Youth sailors come through for the “without Alejandro and Rob” sailing day.
Cameron Smith won three of the five races on Saturday and took home three of the “daily first” trophies and the Youth Second Place for the Norton Series.

This was the day that Alejandro and Rob did safety boat for the “big boats” so all the Wayfarers could sail. The Wayfarers did have four boats out, which is not bad for that small group.

Saturday was a hard day for Sam, because he wanted the first places to be spread around, but then when he is sailing he is just trying to do the best he can. Marc Solal had at least two really good beats and we almost had a winner for him. In the last three races Cameron got a good start and didn’t make any mistakes. Tom Rhodes got a second place in the fourth race, when Cameron wouldn’t let him win.

The other Norton Series winners were Caroline Chapin for First Woman, Max Barton for 3rd place Youth (sent off with his Uncle Othon Dominguez, rising C scow sailor), Cameron Smith for 2nd Youth, and Luke Yates for 1st Place Youth (awarded early so he could go off with the high school sailors). Sam Chapin was 5th overall, Tom Rhodes 4th, Marc Solal 3rd, Rob Krentel second and Alejandro Illera first again.

Sunday was a clinic is light air sailing by Alejandro on his return from safety boat duty. We had a light but regular west wind when Sam put the marks out at 9:15. By 9:30 it was glassy again and when the Lasers left the beach it was mostly South, but very light.

Alejandro was sailing fast on close reach and not close hauled. Boom out about 2 to 3 feet from transom with some vang on to keep the boom lower. He was crowding forward on the leeward side of the cockpit with extreme heel to leeward with one or two inches of deck under water. This is similar to the position that Randy Rhea uses in light air.

Usually we sail Lasers flat, but when moving slowly “wetted surface” becomes the most important drag (no wave making). Heeling the boat to get some of the bottom out of the water and submerge the side helps. It is hard for me to believe that putting the reversed curved rail in the water and pulling it along is faster, but it usually is, like on Sunday and when healing the boat downwind.

Sam and other older Laser sailors try to sit up on the centerboard, but tacking from that position is difficult, particularly if you are older with a body that won’t fold up very well. Alejandro manages his tacks from there fairly well and with some roll. Roll tacks work better with a little more wind in the sail.

Tom Rhodes, who has been one of our heavy air sailors, moves into the light air category with a second place on both Saturday and Sunday.

Marc Solal did pretty well on Saturday, but he can tell when conditions are just miserable and headed home on Sunday after the second race.

John (Jack) Delaney from Edgewater, fl and Cleveland, Ohio brought his Laser over and to test the light air and plans to visit again. Maybe he will do a Wednesday evening. Jack sailed at least once with us last year.

Jennifer Jones had a winning weekend. She crewed for Ray Laguna in the winning ( and tied for first) Flying Scot on Saturday and won the last light air race in Lasers on Sunday. – Beat Alejandro– Welcome to that small club, Jennifer.

WEEKEND SCORES...

Alejandro Illera Ns-ns-ns-ns-ns+1-1-1-2 12.5 (near average points for Safety boat duty)
Sam Chapin 1-1-2-3-2+3-2-3-4 22
Tom Rhodes 3-4-4-2-4+2-5-5-5 34
Cameron Smith 2-2-1-1-1+ns 35
Jennifer Jones Ns- +ns-4-2-1 39
Jack Delaney Ns- +4-3-4-3 39
Marc Solal 4-3-3-4-3+5-6-ns-ns 42

Rob Krentel excused for Safety boat and horse duty.
.