Eustis Laser Sailboat Fleet at Lake Eustis Sailing Club

JANUARY 21 AND 22, 2012

2012-01-23T17:39:00.000-08:00

Saturday January 21, 2012, we had great wind for the Laser races. Three youths came with 4.7 rigs and did very well. We took times and the finishes list are based on corrected times for all.

Bailey Verkaik corrected to third place in the first race. Chris Nagy jumped to 6th in the second race. No other changes in scoring, but both Bailey and Chris beat a full rig boat for boat. Great sailing fellows.

Dave Chapin 1-2-1-1-1-1

Rob Krentel 2-1-2-2-2-2

Sam Chapin 4-4-4-3-3-4

Jerry Beck 5-3-3-4-5-3

Tom Jennings 5-7-7-7-4-ns

Chris Nagy 7-6-6-5-5-5

Bailey Verkaik 3-5-5-8-ns-ns

Michael Gapuz 8-8-6-7-6-6

Bill and Charlotte Lubawy sailed their Capri 14.2 around the course. They told the RC that they were not racing and would stay out of the way. We don’t have any times for the Capri. The Capri rating is 99.8 and it looked like they were finishing very well.

We give thanks for Robin and Sally Renzoni who did RC for us with our regular Joan Bryant on well-earned vacation.

On Sunday Joan Bryant was back along with Sally Renzoni, but no wind. A little come up after lunch and all racing had been cancelled. Dave Meaker put out some marks and a bunch of Wayfarers entered the First Annual Light Air Wayfarer Reaching Championships. Winner to be announced later.

The Lasers had Vince Renzoni, Phil Ecklund, Ralph Grouse, and Albert sailing. We almost had Bob Morris out, but he will come back Wednesday with more suitable clothes.

Now get your calendars out because the next few weekends are tricky. Next weekend is OFF racing. The following is Wayfarer regatta and MC scow Train Wreck. So next club racing is 3 weeks away. Then February 18 and 19 is the Washington birthday Regatta. We are part of that – so sign up on our web site. The following weekend is club racing. So we are off for three weekends and then on for three weekends.

I will tell you about the other six players in another e-mail.

2012-01-08T20:19:00.001-08:00

Warm weather and light winds sort of ruined the sailing at Lake Eustis. No wind but marvelous fog most of morning. It was all mist out on the lake and you couldn't see the far shore and then the edges began to come in. Laser sailing was canceled at 11 AM. About 2 PM some wind came in and six Lasers from the youth foundation went out to sail a short course under direction of Craig Yates and Sam and Jerry Beck joined them so we had 8 boats out for an hour and a half. Nine MC scows were sailing with one C scow. So we got some sailing in.

On Sunday a little wind came in at 10:30 and Joan Bryant ran three races for the four Lasers that had braved the light winds. Rob Krentel 2-2-2

Dave Chapin ns-1-1

Sam Chapin 1-3-wrong mark

Vince Renzoni 3-4-3

Several Scots, Wayfarers, and MC scows sailed in the light air afternoon witrhout a PRO.

Next Club Racing in two weeks. Next Regatta beginning of February.
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2011-12-19T07:51:00.001-08:00

December 17 and 18, 2011 gave us the last of the summer on Saturday with warm temperature and the wind that died at noon. On Sunday it was colder and windier like winter with wind building at noon. We had seven sailing on Saturday and six on Sunday for a total of eight sailors. Five races both days. Joan Bryant is RC with Sally Hennessey helping on Saturday and Nancy Petty on Sunday. Special thanks for the well-run races.

Dave Chapin 1-1-1-1-1+ ns-4-1-1-1 =18

Alejandro Illera 5-4-5-5-3+2-1-2-3-3 =33

Rob Krentel 4-2-4-4-ns+1-2-3-2-2 =34

Sam Chapin 2-6-2-2-4+3-3-4-4-4 =34

Randy Rea 3-3-3-3-2+ns =49

Vince Renzoni 6-7-7-7-6+5-6-5-5-5 =59

Caroline Chapin 7-5-6-6-5+ ns =64

Patrick Daniel ns+4-5-6-nf-ns =67

Patrick Daniel returns to us on one of those crazy windy and shifty days. He has a new sail, but hiking strap broke when he was ahead of Sam and Sam saw the spectacular out of the boat head first backwards and then capsize. If we had video, we could charge to see it. The line that holds the hiking strap wears. Check yours and also don’t forget rivet aft. Reverse the sheet (wear at ratchet block). Check traveler at the fairleads. Check the rudder down haul with rudder down at the top gudgeon. Check the outhaul at the fairlead. One of the reasons, if you have a big budget, to buy a new boat every one or two years.

Caroline took a Saturday off from her high school senior activities to sail with us. Come again when you can. We continue to struggle to get the girls and women out for some reason.

Vince is back and getting his boat handling cornered and will be pushing up in the standing soon. He sailed the radial on Sunday and that was a good choice for him. He was not always last.

Randy Rea, our special friend from Crystal River, visited on Saturday. He scored second on Saturday and it is interesting to see that Sam beat him three out of the four races, but it is your bad races that often make the difference in the series scoring.

Sam had one of his best days ever on Saturday, but then was just lucky to stay out of trouble on Sunday.

Rob had to leave early on Saturday so he took a hit in the scoring. Well, you can put a hat over the three scores there for 2-3 and 4. Rob beat out Sam on his first place to no first places for Sam. On the Sunday scoring Rob was one point ahead of Alejandro.

Alejandro is back and although he got beat up on Saturday, he put it together on Sunday in spite of the higher winds.

David was late getting out on Sunday and then got on the wrong side of a big shift in the second race.

The rest of them he had in control, but had to win a couple on the beat to the finish.

Now we have two weeks off before Club Racing again 2012 January 7 and 8.

A note about two of our Laser sailors that didn’t sail with us. Craig Yates took Luke Yates and Cameron Smith to The Florida Yacht Club in Jacksonville to their Equinox Youth Regatta over the weekend to sail in the 420 class. They also took Mathew Smith, Cameron’s little brother, to sail the Opti green fleet. They were first place in both their groups. GOOD WORK, YOUTH FOUNDATION.

2011-12-05T12:29:00.000-08:00

December 3 and 4, 2011 Laser races at LESC, altogether nine sailors over the two days. Five races Saturday and seven on Sunday. Winds were brisk with a lot of crazy gusts. Temperature in the 70’s.

David Chapin 1-1-1-1-1+1-1-1-1-1-1 =11

Rob Krentel 2-2-2-3-2+3-2-2-2-2-2 =24

Jerry Beck 4-6-4-5-3+5-3-3-4-3-5 =44

Coach Chris 3-3-5-2-ns+ns =57

Sam Chapin 5-5-3-7-nf+4-nf-ns-5-5-4 =58

Charlie Jensen ns+2-4-4-3-4-3 =65

Bailey Verkaik 6-7-7-6-ns+ns =70

Luke Yates ns-4-nf-ns-s-ns+ns =72

Craig Yates (420) 7-8-6-5-ns+ns =70

Craig Yates brought out one of the youth students as crew on a 420 and sailed with us. He corrected on time with Bailey, who was sailing a radial rig. He sailed very well and he and Bailey were switching off positions when time was allowed. They came close to the Laser full rigs on corrected time, but not quite beat any.

Luke Yates was late getting out to the course and missed the first race had a great second race right behind Coach Chris, but then too much wind for the full rig.

Bailey Verkaik did a great job with the radial sail in the higher wind. With time corrected he almost picked off some full rigs. He was our first placing youth.

Charlie Jensen showed us he had not forgotten how to sail a laser. He was third place on Sunday and had a second place in the first race. He didn’t sail on Saturday and so is down in 6th for the weekend.

Sam Chapin. Well, the old guy has more trouble when the wind is up. Not enough space here to tell you all about the troubles, but he went in Sunday because he was not comfortable with that much wind and while he was on shore trying to figure out how long it would take him to change to a radial rig—he looked out and it seem that the wind had let up some—so he just went back out. It turned out to be a good day.

Coach Chris had his last day working for the Youth Foundation and they had a party for him at noon. We were glad to have him sailing with us on Saturday. The youth class is over at noon so they had to go in before the last race to have the boats put away before noon. He learned a little about lake sailing and we saw him really heel the boat to weather going down wind. He was third on Saturday and dropped down one for the weekend.

Jerry Beck really had a great time in the bigger wind. On Saturday he sailed extra after the races. Jerry, we love having you come.

Rob Krentel cornered all the seconds except for one on Saturday so Coach Chris won’t feel too bad and one on Sunday to encourage Charlie Jensen. Great work Rob.

David Chapin didn’t let anybody get ahead—well, a couple of times for a short distance. Experience is important and more so when the wind is up. When it is light, some wind shifts and pressure changes scrabble the finishes particularly in short one lap races. Thank you David for showing us how to do it.

2011-11-21T08:02:00.001-08:00

The Laser report is easier this week with maybe the last warm weekend our numbers dropped to a two year low with just five racing on Saturday and three on Sunday. November 19-20, 2011

Results

Dave Chapin ns-1-1-1-1-1+1-1-2-1-1-1 =18

Rob Krentel 1-2-2-3-2-2+2-2-1-2-2-2 =23

Sam Chapin 3-4-3-4-3-3+ns-ns-3-3-3-3 =40

Luke Yates 2-3-4-2-ns-ns+ns =46

Bailey Verkaik nf-5-5-5-ns-ns+ns =56

Bailey and Luke were both sailing the big rig and the wind was really up. They both deserve a lot of credit for hanging in there. They both went in a little before 12 to get ready for the afternoon sailing class and missed the last two races on Saturday plus missing the Sunday races.

Note that when Luke was sailing he got two second places and beat Rob in the fourth race. Good work Luke. He would have beaten out Sam for the weekend if he had just sailed a couple of more races.

The forecast for Sunday was for light winds, but when we got out there it was gusting up. Sam went in and changed to radial. Then we had both light areas of wind where the radial just died and everybody sailed away, but in the big wind gusts the radial was staying up with the big guys up wind.

Rob continues to make Dave work for his wins and got him in the third race Sunday. Rob sets the marks out for us every race day and stopped by Wednesday afternoon to help get our Wednesday afternoon group sailing better.

David Chapin continues to show us that we can sail better. Stand up before the start looking for the pressure. Get off the line faster. Work the shifts better. Changing gears with wind velocity. He wants us to have a face book page that everyone can join in. You will hear more about that. D13 has one but it is all about Sun coast stuff. Of course Antolin needs in put, but he gets all our stuff.

We will continue the “try a Laser” sailing on every Sunday afternoon and Wednesday afternoons 3PM.

2011-11-07T07:56:00.000-08:00

It was a great Good Bye to Tom Rhodes. He placed second in the Saturday races. Second place in the first race and third in the second including the capsize that got everyone but Bailey in the 4.7. Bailey won that race outright without any time allowance. Then we finished off the cake with the help of others and a dent in the ice-cream. Sat around and talked a little. Looked forward to a little less wind on Sunday. It wasn’t a lot less.

Rob Krentel 1-2+1-2-2-2 =10

Dave Chapin 16+2-1-1-1 =21

Patrick Daniel 3-nf+3-nf =28

Tom Rhodes 2-3+24 =29

Bailey Verkaik 6-1+24 =31

Jerry Beck 5-4+24 =33

Marc Solal 4-nf+ns =36

Vince Renzoni 7-nf+24 =39

Sam Chapin ns+ns =40

Let’s start with Sam. Lots of excuses—cold, windy, old, should be smart enough to rig a radial, glad to see the rest of you at least sailing a little.

Vince has the leak fixed in his boat and has a house in Mt. Dora, so he will be more regular.

Marc was laughing and having fun, so he is fine.

Jerry did a great job sailing both races on Saturday and we are glad to have him coming whenever he can.

Bailey won the Youth 4.7 Championship and then he won the second race outright on Saturday. Great work and it had us all laughing. What a great day!

Tom Rhodes, one of our regulars, passes on his boat and maybe his regular spot to Vince. We will have to see how that turns out.

David we were really happy to see you come and cool off Rob a little while Alejandro was out of the country.

Rob did it again. Set up the course and then when he and David were having their match races they included the Scots windward mark for a gybe mark so it was a triangle course. We can’t do that if we have a lot of boats, but we can spread out the windward marks--- maybe need another course signal—maybe C course= B mark and then A mark and back down wind..

2011-10-25T07:19:00.001-07:00

Laser Races October 22 and 23, 2011. Seven boats on Saturday and five on Sunday with total of eight sailors. Not so good for us, but a little better than Scots and W’s. Alejandro was off racing cars and Sam needs to send out “reply if you are coming” e-mails to get juices running. Really good wind on Saturday and then really big holes on Sunday especially on the back to shore after the races—that was the calm that cancelled the “big boat” races except the first race of the Scots that they were able to finish.

Rob Krentel 1-1-2-3-1-2+3-1-2-3 =19

Sam Chapin 3-3-1-2-3-3+2-3-4-3 =26

Patrick Daniel 4-4-5-1-6-4+4-4-3-4 =39

David Chapin nf-ns-ns-ns-2-1+1-2-1-1 = 40

Tom Rhodes 6-5-4-4-4-5+ns-ns-ns-ns =52

Luke Yates 2-2-3-ns-7-ns+ns-ns-ns-ns =54

Marc Solal 5-6-6-5-5-6+ns-ns-ns-ns =57

Vince Renzoni nsx6 +5-5-5-5 =68

Vince just sailed with us Sunday. It looks like all last places, but he was up with everybody and not always last. Good improvement Vince.

Marc only sailed one day. Again some really good legs and he brought Pascal who helped on RC and then he and Pascal sailed several hours in the afternoon.

Luke was back sailing with us on his boat. A string of really good races—the old Luke and then overpowered with the full rig. I think he could still do the full rig with us.

Tom Rhodes consistent fourth place and then moving to Chicago. If Tom is still here in two weeks, we will have the “Goodbye Party” for him at noon on Sunday.

David broke his top mast just before the finish in the first race. “Big boat” safety boat towed him back to club and a fresh top mast. Keep the rivet in the top mast facing the goose neck (aft and in compression) so the rivet hole doesn’t weaken the mast.

Patrick got his win on Saturday. At least we spread them around a little. We are working to get Patrick a little faster downwind--- then look out, you folks at the top.

Sam was happy to have a win on Saturday in about as much wind as he is comfortable with and a second on Sunday.

Rob beat David C. once on Sunday and once on Saturday. Hope that will David interested. Rob puts our marks out and was able to find that “black hole” for the windward mark on Sunday.

Youth Regatta next week and adult Lasers in two weeks again.

Dave Mains will move to Wayfarer class, so we will miss him and Barby who will crew for him if he doesn’t tip the boat. She did RC with Joan this Sunday and we will take her back anytime. Dave’s Laser was bought by the Youth foundation, so we are not losing the boat.

2011-10-10T18:20:00.000-07:00

Laser races October 8 and 9, 2011. A short report. Rainy and stormy on Saturday and Alejandro, Rob and Sam the only ones that came. None of them wanted to sail very badly. The other sailors were saying the forecast for thunderstorms. So we didn’t sail and nobody else put any boats in the water. Saturday learn to sail group learned to sail in more wind and the rain. Good work folks…

Sunday Rob put the marks out and reported a good breeze out in the dark water. Three again. This time Rob, Sam and Marc. Joan and Robin were RC. Seven or 8 MPH wind and light rain by first race. The Old man got a good start and won the first race. He turned over going down wind in the second and was in last with Rob in first. Marc was right with us in the last race when the wind was up and a lot more rain. Rob won the last two races. Lots of crazy wind shifts at the windward mark. A challenge sailing in the race with more rain and tell tails all lying down. More rain had come by the time the “big boats” had to decide—nobody put in. Laser sailing only.

2011-09-26T11:38:00.001-07:00

A short report for September 25, 2011. We only had six boats out. No wind and no races on Saturday. Rob went out twice to set marks, but not enough wind to tell which way was up wind.

But still on Sunday the MCs only had six boats, Scots five and Wayfarers three.

So the summary:

Alejandro Illera 1-1

Sam Chapin 4-2

Rob Krentel 2-4

Marc Solal 3-5

Vince Renzoni 6-3

Dave Mains 5-6

Dave Mains had his new old boat and did well. The light wind was really miserable and at the second start he sat in one of those holes with no wind while everyone else went off sailing.

Vince sailed his new really old boat and look at that third in the second race. Way to go Vince.

Marc Solal our heavy air sailor had a third in the first race and that one was really light air.

Rob was really sailing that second race in his usual position of second, but on the run he was following Alejandro over to the downwind left, where you could see some more wind building. Sam and Vince got some separation by sailing more or less toward the finish line and we got a little more breeze that just filled in behind us and left Rob out to the left between the breezes so he ended up fourth.

Alejandro continues to sail fast and tack well on the little headers and sit forward in the light air. You will have to do that if you want to be up ahead in light air. Alejandro’s daughter, Genesis, helped Joan with the RC so we are not angry over his win.
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2011-09-18T15:45:00.001-07:00

Treasure Coast Laser series races at Lake Eustis Sailing Club was a boost and a bust. A boost to the growing Laser fleet and a bust for getting together the Laser sailors of the Florida and particularly the East Coast. David Hartman was the “only outsider” that showed up, but we did have “local sailors” from Longwood, Winter springs, Winter Park, Apopka, Sorrento, Mt Dora, as well as Eustis. Eleven boat all together. Eight full rigs and three Radials. Five races in 3 hours with winds from 6 to 12 MPH minus a few holes with no wind. Generally a pretty good afternoon. Note that David Hartman came from behind in the last race to nip Alejandro for second place.

Dave Chapin 1-1-1-1-2 6

David Hartman 4-3-2-4-1 14

Alejandro Illera 2-2-3-2-5 14

Rob Krentel 3-4-4-3-3 17

Patrick Daniel 6-6-7-5-4 28

Jerry Beck 7-5-5-6-nf 32

Tom Rhodes 8-7-6-7-6 34

Marc Solal 5-8-8-ns-ns 39

Bailey Verkaik (Radial) 1-1-2-1-1 6

Darcy Jensen (Radial) 2-2-3-2-2 11

Claire Epaillard (Radial) nf-3-1-3-3 14

2011-09-12T13:49:00.001-07:00

Laser weekend- September-10-11, 2011

Light winds but good on Saturday with 12 boats sailing and four races. Eight boats on Sunday with a real struggle for wind and three races. The “big boats” didn’t get any races in, dying wind on Saturday and never tried on Sunday.

Alejandro Illera 1-1-1-2+1-1-1 8

Sam Chapin 5-3-3-3+6-3-2 25

Tom Rhodes 6-5-7-4+4-4-6 36

Luke Yates 4-4-4-1+27 40

Marc Solal 9-8-2-5+5-7-7 40

Dave Mains 10-9-6-7+8-6-5= 51

Chris Nagy 2-2-10-nf+27 54

Claire Epaillard 7-10-9-6+27 58

Rob Krentel 52+2-2-3 59

Cameron Smith 8-6-5-nf+27 59

Patrick Daniel 52+3-5-4 64

Bailey Carter 11-7-8-nf+27 66

Jerry Beck 3-nf-ns-ns+27 69

Vince Renzoni 52+7-8-8= 75

Michael Gapuz 12-nf-ns-ns+27 78

Fifteen sailors so this is a long story. Michael loves sailing a Laser and Jerry Beck spend an hour or so sailing with him Saturday.

Vince is bouncing between boats. He sailed his MC on Saturday, but they didn’t get a race finished.

Jerry Beck has turned into one of our instructors. Keep coming Jerry.

Bailey Carter is an old friend. Keep coming and hopefully we will get you a better boat.

Patrick is working his way up to the top of the fleet.

Cameron Smith, another old friend, we expect will be sailing with us at least on Saturday.

Rob Just missed Saturday sailing and took a 52 in his score for missing those four races.

Claire is our first woman and the third youth. I hope we get her name in the newspaper again.

Chris sailed in three races and had two seconds. That is really very good. His mother was on the RC. Do you suppose?

Dave Mains is sailing a little better all the time, but this light wind stuff is hard to do.

Mark Solal—look at that second place and a COUPLE OF 5s from our heavy air specialist.

Luke is back sailing with us. Look out, up at the top. The youth are coming.

Tom has climbed into third spot with no really bad finishes.

Rob was gone for a day so Sam was able to get up into second place for the weekend.

Alejandro did it again. Almost a clean sweep of bullets, but Luke took the last race Saturday.

LABOR DAY WEEKEND, 2011

2011-09-06T18:36:00.001-07:00

Labor Day weekend. 2011. Lots to report. Saturday and Sunday 11 Laser sailors in 11 races. Add the Monday racing now we have 14 sailors in 19 races. So let’s start with the regular scoring.

Alejandro Illera 2-1-1-1-2-1+2-1-3-3-2 =19

Rob Krentel 1-3-2-3-1-2+3-4-1-2-3 =25

Sam Chapin 5-ns-7-2-4-4+4-6-4-4-5 =53

Dave Chapin 48+1-3-2-1-1 =56

Jerry Beck 7-4-4-5-5-5+6-7-5-5-6 =59

Ron Baerwitz 3-2-3-7-3-3+50 =71

Patrick Daniel 48+5-2-6-6-4 =72

Charlie Jensen 4-5-6-4-ns-ns+ns-5-8-7-8 =74

Dave Mains 6-6-5-6-ns-ns+9-10-10-8-10=86

Vince Renzoni 48+7-8-9-9-7 =88

Marc Solal 48+8-9-7-10-9 =91

Marc missed Saturday helping with his son’s school project and then on Sunday he was beating a lot of people. He was our big hero on Monday. Read below.

Vince had a weekend of sailing. Friday night with Sam and Jim Rotella down at the park before the fireworks. It was a great night. Then MC on Saturday and Laser on Sunday and Monday.

Dave Mains did great. His first racing in 43 years and only about the third time sailing a Laser. Saturday was a lot of wind that sent him in early, but back Sunday and more comfortable with a little less wind. He will be sailing with us and Barby, his wife, helped with RC both Saturday and Sunday.

Charlie Jensen skipped a couple of races on Saturday to go sail with the MCs. He would have less trouble with the Wayfarers. We have that deal with them, that if you want to sail a longer race, go at noon and join in the Wayfarers second or third race.

Patrick had a second in the Sunday racing and finished fourth behind the top three fast folks on that day and then he almost won the big prize on Monday.

Ron sailed one of the old boats on Saturday and was always there with Alejandro and Rob at the head of the pack. We are glad to have him come anytime.

Jerry Beck sailed both days and was always there in the 4 and 5 spot. He wants a little North U kind of thing after the racing and I think we will add that on Saturday after racing. It would be nice to include the other classes, but with their three races schedule it is too much to ask. They will have to do their own.

Dave and Caroline Chapin won all three Scot races on Saturday and then Caroline abandoned her father and sent him to the laser group where he was able to win three races also. Almost the big winner of the weekend.

Sam was able to hang on to third place because he sailed both days. Showing up is half the battle. He and Vince sailed Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. No wonder on Monday he was wondering, “Why am I getting up early to go sail?”

Well, Rob was close, but not able to catch Alejandro. He was a ton of points above everyone else.

Alejandro our big winner again. Good tacks, sailing flat, sailing fast and not too often on the wrong wind shift.

Joan Bryant our RC. Don’t forget her and Barby Mains both Saturday and Sunday. Thank you both.

Now the excitement of Monday. First of all.. This was the Laser Invitational race so the “big boat “guys could come and race one of the little ones. We had no takers. I don’t think we did last year either. Vince Renzoni did sail with us. But he doesn’t really count as he has been sailing with us this summer.

