixty-plus down. The Coney Island boardwalk and the beach were fun. The tourist shops were just as spectacularly shlocky and chintzy as you would expect. The sea lion show at the aquarum was lots of fun. The ocean? A little on the coolish side but bearable. Highlights from other days? The view from the Empire State Building on a spectacular weather day, people watching in a Times Square closed to vehicular traffic, a near celebrity sighting (well, at least the people near us thought they saw a celebrity, we didn't look quickly enough in the right direction at the right time), incredible traffic, Ellis Island and the ferry ride to the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, Ground Zero, FAO Swartz, more traffic, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Long Island and a little peace away from the hubbub of the City. Did I mention the traffic? All in all, New York being New York in the summer.

But you probably didn't come here today to hear about my vacation. You're probably just wondering where your weekly update has been since last Thursday. Okay, the results are attached. Hope you all had as good a time as we did. Thanks to all who picked up my slack while I was away.

We'll see you at this week's races: of course we start out with Wednesday; then there is a Full Moon Friday Night on July 10th; and just to make sure you don't lack for opportunities, this Sunday will be the second of our Sunday afternoon Midweek Races (this one counts toward the Summer Midweek Series) which will be followed by a potluck picnic.

Hope to see you out for one, or two, or even all three of this week's opportunities. Same Bat Time, same Bat Channel. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp4OJXrNtXw

Kent