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September 2, 2000

Dear friends in sailing,

The last two races ended the season in typical Lucerne fashion with light "but at least steady in the middle of the lake" winds. The entire season was a flip flop of conditions with the cat dominating for the first half in heavy winds and the monohulls taking advantage of the second half lighter winds.

Race 9 saw Chuck McClead and Doug Merrill finish one-two in the cat division, but not far enough ahead to best the monos in the Portsmouth. The race yielded a number one finish for Doug Kell Jr., another strong Lightning finish by Tom Johnston in second, and a usual "near the top" third for Doug Craib. The only displacement hull in the race Polly Barron, cruised to an uncontested victory.

The second race saw Team Cohen show up as sixteen boats lined up for the start. A wise decision by the Tom Johnston led committee to reverse the course made race 10 interesting indeed. The shortest upwind leg in distance turned out to be one of the most difficult to reach as the cats tacked back and forth on header after header with all save two finishing behind top monohull Harry Peddie. Good tactics earned Tom Davis and Mike Meager top finishes in the cat division. Top Portsmouth went to yours truly as both Portsmouth races 9 and 10 were won by two different Force 5's. Harry Peddie finished 2nd in the Portsmouth with "Mr. Consistency" Doug Craib having another 3rd place (his average for the entire year).

Highlights include:

- Tom Johnston using second race committee boat chores as motivation to finish first mono hull in race number nine.

- Massive collision between the guest racers in a 20 foot One Off and Harry Peddie’s little Albacore. Harry and crew survived, thank you. They make the old ones really tough...the boat I mean.

- Second race circus at the first mark as all the cats were frustrated by the swirling winds.

- Thank you to Ian Cohen, sailing a great race headed for the finish ahead of his dad and myself and deciding to go for a swim and let the "oldfolks pass."

- Clutch performance by Mark and Janet to graciously loan the use of their home for the awards under threatening skies.

Awards picnic highlights were:

	1st Place	2nd Place	3rd Place	4th Place
Actual Finishes - Multi-Hulls	Chuck McClead	Mark Eggleton	Doug & Lisa Merrill	(no award)
Actual Finishes - Planing Hulls	Doug Craib	Tom Johnston	Harry Peddie	(no award)
Actual Finishes - Displacement Hulls	Cliff Eames	Polly & Bill Barron	Joe Guaraldo	(no award)
Portsmouth Handicap Finishes	Doug Craib	Mike Connolly	Chuck McClead	Harry Peddie
Season "snake oil award" Handicap Finishes	Doug Kell, Sr.	Doug Craib	Harry Peddie	Tom Johnston

If you were not in attendance to pick up your award, please contact me. If you were a past first place finisher in the Multi-hull Actual, Season Handicap or Displacement Actual, in the last seven years, please contact me to update our history plaques.

Many thanks to the entire membership for all of your help and friendship over the past two years. Next year’s commodore stewardship is now in the capable hands of Dick Laferty following a unanimous vote of the contingent present at the awards picnic.

Thank you all again, and see you next year on the water,

Mike