The wind prediction was 10 to 20 and when we arrived a few white caps are forming. Craig Yates has come. Patrick Daniel is there. We talk it over and decide it is Radial rig day. Youth, Claire Epaillard and Evan Anthony have come and are smart enough to rig 4.7s. We put Vince in a 4.7. Marc Solal comes and decides on a full rig. That is great—we will have a little comparison. One Full, three Radial and three 4.7. Robin is helping Joan with RC and they will be taking times. Rob is not coming, so Craig put the marks out. A really short course right in front of the club.

Craig Yates 4-2-1-1-3-3-2-1=18

Patrick Daniel 1-1-5-4-2-2-3-3=21

Marc Solal 2-4-3-3-4-4-nf-1 =29

Claire Epaillard 5-3-4-2-7-5-1-4=31

Sam Chapin 3-5-2-ns-1-1-nf-ns=36

Evan Anthony 6-6-6-5-6-7-4-6=46

Vince Renzoni 7-7-7-ns-5-6-5-5=50

Vince was figuring it out toward the end of the morning.

Evan was hanging in there with the old soft yellow boat. Slow in the waves.

Sam was happy to be in the radial rig.

Claire received the first Woman trophy. She corrected to first place in the seventh race and to third in the second race. She wanted the First youth trophy also, but we hand that one to Evan and “Old Yellow”.

Marc won the last race. Hurrah for the full rig.

Patrick won the first two races and then let Craig get away from him. No, mostly it was just sailing the wind and the waves and short course.

Craig came out of retirement to show us how to do it. He has all the sailing lessons and is the

Soccer coach. We are lucky to have him.

Lots of white caps, chop and fast planning. Maybe next year we will do it again.

AUGUST 30 AND 21, 2011

2011-08-22T13:12:00.001-07:00

The prediction was for light winds this past weekend, but it was better. We managed five races on Saturday and six on Sunday. Sam report ten to the newspaper, but you can’t always trust old guys to be able to count well. Eight sailors each day and nine altogether. Jerry Beck came on Saturday and Caroline Chapin on Sunday.
Alejandro Illera 2-2-2-2-2+1-1-4-2-1-2 =21
Rob Krentel 1-3-3-3-4+3-2-3-3-3-3 =31
Dave Chapin ns-1-1-1-1+ns-ns-1-1-2-1=32
Sam Chapin 4-4-4-8-3+2-3-2-4-5-4 =43
Patrick Daniel 3-5-5-6-7+4-4-5-6-4-8 =57
Tom Rhodes 6-7-6-5-8+5-5-6-5-7-6 = 66
Jerry Beck 5-6-7-4-5+ 54 =81
Marc Solal 7-8-8-7-6+6-ns-ns-ns-ns-5=84
Caroline Chapin 45+ns-ns-7-7-6-7=86
That is the end of our summer, but these races are not going to count for anything. I finished up our summer two weeks ago so we could have our own trophy presentations. In two weeks the Labor Day series and after that the Kennan starts.
Now back to sailors. We were glad to get Caroline away from the horse thing. She was a little overpowered in the gusts with the full rig, but rusty from most of the summer off. She should be able to manage the gusts we had—sheet out to keep boat flat and some super vang to keep the mast bent.
Marc Solal had an interesting weekend. Finished up Saturday beating two in the last race and on Sunday, he had a little cruise and then came back with a fifth in the last race--- that one was almost a fourth as he led Sam around the leeward mark and was almost laying the finish, but Sam managed to sneak in ahead.
Jerry Beck is one of our middle fleet people. On Saturday just one point behind Patrick for the day. It is really great to have him sailing with us so that three or four of us are all coming together at the marks and at the finish line.
Tom Rhodes is doing better downwind and moved up with a bunch of 5’s on Sunday. Good going, Tom.
Patrick Daniel continues to charge up to the top of the heap. He had a 3 on Saturday and some 4’s on Sunday.
Sam had better starts particularly on Sunday. That helps a lot. Then he noticed that we had big left shifts up near the windward mark and that helped him. If you don’t know which way to go in the northern hemisphere, it should be toward the right. The gradient wind should come from that direction and it did a lot later in the afternoon. But don’t count on that stuff at Lake Eustis.
Dave Chapin came a little late on both days and racked up a lot of bullets. Starts and sailing fast to the shifts I think is what does it for him.
Rob Krentel and Alejandro continue being linked together. Rob was on top last race weekend and he won the first race on Saturday but then Alejandro topped him the rest of the day. On Sunday Rob just didn’t have enough wind to grind him down.
Alejandro Illera is always sailing flat and fast. He usually plays the wind shifts correctly. Watch him if you want to sail better.
Joan Bryant continues to run our race committee. Rob’s mother helped on Saturday and visited with everyone. Robin was back on Sunday and brought Joan because the little Yellow Car went to Orlando to get fixed. It will be coming back all OK on Tuesday.
The trophy presentation was a big success. Past Commodore Gene Day made it over to the club and had a good visit. The cake and ice cream is almost gone and I expect the rest of it will disappear this coming Saturday when the Youth are sailing.
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SUMMER RACING AUGUST 6 AND 7, 2011

2011-08-08T20:44:00.001-07:00

August 6 and 7, 2011 We had four races on Saturday in patchy winds and then four on Saturday in brisk winds with occasional gust bringing in some white caps. Twelve sailors over the two days with twelve on Sunday. That was probably our record Sunday.
Rob Krentel 2-4-2-2+2-1-2-3 = 18
Alejandro Illera 1-2-4-3+3-3-3-2 = 21
Dave Chapin ns-1-1-1+1-4-1-4 =24
Sam Chapin 6-3-3-5+5-5-5-5= 37
Jerry Beck 7-5-5-4+6-8-8-8= 51
Patrick Daniel 5-8-9-6+7-6-6-6= 53
Tom McNally 44+4-2-4-1= 55
Tom Rhodes 3-6-7-7+9-7-nf-7 = 59
Vince Renzoni 4-7-8-9+8-9-9-10= 64
Marc Solal ns-9-6-8+10-nf-10-nf=80
Dean Grimes 44+ ns-10-7-9 = 83
Jon Chapin ns-10-10-10+11-11-ns-ns=89
Jon Chapin is Dave Chapin’s son that goes to U of Alabama. He has sailed Lasers some but not in races, so we are glad to have him out with us. On Sunday he missed two races when the old outhaul on his boom let go, but he and Dave sailed through storms and multiple capsizes in the afternoon. He will be a lot tougher next time out.
Dean Grimes was one of the Flying Scot sailors that comes to visit with us on Sundays and brings Nancy Petty to help with RC. Nancy has some health issues that will be addressed more this week and we wish her a good outcome.
Marc Solal continues one of our good connections to the international scene. He and Claire Ephraim being our French citizens. Marc struggles with the leaky boat, has some good starts, and then gets hammered in the later stages of the races. We just have to encourage him to keep coming. Work forward in the boat and heel more down wind.
Vince Renzoni is on loan from the MC scows. We are glad to have him. Sally R. is a sailor and we will try to get her in a Laser.
Tom Rhodes has made his move up the ladder, but the wind up on Sunday gave him a little more experience in more wind. It makes it a little different game.
Tom McNally, the other on loan from the Flying Scot fleet and one of the two extra sailors that come on Sunday. He is really a Laser sailor before the Scot. He had a first in the last race on Sunday and was third overall in the Sunday scoring, but down to 7 for the weekend. He drove away Sunday with a Laser on top of his car and towing a Scot.
Patrick Daniel had moved up pushing Sam out of third place in our group of regulars, but he slipped a little. He had the string of 6’s on Sunday and just missing out to Jerry Beck on Jerry’s light air races Saturday.
Jerry Beck was with us both days. That moved him ahead of Patrick. He had a 4th in the last race on Saturday. He looked fast when he sailed by me.
Sam is happy to be in fourth for the weekend.
Dave Chapin got distracted on Sunday and interrupted his string of bullets. I think he will live through it.
Alejandro Illera had his helpers on the Committee boat on Saturday and was able to win that day, but the bunch on Sunday didn’t let him win any of the races.
Rob Krentel was overjoyed with a win for the weekend with Alejandro, Dave, and Tom McNally present. He only won one race but had 5 seconds in 8 races.
What sort of problems did we have? Brisk winds and some dnfs. If it was death rolls, then remember not to have the sail way out by the lee. If you start to roll steer toward the sail and the rudder should dig in the water and help you straighten up.
In that sort of chop on Sunday, be sure to keep the “bow down” so you power through the chop. If the waves are bigger then it is steering up the upside and down the down side. When we were in the gusts, there was enough wind and chop to stop you in irons, so have the boat moving and tack quickly in a flat spot or on top of a wave. Try to keep the boat flat.
Keep checking the wind and the line before the start. We had some changes in the last minute or so.
Anything else that we should address?

July 23 and 24, 2011

2011-07-27T07:32:00.000-07:00

AAAA July 23 and 24, 2011 were good days for the Laser group. Light winds predicated. Saturday was light but not as bad as predicted. We got three races in. Sunday wind was a lot better, but still with holes. We had 16 sailors and 7 races so we have a long note today.
David Chapin 2-1-1+8-1-1-1 = 15
Alejandro Illera 1-2-4+2-3-4-2= 18
Rob Krentel 4-3-2+4-2-3-3= 21
Patrick Daniel 6-6-3+6-8-5-4=38
Sam Chapin 8-7-5+5-4-2-dq= 43
Tom Rhodes 11-9-10+3-5-6-5= 49
Vince Renzoni 10-11-11+7-6-9-6= 60
Ben Getchell 3-4-6+ ns 48 = 61
Charlie Jensen ns39+1-7-7-ns= 66
Ray Laguna 5-8-7+ns 48= 68
Jerry Beck 7-5-9+ns48 = 69
Steve Chapin ns 39+ns-ns-8-7=78
Jim McIntyre ns-10-8+ns 48 = 79
Marc Solal 9-12-nf+ ns48 = 82
Brett Chapin ns39+ns-ns-10-nf=85
Trevor Chapin ns39+ns-ns-11-ns=86
Starting at the bottom—Brett and Trevor Chapin are grandchildren from California that only get to sail a little every other year. We are glad to see them out with us.
We are working on the leaks in Marc Solal boat. That is the boat made in Brazil that was brought here from Puerto Rica by Cesar Toro, who used it to beat up on us pretty badly a few years ago. Now it is the hands of the Frenchman. That is our international boat and hopefully sailing with us regularly again.
Jim McIntyre sailed with us a few times before. Too bad he didn’t sail Sunday, which was a much more forgiving day.
Steve Chapin was our heavy weight on Sunday sailing Chutzpah and doing very well going up wind and then not so well down wind.
Jerry Beck sailed on Saturday in the light wind. He had a 5th and was in the middle of the fleet. Not bad Jerry.
Ray Laguna sailed maybe for the first time since he got his heart fixed. Good work Ray. We are glad to have you sailing again and especially with us. He had 5th also and just a point ahead of Jerry.
Charlie Jensen is our other “just had my heart fixed” and look at that first place in the first race on Sunday. Wow. With Dave and Alejandro sailing with us not many of those bullets are available.
Ben Getchell is back from vacation and pushing the top of the list. He told me he was coming back on Sunday, but didn’t. Late night Saturday. He was our only youth and we hope to be getting them back regularly.
Vince Renzoni is climbing up there. Notice that he was out sailing while Rob was setting up the course, working on his boat handling and getting used to the wind shifts and conditions. It helped him a lot. You can do that too, if you are looking to improve your score.
Tom Rhodes is climbing up the group. Notice the 3rd in the first race on Sunday. That is right up there with the big dogs.
Sam really liked the wind on Sunday and managed that 2nd place. Wow.
Patrick Daniel had moved into the third and fourth place. Welcome Patrick.
Rob Krentel continues his competition with Alejandro. Just one or two points apart each day. Rob is one his way to Halifax this coming weekend so he can get a little faster.
Alejandro Illera is back for most of the summer to challenge us all. He comes down to the club in the “Bat mobile”. Don’t miss that.
David Chapin soaked up an 8 on Sunday because he was delayed getting Trevor Chapin rigged. He tells us that our “behinders” need to push up better to the start and not get left behind.
Will do separate e-mail about other observation of the weekend. Don’t miss it!
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RACES JUNE 25 AND 26, 2011

2011-06-27T15:37:00.000-07:00

Laser weekend. June 25 and 26, 2011.
We had 12 boats out on Saturday and 8 on Sunday. Really good show, but not our record. Once we had 14. But then we had the MC scows come and sail with us.
Four races on Saturday and Five on Sunday when the wind really picked up about 11 AM.
So here are the scores.. A lot to cover today.
David Chapin 1-1-2-1+1-1-1-4-1 = 13
Rob Krentel 2-3-4-5-+2-2-3-1-3= 26
Sam Chapin 8-5-6-3+6-3-2-2-4 =39
Patrick Daniel 6-6-8-6+3-5-4-3-2 =43
Randy Rea 3-2-1-2+ns-45 =53
Tom Rhodes7-10-10-8+4-4-5-6-5 =55
Caroline Chapin 4-4-3-ns13+5-6-7-7-8=57
Jennifer Jones ns13-7-5-4+ns9-7-6-8-7=66
Marc Solal 9-9-12-ns13+7-8-8-5-6 =77
Charlie Jensen ns13-8-7-9+ns45 =82
Vincent Renzoni 5-12-11-10+45 =83
Dean Grimes ns13-11-9-7+45 =85
I will start with Dean who is down at the bottom of the list because he was late for the first race and then didn’t sail on Sunday. He takes a big hit for that. Dean sailed with us for several years before he and Joe Lobato began sailing the Scot. We will try to get Joe to join us also. Then Nancy Petty will be able to help us with the RC again later this summer.
Vincent Renzoni is really a MC sailor and he is just getting his experience spread around a little. He was right in the middle of things in the first races and then was losing lots at the mark roundings. Just needs a little more time in the boat. Maybe a look at some of the books or DVDs on Laser sailing.

Charlie Jensen is back, but down on the list having missed the first race Saturday and all the Sunday races. He stayed out after the racing and did the downtown docks. While he was doing that Dean was sailing off the other way to visit some of his customers. So we had two boats that stayed out sailing after the races.

Marc Solal is back from France and we are so glad to see him. He is one of our regulars. He is getting better starts and usually doing better as the wind picked up like Sunday.
Jennifer Jones, another MC sailors, but also Laser sailor and Sailing Instructor. So glad to see her again. She sailed the Kelley boat on Saturday. That boat has the old rigs and she was dancing around on the deck changing out haul and vang and really making it go. She got a better boat on Sunday, but was sailing a full rig and she and Caroline got sort of blown out when the wind came up Sunday.—including the turn over just at the start that tangle both Caroline and Jennifer and the ungracious fellows all went sailing off without them.
Caroline Chapin came sailing with us again. Our only near youth—she is pretty much out of that “youth” category. Really outstanding sailing on Saturday and then too much wind on Sunday with the full rig—but needs to learn the vang sheeting. Even if you are sailing the radial, you need to sail flat and fast. Thanks David for bringing the kid—well maybe she came in her own car and brought part of the RC on Sunday.
Tom Rhodes, another of our RC helpers, he brought Carol who helped on Saturday. Tom has climbed up the ladder. Several fourth places and bouncing back and forth with Patrick. We are glad he is not moving to Illinois.
Randy Rea, our instructor from Crystal River and longtime Laser sailor. Randy comes over every now and then and sometimes brings friends that we are always happy to see. Randy makes things more interesting for David and beat him in one of the races on Saturday. He takes a big hit in the scores because he only sailed on Saturday.
Patrick Daniel is moving into the top bracket. He didn’t win any races this week end, but did finish second in the last race and joined that small number of people that had seconds.
Sam was happy to have a couple of seconds on Sunday. He was vang sheeting part of the time and if the wind and built a little more, he would have been looking for his radial sail.
Rob Krentel had his workout over the weekend. Without Alejandro he has had pretty easy pickings with our fleet, but with Randy and David sailing he only managed one bullet--- a lot better than any of the rest of us.
David Chapin was able to come over and bring his high school daughter, beef up the list of competitors, and maybe draw Randy over to sail with us. We hope they can come a lot this summer while school activities are over. If you wonder how he won so many races, it has something to do with time spent in this game.
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Races April 30 and May 1, 2011

2011-05-04T07:41:00.000-07:00

Laser races April 30 and May 1, 2011 Saturday+Sunday= tolal

Rob Krentel 1-2-4 +1-1-1-3-1-1-2 = 17
Patrick Daniel 3-6-8+2-2-2-1-2-3-1 = 30
Marc Solal 7-3-5+3-3-3-4-3-4-4 = 39
Randy Rea 2-1-1+35 =39
Jerry Beck 4-5-2+35 = 46
Baily Carter 5-4-6+35 = 50
Leah Harper 6-7-ns+35 = 59
Sam Chapin 33+ns-ns-ns-2-4-2-3 = 59
Bianca Mesa ns-ns-3+35 = 60
Chris Nagy ns-ns-7+35 = 64

Club Racing

2011-04-18T12:40:00.000-07:00

April 17 and 18, 2011 races go into history with Rob missing Alejandro on Saturday when there were white caps all over the place. Sam just sailed out and around the committee boat and back to shore. Rob sailed away from everyone so badly that he resorted to many gybes and extra distance down wind. Those of us watching from shore couldn’t figure out what the course was. Anyway that was his excuse for letting Luke Yates catch him on corrected time in the third race. Maybe the big news is the return of the Youth, Luke Yates sailing his Radial, Cameron Smith with his Radial and Claire Epaillard sailing a 4.7. Cameron pulled his boom block off and had to drop out, but Claire and Luke stuck it out for all five races. Claire did get in trouble with a capsize and sheets wrapped around the boat which was solved when Luke and she switched around. Luke got it straightened up and they switched boats back. Our RC called for help on the radio, but Luke and Claire had it all solved by the time the safety boat arrived.
Tom Rhodes hung in there for all the races on both days and got some more experience with capsizes on Saturday. Patrick Daniel came on both days, but just tested the wind on Saturday. We will get him out with radial on the next really windy day. He won one of the races on Sunday so he has moved up the ladder.
As noted before, when I ran the times for Saturday nothing changed except in the third race, when Luke bumped Rob out of first and Claire bumped Tom out of third. So the youth make themselves noticed. What a great day for them.
The summary of 5 races on Saturday + 4 races on Sunday with the big numbers for the days missed.
Rob Krentel 1-1-2-1-1+2-3-2-1 = 8
Luke Yates 2-2-1-2-4+20 =31
Tom Rhodes 3-4-4-4-2+4-4-3-4 =32
Sam Chapin 30+1-2-1-2 =36
Claire Epaillard 4-5-3-3-3+20 =38
Patrick Daniel 30+3-1-4-3 =41
Cameron Smith 5-3-ns +20 =46
Thanks as always to Joan Bryant our faithful PRO and to Aerial Magno who helped with flags, timer and anchor. Aerial has sailed with us in the Lasers the last two Wednesdays and will join us in racing.
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APRIL 9 AND 10 LASER RACES.

2011-04-11T16:57:00.000-07:00

SORRY THAT I HAVE MNISSED ALL THE GOOD RACE REPORTING.. BUT I WILL TRY TO DO BETTER.

The April 9 and 10, 2011 Laser races had Maribel and Genesis Illera and Sonia Mesa on the Saturday RC and Maribel and Genesis on Sunday. Light wind on Saturday, but we managed 4 races including a late start. A tough RC started things before Alajandro got out to the course. Don’t mess with Maribel.
Bianca Mesa was back from her trip around Florida including the Mt. Dora regatta win and was able to do a second place finish on Saturday with us. The Mesa’s usually take Sunday off to get ready for school—we hope she is back with us next Saturday for our club races coming up that quickly.
Marc Solal was back with us on Sunday and although Tom Rhodes bested him on Sunday. Marc was up with the leaders several times at the windward mark.
Tom Rhodes and Mark have been trading places for a long time and Sunday Tom came out ahead.
Rob Krentel was always in the hunt. On Sunday he and Alejandro were tied with 8 points each, but Alejandro had three wins to two for Rob. So Alejandro is ahead on both days.
Peter and Jim both planned to sail with us, but were not able to make it.
The Summary
Alejandro Illera ns-1-1-1+2-1-3-1-1 =17
Rob Krentel nf-20-3-3+1-2-1-2-2 =20
Sam Chapin 1-5-5-4+3-3-2-3-3 =29
Tom Rhodes 3-4-4-5+4-4-4-5-4 =37
Bianca Mesa 2-3-2-2+ns =39
Marc Solal ns+5-5-5-4-5 =48

Club racing again next weekend.
And Wednesday evening….
..

2010-12-21T09:06:00.001-08:00

December 18 and 19, 2010

Luke Yates wins the Saturday races and Rob Krentel wins the weekend. Lasers sail both days in the rain with 4 races on Saturday in a morning shortened to wait for the wind to fill in and seven races on Sunday with only three of our regulars sailing. The other guys didn’t do any better. Wayfarers went out on Sunday, but came back in without starting a race. Combination of cold and windy, I think. The Scots only had three out Sunday. The MCs had a little group out for two races and Bob Newland, the J24 sailor from Puerto Rico, won both with our visitor from Texas in second.

Rob Krentel 2-1-3-3+2-1-2-1-2-1-1 = 19
Sam Chapin 1-6.5-1-2+1-2-1-2-1-2-2= 21.5
Marc Solal 4-3-4-4+3-3-3-3-3-3-3= 36
Luke Yates 3-2-2-1+ dc = 64
Glenda Libby Rebel ds-6.5-5-ds+dc= 83.5
Craig Yates 420 ds-4-ds-ds+dc = 84
Bailey Verkaik 4.7 ds-5-ds-ds+dc = 85

So on Saturday we fleshed out the Laser fleet with Glenda in Rebel and Craig’s morning class. The “big boat sailors” watched the rain and drank beer.

Coming soon will be several pages about how to sail the Laser in higher winds.
Next racing is New Years Day at 10 AM and Club Racing the week after.
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2010-12-06T17:48:00.001-08:00

Our first December races were a great mix with 60 degree temp and light winds on Saturday and brisk on Sunday. Winter has started. December 4-5, 2010

Craig Yates won the Saturday races with a 2-4-1 for a seven. Note that win in the last race. Sam had a 1-5-2 for 8 and Rob Krentel got caught in too many holes and ended up with 4-3-3 for ten, but Rob made up for it on Sunday with seven bullets in the seven races in the brisk winds.

We expect Alejandro back this week, so Rob will have a little more interesting time.

The finishes with Saturday first:

Rob Krentel 4-3-3+ 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 = 17
Tom Rhodes 6-6-6+ 4-3-3-2-2-2-2 = 36
Marc Solal 7-7-nf+3-2-2-3-nf-3-3= 45
Sam Chapin 1-5-2+2-ns------- =58
Craig Yates 2-4-1+ 56 (ns Sun.) =63
Seth Bahr 3-1-5+ 56 =65
Cameron Smith 5-2-4+56 =67

Tom Rhodes moved into second place by hanging in there on Sunday. Marc Solal beat him in the first three races and then Tom beat him in the last four.

Marc and Tom have been entertaining each other over the past several months and both are getting closer to the top of the fleet. They were working with Rob on Sunday to be sailing better in the higher winds and getting the starts better. They all had a good time on Sunday. Laughing and smiling when they got in.

Seth Bahr was back to sail with us and won the second race on Saturday and came in third for the Saturday races. (We are having a separate Saturday Series now.)

Cameron Smith had a second in the second race and was in the middle of the fleet the rest of the time, but ended up 5th out of the seven. Just one point behind Rob –not bad company.

Then Saturday afternoon Rob, Tom and Sam sailed with the high school students with starting and race practice. We had eleven Lasers out. Good afternoon.

We will have a cold week and then a little warmer on the weekend.

