This past weekend we visited Eustis to do a little lake sailing and tackle the 4th Regatta of our State Championship. The regatta report, results and updated series standings are up on the District Website
There were huge position changes but none bigger than in the last race. Jim Egan had a really nice race going leading the way at the second weather mark. A huge dead zone and the 1st became 16th. Ouch. There were other huge gains and losses, as well. We had one of our own, second race, third leg and we are sitting (I mean sitting!) about 20th. Almost a full leg behind the leaders but near the mark we get inside and pass two boats. All of a sudden we are fast, smart and probably really lucky, we finish 8th. Go figure. One thing I will always remember about lake sailing is no lead is safe and/or you are never out of it.
Now for some random chatter;
EustisReport - I've never seen so many World and NA Champs walking around in one place before. Thirty Scots registered! As for the sailing - Have you ever sailed a race where it became pretty clear that strategically it was much better to position yourself in last place than ever to be hanging waaay out there in first? Just ask Jeff Linton at today's first windward mark, or Jim Egan at the final windward mark. Jim's lead over the other 29 boats at that point was measurable in nautical miles. Didn't matter tho'. That's what Eustis was like. Very nice crowd sailing, and running, the regatta, which is why it remains one of the best annual Scot regattas. Chuck.
First, let me whine about last sunday: I would. I could and I should, 'cept the guys that placed at the top are the same guys who placed at the top of the other races. So who am I to complain? I must admit tho, it was a painful last leg. Usually, when something like that happens, there is some good-natured ribbing. I think others felt my pain, though, as I have never had so many people walk up to me and say (without apparent sarcasm) that they felt sorry for me. It may be the new administration, (then again, there certainly was some "redistribution of wealth" out there), or it may be that we are a kinder gentler nation, or it could be that it was the single worst drubbing in the history of sport, (think: agony of defeat) but people didn't even tease us. They just came over and expressed their condolences. It was lonely over there, terry wouldn't even speak to me and he was in the same boat! Thanks everyone for not pouring salt in the wound. The salt from my own tears was pain enough. How will i ever forget this? how can i put it behind me? i'll just have to remember the leeward mark rounding and forget all the rest. Now for next sunday:
I hope and plan to be there. Who else is in? Jim.
Dear Jim, I caught multiple lumber across the bridge of my nose on the icy high school rinks of NH that didn't hurt near as bad as what happened to you yesterday. Plz count me in for next Sunday. Chuck
Recommendation to all SSS Scot skippers; next time you see Jim Egan, buy him a beer. It was PAINFUL to watch, even as one struggling like hell to try to beat him. Dave.
We can't get worked up about these things. Bad to grip too tight. A little scared for this morning's patients tho'. Chuck
Jim, Sorry we weren't there to offer our condolences. For those like us that didn't make it I think I found some coverage of the last race on youtube: Hope to see you Sun.
John & Suz.
The only thing going through my mind are condolences to Jims first monday morning patient as he gets back to work with drill in hand! Bob.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Florida Frostbiting at Lake Eustis
Temperatures on Saturday were cool, with highs in the upper 50s, and wind that varied from dead calm to strong but patchy and shifting. Eight Scots sailed: Dave and Jay Asaibene on 5179, Jack Bazner and Joe Lobato on 3387, Randy and Ronnie Boekema on 5697, Don Browning and Bob Williams on 5690, Ray Laguna and Dean Grimes on 5770, George and Henry Picco on 5703, Francois Simon and Peter Hylen on 3362 and Todd Hunter with me on 5810.
Early in the first race, the breeze was almost random, putting a major premium on sailing where the wind was. Sometimes that was impossible, such as at the top mark on the first leg. That mark was close to the trees on the north side of the lake in a (then) dying north breeze, and trying to round and get headed back down the course was flat out painful. I can’t speak for everyone, but if you asked me to choose between rounding that mark again or sitting down for a root canal, it would be six of one or half dozen of the other.
