WHAT DID YOU EXPECT CHARLIE BROWN? August 7th Race Report

We were delighted to have first-time sailor Alexandra Hale join us.  She crewed for Catey Hale on the Y-Flyer.  Welcome Alexandra! And we were happy to have back for the first time this year Jackson Gall and  Dave Brown (and Marlene Brown on the Committee Boat).  We were also glad to have Lance & Bianca Snider join us again. We wish we could have arranged better wind for all of them. 

Many thanks to our Committee Boat volunteers John Auld, Marlene Brown, Bob Orben and Jim Riffle  for hanging in there for a long race day indeed.  And to Catey Hale for setting up the race with an assist from Tom Jennings.  Thanks also to Beth Auld and Kevin Preuss for organizing.

The wind was on again, off again which made for some very long periods of sitting motionless.   When racing, its not like you can relax like a dog laying in the shade during those periods. 

 

It’s a test. You have to notice where in your vicinity the wind “corridors” tend to be found.  A few feet to the wrong side of the wind corridor means you are motionless while others are moving forward.  And you’ve got to be watching the water for signs of the next breeze and be prepared to take immediate advantage of it.  And while you drift a bit, you can inch along in a direction that might prove favorable.   During one such period it was amusing to watch Jim Voelz sneak inch by inch around the back of the Hale boat and slowly position himself upwind of them while they were not looking.  When the wind did pick up, he was blocking their wind for a moment or two.  Sometimes that is all that matters.

After an extremely long 45 minute first race the wind picked up just enough to entice us to start another race,  only to die again after we rounded the first mark.  Like Lucy holding the football for Charlie Brown.  Another 45 minute race.  Good Grief!   

And no protest meeting  that day to commiserate with our fellow sailors.  So those of us who attended the Garden Club picnic that evening (which was great)  may have seemed a tad bit salty upon arrival.  Nevertheless, it was better to have sailed than not since it wasn’t terribly hot or humid, and we actually did have enough wind to finish two races.  And we ARE in the “dog days” of summer, after all, so we’ll take any wind we can get.

Of note was the tight grouping of the sailboats, particularly early in both races, especially the second race.  It made for some exciting moments as we rounded the marks together.  In those situations inches of positioning relative to the other boats matter.  Later in both races the forces of skill and/or luck did their work and spread us out quite a bit.

Race Results 1^st Race:

Laser Class: 1^st Tom Jennings, 2^nd Jim Voelz, 3^rd Laura Garrett, 4^th Jackson Gall.

Butterfly Class: 1^st Peggy Voelz

International Class (on handicapped basis) 1^st Catey & Alexandra Hale, 2^nd Tom Schroeder

Overall on a handicapped basis (not for scoring): 1^st Tom Jennings, 2^nd Jim Voelz, 3^rd Catey & Elizabeth Hale, 4^th, Peggy Voelz, 5^th Laura Garrett, 6^th Tom Schroeder, 7^th Jackson Gall.

Race Results 2^nd Race:

Laser Class: 1^st Jim Voelz, 2^nd Tom Jennings, 3^rd Laura Garrett, 4^th Jackson Gall

International Class: 1^st Tom Schroeder, 2^nd Catey & Elizabeth Hale, 3rd Lance & Bianca Snider

Overall on a handicapped basis (not for scoring): 1^st Jim Voelz, 2^nd Tom Jennings, 3^rd Tom Schroeder 4^th Laura Garrett, 5^th Catey & Elizabeth Hale, 6^th Jack Gall, 7th Lance & Bianca Snider

Our next race is August 21^st.  Lucy Van Pelt is not invited!