2010-11-22T11:12:00.001-08:00

We really had good winds on Saturday and Sunday. On Sunday we managed to get in a triangle course – Marc Solal was tired of just all the up wind and downwind stuff. After the third race on Sunday, I asked Rob if he was going to send us on the triangle and his reply was that we didn’t have enough wind yet. Sam thought plenty of wind and he checked out with the Race Committee and headed in. Young America sailed three more races and had a good time and got the triangle.

The Yates family took advantage of the wind and Alejandro’s absence to rake up the most wins on Saturday with one for Craig and two for Luke while Rob only was able to win the last two.

Finishes corrected time – Luke Yates was sailing a radial both days.

Rob Krentel 3-2-2-1-1 + 1-2-1-1-1-1 = 16
Luke Yates 5-1-1-6-4 + 2-3-2-3-4-3 = 34
Marc Solal 4-6-3-5-3 + 5-4-3-4-2-2= 39
Sam Chapin 2-3-6-2-2 + 3-1-4-ns ns ns= 47
Tom Rhodes 6-5-5-4-5 + 4-5-5-2-3-4 = 48
Craig Yates 1-4-4-3-6 + ns = 64
Claire Epaillard 7-7-7-7-ns+ns = 84

Well Rob set our courses and lead most of the races. The two seconds on Saturday were converted from first place finishes because Luke in the Radial was close behind.

Luke Yates sailed the races on both days and handled the radial well. It was the right sized sail for him on that day. He almost got a win on Sunday, but not quite. On Saturday his total score was one point ahead of Craig.

Marc Solal had his weekend. He was working the starts better and close at the windward mark. On Sunday he had two seconds and is third for the weekend. This is Marc’s best finishes of the year. He and Tom Rhodes have been trading places.

Tom Rhodes was our winner for the weekend last week and I was hoping to get it in the newspaper article – but it didn’t get printed. Somehow Marc sailed over him this weekend, but Tom had a second in the fourth race on Sunday.

Craig Yates is our “Saturday sailor” otherwise he will be finishing ahead of most.

Claire Epaillard was sailing a 4.7 and getting a lot of experience getting around the course, but we need to get some other 4.7 ‘s out with her. It is hard to know if you are doing everything right when you are out there all by yourself..

Craig Yates’ class has a group just ready to join in with us. Craig has asked us to join with them on Saturday afternoon of December 4th (the next club racing). They had 7 Lasers sailing this past Saturday afternoon.

2010-11-08T16:29:00.001-08:00

Winter came on Friday night and we struggling to figure out what to wear when the temp is 55 and wind up to 10 or 12..

Alejandro Illera has taken a few day off for car racing and family activities, but we still had a good group (seven) on Saturday. Scots had seven out also. The Wayfarers were playing safety boat duty. MCs were about ten. Bianca Mesa sailed her radial and Rob Krentel had family stuff on Sunday. So we lost four of our seven sailors on Sunday. We may think again about separate series for Saturday and Sunday. I scored it that way a few years ago and the same people won both ways, so we haven’t done it since.

Scores:

Tom Rhodes 4-6-6-5-2-4 + 1-2-1-1 = 32
Sam Chapin 3-2-1-1-5-ns +2-1-nf-ns = 39
Rob Krentel 1-1-1-2-3-1 + 32 =41
Craig Yates 5-3-3-4-3-3 + 32 =53
Bianca Mesa 6-4-4-2-4-2 + 32 =54
Marc Solal 7-7-ns +3-3-2-2 = 56
Patrick Daniel 2-5-5-6-6-ns+32 =64

Now we have Tom Rhodes coming out on top. Great and a Thank You to Alejandro and Rob for missing and letting the rest of us in. Tom has been our Iron Man with the most days sailing this Summer and on Saturday he and Rob sailed with the “big boats” long second race after they got finished with our six races.

Sam thought he might have won the weekend, but you can’t chicken out on races and still have a victory. Yes, some of the big gusts in the third race Saturday sent him in. Chickened out both days.

Rob Krentel collected the most first places and complained he had trouble hearing the starters horn. The LESC race committee has extra power horns, and we have one now. We will see how it works.

Craig Yates collected the most third places and sailed over to start the long race with the “big boats”, but couldn’t sail the whole race as he had the high school sailing classes in the afternoon. Luke’s arm continues to improve and we hope to have him back with us soon.

Bianca Mesa sailed well with her radial. She had the most second places. When I checked her corrected times she came closer to all those ahead of her, but didn’t pass anyone. She was our first woman and first youth. Sorry I forgot to get that in the news release.

Marc Solal had a good time on Sunday. He and Tom were laughing about all the swimming and sailing on Sunday. Sunday was his sort of day and he was leading in the first race, until he turned over in one of the wicked header gusts that we were having.

Patrick Daniel sailed well on Saturday with a second place but he got almost wiped out on that really fast run in the 5 th race that convinced Sam and Patrick that we needed more windy day practice, but maybe on a warmer day.

Next Laser racing in 2 weeks.
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2010-10-18T11:33:00.001-07:00

October 16 and 17, 2010 Lasers hang in there at Lake Eustis. We had six boats out both Starturday and Sunday with a total of 8 sailors and then 3 more practicing with Lasers after the races on Sunday. The MC fleet has dropped off with only six sailing on Saturday and four on Sunday. The Scot group has sort of taken over top spot with nine on Saturday and dropping off to 5 on Sunday. Several of the Scots are sailing single handed. Sort of to bad for building fleet from the group of crews. Not sure if those skippers just prefer sailing alone when the wind is light or if no one will crew for them twice. The Wayfarers had 6 boats out Saturday and four on Sunday. That is good for them.

Randy Rea came over to sail with the Lasers us on Saturday. He suffered from the light wind and should have been with us on Sunday. Here are combined finishes

Alejandro Illera 1-1-1-1+1-3-1-2-2-1 =10
Sam Chapin 3-3-3-4+3-1-2-3-3-5=30
Rob Krentel 28+2-2-3-1-1-2=39
Randy Rea 2-2-2-2+42 =50
Patrick Daniel 5-6-6-6+4-5-5-6-4-3 =50
Marc Solal 6-5-5-5+6-6-6-5-5-4= 54
Bianca Mesa 4-4-4-3+42 =57
Charlie Jensen 28+5-4-4-4-ns-ns =59

We didn’t use any of the Youth Foundation boats. Bianca was the only youth and the only woman sailing with us. Somehow we need to do better on both things.

Bianca sailed her radial rig and I calculated the corrected times for her and the boats ahead of her. She got close, but her finishes stayed the same. Fourth for the day. We have promised her the loan of a full rig anytime she wants.

The news on Alejandro is that we got to him a little Sunday when the wind was up a little. He got hit with a third in the second race and after five races he and Rob were tied for the day. Then we had a short reaching race in light wind—Alejandro on top.

Sam had a better day on Sunday with a 1 and 2.

Rob got a lot of important work done at home and in the neighborhood Saturday. We were glad to have him back setting marks and stuff on Sunday and keeping Alejandro entertained.

Randy Rea missed Sunday. I am sorry we didn’t see how he could handle our strange winds.

Patrick Daniel sailed both days with us and a good bit of the time was dueling with Marc. Marc, our heavy weight, beat him on the light day and then lost it with the better wind. Hard to figure these things. Patrick worked his way up to third in the last race.,

I asked Marc what Patrick was missing on Saturday and he thinks Patrick should pay more attention to sailing to the “pressure”– sail to the dark water.

Charlie Jensen was back with us on Sunday. Mary had another 39th Birthday party on Saturday and it was a big success. We should have another Birthday Party for Mary when we sail again in November. Charlie had a string of 4th places and then went over to the big course and sailed with the Wayfarers where he finished in the middle. That is an option that any of us have. Our RC should be able to check on the radio when they start there second race. That will give you a extra hour of racing on a long course.

Come and help and watch all the youth sailing the next two weekends.

Tom Rhodes should be back with us the first weekend in November and if we get the high school group with us we will be back up to ten boats starting which will help us with boat to boat tactics.
..

2010-10-11T13:06:00.001-07:00

Laser stuff for October 9 and 10, 2010.

We struggled with light wind and progressive left shift on Saturday. The wind shifted left after Rob set the marks and we had a light wind reach to windward mark and then a broad reach back to the leeward mark. We did it one more time hoping that the wind would shift back. Then Joan drove the RC boat up and changed the windward mark while Rob moved the leeward. Then the wind went more left the mess it up again but not as bad. Ended up with only three light air races.

Alejandro Illera 1-1-1 3
Rob Krentel 2-2-2 6
Sam Chapin 3-3-4 10
Marc Solal 5-6-3 14
Cameron Smith 4-4-6 14
Mike Caputo 7-5-5 17
Claire Epaillard 6-7-7 20

The big news is that Rob passed Alejandro on one of the runs. Well, then Alejandro still beat him to the finish. Maybe it helps to have your wife and daughter on the RC. Yes, Thank you Maribel and Genesis for helping out with RC while Marjorie was playing with the Master Gardeners.

Light wind and our big and heavy weather guy, Marc, was never last and even sailed into 3rd once. Second place in one of the races coming up.

Cameron Smith sailed with us before and handles the boat really well. He was tied with Marc, but Marc had that three, so he slips ahead for the day. Cameron is a good friend of Luke Yates and they have been sailing Lasers together. Luke broke his arm playing football and we are trying to get him into the band. It should be a safer sport.

Mike Caputo came and sailed Patrick Daniel's boat. Mike has sailed with us several years ago, and has an invitation to come and do it again. He claimed he had a good time and learned a lot. He made Claire happy in the first race and then sailed a little better.

Claire Epaillard sailed with us for the first time ahe has been sailing the Laser with the high school group, but not this crazy kind of race and day. She was the winner of our woman's trophy, but we didn't have one.

I really messed up on the race report that I sent to the newspaper. Cameron should have been listed as the first youth and Clarie as the first Woman and second youth.

Now, the part that you are waiting for..to find out how Sam got into second place. That was Sunday and the Lake looked flatter than we had ever seen it. Sam, Alejandro and Rob were the only ones that showed up. Marc was off on his trip to Africa and our Iron-man, Tom Rhodes, was nursing his cold or pneumonia.
Rob and Alejandro looked at each other and said "why not just sail next week when there will be more wind." So they went home to get some of the "home work" done so they would be free for next weekend. Sam excused the RC and sat around talking to what was left of the MC group until a little wind filled in and Dave Williams called for 12 o'clock start for the "big boats". So Sam went out with the Laser to race against Wayfarers but Williams started everyone in one start--- fine, but a 14 foot boat starting with 19 footers and 16 footers is not a very happy camper. A forty minute race and Dave Hepting in a Wayfarer and all the MCs and a couple of Scots beat the Laser. But Sam was the first Laser so when I added that to my 10 from Saturday and Alejandro got a 8 for a DNS on Sunday--- Sam is tied for first for the weekend, but Alejandro has more firsts and so Sam is second. It pays to be the score keeper.

2010-09-28T09:36:00.000-07:00

Laser racing for September 25 and 26, 2010.

Lots of ups and downs. Alejandro sailed away from all of us on Saturday and then Ron Baerwitz joined us on Saturday to win the first two races. Rob Krentel won the day by one point leaving Ron and Alejandro tied. The break would go to Ron with the two wins and Alejandro only had one.

The list...
Alejandro Illera2-1-1-1-1+4-2-1-2 =15
Rob Krentel 1-2-2-2-2+2-3-2-1 = 20
Bianca Mesa 4-5-3-3-2+28 ns =45
Sam Chapin 7-7-9-4-4+3-4-4-3 =45
Craig Yates 3-3-5-5-6+28 ns = 50
Ron Baerwitz ns 45 +1-1-3-4= 54
Jerry Beck 6-4-7-7-3+ 28 ns = 55
Tom Rhodes 8-9-4-8-9+5-6-6-6=57
Marc Solal 9-6-8-6-8+6-5-5-5=58

So in spite of taking a hit on Sunday, Alejandro comes out on top by 5 points. What a great Fleet Captain!

Rob had more seconds than anyone around with a bullet on each end of the scoring. Rob sets are marks and calls the races which helps everyone. Thanks Rob!

Bianca Mesa is not allowed to sail on Sunday so she can have her homework done and early for School on Monday, but she got a second place on Saturday (wait, that is supposed to be reserved for Rob) and she was our only woman and youth.

Sam got a 9 on Saturday. I was going around that weather mark – looked around and “gosh” there is no one behind me. But that is alright, I won one of those races on Sunday, except you guys kept going for a seocnd lap.

Coach Craig Yates is really sailing well. He sailed with Sam on Wednesday evening (you are all invited to come also) He got two 3s on Saturday. Moving up.

Ron Baerwitz has been invited to come and sail with us anytime. He is between houses and boats. Recent sale of his Scot to Dean Grimes and Joe Lobato. Interesting idea of co- ownership. We could do that with Laser. One race on Sunday and another on Saturday at half cost.

Jerry Beck is really sailing fast now. 4 and 3 on Saturday and always looking good. He is one of the fellows that can’t come all the time, but adds to the numbers and is working his way up.

Tom Rhodes topped Marc for the weekend, but really took it on the chin on the windy Sunday when Marc beat him three out of four races. We have a plan to overcome that windy handicap.

Marc Solal really climbed out of the cellar on Sunday. He is starting better and doing well up wind. He would have beat me in one of those races, except it was one of the two lappers and I was able to grind him down. He and Tom were one point apart after 9 races.

Catamaran regatta next weekend and then Club racing two weeks in a row. Try to help us keep the numbers up. The more boats on the line the more fun for everybody.

.

2010-09-08T06:41:00.001-07:00

The Laser fleet had a busy Labor Day weekend. Trophies for the Summer series went out to everyone except the three not present. Chris Nagy for third Youth, Ben Getchell for second Youth and Alejandro Illera for first. Alejandro was tied with Rob Krentel for the lead, but Alejandro got the nod because of more first places. The Summer Series of 52 races and 23 sailors is posted on the Bulletin board at the club.

Saturday we has five races with good wind at the beginning fading off to poor by noon. The “big boats” only got one race in.

On Saturday we were all ready to take Rob Krentel’s first place away from him as he was off with his family doing something else. We waited and waited, but no wind and the Official Labor Day series went to the Saturday winners. Well Rob and Bianca were not here to celebrate the win, but Luke Yates got his trophy and some prize and had his picture taken with the rest of the winners.

Then on Monday we did it again with eight boats and a light crazy wind. More Trophies and another win by Rob, but let me put down the scores before more comments.

Saturday September

Rob Krentel 1-2-3-1-1 = 8
Luke Yates 5-1-4-2-4 =15
Bianca Mesa 4-4-1-3-3 =15
Sam Chapin 3-3-2-6-6 =20
Jerry Beck 2-5-5-5-5= 22
Charlie Jensen 7-6-6-4-2= 25
Tom Rhodes 6-7-8-7-7 = 35
Marc Solal 8-8-10-nf-ns=44

420s Max and Claire Epaillard 9-7-8-8
Gabriel Mesa and Evan Anthony 10-9-9-9

Rob was kind enough to share his wins with Luke and Bianca. That is really nice to see the first place moving around the fleet. But look out, because Alejandro will be back soon.

Luke and Bianca were tied on score and Luke got the nod because he had a second place.

Jerry Beck got his second place in there at the start and then a string of 5s. I had trouble those last couple of races. When Jerry had 5s I had 6s.

Charlie Jensen was back with us and after practicing in the first few races got a second in the last race. Good work Charles.

Tom Rhodes is moving up in the fleet and bouncing around with Charlie and Marc.

Marc Solal lost his wind indicator and headed in. We lost him in the miserable weather on Monday, but he was smart enough not to come on Saturday. Good thinking Mac.

We were glad to have the 420 come and sail with us, but my the 420 sailor are getting smaller and smaller.. The Epaillard kids were leading at the finish and even beat a Laser in one race.

Gabriel Mesa his first time sailing in the 420 with Evan Anthony. Not bad. They were right with them.

SUNDAY = no wind =no races. You folks that didn’t come were smart, but missed a lot of “visiting”.

MONDAY September 6, 2010 The Laser Invitational. The only visitors were the Scot sailors Dave and Caroline Chapin. Well, they did sail a Scot on Saturday.

Rob Krentel 2-2-2 = 6
Craig Yates 1-3-4 = 8
Dave Chapin ns-1-1= 11
Tom Rhodes 4-6-3 = 13
Sam Chapin 3-5-5 = 13
Caroline Chapin ns-5-6 =20
Luke Yates Nf-4-ns = 22
Marc Solal 5-nf-ns = 23

Well we were sort of waiting for Dave and Caroline to get started, but then they were switching boats because of the resident spider in the “green machine”. Caroline is not sailing with spiders. So they missed the first start. That let Rob win with a full string of seconds on a day when everything seemed tops turvy.

Craig Yates, who coaches on Saturday, showed us how to get way ahead in the first race.. (I think it was the go left thing.) Anyway he was way ahead in the first race and was always up front in the others.

Dave Chapin did his usual “well sailed thing” often making up in boat speed for not getting the last shift. He even was able to get to the pin end in the start of the last race when the wind went really far left. The key here is not to be sailing far from the line in light air and keep looking for the shifts.

Tom Rhodes climbed the ladder a little more with a tie with Sam, which we broke in his favor. So now he is fourth in the field of eight.

But wait if you look at the scores carefully you see two 5s for the second race. That is when Caroline was sailing fast to the finish line just a little ahead of Sam. The sweet little girl trying to burn her grandfather. Nice old grandpa is leeward boat, but has a little room to windward so he heads up just before he thinks he is almost on the line so he can beat that little girl. Grandma calls it a tie, what ever that means. Now the hard part, is there is also a 6 scored for Tom. But if we have two 5s then the next score is 7. Sorry Tom, that drops you down to 5th for the day. Still climbing the Ladder.

Caroline managed to be the first Youth and the First Woman. Carrying off more trophies.

Luke Yates fell in a hole in the wind and didn’t bother to finish the first race. He was way ahead in the second and then the wind turned around and he ended up with 4 and skipped the last race.

Marc Solal does better when there is a little wind. Why do this sailing when it is so miserable? Marc is probably right, but we missed him after the sailing was over.

We had 8 boats Saturday and 8 boats Monday. Bianca Mesa, Charlie Jensen, and Jerry Beck had other business on Monday but Caroline Chapin, David Chapin and Craig Yates joined the sable five. In case you are interested– on Saturday, the MC fleet had eleven boats, Scots nine (really good for them) and Wayfarers two (they are usually up to 3 or four until the snow birds arrive.) We had 8 boats at any start with 12 sailors over the weekend with 8 races. So who has the most action. Well OK, we couldn’t do it with out the support of all the fleets and we are particularly happy to see the Scots doing well. They are the only true crewed class we have and a path for new sailing racers.

Next week Club Racing again and we start the first Fall Series. The wind will be better— a promise.

2010-08-23T05:10:00.001-07:00

Laser racing Saturday and Sunday, August 21 and 22, 2010, had nine sailors all together, but only four of us that sailed both days. We had great wind on Saturday as we welcomed Tom McNally and Bianca Mesa to the fleet. Tom lives in Orlando and is a long time laser sailor, but doing other things for the past five years. Bianca and her family have moved to this region from Miami and she was sailing a radial. Tom McNally dominated the racing on Saturday, but was over the line early at the pin end in the first race and didn’t hear the call back. That let Rob Krentel comes out ahead on Saturday. Then Rob and Tom Mc (We have two Toms now) didn’t come back on Sunday. Bianca is starting school Monday so she missed also. That put Sam up on top for the weekend list. Bianca sailed a radial and I corrected her times. She moved ahead of Sam in the fourth race and was unchanged in the others.

Sam Chapin 3-3-4-4-3+3-2-1-1 24
Rob Krentel 1-2-2-1-5+28 39
Patrick Daniel 4-6-5-5-4+1-3-5-6 39
Tom McNally Ns-1-1-2-1+28 41
Bianca Mesa 2-5-3-3-2+ 28 43
Dean Grimes 40+2-1-3-3 49
Marc Solal 5-7-6-6-ns+6-5-4-4 51
Jerry Beck 40+4-4-2-2 52
Tom Rhodes 6-4-7-7-6+5-6-6-5 52

We missed our regular Alejandro Illera who didn’t make either days. Maybe car racing – but Ok the regular racing starts in two weeks.

Patrick Daniel has been sailing up to the top of the fleet, but dropped back Saturday and then I thought he back up on Sunday with 1-3 but then had a couple of bad starts when the wind came up.

Dean Grimes currently owns ½ a Flying Scot but we are glad to have him come back and sail with us. He was second overall on Sunday without flying the spinnaker.

The wind came up for the last two races on Sunday and look at the two fourth places for Marc Solal. We know the French are the best sailors.

Jerry Beck got lose to come and sail and scored two second places. Keep coming Jerry.

Tom Rhodes is starting to work his way up the ladder. He was last a couple of times but moved up a notch a couple of times. A little more practice and then some work on the starts. Remember the four things to check at the start. !) Go head to wind to see which end of the line is favored. 2) Get a range on the line so you can see better where it is if you are in the middle. 3) Time the line so you have some idea about how long it will take to get to the other end. You will want that if you have a big wind shift and it also helps you judge how long it takes to get a few boat lengths. 4) Check for current if you at another locations. No current to speak of at LESC.

Our Labor Day races will be the usual time 10 to 12 with our regular RC. The Saturday pot luck and Sunday trophy stuff will conform to the general time schedule (after the MCs, FS and Wayfarers get done). Then Monday, if you are not sick of racing by then, is the “Laser invitational” with lunch (bring your own) trophies and stuff after.

2010-08-09T08:04:00.000-07:00

Laser report for the weekend– August 7 and 8, 2010 – four races on Saturday and three on Sunday. See if you can figure out the scores from this next paragraph.

Alejandro Illera 1-1-1-3+1-1-1 = 9
Rob Krentel 2-4-3-1+2-4-2 =18
Patrick Daniel 3-2-2-2+3-7-nf =26
Sam Chapin 4-3-4-5+6-6-3 =31
Tom Rhodes 6-5-6-4+4-3-6 =34
Marc Solal 5-7-5-ns+7-2-4 =38
Dean Grimes Ns+5-5-5 =51
Ray Laguna Ns-6-ns-ns+ns = 54

Alejandro showed that he could sail in the big winds of Saturday and the light to no wind of Sunday. He stole the first race on Saturday from Rob, but then in the 2nd and third races he was just way ahead.
A really bad start in the fourth race Saturday got him the third.

Rob had a big lead in the third race on Sunday and then in all the wind changes on the first beat Alejandro managed to get by him. Rob is still our #2 guy by a long shot.

Patrick Daniel has stepped up now. He won second place on just the Saturday scoring, one point ahead of Rob, but on the second Sunday race he had a good position, went left on the final beat to finish. The pressure can in from the right and left him sitting out there trying to get back to the finish while the rest of us sailed up to the line. Then in the last no wind race, he just went to shore. I kept thinking that was a smart move as this was not fun until the big wind came in the finish and everyone was planing into shore.

Tom Rhodes has all the parts to a good boat now, and found a third place in the races on Sunday. His best finishes.

Marc Solal our heavy weather guy — look at that second place on light wind Sunday... Good things happen on strange days.

Dean Grimes came to sail with us on Sunday. He brought Nancy to help with the RC and tied with Sam for fifth place on Sunday. Dean is one of the two that just sailed one day.

Ray Laguna came a little late on Saturday and missed the first race. When we could see the storms coming was smart enough to get back to shore. When the wind is really up and when it is really light, sailing the Laser changes a lot. We had them both conditions over the weekend. Sunday Ray went to his pistol shooting exercises, and this next week it will be the boat buying extravaganza.

Caroline and Dave Chapin went to the Treasure Coast series at Palm Beach Sailing Club. We don’t have a complete report on that yet, except that they got two races in before the storm canceled things, Caroline was the second Radial and they had big time current.