Anyway, up the first leg, the fleet was spread out as we tried to find the wind. But after the top mark rounding and a downwind leg which began with drooping spinnakers and ended with the wind filling in from behind, we were much more compressed. The race committee shortened the course to finish at the bottom on the second downwind leg. By the time we got there, Todd and I were leading but had to fight hard to keep Don and Bob from stepping on our breeze and getting past us. Don claims he would have made it if he’d had another thirty yards, but we managed to hold them off. It was Todd and me on 5810 in first, Don and Bob on 5690 in second, and Ray and Dean on 5770 following a few lengths later in third.
The second race was even more interesting and ended up closely contested. The wind was stronger but still patchy and variable. Several of us battled for what we thought was the lead, with at least two boats overlapped at each downwind mark rounding. Throughout, Todd and I noticed that Ray and Dean were off in their own world on one side of the course or another, after getting caught in a hole near the starting line. “How unusual,” we told ourselves, “for Ray and Dean not to be a factor.” We focused on Jack and Joe, and Don and Bob and the other boats nearby, and tried to sail as fast as we could given the squirrely wind.
Then, approaching the upwind finish, Todd and I were racing with Jack and Joe near the port layline to the committee boat. Todd and I tacked to port and headed toward the middle of the course, knowing we would need one more tack to get home, but thinking we were being conservative. Jack and Joe stayed on starboard and sailed out toward the layline. There, whom should they find but Ray and Dean, returning from the wilderness and now very much a factor? Close to the finish, the port tack got lifted in a big way, and by the time Todd and I tacked to starboard just astern of the committee boat, Ray and Dean, on port, had an unbeatable lead. They crossed first a length or two ahead aboard 5770. Todd and I followed on 5810, with Jack and Joe overlapped on 3387. We and Jack and Joe finished so close together that the buzzer from the committee boat was just two quick chirps. I couldn’t tell which of us was ahead until we overheard the scorer on the committee boat say “blue boat” – meaning Todd and me. What a great comeback for Ray and Dean, and what a great finish for second and third!
Dean e mailed some details about their come-from-[WAY]-behind victory:
I wanted to highlight the circumstances of Ray's win in race #2, Sat. Without doing a play-by-play of the whole race, I wanted to shed some light on the very beginning of the race (that you missed because you were so far ahead!). [Editor’s Note: Clearly not far enough.] After, what I remember Ray's words to be, the "worst start of my career!", we immediately sailed into a mini-hole and practically sat. Did we have 8 boats out on Sat.? If so, we were the 6th boat to cross the start line, with two behind us yet. After sitting in the aforementioned hole, # seven had passed us. So, within about three minutes and 100 yards of the start, #5770 was in 7th place (assuming 8 boats). I think Ray did a bang-up job pulling a victory out of that!
I agree, but would add that it wasn’t just Ray – Dean is very much a part of the 5770 team, as Ray is always the first to acknowledge.
So, that was Saturday. Sorry for the overlong report. Unfortunately, it will average out with a sadly short report on Sunday’s racing – there was none. We had a good turnout of Flying Scots but a poor turnout of the wind. We ghosted out to share the glassy water with the Committee Boat and then ghosted home an hour later when racing was abandoned. Disappointing!
Complete results for Saturday are below and will be posted on our Fleet 150 website (http://fs.tmcentral.net/).
Our next club racing will be February 14 and 15. We look forward to seeing everyone again then.
George Washington Birthday Regatta: The George Washington Birthday Regatta is February 21 and 22. If you haven’t already registered, please do so as soon as you can. You can register either through the link on the Fleet 150 website or by going directly to the regatta registration page (http://www.regattaregistration.com/). Thanks.
Florida District Blog. Also, remember to check out the Florida District Blog to keep up on all things Flying Scot in Florida. http://www.sailrace.blogspot.com/.
See you on the 14th!
George
Early in the first race, the breeze was almost random, putting a major premium on sailing where the wind was. Sometimes that was impossible, such as at the top mark on the first leg. That mark was close to the trees on the north side of the lake in a (then) dying north breeze, and trying to round and get headed back down the course was flat out painful. I can’t speak for everyone, but if you asked me to choose between rounding that mark again or sitting down for a root canal, it would be six of one or half dozen of the other.
