Labor Day at Lake Eustis

I am happy to provide a report from our fleet at Lake Eustis. In case you aren't familiar with it, picture Orlando and go about 30 miles NNW. The club is a nice little casual place, real easy to hang out.

Our Labor Day 2008 series is complete. Even though we managed to sail only half of the series, it all turned out well in the end.

Saturday was a disappointment – best described as “all dressed up and no place to go.” We had a wonderful turnout – ten Scots – and a great forecast for the wind. Unfortunately, once everyone was on the lake, thunder rumbled from the southeast, heavy black clouds formed in the east and southeast, and everyone except Dave and Caroline Chapin fled back to the dock. Dave and Caroline, braver than the rest of us, scooted across the lake under spinnaker and returned during a break in the storm. After an hour or so, it became clear that the rain was likely to continue and racing was abandoned for the day.

Sunday was overcast and gusty, but the sailing was great. We sailed two races with seven boats. The conditions were occasionally challenging and several Scow crews ended up swimming, joining many of the Laser sailors. All of the Scots stayed upright and at the end of the day it was the Chapin boat leading the fleet with two firsts. Ray Laguna and Dean Grimes in Ray’s boat followed with two second places, chased by Jack Bazner and Joe Lobato who snagged two thirds. The full results are below.

Gus Chennells e mailed this report on the Sunday sailing:

I arrived early Sunday to get out on the water before it got too windy. I wanted to see if I could handle it solo. NOT! I got knocked down with my main all the way out but scampered over the rail onto the board without getting wet. A few good jumps brought the mast out of the water and I barely pulled myself in. Then I struggled back to the dock.

Stephen Britigan meet me at the dock and volunteered to crew, for which I was grateful. The first race was a struggle, and then just over the finish line, the clew of the jib was torn right out. So we retired, wet and tired!

I understand Gus has already replaced his sail, so he should be back next time.

Our next racing is in two weeks (September 13 and 14). That weekend and the three weekends which follow it will comprise the Keenan series (i.e., September 13 and 14, September 27 and 28, October 11 and 12 and October 25 and 26). We will award prizes for the top boats on each of Saturday and Sunday during each series, so come race even if you can’t make both days each weekend. For that matter, come race whenever you can! We’re going to have a great fleet this year, and a great racing season. The more boats we have each day, the better it will be.


Here are the full results from the Labor Day series:

Labor Day Series 2009
Saturday August 30 and Sunday August 31, 2009

**Note: Racing was Cancelled on Saturday, August 30**

Place Skipper Sail Sat R1 Sat R2 Sun R1 Sun R2 Points
1 Chapin 5020 - - 1 1 2
2 Laguna 5770 - - 2 2 4
3 Bazner 3387 - - 3 3 6
4 Erichsen 5339 - - 4 5 9
5 Browning 5690 - - 6 4 10
6 Picco 5703 - - 5 6 11
7 Chennells 3059 - - 7 DNS (7) 14



We were glad to see everyone this weekend. We’ll look forward to seeing you on September 13.

George