A group went to Halifax River on Saturday. Maybe we will get a more complete report on that.

Next Laser sail Wednesday evening at 6 PM and then the weekend racing in two weeks. The MC scows will be racing in two weeks also.

2010-07-26T19:54:00.001-07:00

We had thirteen racing with us over the weekend– July 24 and 25, 2010. Six races on Saturday and struggled to get the three in Sunday. Finishes here with corrected times for Chris Nagy who sailed the 4.7 on Saturday.

Sam Chapin 2-3-2-3-3-3+4-1-7= 28
Patrick Daniel 6-2-3-2-1-7+3-5-2= 31
Randy Rea 1-1-1-1-2-1+33 = 40
Ray Laguna 3-8-4-4-6-6+2-6-3= 42
Jerry Beck 7-4-5-7-8-2+6-3-4= 45
Luke Yates 4-6-6-5-7-4+33 = 65
Marc Solal 5-5-8-6-4-5+33 = 66
Rob Krentel 66+1-2-1= 70
Tom Rhodes 10-10-9-10-9-8+5-4-5= 70
Chris Nagy 8-7-7-8-10-10+33 = 83
Jim McIntyre 9-7-ns-9-5-9+ 33 = 86
Trevor Chapin 66+ns-7-6 = 87
David Chapin 66+nf-ns-ns= 90

What a strange scoring? Alejandro was off racing cars?? We will have to find out about that. Dave Chapin and Caroline went sown to Jensen Beach to the Treasure coast Regatta. Big wind and long courses for 6 races. Everybody stiff and sore. Caroline stayed in bed Sunday. Dave was late for first race and then turned his boat over to Trevor Chapin, who sailed the last two races and bet his grandfather in the last race– my, my.

Better sailing on Saturday and people taking a day off, turned the weekend over to Sam, just a couple of points ahead of Patrick Daniel.

Patrick was the only one to beat Randy Rea on Saturday. We don’t have to worry any more if he will be able to be happy sailing a Laser.

Randy Rea came on Saturday and we always are glad to have him come and nicely timed with Rob, Alejandro and David out of town on Saturday, it gave us something to shoot at. Of course if they would all come at once, it would soup up the front of the fleet.

Ray Laguna came back again– actually he has sold his Flying Scot, so maybe we have him all to ourselves till he makes a deal to get another Scot. I thought Ray won that first race on Sunday. That was going to be nice, with us all sharing the bullets, but Rob nipped him at the line, so it was just a second place. Still nice sailing Ray.

Jerry Beck had a second place in the last race on Saturday and a 3 on Sunday. He was always sailing fast when I saw him on the course. We have to work a little to get over the three bad races on Saturday and one tank on Sunday. Jerry and I are working out the hydration on race days. You have to start drinking water at least an hour before going out.

Luke Yates came back from Laser sailing with Cameron Smith in Clermont and 420 sailing in LESC. Luke had a full rig and sailed it to a couple of fourth places, and then missed Sunday.

Marc Solal sailing better than ever. Marc is maybe our most regular member, but Sunday he went on a cruise to the the strange countries in the Caribbean, like Key West etc. Smart move–Sunday was really painful.

Rob Krentel was down here in 8th place with a 1-2-1. Probably we should so something about our scoring system? But he stole that first place from Ray in the first race Sunday, so we will just leave him down here in 8th.

Tom Rhodes is gradually putting his new boat together and tied with Rob. Not bad. We had to put Rob ahead because he had a couple of bullets. Tom when you get the bullets, we will put you ahead.

Chris Nagy sailed to 4.7 on Saturday. When we did the times, he moved up a couple of places in the first four races, but as the wind died he stayed in 10 for the last two. Sorry about the wind Chris. We probably should have you try the radial unless we have several people sailing 4.7s.

Jim McIntyre sailed the Kelly boat without the new systems. Probably OK for someone just sailing Laser for the first time. He did and good job –only turned over once. He got a 5 in one race on Saturday. (Beat Ray L. In that race!)

I already told you about Trevor and Dave Chapin.

Above under Marc, I had said it was painful Sunday. Hot and light shifty wind, but good practice changing gears and sailing to pressure. The lighter the wind, sit further forward in the boat and heal to leeward to reduce wetted surface. A little vang so you can sail with boom out past the transom to keep the boat moving. Good practice for the old guy to try and fold up and do all that.

Mary Anne Ward, who is always talking about coming Laser sailing, missed it again. She came after all the sailing was done and wind was gone. She brought Bill Ward (husband ), Great grandmother Erban with her walker, a bunch of tall good looking sons, daughters, daughter in laws and the grandchildren who were fighting to see who gets to go out in the sailboat first. So she sailed an MC scow up and down the pressure steaks into the afternoon with small groups of fascinated people.

Now those people that worry about “saving sailing” relax, because Marry Anne is bringing her family.

2010-07-12T07:42:00.000-07:00

LASER RACES – JULY 10 AND 11, 2010

Alejandro Illera 1-2-3-3-2+1-1-2-2-3 20
Dave Chapin 2-1-2-1-1+ns-ns1-1-2 31
Jerry Beck 6-9-7-7-6+2-4-5-3-1 50
Sam Chapin 3-5-6-4-5+4-2-ns 59
Rob Krentel 4-3-1-2-3+ns 63
Marc Solal 7-7-8-8-9+6-6-7-7-6 71
Charlie Jensen Ns-ns-4-6-8+ns-7-6-4-7 72
Caroline Chapin 8-6-9-9-4+ns-ns-4-8-5 73
Ray Laguna 5-4-5-5-7+ ns 76
Dean Grimes Ns+3-3-nf-9-9 78
Tom Rhodes 9-8-10-10-10+5-5-8-5-nf 79
Jennifer Jones Ns+ns-ns-3-6-9 88

What a great weekend we had! Saturday a great west wind with a few holes early and then strengthening during the morning. On Saturday it was cloudy with better wind and after two races, thunder and lightning. We called the races, but in a half hour it had blown over. The wind settled down again. So back to racing. Caroline even talked her grandmother (the PRO) into a two lap races sometime after 12 o’clock. Previously, never heard of.

The scores above are corrected for times, as Caroline sailed her radial rig in the Sunday races. She picked up two places in the third race and one place in the two lap race.

The score sheet is riddled with ns and nf’s. Dave and Caroline came late on Sunday. Sam didn’t go out after the thunder storm on Sunday. Rob had family business on Sunday. Ray Laguna went shooting on Sunday. Charlie is laying tile at home early in morning when it is cool. Dean Grimes had traveler break in the third race Sunday. Sam should have replaced it before. Jennifer Jones has her hands full with the job at the YMCA. She also got in the only capsize .Sunday. Caroline was the only capsize on Saturday.

Now a quick look up the list with Jennifer first. She is at the bottom of the list, but only because she sailed in the fewest races. Note the third place in third race Sunday and she was sailing a full rig.

Tom Rhodes has his own boat now. A string of 10s on Saturday, but now is beating people on Sunday. The nf was a clew hook that came undone. We will tighten that up for him.

Dean Grimes had two thirds on Sunday. Not bad. Chasing the leaders.

Ray Laguna sailed with us on Saturday and perhaps was the most consistent with 4 and 5s. Just above the middle of the fleet and he has not been a regular Laser sailor.

Caroline Chapin had two fourth’s. Not bad for a gal that doesn’t want any advice. She would have had another 4th if she hadn’t been trying to show off the upside down hiking for her grandmother at the finish line. Capsized just before crossing and went from 4 to 9.

Charlie Jensen is getting the tiling done and had a couple of fourth places.

Marc Solal continues to improve. Better finishes with more wind on Sunday, but look out Marc because Tom is sailing faster.

Rob we missed you on Sunday. It was your sort of wind and we need to keep Alejandro boxed in. Rob is one of the four that shared bullets for the weekend.

Jerry Beck has finished polishing his boat and now has come to race it A 1-2-3-4 and 5 on Sunday. Way to go Jerry!

Dave Chapin continues to get most of the bullets, but had regular duels with Alejandro. Dave and Caroline were late coming on Sunday. Dave won the Saturday racing and the racing after the T-storm on Sunay.

Alejandro Illera continues at the top of the page and he is getting better. So are the rest of us. The group is coming together better at the start and at the first mark. The runs and mark rounding are improving with less stragglers at the end of the races.

Close sailing in the middle of the fleet on Sunday’s first two races– Jerry 2-4, Sam 4-2 and Dean 3-3.

We appreciate the loan from the Flying Scot fleet of Ray Laguna and Dean Grimes. Thank you folks.
.

2010-06-14T11:22:00.001-07:00

What a great weekend we had racing! Ten sailors out, including Randy Rea from Crystal River and he was able to bring Eric Jr. along with him. Dave Chapin was present and we hope to see him more this Summer. Alejandro was one point ahead of Rob on Saturday and Rob got him by one point on Sunday so our two regular top guys were tied. Rob gets the nod because he had one bullet. Two days of racing an no bullets for Alejandro, but no bad races. We sailed in close to the club and that made it possible for Richard Kinnie to take some great pictures of the racing.

Dave Chapin ns-1-1-2-1+3-1-1-1-1=22
Rob Krentel 4-4-4-3-4+1-2-3-3-2=30
Alejandro Illera 3-5-3-4-3+2-3-2-2-3=30
Randy Rea 1-2-2-1-2+50 =58
Patrick Daniel 5-8-9-8-6+5-4-4-5-5=59
Marc Solal 7-10-6-5-7+4-5-6-6-4=60
Tom Rhodes 8-9-10-10-10+6-6-5-4-6=74
Jerry Beck 6-3-8-6-5+50 =78
Craig Yates 2-7-5-7-8+ 50 =79
Eric Jr. 9-6-7-9-9+50 =90

Eric Jr has sailed with us before. Randy has brought both Eric Sr and Eric Jr in the past. Eric’s best race was a 6 and he was never last. He was in that good mix in the back end of the fleet. And a bunch of photo finishes.

Craig Yates took the Kelly boat that doesn’t have any of the new controls and took a second in the first race. Way to go chief sailing instructor.

Jerry Beck was one of the first ones out on Saturday and the heat really got to him, but don’t feel too sorry for him. Look at that three in the seocnd race. Not may of us that beat both Rob and Alejandro in the same race.

Tom Rhodes has been sailing Chutzpah, who is leaking again. We almost have Orion Taylor’s old boat lined up for him. He sailed Sam’s boat on Sunday and we think did a little better. He is a windy day sailor and this weekend was a tricky one.

Marc Solal continues to improve. He is showing up in the top group more and more. He was just one point behind Patrick for the weekend.

Patrick Daniel was back with us from his big boat sailing. We are pleased to see him back. He is suffering from the light wind and the holes with no wind..

Randy Rea won the Saturday series and takes a big hit of 50 points for not coming on Sunday. We love Randy anyway–he has taught us so much about Laser sailing.

Poor Alejandro Illera without any first place finishes. Our Fleet Captain or board representative or something. It was that last race on Sunday that Rob beat him and to tie the weekend, so those two start the Summer tied.

Rob Krentel sailing with his old striped sail and picking out the zones of pressure better than most of the others. So we had a great mix at the top and the bottom.

The RC was glad to see Dave Chapin back sailing with us. Hope he can continue to show up and bring Caroline C along with him. If you other folks worry about all the first places, you have to pay your dues in this business (sport) and a lot of it is time in the boat.

Thanks to Maribel Illera who offered to be on RC for Saturday, but couldn’t make it. We appreciate the attempt. It fitted in well, because Sam was in no shape to go sailing. And then we appreciate Joan Bryant’s regular service. Especially when she doesn’t come, we really miss her. And then Marjorie– well that is just the “Head Nurse” thing. She likes giving the orders to everyone.

Treasure coast thing next Saturday at Melbourne and Sailstice at LESC Saturday and Sunday. Laser racing again the following weekend. It never seems to stop.

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MEMORIAL DAY RACES 2010

2010-06-02T12:17:00.000-07:00

Monday, May 31, 2010 was a good day for the Lake Eustis Laser Fleet. We had 14 boats out on the course. We had 14 once before, but that was our record number. Our regular RC. Rob set the marks. Scott Tellima was the observation boat. 5 of our regular adults, 4 youth with full rigs, 2 Flying Scot guest and 2 MC scow guests, and the fourteenth was Kevin Ratigan. Kevin sails with us occasionally and Andy Fox encourage to come over Monday and sail with us. Actually Ray Laguna and Andy Fox of the Flying Scot folks have had a lot of time in Lasers. Ray was given the soft yellow boat that he gave to the YF. That is (Laguna I) but we just call it the yellow boat. He bought another Laser that Martin bought for the YF, that is Laguna II. Then he bought the 190,000 red striped boat, sailed it a little and sold that to Aaron Arnold.. I don’t know how many Lasers Andy has had, but he sailed Lasers for a number of years.

Scores:
Alejandro Illera 3-3-2-4-3-3 18
Andy Fox 1-2-nf-1-2-1 19
Ben Getchell 6-4-1-2-4-4 21
Kevin Ratigan 4-1-6-3-8-5 27
Rob Krentel 8-6-3-5-5-2 29
Jerry Beck 10-5-5-7-1-6 34
Ray Laguna 2-11-4-8-12-nf 53
Luke Yates 11-10-9-6-10-8 54
Seth Bahr 12-7-13-11-6-7 56
John Houck 7-9-8-10-7-ns 56
Cameron Smith 9-13-11-9-9-9 60
Robert Newlin 5-12-7-nf-ns-ns 69
Tom Rhodes 14-14-12-12-11-10 73
Sam Chapin 13-8-10-ns-ns-ns 76

Tom Rhodes has been one of our regulars and we are planning to get him a better boat this week, so expect him to be climbing up the ladder.

Robert Newlin came up from Puerto Rico about the same time Marjorie and I joined the club. He had been sailing J24, I think, down there. He did Scots here for a year or two and is charging to the front of the MC scows now. He had my old red boat. He had to the “set it and sail it” controls. Did a 5th in the first race and then things began coming apart on the old boat. We are glad to know what needs fixing, so thank you, Robert.

Cameron Smith has been one of our regular youth sailors and bouncing around with different rigs. Today he hung in there with the full rig. It looks like he had that 9th place cornered.

John Houck just wanted to try a Laser, when no one was watching, and here we are reporting it. He had the Kelly boat of the YF with the old “set and sail” controls. He was right in the middle of the fleet and did well. Usually we give people just trying out the boat one of the 4.7 sails first so they can get used to moving from side to side, without too much swimming. Full rig and he did fine. Next time we will find him a boat with controls he can set and fine tune.

Seth Bahr was tied with John on points, but moved ahead of Mr. MC with that 6th place. Seth is another that may have suffered a little with the full rig because of being lighter on a windy day. If they have the controls, vang sheeting is good practice because no mater which sail you use some of the time you will be overpowered and can use the practice.

Luke Yates with his own Laser and now the M17 youth skipper– another of the light guys working hard. He was our second place Youth. Sorry we didn’t have separate youth trophies.

Ray Laguna was sailing the red strip boat. Ray had a 2 in the first race and a 4 in the third. That was a good as Alejandro could do. Ray is the current Flying Scot champ. He was sailing MCs when Sam was. He is off with the Catalina 22 group when ever they have a big show and a few years ago was mixing it up with the Melges 24.

Jerry Beck is our favorite boat polisher, and then we caught him out practicing on Sunday with a win in the team racing. Now look out— he got his first first place. On a day when Alejandro didn’t win a race.

Rob Krentel was distracted by the water skiing. He had a 3 and a 2, but got hit with a 8 and 6. If you didn’t like the course, it is Rob’s fault.

Kevin Ratigan often comes over and dusts us off with his radial rig, but he did the full rig today. He got one of the bullets, but got caught in traffic a couple of time. On the short course stuff you need the start and clear some of the traffic on that first beat.

Ben Getchell has been on the racing motor boat construction thing and we are glad to see him back. He got one of the other first places and had a 2 to go with it. He was bit by that 6 in the first race.

Andy Fox got three firsts , two seconds and a DNF.. Fortunately Sam gave him a boat that the rachet block would pullout of, otherwise he would have won our gorgeous first place trophy. He says he hasn’t sailed a Laser for a lot of years, but that it still feels the same.

Alejandro for the first time in ages didn’t win a race. Averaged 3rd place to win, one point ahead of Andy. The first three boats were three points apart. Considering it was a borrowed boat that came apart on Andy (actually it was the hiking strap that tore out from under the rachet block) we could have given him redress. Well, no, we don’t give him any. After all Alejandro is our guy.

Andy did use the extra piece of line that I have tied into the back of the hiking strap to tie the front of it back in. Thank you, Randy Rea.
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2010-05-17T10:05:00.000-07:00

May 15 and 16, 2010.. Lasers had six boat out on Saturday for five races and seven boat out of Sunday for five races with a total of 9 sailors.

Rob Krentel 1-1-1-1-1+ 2-2-2-2-2=15
Sam Chapin 2-2-2-3-2+4-3-3-3-4= 28
Tom Rhodes 3-4-4-4-3+5-5-5-5-6=44
Marc Solal 5-5-5-5-ns+3-6-6-6-3=51
Alejandro Illera 50+1-1-1-1-1=55
Cameron Smith 4-3-3-6-ns+50 =73
Jack Delaney 50+6-4-4-4-5=73
Luke Yates Ns-ns-ns-2-ns+50 =80
Alan Edelberg 50+50 =100

Alan Eldelberg, the fancy tiller guy, has not sailed with us for a while and then the wind was up on Sunday and that combination sent him home early. Thanks to Scott Tillema and another MC guy that came out in motor boat and helped him get his act together.

Jack Delaney, our Cleveland snow bird friend, sailed with us again and was changing places regularly with Marc and Tom. He may be back Memorial weekend, but is about ready to head back North.

Cameron Smith was our first youth, sailed the full rig on Saturday and did a great job. When he gets the super vang stuff down better, he will be a real terror to us older folks.

Luke Yates came out at 11 o’clock on Saturday with the radial rig. Our super race committee took time and he corrected out to second place 0.05 minutes ( that is about 2 seconds) ahead of Sam. Good work Luke.

Marc Solal got a bailer put in his boat on Saturday afternoon. The bailer has been changed just a little– it is harder to put in now. Marc is one of our most regular coming sailors and often is the last one at the finish. So be sure to tell him how much he means to rest of us, and what a good fellow he is. OUR FAVORITE SAILOR. Now he really is sailing better, with a third place twice on Sunday and in the mix at the windward mark.

Rob Krentel won all the races on Saturday by starting better, better upwind, better mark rounding, and better down winds. He is our regular mark setter. If you don’t like the course, tell him about it.

When Alejandro Illera came back on Sunday , he and Rob did the twins thing again. Always right together. Rob had him beat a couple of times, but let him slip by at the last minute.

It was a great weekend to finish off the official 2009-2010 season. Trophies and stuff on Memorial Day weekend in two weeks.
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2010-05-04T17:47:00.001-07:00

Laser sailing the first of May. Eight races on Saturday and seen races on Sunday.

Finishes below have been corrected for “time”.
Alejandro Illera 1-1-1-1-2-1-1-2+2–1-1-1-1-1-1 18
Rob Krentel ns-2-3-2-1-2-2-1+1-2-2-2-2-2-3 33
Marc Solal 2-ns-ns-3-5-3-3-3+4-4-3-4-4-4-4 58
Sam Chapin 3-3-2-4-3-ns-ns-ns+3-3-5-3-3-3-2 61
Cameron Smith 4-ns-ns- ns-4-4-3-4+ns 93
Jack Delaney ns+6-6-4-5-5-5-5 100
Charlie Jensen ns+5-5-6-ns-ns-ns-ns 111

Cameron Smith and Sam both worked out in 4.7 rigs. Alejandro cleaned up as usual, but Rob was always right with him and always managed to win some of the races.

Cameron sailed on Saturday and started out with the Radial rig which was the right choice, but came in after the first race and changed to 4.7 making it back out for the last four races. On corrected time he jumped from 5 to 4 in race 5, stayed 4 in R6, jumped to 3 in R7, and held onto 4 in R8. We will try to get Cameron to share a little of how it feels to shift from radial to 4.7.

Jack Delaney, lawyer from Cleveland, Ohio, that winters in Edgewater came and sailed with us on Sunday. He visited us last year and sailed this year at Mt Dora Regatta. Jack likes our club, sailing the full rig and is really good at righting the boat. We hope he hangs out in Florida a little longer this year.

Charles Jensen, the very first LESC Laser sailor, came to sail with us again Sunday. He and Mary have a bigger boat, grandchildren and all those interruptions. We hope we can see him more this Summer. He broke something and missed the last four races.

Now we are down to our four regulars. Marc, Sam, Rob and Alejandro. Marc had a second place in Saturdays’s first race. Then he missed a couple of races Saturday to fix some rigging problems. He scored out third on Saturday and for the week end. Good work Marc. We hope to get you name in the sports section of the paper.

Sam chickened out on you folks. On Saturday with the full rig after the first hour he was just tired and figured it was time to go home. On Sunday he was putting up the full rig and looked up the lake and saw all the white caps forming– and went looking for the 4.7 rig. I think that was my first time sailing the 4.7 in races. Of course the boom is much lower and really low with super vang, so I left the vang off going up wind to make it a little easier getting under the boom. The tacking angle seems to be much greater in that kind of wind and I tacked too early several times closing on the windward mark. I tried to sail my own race, planning to just be close at the finish and hope that the time correction would let me in from of some. Actually I was beating people boat for boat, probably because we just need more practice when the wind is up like that. Down wind is when the smaller sail made it tough to keep up. Maybe the hardest thing for me was to power up the sail and not be stalled out, when I hit some of the soft spots.

With the time correction Sam jumped to 3rd in the first two races, stayed at 5 in the first triangle and finished in third in the rest of the races except in the last race he corrected to second.

Rob Krentel continues to push Alejandro and the two are together usually all the way around the course. Rob had set up the Arlen Bensen Triangular course and we sailed it twice.

Alejandro Illera continues to dominate even in the higher winds. He is super vanging, keeping the boat flat in spite of giving height and weight to Rob. Keep it going you two, and we will try to get Ben Getchell and Dave Chapin back to sail with you this Summer.

Don’t forget one more weekend racing in this last series before the Memorial Day Series. We will try to continue racing every other weekend during the Summer so stay tuned.
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2010-04-20T06:30:00.001-07:00

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.
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2010-03-08T13:53:00.001-08:00

One of the advantages of sailing in the mornings and having short races is that we got in seven races on Saturday and five races in on Sunday while the 11 to 1 group struggled to get in one race on Saturday and sort of the same thing on Sunday with one race for Scots, Cs, Wayfarers and a shortened second race for the MCs.

We got to the big winner, Alejandro, over the weekend with Luke Yates winning 3 races (Yes, get used to the youth winning the Laser races.) Rob Krentel got a couple and so did Sam. Marc Solal is still hanging out in the middle of the fleet, but the RC tells me he is closer and closer. He is one of our most faithful. Caroline Chapin showed up and sailed her father’s boat because her grandfather was too lazy to rig all the strings on her green machine Laser. Max Barton returned from the Skate Board Championships, but got caught with a full rig in some gusty wind of Sunday. Max will be right with us when he catches up a little with his boat handling.

Caroline had her friend Madison out sailing with her and we hope she brings her back.