Anyway, up the first leg, the fleet was spread out as we tried to find the wind. But after the top mark rounding and a downwind leg which began with drooping spinnakers and ended with the wind filling in from behind, we were much more compressed. The race committee shortened the course to finish at the bottom on the second downwind leg. By the time we got there, Todd and I were leading but had to fight hard to keep Don and Bob from stepping on our breeze and getting past us. Don claims he would have made it if he’d had another thirty yards, but we managed to hold them off. It was Todd and me on 5810 in first, Don and Bob on 5690 in second, and Ray and Dean on 5770 following a few lengths later in third.
The second race was even more interesting and ended up closely contested. The wind was stronger but still patchy and variable. Several of us battled for what we thought was the lead, with at least two boats overlapped at each downwind mark rounding. Throughout, Todd and I noticed that Ray and Dean were off in their own world on one side of the course or another, after getting caught in a hole near the starting line. “How unusual,” we told ourselves, “for Ray and Dean not to be a factor.” We focused on Jack and Joe, and Don and Bob and the other boats nearby, and tried to sail as fast as we could given the squirrely wind.
Then, approaching the upwind finish, Todd and I were racing with Jack and Joe near the port layline to the committee boat. Todd and I tacked to port and headed toward the middle of the course, knowing we would need one more tack to get home, but thinking we were being conservative. Jack and Joe stayed on starboard and sailed out toward the layline. There, whom should they find but Ray and Dean, returning from the wilderness and now very much a factor? Close to the finish, the port tack got lifted in a big way, and by the time Todd and I tacked to starboard just astern of the committee boat, Ray and Dean, on port, had an unbeatable lead. They crossed first a length or two ahead aboard 5770. Todd and I followed on 5810, with Jack and Joe overlapped on 3387. We and Jack and Joe finished so close together that the buzzer from the committee boat was just two quick chirps. I couldn’t tell which of us was ahead until we overheard the scorer on the committee boat say “blue boat” – meaning Todd and me. What a great comeback for Ray and Dean, and what a great finish for second and third!
Dean e mailed some details about their come-from-[WAY]-behind victory:
I wanted to highlight the circumstances of Ray's win in race #2, Sat. Without doing a play-by-play of the whole race, I wanted to shed some light on the very beginning of the race (that you missed because you were so far ahead!). [Editor’s Note: Clearly not far enough.] After, what I remember Ray's words to be, the "worst start of my career!", we immediately sailed into a mini-hole and practically sat. Did we have 8 boats out on Sat.? If so, we were the 6th boat to cross the start line, with two behind us yet. After sitting in the aforementioned hole, # seven had passed us. So, within about three minutes and 100 yards of the start, #5770 was in 7th place (assuming 8 boats). I think Ray did a bang-up job pulling a victory out of that!
I agree, but would add that it wasn’t just Ray – Dean is very much a part of the 5770 team, as Ray is always the first to acknowledge.
So, that was Saturday. Sorry for the overlong report. Unfortunately, it will average out with a sadly short report on Sunday’s racing – there was none. We had a good turnout of Flying Scots but a poor turnout of the wind. We ghosted out to share the glassy water with the Committee Boat and then ghosted home an hour later when racing was abandoned. Disappointing!
Complete results for Saturday are below and will be posted on our Fleet 150 website (http://fs.tmcentral.net/).
Our next club racing will be February 14 and 15. We look forward to seeing everyone again then.
George Washington Birthday Regatta: The George Washington Birthday Regatta is February 21 and 22. If you haven’t already registered, please do so as soon as you can. You can register either through the link on the Fleet 150 website or by going directly to the regatta registration page (http://www.regattaregistration.com/). Thanks.
Florida District Blog. Also, remember to check out the Florida District Blog to keep up on all things Flying Scot in Florida. http://www.sailrace.blogspot.com/.
See you on the 14th!
George
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