AUGUST 16TH RACE: Forms of Propulsion

Photos courtesy of Lisa Duret
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Diana Ross and the Supremes:  "No wind.. (no wind!)…, No rain… (no rain!) ....or winter’s cold… can STOP me baby… (oh baby)…."

Well, we had no wind… (no wind!) .  Our one hour rain delay meant we had no rain… (no rain!) , and we certainly had no winters cold (it was pretty hot actually).  And no wind really can stop me baby, (Oh baby)!  

Although we had thirteen sailors and ten boats lined up to race, only five of us in four boats were gung-ho enough (or whatever) to show up for the race immediately following the ¾ inch of rain we received in about an hour.  The rain stopped with just enough time to quickly rig a boat and get a tow to the starting line.  So we lost most of our sailors.  But we did not lose our wonderful Committee Boat volunteers who took the delay in stride.    

We welcomed back former GYC skipper Dave Brown who was here with wife Marlene for a visit, and sailed the Hobie catamaran with Arlene Truex as crew.   John Gall was also back and sailed a newly refurbished Laser.

The Brothers Gall Laser. It LOOKS fast, and probably is, but we'll have to find out another day.

Well, we showed up, so we all made the best of it.  Since our usual propelling force (wind) "was  not with us", the Race Chairman, seconded by the Commodore, decided to suspend the rules against using other forms of propulsion, but denied the use of the trolling motor on the JY15.    We “raced” almost the entire course by “sculling” rudders rapidly back and forth, or in the case of John Gall, paddling with hands while lying on the front of the boat (picture paddling a surf board out to the waves, but on a sailboat instead, with the stern of the boat sticking up in the air). 

John is leaning over the bow, paddling

The only thing moving here is the jet ski that just exited stage right, leaving a spray.

Yes, “ooching” was also allowed, but no one embarrassed themselves by doing so (see last year's June 1st race report for a definition).  Dave Brown was unhappy with the mechanical advantage of Tom Schroeder’s JY-15 when it came to sculling though.   It seems that boat (which Dave sold to Tom years ago) can extend its rudder out to nearly horizontal, giving it greater leverage.   And that is also the reason Schroeder won the race. 

Fortunately we did enjoy a slight hint of wind between the 1^st and 2^nd marks at just the right angle that we could refrain from sculling, etc. for that segment of the race.

The four boats in same order as the finish.  Sherri looks on from her pontoon boat.  This was the only segment of the course with a trace of wind.

The Committee Boat volunteers were the bobbing gourmet lunch group of the Millers, Fishers, Donna Mount, and Committee Boat chair, Beth Auld.  They had a delicious lunch dinner, albeit without much racing drama for entertainment.  Menu: Two varieties of chicken salad (Steve Fisher's mother's recipe and Gretchen's Fisher's recipe), croissants, cantaloupe and blueberries.  For desert they served peach-stuffed cupcakes and frozen heath bars.

Sherri Agnew set up the race, with help from Kevin Preuss.  Thankfully they set up a short course.  Sherri followed our progress, or lack thereof from her pontoon boat.  Sailors John Auld and Paul Hass were also concerned for our safety as they also shadowed us from their pontoon boat.  There was little risk of capsize, but maybe heat stroke or dislocating a shoulder or elbow joint.

Thanks to our Committee Boat volunteers Jack and Sandi Miller, Steve and Gretchen Fisher, Donna Mount, and Beth Auld, and to Sherri and Kevin for making the race possible.  Thanks also to the Truexs for hosting the protest meeting.

The next race is a "trophy race" and will be August 30th.  May the propelling force be with us for that race.

First and only Race Results: 

Laser Class:  Kevin Preuss 1^st, John Gall 2nd

International Class (on handicapped basis): Tom Schroeder 1^st, Dave Brown/Arlene Truex 2nd

Overall on Handicapped Basis (not for scoring): Tom Schroeder 1^st, Kevin Preuss 2^nd, Dave Brown/Arlene Truex 3^rd, John Gall 4^th.