Alejandro Illera. 2-1-2-2-2-2-4+2-1-1-1-1 =21
Rob Krentel 1-2-1-3-3-3-3+3-3-3-2-2 = 29
Sam Chapin 3-5-4-4-5-1-2+1-2-2-3-3= 35
Marc Solal 4-4-5-5-4-4-5+4-4-4-4-4 = 51
Luke Yates Ns-3-3-1-1-5-1+ ns = 56
Caroline Chapin Nf-ns-ns-ns-ns-6-6+5-5-6-5-5=73
Max Barton Ns- x7 + 6-6-5-6-6 = 78

Lasers have two weeks off , but we will get some of our warm weather people out to warm up the water.
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FEBRUARY 27 AND 28

2010-03-02T06:06:00.001-08:00

It is the end of February and Winter in central Florida should be over by now, but Sam and Marjorie did RC honors while Alejandro Illera, Marc Solal , Tom Rhodes hung in there for races right through the cold and rain. At the last minute Dave Moring came running down looking for a boat after he found out that the “big boats” weren’t going to sail. So actually we has four boats sailing.

Moring was a great addition to the little group. (This was a weekend that Rob Krentel had duties at home.) Moring was able to be right with Alejandro on the starts and mark roundings. In the third race he lead around the windward mark by quite a bit and then lost ground on the run. He was still ahead at the leeward mark. On the short beat to the finish Alejandro got him by one boat length. So Moring had all second places until he did a death roll on the fourth run and retired for warm clothes. The chill must have lasted for a couple of days because he was way down in the pack of MCs sailing on Sunday instead of up at the front.

Alejandro had pressure on all week with Dave Moring sailing against him on Saturday and Rob Krentel came back on Sunday to give him a run for his money, but Illera got all first places both days.

Yes, Alejandro did get some outside help on Sunday when a “big boat” safety boat brought him out his hiking boots which Maribel had brought from home. Alejandro had been just wearing his rubber socks.

Incidentally Maribel was crewing for Ray Laguna – the Spanish speaking Flying Scot.

Marc Solal got a second place in the weekend ratings– he came both days and had a second place on both days. Continuing to move up. Cold and windy in Central Florida, but winter storms and hurricane winds in France. We are glad to have you here Marc.

Tom Rhodes is a regular now and moving up with Saturdays scores 4-4-4-3-2 and he beat Marc 2 x on Sunday.

Rob Krentel got back with us on Sunday to get the number of boats up to 5 for the first race. Rob usually gets Alejandro on these bigger wind days, but didn’t manage it Sunday. He suffered from the cold and will be back stronger with warmer weather.

Sam hadn’t sailed or exercised for 2 weeks following orders from his eye surgery. He sailed one race and would have been leading if everyone hadn’t gone around the other weather mark. He felt a little rusty and plans to get out to sail a little in warmer stuff with a little less wind. He went in before he did something really dumb.

We had a table at Ferran Park for George Fest. Set up Friday evening and handed out two sheets on “learn to sail programs” , the sun went down, the wind picked up and it started to get colder so we wrapped up everything in a tarp before it blew us away. Aggie and Carlton Brown were going to come down Saturday morning and man the station while people did the parade and sail races. With the rain in the morning, that got cancelled and things just left wrapped up.

Sam took the Laser Committee motor boat down in the afternoon because the Chamber of
Commerce had asked me to get a safety boat for the canoe races that were scheduled for 3 PM. The canoe races were cancelled (I think mainly because no one was really in charge of them). Sam watched the “pie eating contest” (no hands) and then when he was really sure that no one was going to start up the canoe races, he took the boat back to the Sailing Club. He just left the table and stuff wrapped up because he was still cold from the morning.

Pete Hylen was going to do the noon to 1 PM opening on Sunday, but Sam called that off because of the high wind blowing on our exposed spot. We just left it wrapped up and Sam went down Sunday at 5 PM and packed everything up and away to storage..

We really appreciate the Browns and Pete Hylen’s willingness to help even if the weather didn’t cooperate.

The Park thing didn’t help us much, but the High School Gang and the Opti bunch were in the parade and gave us some great exposure.

March is here and with just a little more warm weather, we will get the rest of our gang out sailing.
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FEBRUARY 12 AND 13

2010-02-15T09:23:00.000-08:00

Because this e-mail goes out to lot of non-laser sailors and we don’t want to set up any my boat -your boat kind of competition, I am not going to go into detail about the laser guys (our gals have been doing other things) or( more correctly our gals have been doing RC right through the cold and wind and stuff). The lasers have stepped up again and done more sailing this weekend with four boats out Saturday and Sunday for total of five races. The MCs did get four boats out for the one race on Sunday. Scots 3 boats. Wayfarers 3 boats with two finishing.

Then Saturday at the board meeting, Alejandro Illera committed the Laser fleet to help the Wayfarers out with the Safety boat detail – in spite of the fact that the Lasers expect to flip more often, they are also expected to self rescue, and that we have been in radio contact with the “big boat” RC from 11 to 12 and could abandon our racing and help out with a big disaster. From 12 to 1 the Laser committee boat is gassed up (we always try to have 3/4 tank of gas for the weekend so if we are needed to help we can run for several hours) and at the beach while the Laser folks are having lunch and watching the other races. Two or three years ago we did go out and help with rescues when there was an afternoon disaster.

Anyway we will be glad to help out with the safety thing and will probably doing a little more of “join in with the second race with the Wayfarers”. (Now that we are “safety buddies” with the Wayfarer folks.)

We really do like all the MC, Scot, and Wayfarer sailors no matter how misguided they are in the choice of boats and I will not to be sending this sort of stuff in the e-mails.

THE FIVE RACES OVER SATURDAY AND SUNDAY:

Alejandro Illera 1-1+1-1-1 = 5
Marc Solal 2-2+4-3-2 = 13
Rob Krentel nf-ns+2-2-3 = 15
Tom Rhodes 3-3+3-4-4= 17

First I have to apologize to Marc Solal for not doing the total weekend scoring before I sent the article in to the newspaper. Marc was in second place for the weekend!!!! I had Rob K. down for second, but that was only for the Saturday thing. Marc was the real second place with three seconds in five races.!!! I am so happy!!! The guy that has been plugging along and coming every week and usually the last guy, but moving closer. Practice makes perfect. And Marc gets better and better. He also understand how the split wing on the BMW Oracle works and why the big gap between the segments makes it more powerful.

Alejandro Illera with all the good warm cloths from Rooster Sailing nailed all the first places over the weekend. Warm and comfortable does help. And Maribel helped with the RC Saturday, our really cold day and had cookies for everyone. What an RC! Hey, MC guys, when did Joan Williams bring you cookies.

Rob Krentel has gloves and boots now so he will be grabbing some of those bullets from Alejandro again.

Tom Rhodes, our new Laser sailor from Michigan sailed past Alejandro in the first race Sunday and had Marjorie and Joan on the RC boat cheering for him, but Alejandro and Rob both snuck by him before the finish. Tom will sail in the George Washington thing next week and it looks like a good turn out for the Lasers. The Scots will be the big fleet then and Andy Fox will be back in a Scot.

Presentation of the trophies for the Hartge Series is postponed due to the cold weather and GWB action until March. Another set of exciting trophies are all prepared, but will be held in secret until then. We have been in regular communication with Jane Hartge and expect her to help with the whole deal.

Marjorie wanted be to thank Jane Houch for the Super delicious coffee cake that John brought on Sunday for Valentine Day and to warm the hearts of cold sailors and RC’s and PRO’s. Ray L wants to get some every week.
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JANUARY 30 AND 31, 2010

2010-02-01T07:52:00.000-08:00

January 30 and 31, 2010. The last days of the Hartge Series. The great weather mysteries.

First the Summary:
Dave Chapin 1-1-1-1-1+ns-3-2-1 = 18
Alejandro Illera 2-2-2-4-2+1-2-3-2 = 20
Rob Krentel 3-3-3-2-3+2-1-1-3 = 21
Marc Solal ns-5-5-5-5+3-6-ns-ns = 50
Sam Chapin nf-4-4-3-4+ns = 50
Seth Behr ns+ 4-4-4-4 = 51
Tom Rhodes ns-6-6-6-6+5-5-5-5 = 51

Some of us think that you guys that didn’t come were smart– then some others had a good time. The wind promised for Saturday didn’t come. Just the rain at noon. Scots and MCs were paddling back after the races. Sunday was colder and the promised more temperate winds never came. Just the winder ones. Big boat races cancelled before they got started, but not before Jim Lingeman turned his Wayfarer over.

Tom Rhodes that sailed with us for the first time and is down from Michigan thought it was great to be out of the cold in warm sunny Florida. So warm and cold are relative terms, we need to be reminded occasionaly. Tom is working for Northrop Grumman in Maitland. He is athletic and enjoyed the windy conditions.

Seth Behr is back with us and a sign that the rest of the high school group may not be far behind. He was smart enough to sail the radial on Sunday. I checked his times in all the races and he didn’t catch anyone on time, but did well hanging in there with wind and cold. He has all the good stuff to wear and really looked good.

Sam Chapin bailed out on Sunday. When as he approached the starting area a sustained gust came in and put him on a fast plane with white caps forming all about him. He made one pass by the Committee boat and headed back to shore. There will be a lot of pleasant fun days out sailing and the exciting day better for the younger.

Marc Solal back is better. He is sailing better. See that 3 on Sunday. He is climbing up there. One Saturday race he had Sam put away, but misjudged the leeward mark and let him get the finish. All steps forward. It does take some time.

Rob Krentel, our mark setter, set up a triangle course both days so we could use it when the wind was up. On Saturday as the wind faded, so we just has windward leeward courses. On Sunday we had triangle windward leeward courses. Eat your heart out Arlen. (Arlen always wanted triangles.) Rob managed to finish Sunday one point ahead of Alejandro. +++ good work, Rob.

Alejandro Illera was two points ahead of Rob on Saturday, so for the weekend he was still ahead.

Both Rob and Alejandro got to Dave Chapin on Sunday – Dave arrived late, missed the first race and took two more before he won the last race. He brought to the club Caroline’s “green machine” Laser with the professional looking mast step repair– so maybe Caroline will be back to kick start our women’s program. Dave’s five first places on Saturday puts him ahead for the weekend.

Next club races start a new series. And it will be regattas or club races every weekend for a while.

Tom Rhodes may need to see some of the CDs so when you other folks come back sailing with us bring back the Advanced Laser Sailing, the two copies of Rick Whites Sailing, and the Boat Whisperer stuff.

January 2 and 3, 2010

2010-01-19T11:16:00.000-08:00

We are out of order here so for the two weeks after this, check below.
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The January first Fun Sail was cold rained out and just turned into a Eat Out at the pot luck..

Then Saturday, January 2, our Committee boat stopped after Sam had three of the marks out. Bob Getchell towed him in while Sam threw out the fourth mark at maybe the right place. We had some Rabbit start Races and then joined the Wayfarer group in the long races.

We had six boats out with Alejandro Illera 1-1-1
Ben Getchell 2-2-2
Craig Yates 3-3-3
Jerry Beck 4-4-4
Marc Solal 4-4-4
Luke Yates 4-4-4
Actually Jerry, Marc, and Luke didn’t sail the long races, but it was cold and they showed up and I gave them all 4th. That might get changed later if I catch too much flack.

We have a new gas line, fuel bulb and tightening of the gas line attachment and all seems to be working well agin.

Sunday, January 3, 2010 found Joan Bryant and Marjorie Chapin out on our course again in one of the coldest days in ten years. What a RC! The big boat PROs were wrapped in blankets.

Rob put out the marks and we waited a couple of minutes for Jerry and then got off six races.
Rob Krentel 1-1-3-1-2-4 12
Alejandro Illera 2-4-1-2-1-2 12
Sam Chapin 3-2-2-4-3-1 15
Jerry Beck 4-3-4-3-4-3 21

We seemed to be always tight together at all the marks. Note that Rob and Alejandro were tied on points with Rob getting the nod for three bullets. Sam won the last race from being last around the leeward mark, but had his own wind into the finish.

A good look and you would think that Jerry was always last... look again, he beat everyone else in at least one race. Way to go Jerry!!

Then Rob and Sam came in at noon because it was cold cold. Alejandro and Jerry went over and had an hour race with the Flying Scots. Alejandro beat three Scots and Jerry got one. They were happy happy. Now they want to do that every month and we can talk about that a little.

Marc Solal who has never been cold before, was on Saturday– probably because he had been sick last week and so he took Sunday off to recover fully.

Luke is really happy with the new boat– which he calls his boat. Maybe it is. Looks good. Nice and stiff and I expect he will be a lot of trouble for the old folks.

Craig Yates was the other long course sailor on Saturday and soon we expect to see Sasha sailing with us. Soccer players always turn out to be great sailors. Did I forget anyone– Oh, yes Ben Getchell had Alejandro tied up in that last long race on Saturday. He lead Alejandro all the way around the course twice, up wind and down wind and then in the last bit he let Alejandro sail low and fast and get some “separation” going into a header. Alejandro was ahead at the finish. Now Ben knows to sail low and fast if he needs to the not let the separation happen if you are sailing a lift..If that is all a mystery to you, the reader, go to Lasers Climb the Ladder, November 19, on howtosailthelaser@blogspot.com-- read all about it.

Next racing is in two weeks and that is the end of this December - January Series. I will send you standing in a few days, but try and make it. It will have to warmer then.

When it warms up a little we will get our other Laser sailors going again.

Saturday and Sunday January 16-17, 2010

2010-01-18T11:43:00.000-08:00

The Laser group turned a couple of corners this weekend. The Board of Directors of LESC gave the go ahead to Rob Krentel for the District 13 (Florida) Laser Championship here at Lake Eustis next December. Our advanced group of Laser sailors went for the second race of the long course folks at about noon. The higher winds didn’t discourage them any as they did it both Saturday and Sunday. That makes about 3 hours of racing sailing for them

All together we had 9 sailors over the weekend with Randy Rea, our old friend from Crystal River, and Kevin Ratigan, our radial rig friend from Orlando, visiting on Saturday.

But a look at the scores first..

Dave Chapin ns-1-2-1-1-3+1-2-1-1=22
Alejandro Illera 2-2-3-3-4-1+3-3-3-2= 26
Rob Krentel 3-3-4-4-2-2+2-1-2-4=27
Jerry Beck ns-5-6-6-5-ns+6-6-4-3=50
Luke Yates 32+4-4-6-6=52
Sam Chapin 4-6-5-5-6-4+5-5-5-nf= 53
Randy Rea 1-4-1-2-3-ocs+ 54 =75
Marc Solal ns-ns-7-ns-7-nf+7-7-7-5=76
Kevin Ratigan ns-ns-ns-ns-ns-5+54 =104

The score keeper will make a separate session for “long races”. Saturday= Dave Chapin, Randy Rea, Alejandro Illera, Kevin Ratigan(no time for his radial), Rob Krentel.
Sunday= Dave Chapin, Rob Krentel, Alejandro Illera, Marc Solal

So let us stat with number 9.. Kevin Ratigan with the radial rig. Our RC took time on the last race on Saturday which was the first he got into. His corrected time didn’t move him up on that race but on the long race he was just behind Alejandro. If we had done times he would have moved up there. OK, Kevin, you were the first Radial anyway.

Marc Solal, our international representative, repaired his broken hiking strap from Saturday and on Sunday sailing the short races was so much fun that he did the long race too. Good work Marc.

Randy Rea is down here in 7 because he takes big hits for not sailing on Sunday and he was over early on the last race Saturday. I changed the scores for that last race– we love Randy because he came over and taught us how to sail Lasers several years ago– but it is the Competitors job to start properly. The RC will try to tell you if you are over, but they can’t sail the boat for you. Dave loves having Randy because then he really has someone to spar with.

It is with mixed emotions that I find Sam down in 6th. I have score sheets from a few year ago when I was ahead of most of you–including David (but that was many many years ago and only when the wind was up). I hope it is because many of you are sailing better.

Luke Yates has his own boat and was sailing 4th places with the full rig. Wow. The youth are coming.

Jerry Beck beat Rob in the last and higher wind race on Sunday. That was the race that Sam decided there was too much wind and excitement for an old man and headed in.

Rob Krentel is in third place but only by one point. He would have beaten Alejandro if he had not turned over in that last race Sunday. In the long race on Saturday he got fourth, but told me he would do better next time. Sunday he did, with a second behind David in the long race.

Alejandro Illera continues his charge in front. He is always sailing flat and fast. He really works the downwinds. Being light helps downwind, but it hurts going upwind in a blow, so don’t complain.

Dave Chapin had some competition for a change but he was able to pile up enough first places to make up for the first race he missed on Saturday. Now if he lets his father fix the leaking rip in his cockpit floor, maybe he won’t be so slow..

Many thanks again to our regular RC Joan Bryant and Marjorie Chapin. Oh, and then on Sunday we had extra help from Jack Kern (Our Texas MC sailor) until he realized the MCs were really going to sail. And then thanks too, to the Fisherman in the passing by motorboat that brought him to shore.

2009-12-15T05:41:00.000-08:00

Lasers December 12 and 13. First let me dispose of Jennifer. The first woman and what a great job she did with the first three races. She was sailing the full rig and the Kelley boat (no fancy rigging help) and it was not a light wind day. Not bad first race, a third and ahead of Patrick, Sam, and Bill. But the second race, while Alejandro and Rob went over to the left looking for wind she went to the strip of dark water way off to the right. She got into it first and rode if up to the mark and downwind couldn’t be caught. The only first place we could get away from Rob and Alejandro.
Then she went back to club and got an MC , just missed the time limit for the first race start. (I think that you have to start within four minutes of the starting "gun" to be counted in the race. That keeps you out of the next start in a 5 minute sequence thing.) But she got in the second race. Was able to have a lot of fun with a turn over and boats pushing each other. Ended up just behind Commodore June Howells – good thing because June was looking for a first place call. So she got it. First Commodore and First Woman.
So as far as I know, that is first time we have had people sail with both fleets. Now you could really do it if you would give up some Laser races, have someone put the Laser away for you and have the MC ready. That would require a Team. Sort of a negative for single handed boats.
Of course we had a few years ago, the Opti advanced folks sailing with us and then at 1 PM they had the Opti class and got a lot of sailing in on Saturday. Now we have the advanced Opti in the AM. .
Back to the ordinary.. Summary of the weekend. 8 sailors and 12 races. Wind up with holes and shifts.
Alejandro Illera 1-1-1-3-1-2+2-3-1-1-1-2 19
Rob Krentel 3-3-2-1-2-1+1-2-2-2-2-1 22
Patrick Daniel 4-2-3-2-5-3+4-5-4-4-5-4 45
Marc Solal 5-4-5-4-4-5+6-6-7-5-nf-ns 64
Bill Jackson 6-6-6-6-6-6+7-7-3-6-4-5 67
Sam Chapin 42+5-4-6-4-3-3 67
Jerry Beck 2-5-4-6-3-4+48 72
Jennifer Jones 42+3-1-5-ns-ns-ns 75
Let me start at the top with Alejandro. Sailing fast most of the time. Flat, hiking hard. Look around at who is flattest going up wind, and then who is rolled over to windward most going downwind. On Sunday in the gusts going up wind, he had the super vang on, eases the sail out a little, stays flat and accelerate. You have to practice that a little. You need to know it may happen, so you have the super vang on. You see the gust coming and are ready for it.
Rob is right there behind or ahead of Alejandro. He has most of the second places cornered. On Sunday they were tied on points, but Rob was already down 3 from Saturday. Maybe better transitions going down wind because that is when Alejandro picks up anyone ahead of him.
Patrick really has his best day Saturday with two second places. That is really good for us because it gives us another that could win any race.
Marc Solal sailed better. Had some good races. Better than the scores look . Sam got past he and Patrick, when they were hooked up going downwind. When you get two boat next to each other going down wind, you can only go as fast as the slowest. One gets a little head and the guy behind takes his wind. That is why you see Alejandro and Rob going back and forth dodging each other or going for the inside.
Jerry Beck had a good day Saturday. And he had won those races the week before. Started off with a second place between Alejandro and Rob. But he got his Xmas decorations up on Sunday and took a hit on the scores for the weekend. In the series we just count 60% so the two firsts will be there with the second.
Bill Jackson was a wonder– a third and fourth on Sunday. Catching on quick, but he will be on his way back to Mississippi. You can see his art on billjackson.net, Bil Jackson, Mississippi Artist.
We did the trophies at noon on Sunday.
We voted to do the "fun sail" on New Years Day with the "big boats". No one knows what the fun sail is — any way it won’t count in the next series.
Jennifer wants to know what we are doing this coming weekend.
More about that stuff and the FULL MOON SAIL on December 31.
Some people will be sailing Tuesday afternoon 3 to 5.

December 5-6, 2009

2009-12-07T10:11:00.000-08:00

It was a really great weekend for the Laser group.
First let me dispose of the 420 story.. Craig Yates brought an Opti student out (the only one of his class that came) as crew on the 420. Our solid RC took times and Craig and crew corrected out to 1-4-6-3-1-6 finishes. They won two races and finished one point ahead of Luke Yates. (Luke had turned over and took a big hit in the first race.) Craig is happy to beat the kid, as he doesn’t do that much.
Now with that family affair taken care of and while we are happy to do Portsmouth for anyone that wants to come and sail with us, we don’t need to count them in the Laser group... especially if they are doing a lot of first places.
Next let me put down just the Sunday scores
Alejandro Illera 1-2-1-4-4 = 12
Sam Chapin 3-1-3-3-2 = 12
Jerry Beck 2-4-.5-1-1 =13
Rob Krentel 4-3-3-2-3 = 14
Marc Solal 5-4-5-5-5 = 24
Note that we had four boats with in 2 points after 5 races. And regular racing is paying off for Jerry beck with is two wins.
Now let me put together the Saturday and Sunday races. Note that Marc Solal got a second place after leading until just the finish. So all our regulars are moving up.
Alejandro takes a big hit for missing Saturday.
Rob sailed into some big holes, but was always close. He won Saturday and if I had left Craig in the scoring he and Sam would be tied for the weekend.
Sam Chapin 2-3-1-2-2-1+3-1-3-3-2 = 23
Rob Krentel 1-2-2-1-1-3+4-3-2-2-3 =24
Jerry Beck Ns-5-5-3-5-4+2-4-5-1-1=41
Alejandro Illera 36+1-2-1-4-4=48
Marc Solal Ns-4-4-5-5-2+5-5-4-5-5=49
Luke Yates Ns-1-3-4-3-5+30 =52
Luke yates did a terrific job sailing the full rig in a lot of wind. Won the second race.
Seth Bahr has been sailing with us during the week and we expect the whole High School bunch will be back soon doing 420s and Lasers.
Jim Rotella got an hour in sailing the Laser on Sunday afternoon – he is getting ready to join us.
Tom Doyle is back with his MX ray. Maybe we can get him racing it with us.

