DIE HARD SAILORS HIT THE WATER!

 

Rob Knowles and Craig Trend were sharing Committee Boat duties and had the marks out in plenty of time for racing.   The wind was from the east-southeast, a reasonable air having filled in despite the otherwise questionable weather outlook.

 

Using a staggered start and PHRF handicap rating system, and following the 5:30 pm horn, boats set off upwind.   Dave Stuart led the charge on his Sunfish, and in several minutes there was a rough line of sails making their way up Harrison Bay .   The weather mark was set well right of the start, and boats were generally able to fetch it with a long stretch on port tack.   First to the mark were Mark Cotton and Dave Stuart.

 

The breeze featured 10 degree wind shifts coming as lifts on the port tack first leg, and brought an increase in pressure at predictable intervals.   These made for ideal conditions to point high in the lighter stuff and bear off in the stronger, a common method for optimizing time in the better pressure.

   

After the first turn, it was apparent that Messieurs Stuart and Cotton were doing very well.   A solid group of second tier contenders made their way down toward the east shore.   Leading were John Andrews, Sandy Trend, Walt Read and Jerry Guyot. As they approached the second mark it became apparent that the wind Cotton and Stuart had to round was evaporating, and the balance of the fleet labored to make the turn in little to no breeze.

 

Coming out in pursuit were Eddy, Read, and Trend.   Rumor has it that Mr. Perry and Mr. Bean had a gentlemen’s discussion regarding various tactical options at this point, all civil it must be noted!  

 

Leg three ranged from dead downwind in light stuff to beam reach with a bit more pressure, and Eddy set the spinnaker in difficult conditions, managing to separate from Read and the fleet in third position.   Perry set his chute at Bean’s suggestion, and it was less than a success, much to Bean’s delight.

 

In the meantime, Cotton was well ahead of Stuart in second heading to the finish.   The final leg was a port tack all the way, with Cotton Catalina taking line honors several minutes ahead of Eddy’s Thistle, who narrowly overtook Dave Stuart in his Sunfish (excellent race Dave!).  Walter Read was fourth in his Laser.

 

Welcome to Jerry Guyot sailing for him a new boat, a blue Laser.   Let’s give Walt Read some trouble!

 

Complete results follow.

 

  1.                     Mark Cotton/Catalina 25

  2.                     David, Libby and Carol Eddy/Thistle

  3.                     David Stuart/Sunfish

  4.                     Walt Read/Laser

  5.                     Bob Bean/J22

  6.                     John Andrews/Harpoon 4.6

  7.                     Charlie Perry, Boyd Estabrook/Capri 25

  8.                     Mike Caron/Flying Scot

  9.                     Jerry Guyot/Laser

  10.                  Sandy Trend/Sunfish

 

Comments heard after the race:

Charlie Perry:   We found all four ways not to set a spinnaker!”

 

David Stuart:   “Yarhoo!”   as he crossed the finish line in 3^rd position.