RHuggins photo

Fall Series - Race Day 4

It really didn't look like a good day to go sailing. Low clouds and a light drizzle made it hard to leave the comfort of the house and the lure of NFL and NASCAR.  However, ten of us decided, what the heck, and headed out on the Snake into building east breeze for this race in the Fall Series.  So much for the predicted 10-15 wind from the NNW!  (Tim Lynch, Jeff Hanson, Robbie Johnson +1, Tim and Renae Little with Loren and Georgia and Murphy, Christian Rinke +1, and Conrad as the unofficial Club photographer).

Race #1 started at about 1:15 pm (we waited for the wind to fill the entire race course).  The course was once around with the windward mark just below the Red Wolf Bridge.  The current was stronger than expected with the recent rain and Jeff and Christian each made several unsuccessful attempts to round the mark.  The wind stayed fairly consistent throughout the race (3-5 mph) and there was no rain.  Jeff struggled during Race #1, only to discover AFTER the race that his motor was down and dragging in the water.

Race #2 started off great.  Everyone hit the line on time and with speed!  It was awesome!  Robbie managed to port tack the fleet (nice job, Robbie).  Tim got stuck between Islander Spirit and Heart of Gold and discovered two things: 1) those two boats can make a 21 foot boat seem REALLY small and 2) big boats have BIG wind shadows!  It was an exciting windward leg, with all the boats staying close.  Robbie rounded the mark (barely squeaking by as they coasted head to wind) and ran off downwind as the rest of us closed in on the mark . . . and the wind died.  Some how Loren was able to coax Islander Spirit around the mark (with no wind and with the strong current, they managed not to hit the mark!), and Tim Lynch had just enough wind to round behind them.

Then it was a drift.  Basically we spent the next 45 minutes floating down river.  Tim Lynch and Robbie managed to round the mark, but there was no way they were going to make the finish line within the alloted 90 min race limit.  At 4:00 pm, the race was abandoned.

See the current standings on the Fall Race Series page.

-  Tim Lynch, LCSA Race Chair '08  EMail