2009-11-23T13:54:00.000-08:00

The Lasers had a great weekend with nine boats on Saturday and eight on Sunday. Before I try to get all the scores down let me remind you to check the Laser Bulletin board because I spent a lot of time getting the map of the world up. There are push pin for many of the Laser racing fleets around the world.. I didn’t get all the ones in Europe, because there is not enough room on the map for them. Note all the fleets in Africa. The little countries just south of Irak. Pakistan has a fleet as well as India. Do they have a regatta with Pakistan and India sailing against each other? Guam and Tahiti. The 2004 list is posted in the corners so you can look up your favorite country. Probably always a Laser sailing 24/7 around the world. Winter in Canada, where it all started, and it is Summer in Australia and New Zealand.
Our races on Saturday were postponed till 10:30 so Don Browning and June Howells could present awards to Senator Carey Baker and Alan Hayes for their help in saving us money on the water run off problem.
Week end scores:
Alejandro Illera 4-1- 2-1 + 1-2-2-1-1-1 16
Rob Krentel 2-2-1-2 + 2-1-1-2-2-2 17
Sam Chapin 1-3-3-4+ 3-sn-etc 59
Patrick Daniel 3-6-4-3+ 7-3-sn -etc 62
Seth Behr 6-5-6-6+ 4-6-3-ns-etc 63
Dean Grimes Ns-etc +ns-5-4-3-3-3 67
Jerry Beck 7-4-5-5+ 5-7-ns-etc 69
Marc Solal 8-7-8-7+6-4-ns-etc 74
Leah Ladley 5-8-7-ns+ns-etc 84
Chris DePriest 9-9-9-8+ ns-etc 89
Let me start with Chris DePriest the model boat sailor that has moved into Lasers with the help of Kim Kelley, one of our favorite helpers. Chris will be moving up closer to the starting line and if we can get the starting line a little closer to square to the wind, he will be starting with us. Good work Chris and we saw Max and Robin at the club on Saturday, but didn’t have a chance to visit.
Another Chris, Chris Laffin from Canada, is spending the Winter in Mt. Dora. He will be sailing Lasers with us. He has a Contender up in the frozen country. The Contender as I remember, came out about the same time the Laser did and was faster in the Tea Cup races, but it has a big rig and a trapeze for a singlehander. That makes it a pretty hard boat to sail–sooo look out for Chris 2.
Leah is down at the bottom of the list, but that is just because she didn’t sail with us Sunday. She knocked off two places on corrected time on Saturday. Keep the radials coming.
Marc Solal was just getting to those guys on Sunday when his hiking strap stitching came out. He had fourth and it was his weather. Too bad Marc, but with the winter we have a little more wind. Your day will come again.
Jerry Beck did well and he has been training with Alejandro so he will be climbing the ladder. I think he was having trouble with the big header gusts that tend to drop you in the water from the full hiked out position. Keep looking for those gusts. They tend to be the gusts that are moving in from windward and ahead, so be ready to bear off a little as they come in.
Dean Grimes was back with us. Missed the first race Sunday, but hung in for all the others and then went out to check on his Flying Scot friends after the Laser races. Good job getting around Dean. He has been crewing on Scots plus. He plans to continue the Scots and work us in also.
Seth Behr had the full rig up and really doing a great job with it. He knocking at the door of higher spots in the fleet and handled the wind with full rig on Sunday. I spoke with Mama Behr on Sunday and Seth has an older brother that we might be adding to the group.
Patrick Daniel had a bunch of third places on Saturday and Sunday. The death roll on Sunday with mast in the mud did him in. We are reminded that it is not a bad idea to knot the sheet on a windy day so that the boom can’t go out more than 80 degrees to the boat. Put on a little vang so boom is maybe perpendicular to the mast. Then if the boat start to roll to windward turn toward the sail with the rudder. The rudder is in the water and will try to turn the boat upright and give you half a chance to move across the boat and save a swim. Watch Alejandro going downwind, but it takes a lot of swimming to know just where the edge is.
Sam is sorry he is too damn old to enjoy all the wind– and besides Alejandro and Rob both got by me in that first race. I lead all the way except at the finish. How about a trophy for that guy that gets to the leeward mark first.
Rob won the series on Saturday and when he should have beat up on the little guy with the wind up, Alejandro outfoxed him. Notice that after 10 races of the week end they were one point apart. The next people were 40 points behind.
Sailing Tuesday and Wednesday 3 to 5 PM...

PORTSMOUTH AND LASERS

2009-10-16T19:19:00.000-07:00

..
Portsmouth and Laser weekend. October 10-11, 2009 Portsmouth folks, Ron Stevenot sailing the Omega solo (his regular crew went camping) and his auxiliary crew, Peggy, is holding out for a bigger boat, and Jeffery Hayden sailing a Sunfish only sailed on Saturday.

I threw them in with the Lasers with the corrected time thing and Ron came from 11th to second place in the first race and Jeffery jumped from 8 to 5th. After that they only jumped one or two places in the next three races. So after the four races were put together Ron was 8th and Jeffery 9th.

So we will just call Ron first Portsmouth sailing the Omega and Jeffery second sailing the Sunfish. Good work both of you. As noted above, Peggy Stevenot is pulling for a big boat– like a Flying Scot.

After the races Jeffery switched off with his dad into the Laser. He enjoyed sailing that boat with
the full rig. Smart fellow Jeffery.

Now let us see if you can figure out the Laser scoring sheet for the weekend?
Alejandro Illera 1-3-1-3+1-2-1-1 = 13
Rob Krentel 2-5-2-2+2-1-2-2 = 18
Sam Chapin 5-1-3-5+4-3-4-3 = 28
Marc Solal 9-8-8-8+3-4-3-4 = 47
Luke Yates 3-2-4-1+ 40 =50
Charles Jensen 4-4-6-7+ 40 = 61
Patrick Daniel 7-6-7-4+ 40 = 64
Steve Hayden 6-7-5-6+ 40 = 64
Cameron Smith 10-9-10-10+40 = 79

Let’s start at the top this week. Alejandro won both days. He was never out of the hunt. Always fast downwind. Watch what he is doing and let us get more people going that fast. – flat and bow down going up wind – downwind , by the lee big time, sit way forward and strong windward heel (away from the sail). Remember to save the death roll, steer toward the boom.

Rob was Alejandro’s challenge all weekend. He was always way out there with him and the only one to beat him regularly.

Marc Solal is one of our faithful four that sailed on Sunday. He had a slow day on Saturday, but Sunday he was ahead of Sam a lot of the time. He and Sam were swapping 3rd and 4th while the other two were out in front going for first. The 3rd and 4th guys ended up tied. Sam had the last third and put himself ahead. There has to be some advantage of being the score keeper.

Luke Yates. We were all glad he had something else to do on Sunday. On Saturday he was always with us at the windward mark and smart and fast going downwind.. That is the way he won the last race on Saturday. Luke, just send your dad. next time.

Charlie Jensen came along on Saturday and brought the birthday girl to fill in on RC. Not Sunday, they had family duties, but we are glad to have them anytime they can make it. I still remember the regatta when on a down wind finish, I was trying to blanket Glenda and just cross the finissh line ahead, so I could win. Glenda was sailing off to the side to avoid my blanket and neither of us saw Charlie cross the finish line for the win, while we were chasing each other. Glenda beat me, too.

Patrick Daniel was back with us just like he said he would be. Maybe we should let him win one so he would come more often, but he got a fourth in the last race Saturday. Probably just warming up in the first three.

Steve Hayden had brought Jeffery out with the Sunfish two weeks ago and Steve had sailed a Laser and given Alejandro a run for his money. So this Saturday I thought I gave him a better sail, and not the tired old one with the big patches. Well, I don’t know what happened, but maybe I will start using that old patched sail myself.

Jeffery is sailing with the Lake Monroe Sailing Association Sunfish group. You can see his finishes on centralfloridasailing.blogspot.com . Jeffery’s grand father Fisk Hayden had Andy Forest out sailing a Lightning on Saturday. Fisk is a member here, keeps a Lightning here, and crews some times for Forest on his Precision 21 at Lake Monroe. You can check on their race results on the same blogspot along with our members Aggie and Carlton Brown sailing their SJ 21.

Cameron Smith was the last on the Laser list. Cameron is small and just getting started and did a great job with the full rig and on Saturday we did have some strong winds. Well, look out folks, Luke is small and maybe just getting stated.. That makes two of them and then there is Ben.

AND MANY Thanks to Mary Jensen for stepping in to help with the RC when we needed it. Of course thanks to Joan Bryant who hangs in with us all the time.

Oh yes, and thank you Marjorie Chapin for coming back on Sunday.

We missed all the fun at Ferran Park with the Folk Festival – and the big Saturday afternoon storm. Will try again to show the boat off, when they have the next big event at the park.

NOW THERE WILL BE NO MORE SAILING UNTIL TOMORROW EVENING (Wednesday)
AND THEN THURSDAY EVENING.. What about the free week end coming up– who wants a picnic?
..

Crazy weekend. September 26-27, 2009

2009-09-29T11:11:00.000-07:00

It was another crazy week end! You folks that missed Saturday– maybe you were smart, but we got in three races in the time frame of 11 to 12. Then Sunday we got our races in before the big blow, rain, thunder and stuff..

We missed the high school sailors that said they were coming on Sunday– but haven’t heard boo from them about the sailing at Davis Island either.

I will try to get all the races down here
Alejandro Illera 1-1-1+ 1-1-1-3-2-1 =12
Rob Krentel 2-4-3+ 3-3-3-2-3-2=26
Steve Hayden nc 24 + 2-2-2-1-1-3=35
Marc Solal nc 24 + 4-4-4-4-4-4=53
Sam chapin 3-3-2+ nc 48 =57
Luke Yates 4-2-5+ nc 48 =62
Max Barten 5-5-4+ nc 48 =64
Then we had Ron Stevenot and grand daughter in Omega on both days. On Saturday he finished 6-6-6 and corrected out to 5-2-5. Note he corrected into second place in the second race. Then on Sunday he corrected into 5-4-4-4-4-5. I didn’t stick those corrected times into the Laser scores above because we are two separate operations as well as one. If we mixed everyone together then he would be 4th out of nine boats for the weekend..
Ron has been invited to head up a group of Portsmouth -(Jim Orth and Charles Manico and Carlton Brown take note.) But I think he is going to try a Wayfarer and a Scot at the present time.

Jeffery Hayden was our 8th competitor in his new shinny Sunfish. His dad, Steve Hayden, was going to sail along and help him in his first race, but Dad got caught up in the battle with Alejandro. Jeffery did fine without him and worked himself up to a fourth on corrected time in the last race. So I think he did better without much help. Sailing in more wind than he is used to. Steve, if you can find Derrick Fries’s book on Sunfish sailing, he has a lot of information on position of the goose neck in different winds. That would be for when Jeffery gets a little more confidence and sits out a little more – the old sail the boat flat stuff..

Max Barten was back with us and had grown a foot, carried his skate board so he won’t have to walk long distances. He picked off Luke in that lst race Saturday– but sure picked a miserable day to start sailing with us again. Max and Luke were our Free Style winners from last years contest. We need to do that again.

Luke Yates can do it. See that second place in the second race. He has been getting all the "Puffer" practice.

Mark Solal is back from Italy where he has been telling them how to fix their mini electronics. Notice he has moved into fourth place.

Steve Hayden is our Lightning sailor and his dad come over with his motor boat to check on us but was a little late to see the action. We hope they all come back again, often.

Rob Krentel was always right with Alejandro or right ahead of him. You look at the scores and you might not think so, but he is the one that has been pushing the little aggressor.. They both are busy changing sails and tweaking the boats.

Alejandro Illera has been making money on working the downwind stuff. We will get Ben Getchell back sailing with him and see if that slows him up. In the mean time the rest of us can do what he does– heel more, transitions more, sail hotter angles downwind. Since the Kurt Taulbee clinic, he has been sailing lower and faster going upwind too.

Now don’t forget Wednesday evening.

Don’t forget the catamaran regatta this weekend. A good chance for the Lasers to sail out and cheer our entry, A cat Richard Kinnie, when he sails around the windward mark.. Look out at the other end of the course, because they will be continually finishing and starting various classes. It is a really slick operation, if you have not seen it.

Laser racing again in two weeks.

2009-09-15T19:41:00.000-07:00

It was a great Laser sailing weekend. Light wind Saturday, but we got 5 races in and Rob was able to corner Ben. Sunday had great wind, just short of white caps and from the west with cop in our area of sailing. Then the wind came up some more with rain and then faded off and left the bumpy water to deal with.

Patrick Daniel was back with us. Cameron Smith joined in for the first time on Sunday. Luke Yates gave up his spot on the Laser to Cameron and loaded a 420 with Opti kids that came on the wrong time or place or something. It is hard to keep up with the Opti switches of day, time and place.

The weekend results:
Rob Krentel 1-1-2-3-1+2-2-1-1-3-2-1 = 20
Alejandro Illera 2-4-5-4-5+1-1-2-2-1-1-2= 30
Sam Chapin 6-5-3-1-3+3-3-3-3-2-3-4 = 39
Patrick Daniel 5-3-4-5-4+4-4-4-4-4-5-3 = 49
Marc Solal 7-9-6-6-6+5-5-5-5-5-4-5= 68
Ben Getchell 3-2-1-2-2+ nc (70) = 80
The Browns (San Juan) 4-6-9-7-7+nc(70)= 103
Cameron Smith 8-8-7-8-ns+ nc (70)= 110
Luke Yates (420) nf-7-8-9-ns+ nc (70)=112

The finishes are by corrected times and results in a little juggling - like the Browns jumped up to 4th in that first race Saturday.

Rob won Saturday by enough of a margin that Alejandro’s wins on Sunday didn’t jump him ahead as we head down the first series of fall races.

Alejandro, our light weight, won the windier day with the full rig. Aren’t you big guys ashamed of yourselves? Did you notice that he was not pointing up with the rest of us, but sailing fast to the next shift and increasing the separation. Was that some stuff from the Curt Taulbee clinic? If you don’t know about separation, ask at a North U Wednesday night session.

We had Ben held to one first place on Saturday and second overall, but then he missed the Sunday races and that drops him to 6th for the weekend.

Sam managed to win the 4th race on Saturday sailing the his old red boat. He was able to steal the pin end of the line on a left shift and crossed the fleet. It was nice to be out in front where you can tack on all the shifts. It helps to have Ben covering and holding back Alejandro so the run is not so hectic. Thanks Ben.

Patrick Daniel is back from the big boat sailing. He says he will be sailing with us most of the winter. He had a third on both Saturday and Sunday and will be able to challenge the top.

Marc Solal is picking off some people and has moved out of the "always last" position. We are giving him a lot of hugs and advice. So look out we will be looking for someone else to be last.

Well, Cameron Smith was the last, but that was just the first time sailing with us and he did a great job and with the full sail.

Carlton and Aggie Brown sailed the San Juan 21 with us and ended up sixth. Not bad for first time out and crazy wind on Saturday. They will continue to show up on Wednesday and during the week.

Luke Yates filled in as sailing instructor with the two or three crew members. They had come to sail Optis. Luke gave them a lot of Sailor Talk they would not have had in the little boats– so good work Luke.

Comments on the sailing conditions at on howtosailthelaser.bogspot.com.

It was a tough weekend for the other fleets. Maybe the no sailing last weekend put them off, but the MC only had 9 out on Saturday. We had 9 in our races (counting the 420 and the San Juan, not really fair) but then on Sunday they had 10 and we only had 5.

The Mcs had good racing both days. The Scots suffered a lot with only Ray Laguna sailing Saturday. Did you notice that was really Laser sailing with Ray at the helm and Glenda Libby the spinnaker girl. Then on Sunday George Golder and Chris Erichsen sailed both races and swapped first and second. Ray was off pistol shooting or something else.

Wayfarers suffered on both days with Jim L and Mike M sailing in the first race Saturday and then coming in during the second race due to the light wind. On Sunday they had three boats out, but when the rain and increased wind came in, Jim and Mike came in an left Mike Tighe out to sail both races by himself. Jim and Mike M both have had enough experience that when that little rain storm came in, they figure it was time to get in before things got worse. The experienced mind at work. Too bad, because it turned out to be a nice day.

Comments on Fleet Building take up several days last week on howtosailthelaser.blogspot.com

Next racing in two weeks. We are still doing Wednesday evenings, Pizza and North U. Will try to have marks out and practice race for those that want it . Sun is going down about ten minutes earlier every night as the days get shorter.

MEMORIAL DAY REGATTA

2009-09-10T12:20:00.000-07:00

This is out of place. It shoud have been in just ahead of the Wednesday night thing.

Labor Day Regatta report. September 5 and 6, 2009. Lasers were the only ones that got races in because of the light wind. Two races Saturday and Four on Sunday. The other classes did not have any races and just went home after Sunday. They didn’t have any trophy stuff, so we will do something later when the trophy maker catches up with his other work.

Ben Getchell 1-1+1-1-1-1 6 First place. First Youth. First High school sailor.
Alejandro Illera 2-2+2-3-2-4 15 Second Place. First adult.
Rob Krentel 3-3+3-2-3-2 16 Third Place First heavy weight.
Sam Chapin 4-4+4-4-5-5 26 Fourth Place First Golden Oldie
Marc Solal 5-5+6-5-6-6 33 Fifth Place First Frenchman
Seth Behr ns-ns+5-6-4-3 34 Sixth Place First to improve in almost every race.
Craig Yates ns-ns+ns-7-4-ns 43 Seventh Place First in the hearts of the others.

First let me start with Craig Kiwi Yates, high school coach, boat repair artist, etc. We are so happy to see him come and be the seventh boat. He sailed the Kelly boat without all the fancy stuff to adjust. He did a fourth in the third race on Sunday just ahead of Sam and then went home so Sam couldn’t get even. He dropped to the bottom of the list because he missed four of six races. He also made all the motor boat waves on Saturday driving around in the coach boat.

Did you notice that we had two fourth places in third race on Sunday. That is the way the RC reported it and we don’t argue with the RC.

Seth Behr, high school sailor, got out with us on Sunday and marched right up the ladder with a third place in the fourth race. Good work Seth. Seth found the old red Laser (first at LESC-- 35 years ago.) of Ford Matthews in a neighbor’s back yard. He was smart not to buy it, but Sam did get it and trying to get it in shape to sail a little. A lot of work and some expense to get an old soft boat, but historic piece. Vera, ask Jane if she remembers him.

Marc Solal, our big guy, was up in the pack going up wind and losing going down wind or he would have had a good race someplace. The wind will increase Marc. Keep coming.

Rob Krentel beat Alejandro out on Sunday but lost on the two races on Saturday. The duel continues.

Alejandro Illera picked off Rob by one point after six races. Not much of a margin, but then Alejandro has a great patch on the side of his boat and not that big hole.

Ben Getchell put together his light weight, light winds, great tacking, aggressive sailing, good
change of gears, and lots of good luck to sail away with the week end.

Let me make a special note. I was told by observers from shore that Ben’s roll tacks were illegal.— well yes if you read rule 42 in the rule book ,you might think so, but— they match the roll tacks that are in Steve Cockerel’s instructional DVD. Steve was the World Laser Master Champion a few year ago when they had the races in South Korea. His throw away race was a second place with 90 or so boats in the races.

Cabarete in the Dominican Republic teaches similar roll tacks and is training ground for many Olympic Laser sailors. Ari Bashire of Cabarete recently placed well in the Worlds Laser Master Championship in Halifax, Nova Scotia and he was not flagged for any 42 rules. The web site publishes all the Protests and Rule 42 calls.

Interesting to look at that. All the rule 42 stuff was for rocking or pumping, not tacking or gybing.

Paul Goodison who won the Olympic gold medal in China and the recent World Laser Championship in Halifax rolls that way and I can show you pictures of him doing it in his instructional book.

The ads for the Cabarete DVD showed roll gybe with boat coming out of gybe with a lot os speed. The Laser blog "Proper Course" called them on it and referred it to the Laser judging committee that reviewed it an said that it was legal because the roll was induced to make the boat turn and it was not the sailors fault that the boat went faster.

In the Athens Olympic DVD that we had at LESC and which has been borrowed and not returned
you could see, if it was to be returned, the gold medal winner Robert Scheidt sailing down wind doing transitions ( broad reach to by the lee and back again) going around waves that he was catching up to and passing. Each turn had a good heel and straighten to make the boat turn and the judge boat following him just follows along.

My conclusion is that currently the Lasers can be radically heeled to induce turning and it is disregarded that it makes the boat go faster.

Another factor that may have come up this weekend is multiple roll tacks without substantial change in wind direction. I was out both days and especially on Sunday the wind was all over the place. I don’t think I have ever seen so many funny big and little shifts and up and downs.

General advice for light wind is to roll tack and rock (repeated rock is forbidden) and then sit quiet and forward and to leeward quietly so not to disturb the wind flow across the sail. The old guy can not roll tack and then get forward and to leeward without wobbling the boat all over the place and then it is time to roll tack again, but he is sitting up on the centerboard behind the mast. Forget it – Ben did a great job of doing all that stuff.

We will just have to get EVEN when the wind comes up a little or a lot.

Now I should tell you about our left handed starting line, the strange mysterious opposing down drafts, the down wind start— but that later.

Informal racing (all boats welcome now that you folks are sailing again) this WEDNESDAY 5 to 7 with second part of "Morning Light" at 7 to 8.

Up coming Portsmouth fleet racing news.

WEDNESDAY EVENING AND THE P FLEET

2009-09-10T12:11:00.000-07:00

I don't know what is happening to this crazy Portsmouth thing. Ray Laguna wants to form a Portsmouth Fleet. Like we don't have one. Hey, what has Sam been doing for the past 3 years??

Then it looks like the Carlton and Aggie Brown with the San Juan 21 are the only ones really interested. They have the boat is the water and ready to go but not wind and no RC. Then they are off to check on grand babies-- that's OK, there is no wind and no RC anyway. Ray knows that the wind will be bad so he is off firing his pistol with gun group.

Now Jim Orth with the Lido wants to sail P. Ron Stevenot (new member) the granddaughter and the Omega want to sail P. Charles Mancino and the Precision 15 think that racing P would be a step up from single cruising. Steve Hayden (the lightening guy) will send the little fellow out in the Sunfish with the Lasers.

Now Wednesday evening, the folks that started all this, Carlton and Aggie Brown show up with Kevin Somebody that wants to join LESC and race his Oday Day Sailor. That is another P boat.

Now that is great, right. New members, growing new fleet-- but then they all get in Lasers. Carleton Brown, Aggie Brown, Kevin got emergency call and couldn't stay, Kim Kelley (full rig is a fair amount of wind), DENNIS OLDHAM, (RETIRED AND RUNNING OUT OF THINGS TO DO-- ask him about the wind, Darcy Jensen (one of our regulars and has to go home to study CALCULUS. I am glade I don't go to high school these days.) Luke Yates in Laser and part of time with the neighbor kid on the bow. Sasha had the Opti out. Craig Yates brought his new/old Phantom (like a biggish Sunfish)out and Darcy sailed it some.

Gosh, if those P guys would just sail Lasers it would save a lot of fuss.

The Pizza Lady came through. We saw the rest of the "Morning Light". They made it to Hawaii, but didn't win. Sam is glad he doesn't have a 52 foot boat and can sail and then go home for dinner and TV. Luke want to do the Morning Light trip and be the guy they hoist to the top of the mast to see if they can see Hawaii yet.

Next week it is back to North U and we will try to get the marks out earlier to have some race starts if any of the P fleet guys want to sail Lasers again.

Any way it was a lot of fun and sunset is about 7:28 now.

WEDNESDAY EVENING

2009-08-27T09:16:00.000-07:00

Wednesday evening (8-25-09) there was a bunch of boats out. Dennis Oldham sat with the Pizza Lady– talked about sailing a Laser – but then was not sure about the weather. We had 6 Lasers, A cat, 420 and Puffer out with Leah Ladley, Chris, Kim Kelley, Sherry Magno, Nicole Dormand, Darcy Jensen, Melanie Ladley, Craig and Luke and Sasha Yates all out in that nice sailing breeze from the southeast until the dark clouds came rolling in from up the hill at Eustis. How did you know about that Dennis?
The wind came up with some thunder and everyone sailing back to club. Chris did a great job luffing to windward and getting home. Sam was watching him from the motor boat. He was doing pretty well, so when Sherry turned over he went down to help her. Then the wind really came up. And then the rain. Then the shore disappeared.
Sam got Sherry in the motorboat. That safety ladder really works great. We kept the Laser on its side holding the mast and sail across the boat. Lots of rain, lots of wind, the anchor down and waiting for it all to blow over. That took about 20 minutes. Then when we could see shore again the wind had rotated about 30 degrees to the right. We still had thunder, so motored in slowly with Laser on its side next to the motorboat.
Sam sailed and paddled the Laser in the last 100 yards. He would not have if he had known ahead of time that the thunder and lightening was not over.
Pizza was there. Boats put away. Motorboat cross tied. Richard was down tying up the A Cat so it wouldn’t blow away— also to take it home. Caroline Ladley came back from volleyball for Pizza, but didn’t come in. Say Caroline, Sam ate the last of the spinach pie.
Luke Yates teed up the MORNING LIGHT movie and we saw the selection process of the crew for the race to Hawaii. The man-over-board-drill. The torn Spinnaker. The big boat threw the big waves. The race from the start to Hawaii will be shown next Wednesday. They act like scow sailor in the movie– picking out who of the bunch will go one the race. Part of the crew they plan to leave ashore. I really didn’t understand that part of the story. Come next week and maybe you can explain it to me.

