[Public-List] It was another good one...

[Gordon Laco]

Hello there - 

Last night’s race was another good one… so here’s the story.  I hope you folks enjoy these…

I was toiling away in my messy office occasionally glancing out the window to be reassured by the tossing the trees in the very solid wind, and also to check the live squirrel trap in the yard.  We’ve had squirrels as tenants for a while, evictions have so far been only temporary.  Two years ago they were in the attic of the annex on the house that serves as my office - Old Ontario houses have what was once called a ‘summer kitchen’, and unheated outwork where cooking could happen when it was hot.  I’ve renovated the space to winterize it and how it’s a very pleasant workplace for me.    A pair of squirrels got into the attic there… I trapped them one at a time and deported them before sealing up the entrance they had made.   I reckon I didn’t send them far enough away because they came back and in turn sat outside the window by my desk chattering and snapping their tails.  I’ve read the latter is cursing in squirrel comms.

This time they’re in the main attic… I caught one of them two days ago and took it further away, across the Wye River this time.  There was a rock blocking an old forest lane at the chosen release point, so I put the trap on the rock and opened the door.  The squirrel shot out like a torpedo being launched from a destroyer and raced into the forest with twigs and dirt flying up behind it.  I marked the spot about ten feet away from the three foot high rock so I can see if the next squirrel is as athletic…. I feel a little badly for them but I reckon I can’t let them live in the attic.

Back the race.  At about 4pm I got a text from one of my regular crew indicating that he couldn’t come… but to compensate a new candidate said he could, so we still had three aboard when we cast off at 1800 for the 1830 start.

We got out to the start and were delighted that the NW breeze was still solid and blowing at about 12knts.  We caught the horns on our stop watch and crossed the line hard on the wind just as the horn blew… 5.5 knots with our arch rival SUNDANCER just to weather and aft a bit… our other arch rival MAID MARION risking a port tack start down at the other end.  EVERGREEN, an Irwin 31 (I think) 

A flurry of shouting developed between SUNDANCER and VOODOO DANCER just to weather, the upshot being that VOODOO being forced over early and recalled.  I’m trying to find a pun about the ‘dancers’ but failing… so onwards.

Having disposed of VD, SUNDANCER bore off a little coming down on us and basically smothering us.  I ragged the main to let them by then tacked across his stern… wahoo into clear air.  We got the boat going and in no time were up to the lay line for the mark, tacked back onto starboard to beat in toward it… there was the rest of the fleet, the whole fleet, coming up on port tack all pointing higher than poor SURPRISE can, but having sailed more slowly, all behind.  We got across all their bows… all of them.

We rounded the windward mark in first place… forget handicap, there was nobody in front of us.  Steve our foredeck asked which side I wanted the spinnaker pole on - haha, I had to think because there was nobody with their chute already up to act as a guide.

Anyway up went the chute (pole to starboard) and away we swung down to leeward.  We were caught by a Shark down there, but who cares, it was just a Shark.  We rollicked up on the next beat, this time tacking in a jot so as to sit on our rivals who were all inside again… I was worried about some fluke shift getting them and not us.  Always better to cover so as to remove chance when one is in the lead.   

Up at the windward mark we rounded in close combat with the Shark, (but who cares… just a Shark…) and up went the chute.  I was getting really excited, but my crew snapped at me ‘don’t start crowing yet, there’s a ways to go.  Don’t look back… just concentrate on driving…' and so on.

But here’s where it all started coming apart.  We were still leading by a wide margin with only a Shark for company, but the wind was dying.  soon we were staggering along at only 2.2 knots dead downwind for the mark, and horror of horrors, this wasn’t the finish.  90% of the time our races are two laps… but this time, no doubt because the wind was so nice, the committee of the night chose the three lap choice as was their right.  And there was the card number indicating this displayed on the committee boat… I’d not noticed it before.   

Oh the horror. The trouble with leading is that one has everything to lose.  We had to round the leeward mark with half a dozen boats in close company and start beating again but this time in light air.  We finally got back up to and rounded the windward mark for the last time in close combat with many boats…but some had got ahead including SUNDANCER who was now way up there.  At least we held off MAID MARION again...  We finished well up in the fleet, but not first.  

Then the waiting for our PHRF adjusted results… 

The results were just posted… SURPRISE - 3rd.  Well that’s better than a slap in the belly with a wet fish.

We’re going sailing up the coast next week four our annual holiday cruise, so will miss the next race… 

Gord
#426 Surprise