July 31, 2005

Race 5

The committee boat crew of Burnie and Amy Gaff did a yeoman-like job under adverse conditions for race 5. Try working with a boat with no reverse gear. Do your magic, Chuck.

With a solid course layout by the race committee, race number 5 began in near drifting conditions. The race was delayed waiting for the lost souls from the south end of the lake to arrive who amazingly rode the tide to the windless starting line. The conditions improved to a steady light to medium wind and finally, a delightfully brisk breeze, just in time for the after race "sail around."

It was not a cat day unless your name was McClead or Comins who blew away the rest of the fleet on the final upwind leg through the islands to do battle for first actual with Chuck besting Neil at the finish by seconds.

The remaining 4 cats of Mark Eggleton, Bob Fraser, Mike Meager and myself were left to fight for a distant third. Our boat was slowed by inept helmsmanship while the Fraser cat developed a plethora of friction induced vortices caused by all of the decals plastered on the sides of his "new" Hobie. The Eggleton-Meager cats decided it was more fun under the conditions to just enjoy the "Tour de Lucerne" and commiserate with one another about the grandchildren.

With one of the few races where the cats outnumbered the mono hulls, those that were there acquitted themselves quite well. Joe Gauraldo and Doug Kell sailing "comfy boats" (no longer referred to as displacement hulls) finished respectably close to the planing hulls. Barry Cohen and Harry Peddie finished a close one-two for top mono and should be among the leaders in the Portsmouth and close to top actual boat finishers. Well done!

- Ice cream social following the race next week

- I’m still not getting e-mails to everyone and will be on a landline calling campaign this week.

- Spread the word and get a big turnout for this week’s race and social at the Kell’s. I hear Doug has come up with two new flavors--Daiquiri and Bud Light.

See you on the water,

Mike C.