2009-08-17T12:23:00.000-07:00

August 15 and 16, 2009. The weekend had eleven people sailing Lasers with nine on Saturday and ten on Sunday. Seven races each day. Sunday we had one 4.7 and our intrepid RC took times on seven of the eight races he was in.
I will try to get all the results down. I corrected the 4.7 times and these results represent corrected times.
Dave Chapin 1-1-1-1-wd-1-1+1-1-1-1-1-1-1 23 1
Rob Krentel 4-4-5-3-3-6-2 +3-2-2-2-2-2-2 37 2
Alejandro Illera 2-2-2-4-2-4-4 + 2-3-3-5-7-3-6 47 3
Ben Getchell 3-3-4-3-1-3-3 +5-5-5-3-3-5-5 49 4
Craig Yates 6-6-6-7-4-5-7 +ns-8-7-8-4-7-4 86 5
Sam Chapin 5-5-3-5-5-2-5 + ns 105 6
Marc Solal 7-nf-ns-8-6-7-6+4-7-6-nf-ns 113 7
Jerry Beck Ns-ns-7-9-7-nf-nf+7-4-nf-5-ns-ns-ns 123 8
Jonathan Edelman nc---- + 6-9-nf-ns-5-4-7 133 9
Luke Yates (4.7) nc---- +ns-6-4-4-6-6-3 138 10
Steve Chapin ns-ns-ns-6-nf-ns-ns+ nc 143 11

Steven Chapin is David’s younger brother and is visiting from California. He is a pretty good Laser sailor, has one of the old boats in his back yard, but doesn’t have time to sail it. He came late and had the mast step break on the "old green machine". Better luck next year, Steve.

Luke Yates came out on Sunday and sailed the 4.7. He and Craig missed the first race. When I corrected the times he picked up two places in the second race, three places in the third race, two in the fourth race, two in the fifth race, none in the sixth race and two in the seventh race. We should have had more 4.7 out sailing.

Jonathan Edelman is a new club member, has done some big boat sailing. He would have been in a lot more races if Sam had given him a boat with a knot in the end of the sheet. He is a little on the light side and would have done better if we had a radial program for him. He had a fourth and a fifth– not bad for the first time out with us. And he got the sheet fixed in all the wind.

Jerry Beck is climbing the ladder. He had to leave early on Saturday to tend some urgent business. He had flipo problems on Sunday with some others, and then stayed out another hour practicing in some the bigger winds. The races he was in-- had a 4th and 5th on Sunday. And it was Jerry who swam over to help Jonathan out with his capsize problem and then had to swim back to his own capsized boat. Oh, yes, Jerry and thanks for the bagels, too.

Mark Solal has impressed the RC with his improvement. Three races on Sunday he was beating a lot of people. Turn over on Sunday knocked lens out of sunglasses and he come in to save them. Too bad Mark– it was your wind day.

Sam went out Sunday and figured it was just a little windy for an old guy in a larger fleet. So he went in and watched from the picnic area drinking MC coffee and eating Jerry’s bagels –now that is Sailing.

Craig Yates was with us both days and sailed the Kelly boat with the old rig on Sunday– wow, the old Cunningham and vang system. And he got a couple of fourths. Way to go Kiwi.
He would have done better if he had left Luke at home.

Ben Getchell took it on the chin in the weight department. He was tied for second on Saturday and then with the wind up and the full rig– even adding Caroline Chapin for weight got him knocked down to fourth. Now before you begin to feel too sorry for Ben remember that in the light wind races he carries that light weight advantage. If he can hang in close going up wind being light is no disadvantage going down wind.

Alejandro Illera was happy with the Sunday action including some spectaculars at the down wind finish. He is another light guy that might have a better shot with the Radial. If he his three really bad races on Sunday were thirds he would have been tied with Rob for the weekend. Don’t feel too sorry for him.

Rob Krentel made his weight and higher wind ability get him back ahead for Ben and Alejandro for the weekend.

Dave Chapin proves again that boat handling and time on the water will make a difference. Thanks for coming over to help us, bringing Caroline and all the other stuff.

Thanks also to Trevor Chapin for holding the flags on Saturday, Caroline Chapin for helping Ben on Sunday.

Then there is Joan Bryant and Marjorie Chapin that do our regular faithful and on time RC. Dennis Oldham got the new oil tank for our motor, put it in the motor and the boat in the water for us. Jim Lingeman picked up the "leeward drifting away mark" for us. ( Longer anchor lines with the higher water is on the work list.)

It is with the help of a lot of people that the thing works.

2009-07-20T11:03:00.000-07:00

The T-storms of Saturday and Sunday canceled the MC match racing this past week end but the Kurt Taulbee Laser Clinic worked around the storms with

Mark Solal, Jerry Beck, Seth Behr, Caroline Ladley, Leah Ladley, Ben Getchell and Alejandro Illera in regular attendance.

Kurt started with rigging and then all the rest to finish with exercise and nutrition.

Do you think our fleet will ever be the same again. Alejandro’s boat will always be different –lost rudder and tiller on Friday and Hole in the boat on Saturday. Never worry. Alejandro has a big roll of duck tape.

Maribel Illera with Genesis and the Getchell food group finished things off Sunday evening with the Mediterranean food specials so we wouldn’t go home hungry— yes, there are lots of Lasers sailing in the Med..

WEDNESDAY EVENINGS will continue and all invited.. 5 to 7 PM with Pizza and North U at 7 to 8 PM. Topic– maybe high lights from Kurt Taulbee.

This coming weekend –Post Clinic practice and maybe in the 5 to 7 Time frame on Saturday and Sunday.

REGULAR SATURDAY AND SUNDAY , 10 TO 12 RACING IN TWO WEEKS.

2009-07-07T07:06:00.000-07:00

The Forth of July was a firecracker day for the Lake Eustis Laser Fleet. We had eleven boat out and struggled through four races, some heat but it was a great morning. The wind was up for Sunday with some hiking thrown in and big shifts. Eight sailing that day in six races.

Dave Chapin 2-1-1-2 + 4-1-2-1-3-2 = 19
Ben Getchell 1-2-2-1 + 3-3-4-6-1-1 = 24
Rob Krentel 3-3-3-3 + 1-2-1-4-5-4 = 29
Sam Chapin 4-4-4-4 + 8-5-5-5-4-3 = 45
Alejandro Illera (48) + 2-4-3-3-6-6 = 72
Jon Chapin 8-8-8-8 + 5-7-8-8-7-7 = 75
Craig Yates 6-5-5-6 + (63) = 75
Luke Yates 5-7-6-5+ (63) = 76
Caroline Chapin (48) + 7-6-6-4-2-5 = 78
Jerry Beck 7-6-7-7 + (63) = 90
Jim Orth (48) + 6-8-7-8-7-7 =91
Kevin Hines 10-10-10-9+ (63) =102
Tim Arnold ns12-9-9-nf12 + (63) = 105
Pete Hylen 9-nf12-12-12 + (63) = 108

We had fourteen that sailed with us. Five sailed both days and the other took big hits in the 2 day scoring. Maybe not fair, but I scored a Saturday series a few years ago and the same people won the Saturday series as the two day series so I gave that up.

Anyone that wants a Starturday Series, score it and get the trophies. The numbers are always there.

I am going to start at the bottom of the list of people this week, because those people are the most important. We give the trophies to the wrong ones. It is the folks at the bottom that hold the fleet together and are the big winners in a few years, if they work at it.

Pete Hylen is an old guy that has retired from the Wayfarer fleet and occasionaly has sailed a Laser and we got him back in, but on a bad day. Light wind and he is not use to folding up enough to get the boat to heel to leeward. He is a good sailor and knows what he has to do it, but discouraged after a really light second race. We will be glad to get Pete back in a boat when the wind is up a little more. Pleased that he come and gave it a try.

Tim Arnold had his first light wind racing and really did great. He was late getting rigged and all that stuff that is over come with more experience. He and his Dad are Jet Ski guys and I think they spent most of the weekend with the jet ski guys at Tavares.

Kevin Hines was in the Laser for the first time and he was great. We hope he was happy and can keep coming. He has the Holder 12 that was down on the beach.
Jim Orth did the Laser with us on Sunday. Jim has done a lot of
sailing and knows what he is doing and will move up fast in our little group. He has the Lido 14 (California boat) and his wife has told him to "get a Laser. I am done crewing." Welcome Jim.

Jerry Beck is still trying to retire, but just has a few more jobs to do and some Boy Scouts to raise. We were glad to see him on Saturday– it was a better day on Sunday, Jerry. Now Jerry was in the middle of the fleet. He has all the fast stuff and now a little more sailing.

Caroline Chapin. We were glad to see her again– she has been busy with the high school stuff in Orlando. She gets advice from her Dad that you can hear across the course, but she sails the boat and got a second place in the 5th race Sunday (full rig and our only woman).

Luke Yates is usually trying to beat his dad and Sam sees a lot of him around the course. He does a great job sailing the boat when he is paying attention and, Oh Yes, you would have beat Sam that time if had not fallen out of the boat going downwind.

Craig Yates, the Laser sailor from down under, just beat the kid and moved the marks and is our general high school coach and "I am not afraid of the windy days" guy.

Jon Chapin spent two days sailing and is getting better and is tackling the Sailboards over at Kelly Park. We will be seeing more of him.

Alejandro Illera is changing boats. He was sailing Charlie Yost’s old boat– now Alejandro’s and he is working things out. I think Rob got a little hand up in the practice department. Alejandro is planning to get that back and more. I am always glad to see them go off fighting with each other and giving me a chance to get closer.

Sam is trying to rehab the old red youth foundation boat. It is so old there is no number and it has to be heavy with the repairs and the PAINT. (Craig, the paint makes them heavy and slow.)
It didn’t leak any Saturday and just a little Sunday. A work in progress.

Rob Krentel sets the marks out (Kevin is helping him.) And he was in second place in Sunday’s racing and third overall for the weekend.. He had been special in helping Kevin get up to speed and generally helping people solve there problems.

Ben Getchell has been beating everyone up in our races and working hard with the Sailing Camp all week and Sailing down at the Park on the Eustis Friday Night fireworks thing.. He was tied with Dave for first on Saturday, but dropped back a few points on Sunday. I think he got caught on the wrong side of a couple of big shifts.

Dave Chapin was ahead at the end of the weekend in spite of sailing the boat and watching his two children all the time. Well, he has a lot more sailing time and Laser time than anyone else.
Now this note is going to Randy Rhea. We will see if he can get loose from volley ball and get over to challenge Dave and Ben.

\Thanks to Joan Bryant and Marjorie Chapin who continue to do the great RC work.
　
　

2009-06-22T11:52:00.000-07:00

Summer Sailing June 20 and 21, 2009.
Lasers had nine sailors and 15 races over the two days with 6 racing on Saturday for 8 races and 8 sailors on Sunday for seven races. Great winds both days with everyone in full rigs, but wind on Sunday building to make it hard for the light weights, but great learning for them.
Ben Getchell 1-1-5-3-1-2-2-4 + 1-3-1-1-1-2-2 30 1
Rob Krentel 3-4-2-2-3-1-1-2+ 2-1-4-2-2-1-1 31 2
Sam Chapin 2-3-1-1-2-3-3-1+ 3-2-3-3-3-3-3 47 3
Luke Yates 6-2-3-5-4-4-5-5 + 4-4-2-5-4-nf-5 66 4
Marc Solal 5-6-6-4-6-5-6-6 + 7-ns-6-6-5-6-4 87 5
Craig Yates 4-5-4-6-5-6-4-3 + 80 107 6
Jennifer Burno 70 + 5-5-5-4-nf-4-ns 121 7
Tim Arnold 70 + 6-7-7-8-6-5-6 125 8
Aaron Arnold 70+ 8-6-7-8-nf-nf-7 134 9

Ben getchell was our big hero. He was third on Saturday, but one point behind Rob and Rob one point behind Sam. Ben had four bullets out of seven races on Sunday and worst race a third. He pulled ahead of everyone. Rob had to eat a 4 on Sunday and that was the difference.

So after 15 races Rob was one point out. If we would have had another high wind race on Sunday he would have been ahead. He won both of those last two races.

Sam was unusually good on Saturday and ended up one point ahead. With the wind increase on Sunday he realized that when tacking he should be getting in the hiked out position sooner in the higher winds. When Kurt Taulbee gets here next month he will probably be getting everyone jumping from side to side.

We had some of our 18 inch waves that we could get a little push from especially if you are sailing in transition. Broad reach to the right and then roll to the right and transition to by the lee when going down a wave for a little extra push and not staying in the dead down wind slow mode. We get to roll the boat to help steering, if you are worried about rule 42.
With the little chop that we had going up wind it is probably best to just sail a little full and power through the waves. In the bigger waves that we either don’t get or not often, it is general up the up side of the wave and down the down side with a move your weight back to push the tiller to leeward going up the wave and a move forward with the pull on the tiller to turn down the wave. One of those things that takes a lot of practice to get the rhythm right.

Four of the five youth foundation boasts boats have the old vang system and are without the supper vang ability. The old system to set up the vang was to stand up when head to wind with the hiking stick hand on top and the boom. Lean on the boom hard while you set up the vang with the sheet hand. It wasn’t easy to get off again either. I don’t recommend that to anyone now. If you get caught with too much wind just go from block to block to ease more sheet, keep the boat near flat and keep sailing fast. Sail fast is better than pinching up to keep the boat flat. Pinching up into the wind makes you just go slower. The waves will stop you especially when you try to tack and don’t have much boat speed and hit a wave.

Luke Yates beat his dad on Saturday (It wasn’t Fathers Day) and was back on Sunday which managed pretty well with a full rig and the wind increasing. A second place in the third race on Sunday and hung in there all day.

Marc Solal ended up 5th and was never LAST on Sunday. He was first to the weather mark in one race. Marc, just a little better boat handling and you will be there.

Craig Yates sailed with us Saturday but missed Sunday and got himself down to 6th place. He was our entry in the Poker run but drew a poor hand of cards.

Jennifer Burno, our first woman and only woman, she came late and got the old yellow boat. That boat is super soft, fast in light wind, but not in a little chop. She did the full rig and really did well with several 4ths as well and some turn overs. Skipped that last race to show she is not that dumb.

Tim and Aaron Arnold were 8 and 9. They were are most important sailors. Don’t forget that the people at the bottom of the fleet are the ones that make the group grow and maybe beat up on the others later depending on how hard they work at it. The first races that they have sailed in! The most wind thy have sailed it! Great work fellows! Now we have to figure out how to fit Mrs. Patricia Arnold in.

Kim Kelly, big boat and cruising sailor, big boat sailing instructor and Mt. Dora resident, will be sailing Laser with us and helping Leah Ladley with the Whirlwind group. She away on the RC boat and enjoyed the action.

Thanks again to Joan Bryant and Marjorie Chapin for the great RC work.

Next Summer racing in 2 weeks both Saturday and Sunday.

Wednesday evening sailing continues 5 to 7 with Pizza and North U 7 to 8.

Next week end is free from organizational sailing. We could so some coaching. If interested contact Sam.

Crazy about the Laser but this is the BOAT LIST

2009-06-16T17:31:00.000-07:00

I tried to put this in the side bar so it would hang around up front, but it is too long to fit. I just add it show that you can expect people to come and go from a fleet. Some times the money, or the family, or the lake , or the health, or the itch. It will happen and we are all good friends.

THE BOAT LIST.
Boats I have sailed on and the ones I have owned are marked with* and if I owned
a few or a lot **
Somewhat in order of from 10 years of age up.
Old Town Sail Canoe
Moth (old wooden)
Snipe**
C scow *
R boat
Suicide
Rebel (Ray Green)
Hagerty Sea Shell**
Thistle*
Star
Sunfish**
Sailboards**
Laser**
Hobie 14
Hobie 16
10 sq meter canoe*
St Lawrence skiff*
Minifish
Nomad (not Vanguard)*
Alden 38
J24*
J30
J33
J44
Holder 20
Optimist Pram*
JY15
Cape Cod Frosty*
Westsail 43
Cape Dory Typhoon*
Stiletto 30
Catalina 27
Day Sailer
Piver 24 catamaran
Hirondella catamaran
Sea Pearl
Sea Snark
Flying Scot
Irwin 30
Raider
Bolger Tortoise*
Bolger Brick*
"50 footer" Springbok
Phantom
Hunter 140
Peep Hen
Bay Hen*
Victoria
Pintail*
MC scow*
Wayfarer
Key West Schooners
Wolf
Western Union
America (copy with modern design)

2009-06-08T09:15:00.000-07:00

June 6 and 7, 2009 Summer Sailing
We had eleven sailors in thirteen races. Not bad. Here are the scores. See if you can figure out how I have them listed.
Dave Chapin 1-1-1-1-1-1+ ns10-1-1-3-1-1-2
Alejandro Illera 3-3-3-2-2-3+ 1-3-4-5-4-6-1
Rob Krentel 2-2-2-4-3-2+ 4-4-5-1-5-5-3
Marc Solal 4-4-4-3-4-5+ 6-8-7-7-7-7-5
Ben Getchell +2-2-2-4-2-2-6
Seth Behr + 3-5-3-6-6-3-4
Sam Chapin +5-6-6-2-3-4-ns10
Kevin (Holder 12) 6-6-6-5-5-4+
Jon Chapin(4.7) 5-5-5-6-6-6+
Leah Ladley(Radial) + 8-7-ns--------
Melanie Ladley (420) +7-ns-----------
Glad to have Dave and Jon Chapin sailing with us. Helps both ends of the fleet. Jon will be back with us some more.
Rob edges out Alejandro in the higher winds of Saturday, but then Alejandro came back on Saturday — and after 13 races. Alejandro was ahead by one point!
Marc got a third place on Saturday. Way to go French!
Kevin sailed with us on Saturday in the Holder 12 and gradually improved to the point when he bumped Marc on corrected time in the full rig laser in the 6th race. Rob, maybe it is time to move him into a Laser.
Jon Chapin was sailing better and needs some practice with his boat handling, which he will get this summer. It was good to see these last two hanging in there in all the races. They are the ones that will make the fleet grow.
The Whirlwind high school sailors had sail to the Crazy Gator for supper Saturday evening, then a camp out and were out sailing 420s early Sunday. So then we had Melanie sailing the 420 and Leah with her radial. In the first race Melanie bumped her mom out of seventh place on corrected time. Leah sailed another race and they both went in to get some other stuff done. One advantage of short races.
Ben Getchell spent the morning chasing Dave. He didn’t beat him over the finish line, but if we had scored Sunday separately he would have been in second and ahead of Alejandro.
Seth Behr was in the hunt all Sunday and had three third places. Not bad! We have invited Seth’s Dad, Steven, to join us. He is an old Opti sailor.
Thank you Marjorie Chapin and Joan Bryant for the good RC work.
Next week MC scow sailing.
Four rain barrels have been installed. Dennis is cutting the grass. Martin will be on his way to the St. Lawrence Wednesday while we are sailing and eating Pizza.
That is all the news from Lake Eustis.

2009-05-26T13:15:00.000-07:00

LAKE EUSTIS LASER FLEET.

May 23 and 24, 2009 Memorial Day Series.

Four races on Saturday in increasing wind, storm clouds and races terminated. Sunday four races and wind went to nothing.

Dave Chapin ns8-3-1-1+1-1-1-1 17
Alejandro Illera 2-2-2-2+ 2-2-2-3 17
Ben Getchell 1-1-5-5+4-3-3-2 24
Sam Chapin 3-4-3-6+3-5-4-4 32
Seth Behr 5-6-6-4+6-6-7-7 46
Marc Solal 6-7-7-7+7-8-5-8 55
Craig Yates 4-5-4-3+nc 10x4 56
Jerry Beck nc 10x4+5-4-8-6 63
Charles Jensen Nc 10x4+ ns9-7-6-5 67

Collene (Late Spring) Series - April and May
48 races in 8 days over 4 weekends. Scored 60% or 29 races.
15 participants
Alejandro Illera only one in all 48 races.

1) Alejandro Illera 2) Rob Krentel 3) Sam Chapin 4) Pearce Pomerleau 5) Craig Yates
6) Marc Solal 7) Charlie Jensen 8) Dave Chapin 9) Jerry Beck 10) Luke Yates
11) Jennifer Burno 12) Kiwi Keith 13) Conner Kechriotis 14) Leah Ladley 15) Seth Behr

Youth 1) Pearce Pomerleau 2) Luke Yates 3) Connor Kechriotis

Women 1) Jennifer Burno 2) Leah Ladley

2009-04-12T11:24:00.000-07:00

The wind was up with lots of white caps for the Lake Eustis session of the Treasure Coast 2009 Saturday afternoon races. Then the wind faded a little by race time, but was a good steady wind by Lake Eustis standards. There was also plenty of the 18 inch chop.
Eric Robbins came over from Davis Island and has come down from Cedar Point YC in Connecticut. After the first race he rolled up the regatta with 2-2-1-1-1 in the last 5 races of the six race affair. I tried to find him on the Cedar Point YC thing , but turned up some other interesting Laser stuff that I will try to get on my howtosailthelaser.blogspot.com.
Dave Chapin was second with only one win, while the guy that wrote the book on Laser Sailing, Dick Tillman, was third with most of the second places. We see Dick a lot at Lake Eustis when he borrows a boat for the MC regattas, but now he is getting one of those new 190,000 Lasers.
Randy Rea is one of our favorites from Crystal River and comes to sail with us when he has a chances and brings 2 Eric Eastmans with him. If you need to get your numbers up get Randy to come. Two months ago we had Randy, the Erics, and Dave and Caroline Chapin and our number was up to 14 sailing. Randy cornered more of the fourths and was fourth.
David Hartman, who organizes all of this had two firsts and finished fifth. How did he do that??
First Woman and second radial was Cindy Taylor.
First Youth and first 4.7 and last 4.7 was Seth Bahr, a beginning Laser sailor moving from 420 crew, hung in there for all the races. And big smiles.
Those were the trophy winners.
Travis Ouellette sailed into sixth place and just out of trophy zone and just missed the Youth thing because he is a year too old. You will see him again.
Alejandro Illera our regular local leader (when Dave Chapin is sailing the Scot) was number seven sailing his full rig. He had his radial on when he saw the wind fad a little about 12:30 and changed back to the full.
John Fox is one of the regulars from Melbourne and is sailing his new 190,000 boat, but was tied with LESC local board sailing champion Rob Krentel. Rob got a 7 in the last race to put him ahead. So Rob was 8th and John was 9th. That put Alejandro and Rob right next to each other. In our club races, half way up the beat they are out in front, covering each other. Today they had half of the fleet ahead and half behind– lots of fun for those of us watching.
Kevin Ratigan was the first radial followed by Cindy and Mike Taylor. They were 10- 11 and 12. At LESC we have been doing Portsmouth with corrected times. Sorry we don’t have times on these because it might be interesting. If you come and sail with us in club races we will do it and see if you are knocking down the big shots. For the 4.7 we have been using 95.5 and I think I may go up to 100 till the "youths" take all the trophies.
Dean Grimes is back with us sailing Lasers, so this was juts a warm up for him. Thirteenth place and no trophy.
Eric Eastman came with Randy from Crystal River sailed all the races, advanced his sailing skills, and had a good time. Fourteen.
Seth Bahr was 15 over all, but I told you about him above.
Jerry Beck ,16, and Marc Solal, 17, sailed the first two races. This is more wind than they are comfortable with, but they got out and did some. Then Jerry went blasting around on fast reaches . The things that in early Laser sailing was the most fun. Later I saw him test riding on the old E scow that the scow sailors are patching together for the Mug Race next month. Jerry, were you doing foredeck??
Marc has been one of our most regular local sailors. He is working on his boat handling and I am working on my French.

