WELCOME BACK! June 2nd Race and Sock Burning Report

Photos courtesy of Donna Mount and Julia Schroeder

Sock Burners

Grateful for sunny skies to go with the wind, sixteen sailors and seven race volunteers cast off from terra firma to participate in the “Memorial Day” trophy race, our first race of the season.  Highlights included a new sailor, return of several sailors who were absent last year due to boat issues, strong and gusty winds, and many capsizes. After the race we celebrated the start of barefoot and sailing season by burning our socks, enjoying snacks and scuttle butting for several hours at Truex’s “GYC Home Port”.  Poetry was read, and plenty of “yarns” spun (and burned).

Welcome aboard new sailor Ian Palmer!  He and Sam Tadd lowered the average age of our sailors by about a decade, crewing for captain Steve Tadd in the mighty Thistle after repairs kept it and them dry-docked for a season.  Welcome back Sam and Steve!  Likewise, we are happy to have Steve Willment back in the well-equipped and well-pedigreed Laser he acquired to our delight, from legendary sailor Tom Jennings (now sailing in southern seas).  

Steve in the well-pedigreed Laser

Our volunteers got quite a workout as the strong winds made anchoring difficult.  We appreciate the hard work of Beth Auld, Cindy Bartlett, Donna Mount, Bob Orben and Mimi Riffle.  Thank You! Thanks also to Jim Riffle and Bernice Rains who kept a watchful eye on us from the “Safety Boat”.   And thanks to Kevin Preuss for organizing the race and Beth Auld for organizing Committee Boat volunteers for the race.

In the first (trophy) race John Auld/Paul Hass, Jim Voelz and Tom/Ben/Jeff Cartwright were out front after being first to round the first mark and enjoying favorable winds on the way to the second mark.  Jim Voelz recovered quickly from a capsize or two, but nevertheless was able to come in just a few seconds behind John Auld/Paul Hass on a handicapped basis.  Well done John and Paul on coming in first. The Cartwrights were also doing great until, even with the three of them hiked out, they lacked the weight to counterbalance the wind on the tall sails of the white Thistle. So they took on water and then capsized, dashing their hopes for a trophy-finish.  Steve & Sam Tadd and Ian Palmer, also in a Thistle had even less weight to counterbalance the wind, were able to finish without capsizing, but chose not to tempt fate and returned to port after the first race.  The Cartwrights also returned to their dock after the first race since their bailing efforts weren’t quite enough to keep their craft from being compromised.

Righting the Thistle was done quickly.  It was the bailing that took some time.

In the second race Matt Bartlett smoked the field, finishing more than 3 ½ minutes ahead of next-to-finish Tom Schroeder/Phil Bush and Jim Voelz.    Matt, Tom & Phil expressed appreciation to Jim for his couple of capsizes that facilitated the finish order.   The last of those capsizes occurred just a few feet from the finish line allowing Schroeder/Bush to eke out a 2^nd place finish.

Jim recovers from capsize at finish line that allowed Tom & Phil to finish ahead of him.

Tom and Phil all smiles, and dangerously close to "high five syndrome"  Long time blog followers know what that is.

There was no let-up in the decibels being emitted from chatter during the protest meeting on Arlene’s patio.  Finally a loud shout of “time to burn socks” was required to get the talkative group to drift to the fire pit at the shore.  Prior to the first sock to be tossed in the fire, cheers for warm weather’s return were shouted and the following poem was read by Tom Schroeder:

My socks ….they stink!

They’re the source of that odor (sniff)…  I think.

So I’ll set them ablaze, and wait a few days.

Then I will know; was it my socks, or B.O.?

Peggy and Phil toss sock into the fire (caught in mid-air)

Thanks very much to Arlene for hosting our gathering and to everyone who pitched in snacks (and socks).

Race Results:

First Race:

Laser Class:  Jim Voelz 1^st, Matt Bartlett 2^nd, Steve Willment 3^rd, Kevin Preuss 4^th

International Class: John Auld/Paul Hass 1^st, Tom Schroeder Phil Bush 2^nd, Lance & Bianca Snider 3^rd, Steve & Sam Tadd & Ian Palmer 4^th, Tom, Ben & Jeff Cartwright, 5^th.

Overall on a Handicapped Basis

John Auld/Paul Hass 1^st, Jim Voelz 2^nd, Matt Bartlett 3^rd, Schroeder/Bush 4^th, Lance& Bianca Snider 5^th, Steve Willment 6^th, Kevin Preuss 7^th,  Steve & Sam Tadd & Ian Palmer 8^th, Tom, Ben, & Jeff Cartwright 9^th.

Second Race:

Laser Class:  Matt Bartlett 1^st, Jim Voelz 2^nd, Steve Willment 3^rd

International Class: Tom Schroeder Phil Bush 1st, John Auld/Paul Hass 2^nd, Lance & Bianca Snider 3^rd.

Overall on a Handicapped Basis

Matt Bartlett 1^st, Schroeder/Bush 2^nd, Jim Voelz 3^rd, John Auld/Paul Hass 4^th, Lance& Bianca Snider 5^th, Steve Willment 6^th