April 11, 2009
Treasure Coast Series, LESC
Eric Robbins 7-2-2-1-1-1 14 1
Dave Chapin 1-3-6-3-2-2 17 2
Dick Tillman 3-6-5-2-3-3 22 3
Randy Rea 2-7-4-4-4-4 25 4
David Hartman 4-1-1-5-11-6 28 5
Travis Ouellette 10-4-3-6-5-5 33 6
Alejandro Illera 5-5-8-7-7-8 40 7
Rob Krentel 6-9-9-10-8-7 49 8
John Fox 8-8-10-8-6-9 49 9
Kevin Ratigan Rad 9-13-7-9-9-ns 65 10
Cindy Taylor Rad 17-11-11-11-12-10 72 11
Mike Taylor Rad 12-10-12-12 -10-ns 74 12
Dean Grimes 11-12-14-13-13-11 74 13
Eric Eastman Jr. 14-15-13-14-14-13 83 14
Seth Bahr 4.7 16-16-15-15-15-12 89 15
Jerry Beck 13-14-ns-ns-ns-ns 99 16
Marc Solal 15-17-ns-ns-ns-ns 104 17

2009-03-31T12:01:00.000-07:00

March 28 and 29, 2009 THE END OF MARCH - and what a weekend for Laser sailors— but not many of us.
Three on Saturday. Sam was going to go out to keep the numbers up, but by the time that he had gotten the RC off, the big gust of wind came from the south when Scott was trying to get his MC off the dock with a great flapping and crackling of sails and stuff —Sam just said to himself, "we don’t want a nutty old guy out in this" and he just got the binoculars out to watch.
Alejandro Illera had the radial rig, Rob Krentel had a full and Craig Yates was out with the full rig. Alejandro is staying with Rob or ahead of him and sailing up wind with his board up about 10 to 12 inches. (I am making this estimate from about ½ mile away.) We have been sailing full rigs on windy up winds with 3 to 4 inches of board up. Alejandro is smiling and saying , "It was working!"
Craig was going a little slower, more heel and more rock and roll with the gusts. From a ½ mile away I think he should have supper vang with the boom out a little more and sailing a little deeper. This will let him sail flatter and faster with the same amount of hiking. Then if it turns into "survival" get the vang off and let the top of the sail luff as much as it needs to.
The high school "whirl wind sailors" came late. They made it out for the third race which turned out to be the last race. In that race Bart Eckhart and Jonathan Watson got to beat "hot shot commodore" Ben Getchel and Seth Bahr who usually beats them in the 420s.
Conner Kechriotis got his Laser rigged with the 4.7 and looked pretty good going out. He got caught is the big wind that come in before he was able to get into any of the racing.
Then when it was sure all the racing was over the Laser RC couldn’t get anchor up. Craig turned his boat down and got on the RC boat got the anchor up and ended up towing Conner’s boat back in on its side. Various other MCs and things were out sailing and some getting into trouble. I remember these things better on Saturday than on Tuesday (this day of writing).
The big boat PRO called their part off . I think we had other boats over and exciting sailing back into the club and coming into or crashing into the dock. Jon Pomerleau and his MC was swamped and towed in about the same time we were getting Conner back in.
Charlie Jensen arrived late and missed all the fun but he sailed a Full rig in the afternoon just for some blasting around. He reported that it was Glenda Libby weather– what she would love.
Rob got the sailboard going.
Craig had the 420 sailors out and the Optis were sailing– beginners class! Congratulations folks.
SUNDAY the wind had shifted to the west with a few white caps and with predicted thunderstorms. I had trouble getting any action and finally put the marks out — and, Oh Boy, we now had some waves, yes little waves, but 18 inches plus and minus.– enough to work up wind and down wind. Rob came but wanted to go home and sail later, but Alejandro showed up and shamed him into it. With begging we got the RC out in the boat. Alejandro with the Radial and Rob with the Full and Sam dug up a 4.7 to see if he could sail it up to its rating– more on that later.
Alejandro and Rob continued to trade places and occasionally Sam would be close enough at the windward mark (we were sailing triangles) but lose it on the reaches. I had sailed the 4.7 in light wind and heavy, but not in races before and it was clumsy for me. The radial sails pretty much like the full, but the 4.7 has lower boom and a lot different feel, at least for me on Sunday. It got better– more about that.
Luke Yates and Coach Jennifer Burno came out with 4.7 rigs for the last two races. Coach Jenn brought Faith and Natalie out with her on the Laser 4.7. "Family racing" and they beat Sam in the last race.
Luke really sailed well. He went by me nicely on the reaches and could hold on going up wind.
The waves. Some were big enough to work (up the upside and down the down side) but most were just sure you have the "bow down" (sailing fast) to power through. When they get bigger, sometimes you want to let the boat heel more so the solid water that comes over the bow mostly rolls off to leeward and not back to fill the cockpit. Going down wind we were able to get some waves under the stern and a good rush out of the bigger waves. That is mostly looking for the deep spots in front and heading into them, followed by a turn down the side if it is more than one little hump. Try and stay riding down it until you get to the end.
We had some rain that come through about 11 AM and maybe that was what put the other racers off. I think everyone was already pretty wet and didn’t care.
We kept asking"You want to sail another race?" until we had 7 races in and the RC was all done with us.
Sam was unhappy with how the tacks felt and the last two gybes at the leeward mark had caught the transom and brought lots of havoc, so he strayed out practicing tacks and gybes. Jennifer without the family and Luke came back and wanted to race more – so we just went around the marks a few more times and they continued to beat up on me.
Rob was sailing with his friend and the Sunfish and then with his friend on the Laser.
Overall for the weekend we had 10 races and Rob finished first most of the time, but when we did corrected time Alejandro was first most. Sam never got near on corrected time nor did the other 4.7s. Maybe if I get excel spread sheet I can send the data out or at least put it up on the bulletin board.
It was a weekend– FUN TO SAIL OR TO WATCH....

2009-03-10T06:05:00.000-07:00

Well if you missed sailing on Saturday or Sunday, you missed the whole bag. We had everything going. Light winds, big gusts, big holes, 180degree shifts, sailing from patch to patch and sailing right through some of the glassy spots.
We had four races on Saturday and six races on Sunday. Now the big news is I was counting the sixth race on Sunday—Listed on the Official Score sheet as the "FUN RACE"– Well Patrick Daniel got a second in that race and that had he and Charlie Jensen tied for third place for the day. Both had one second, two thirds, two fifths, and one sixth. We beak the ties then on the last race. Patrick had his second and Charlie had a 6. That wasn’t the end of it. The RC claims it was an extra FUN RACE and so labeled it. When Sam went out of his way to cross the finish line with out going to the leeward mark ( which was now the weather mark because of the wind shift) Charlie followed him. Gosh, because Sam is old and stupid is no excuse for Charlie.. THE RESULT is because I don’t want to cook and clean at home, the sixth race is dropped. Charlie Jensen is replaced in third place – remember he is the LASER CLASS FOUNDING MEMBER at the LESC.– AND ALL of you know that while Patrick is 4th, he did get a SECOND.
Alejandro Illera mopped up on the weekend with four or five firsts on Sunday depending on how you count, but Rob Krentel got him by one point on Saturday. Rob had two bullets and Alej only had one.
Pearce Pomerleau was our first and only youth racing regularly with us. I want you to know that he was the first around the weather mark on Saturdays third race, but let Sam and Alejandro go hard by the lee and get into a wind streak down the right side of the course (looking up wind) and Pearce ended up with a third – but a good race and if you feel bad about that, wait till I tell you about Sam’s capsize on Sunday.

The Frenchman is surely charging. All the internationals know that the Dutch started the yachting thing but the French are the leading sailors of the world and on Sunday Marc Solal got a second in the fourth race and tied with Craig Yates for 6th place (Last). That second broke the tie in Marc’s favor and he was fifth, not last place. Not our favorite sailor anymore. Just one of the Frenchmen climbing the ladder to superiority.
Marc and Craig were just one point behind Patrick. Nice close racing in the middle of the fleet.
Craig Yates had a full weekend of sailing and racing. Saturday morning he sailed in the 420 with Conner Kechriotis to second place and in the afternoon coached the high school 420 crews, then Sunday morning when he didn’t get a spot on an MC, he sailed a laser with us. In the afternoon crewed with Francois Simon (another of those devilish Frenchmen) on his Flying Scot– second again. Craig claims that the Kiwis are the best sailors and what we need is a Laser distance race like the Lasers have "down under". Maybe we have that in the works.
The 420s sailed with us Saturday morning and Ben Getchell and Seth Bahr were first, Conner Kechriotis and Craig were second and Bart Eckhart and Jonathan Watson were third. I can’t report much about them as I was busy watching for puffs on the water and trying to keep the boat moving, sitting forward in the light stuff and then back and flat for the puffs. Not a day for a lazy sailor.
Those high school guys and gals are welcome to sail with us on Sunday. We may need to solve the 420 problem, but the Lasers are usually free. I will try to telephone to get the message out. E-mail is wonderful, but we are not sure who reads and what they understand if they read.
Our Race committee was our regular Joan Bryant on both days and Mary Jensen and Caitlin Jensen (granddaughter) filled in while Marjorie took a day off after a few days in the hospital with a little pneumonia /bronchitis thing that she did instead of visiting her friends in Key West. So the Key West thing is put off till later. Well, Marjorie was back on Sunday full of Vim, Vigor, antibiotics and steroids. Thanks, thanks- if it wasn’t for RC, we would be taking turns or doing rabbit starts and really arguing about the finishes.
SOME OBSERVATIONS about what we can do better.
Coming into the windward mark. You are not quite there and need and double tack to make it, but another starboard boat is just above you and on the lay line. Be conservative, take a deep duck to leeward and tack to clear the starboarders transom or gybe around to port tack and go behind him. You have the next two legs at least to catch him. Do the Alejandro thing or at least sail fast and wait for him (or her ) to make a mistake.
Another windward mark thing, it you are trading tacks with someone coming up to the mark, stay to the right of your competitor so on the last crossing you will have starboard and that should be worth at least one boat length.
On the run into the leeward mark, if the last wind shift was from the left (looking downwind) then after the rounding, tack onto starboard as soon as you are clear of down wind sailors coming into the mark. Yes, I know you will have right of way as the close hauled starboard tack boat, but collisions are very slow. If the last shift is from the right (looking downwind) then stay on port tack until things get sorted out.
NOTE- Sam says it is easier to get a second place if Rob Krentel has to work on Sunday. Thanks, Rob, we love you.
Keep track of the upwind end of the starting line. If you get too far to the right (looking upwind) then it is hard to get back to the pin end if the wind shifts left. Use the three minutes– Time the line, get a range and check for the favored end. I think this is a repeat, but it seems we need it.
Then I promised about Sam’s Sunday capsize. It was in the fourth race at the gybe mark with the biggest blast of the day surrounding the mark and Marc Solal right in front of Sam. Marc gybed around the mark and Sam figured he had room to gybe and go above Marc. Sam was concentrating on getting turned enough to get above Marc and caught the sheet on the transom. Now the sail is trimmed in. Drop the sheet and it doesn’t go out. The boom end goes in the water. Sam is looking over the high side at the centerboard and still thinking he might come out of this. Then the sail is in the water, and now he climbs over to stands on the centerboard and we will be right back in the race, but when the boat comes up, he has tacked through the wind and the whole thing blows over on top of him. Now get around and pull on the centerboard climb in the boat– he is heading the wrong direction. Nice sixth place. Glad we didn’t have 20 boats or it would have been a 20. Thank goodness for the warm weather! Did anyone say boat handling was important or it needed practice?
If you can’t figure this stuff out, e-mail me the question, and maybe we can get some diagrams or something simple. This part of the message will go in the how to sail the laser blog at howtosailthelasser.blogspot.com so you can look at it again with all the other junk there.
Stu Einhorn came by to talk about sailing lesson but he is an old Sunfish sailor so Sam stole him and sent him out his Laser Sunday afternoon. He did fine and we have him on our e-mail list. We are still looking for more Laser sailors and with the evening hours and warm weather it is time to get them sailing. Call Sam if you need help.
Monday the Wayfarer fleet painted a great number of mooring buoys with the International horizontal blue stripe on the white buoy AND THE PERMIT NUMBER so any international traveler will be able to identify those little white and blue things on the water . The State of Florida Department of Buoys will also be happy and we have the Wayfarer fleet to thank for that. Thanks guys and gals.

2009-03-03T08:13:00.000-08:00

The Lasers finished up February with 12 boats and eight races. Randy Rea and the two Erics came over from Crystal River and brought the brisk winds with them. Dave and Caroline Chapin came from Winter springs and between Randy and Dave took all the first places, but Randy got six of the eight.
Rob Krentel set up a triangle course so he could have windy reaches, and he made good use of the increased winds.
Alejandro Illera dropped out of his usual first place. Maybe it was a day for his radial?
Craig Yates was next in line. He was really proud of his third place in the third race. This is probably the time that he finds out that Darcy Jensen, sailing the 4.7 to fourth place, bumped him out of third when we did corrected times.. Sorry Craig, but you crossed the line third.
Charlie Jensen got a second in the second race and then the fatigue factor set in. He ran 5s and 6s. Charlie, that is what happens to Grandfathers. Charles sailed Friday night, 5 to 6, off Ferran Park so we could show George Fest Visitors what a sailboat looked like. Then he sat with us latter and on Saturday to help look for more sailors.
Caroline and Dave Chapin came a little late and missed the first race. Remember that, if you are a little late just keep coming and join in with the races when you get here.
David then added to the excitement in the second race by braking his upper mast with a big bang followed by a top mast paddling demonstration back toward shore (you just use it like a double paddle– after you get it out of the sail.) Actually the Laser race committee radioed for a tow for him. The regular race safety boat helped him in so he was able to get ashore, another mast section and out for the last five official races. After the races stopped at noon, three boat stayed out for rabbit start races.
Next was Darcy Jensen from your high school program sailing the 4.7. Her corrected time in the third race put her in third place and bumped Coach Craig back to fourth. She moved ahead in a couple of other races also. Great job Darcy. First youth and woman.
Then we had the Erics, Sr. And Jr., Sr. Ahead mostly on the basis of a fourth place in the first race and then they were trading places after that.
Marc Solal had a 6th place in that famous third race. Keep those coming Marc.
Pearce Pomerleau and Caroline Chapin were the radial team and were still over powdered. They went in after the third race. Pearce was beating people and Caroline was bring up the rear. She got some sailing in later in the day with a 4.7. Yes, it is hard to pick the right sail when the wind can shift all over the place.
Sam Montondo and Marjorie Chapin did the Race Committee. Thank, you RC. And they brought the committee boat to Sam down at Ferran Park. We used it to set the Laser marks for the Canoe Racing. Maybe you didn’t know that LESC is into Canoe racing. We love it all.
The big hit at the park was Coach Jennifer’s "Fleet Capsize" twenty feet from the shore. Seven Opti capsized, then righted, swamped, crew up bailing water out to see who is up going first. The shore was lined with spectators. And it was obvious the kids were having a good time! Nothing like a big disaster to draw attention. Lute Yates was a big capsizer in the morning and did the same thing with the 420 just before the Canoe race in the afternoon.
Sam spent Friday evening and most of Saturday at Ferran Park. Friday evening really spectacular fireworks shot from three barges on the lake. The fanciest I have ever seen and that is a lot of years watching. A tribute to Evelyn and Johnnie Smith’s grandson that died this year. The rest of the time talking to sailors and would be sailors. Well, sometimes just sitting. Thanks to Marjorie C., June Howells, Candi Robb, Charlie Jensen, Jane and Dave Hepting, and Aggie and Carleton Brown whole helped hold the chairs down and chase after tourists that might be interested in sailing.
And THANKS to Vera who keeps reading this junk.

2009-02-23T15:07:00.000-08:00

It looks like this will be a long rambling thing — but here goes, I am looking at the Laser score sheet from the three races of the weekend. We had 7 sailors from LESC if we count Rob Krentel who signed up, but had to work showing homes over the week end. (Of that group, 1 from Winter Park, two from Longwood, 3 from Eustis and Conner who has roots in Mt. Dora and Orlando.)
Seven sailors from Halifax lead by Pete Haley and the Trainers that are on are e-mail list, and they all came. Then there was the Edgewater guy, Jack and Pat Delaney who should be sailing with Halifax, but we are trying to steal them. Stay tuned and see how that works out.
So where were the rest of our team? The Charlies were busy with various family things, Dave and Caroline Chapin on loan to Flying Scot fleet. Luke and Max were getting trophies in the Opti bunch. Ben and practically all of the high school 420 folks, we claim. Pearce was doing safety boat duty. Jennifer, Craig and Mother Leah were doing coach and RC (excuse me, PRO) work. Ray and Dean with the Scots. Maybe that is all except Allen and the Crystal River Rowdies who are into e-mails now.
Alejandro Illera cheated in the second race – he had his private wind and finished long, long before anyone else. He won all the races.
Jerry Beck was our second LESC sailor with a good consistent 7-6-6— no really stupid things on the week and he has a hat to show for it.
Franklin Trainer from Halifax was the first youth and will be memorialized on our Laser trophy at the club. He was also tied with Patrick Daniel and although Patrick beat him twice, Franklin had a third in that first race and that put him ahead. Patrick was our third LESC sailor, but missed a hat. I think we need a Laser hat, so a little bit of money and we can fix that no hat thing for Patrick.
Conner Kechriotis has been sailing with the 420s, but came back to Lasers with his radial sail. The first day he was scored as full rig and when we corrected that, he picked up a couple of boats in the first two races, but couldn’t catch Franklin. He had to settle for the second place hat.
Jack Delaney is next on the list with a 10-2-10. I am not sure how all that happened. He is an old Thistle sailor, but was able to lead that pack of light wind sailors trying to struggle after Alejandro in the second race. Good work, Jack. – but no hat.
I should mention Josie Trainer 5-10-11. She was the third place hat winner from Halifax and her mother gets the e-mails. I am sorry to say I don’t even remember which of the new faces she is, but the score looks like she was just getting tired. 5-10-11. I know I was getting tired.
Now we come to Marc Solal who has been practicing (look-out— Practicing?) And has move out of his traditional last place position. I want you to know he beat boats in every race and was third in the famous light air second race thing. That’s our heavy weight– and batting practice never hurts.
I need to mention Pete Haley because he is not only holding all the Halifax group together , but after Alejandro stole all the first places he had 2-4-2 No bad races. Good sailing, Pete.
We have had suggestions from our fleet that next year we run our own course next year. We have had 14 entries before and can do that. Include 420s if they want. Shorter course, one lap, windward leeward with short beat to finish. If big wind shift, first boat goes to move the windward mark and second boat does the leeward mark. If the wind is up then a triangle with a fast reaching leg (Arlen’s request) and required gybe point. Then maybe a two lap race or two. We just need one motor boat and we have our own marks.
Then we will arrange a warmer weekend. The campers won’t have to have a fire in the morning and can move the fire pit and conversation circle of chairs back out of the Laser rigging area in the morning.
The club has an old guy that picks up snail shells, bear cans, soda cans, and junk that washes up on the beach and wants to remind you all that it is not a pristine soft sand beach. Junk keeps showing up there, so be careful beaching and launching your boat.
Now the old guy that picks up the beach tried to educate the fire builders (keep the beach clean) and the first time they dumped the fire stuff in the dumpster it wasn’t all out. That is when we had the dumpster fire and some excitement for a few minutes. So soak your fire really out before you do the dumpster thing.
There was a younger guy that got the shovel out and moved the fire junk off the beach Sunday afternoon. Thanks, younger guy.

2009-02-16T10:26:00.001-08:00

It was exciting days for races for the Laser fleet. Dave Chapin came without his Flying Scot skipper and so he sailed Laser and had 5 first places in the five races, but Alejandro Illera was pressing him a few times.
Alejandro really had four second places and really had the boat going fast.
Patrick Hall with his family from England (Father Tony, mother Gill, and sister Phillippa) came on Saturday right on time. Patrick sailed with us and got a second in the second race. Great roll tacks, but they have more wind in England and he ended up in the middle of the fleet. Tony went out on the committee boat and took some pictures that he promises to send. They will show all those funny postures as skippers crowd up forward of the cockpit, heeling the boat and all that stuff. They had lunch with Marjorie, Sam and Marc in the picnic area and then went off to visit the shops in Mt. Dora and back to Disney Land for a week. I begged them to come back for GWB regatta and renew the "Crossing the Delaware" or some other great naval battle, but they are on their way home next weekend.
Rob Krentel continued to be out in front with Alejandro and he won the last two races on Sunday when the wind came up.
Sam got a lucky shift on Sunday and got a second place in one race and that was his only claim to fame.
Pearce Pomerleau continued to be the only youth and our only claim to real support of the youth foundation, except he sails his own boat. He had a third on both Saturday and Sunday. String some of those together and his scores will look like Rob’s. He is learning not to go to the corners or the lay line early. If you get headed, the others tack and beat you. If you get lifted, those below you get lifted up to the mark. Now you can free up a little, ans try to sail faster and beat them to the mark. Probably not fast enough to make up for the shift. AND at the windward mark to get the boom out and go "by the lee" (fast) on starboard and aim for the inside at the next mark. AND when you are on a reach and pass someone to windward, you are on the same tack (windward boat) and need to keep clear (We used to call it a passing lane.). Alejandro is still working on that concept. AND then at 110 pounds with the full rig he hung in for a 4th in the high wind reaching race.
Craig Yates sailed with us on Saturday. He only beat me in one race and probably needs more wind. Usually every time I turn around he would be coming at me. We need to invite the high school team to come and sail Lasers or 420s with us again. They all showed up Saturday afternoon — but they could do both AM and PM with lunch in between.
Marc Solal and I struggled on Saturday with the big bodies crowding forward. Remember in light wind if you are comfortable you are not far enough forward. He did better on Sunday, and beating people and smiling all morning. How about those wind shifts Marc?
Jennifer Burno, our first place woman, out with us on Sunday. Two third places but most remembered by me for the last race (the high wind race) on Sunday– Triangle= crazy start and four reaching legs. On the second leg from B to A, which was downwind, we were all by the lee – Rob leading with Alejandro next with Jennifer working to get inside . I am next and we are all planing. Sam is working to the outside because Jennifer and Alejandro are playing the chicken game of trying to get more and more by the lee and I am expecting one or both to have a big splash. If they do, I will need to get by.– they Jennifer rolls big time and I think she is gone, but she somehow saves it after a big roll and turn toward the sail, just like the pictures in Downwind Boat Whisperer– great job Jennifer. (She turned far enough that they sail unloaded.)
That is all the 9 people that sailed with us on the weekend. Patrick Daniel was off at the big boat things. I will have to call around and find out where the others were.

Dave Chapin 1-1-1-1-1+0-0-0-0-0
Alejandro Illera 2-4-2-2-2+1-1-1-2-2
Rob Krentel 3-3-4-4-3+2-5-2-1-1
Sam Chapin 5-5-7-3-4+3-2-6-4-3
Patrick Hall 4-2-5-6-5+0-0-0-0-0
Pearce Pomerleau 8-8-3-5-8+5-3-4-6-4
Marc Solal 7-7-8-7-6+4-6-5-5-6
Jennifer Burno 0-0-0-0-0+ns-4-3-3-5
Craig Yates 6-6-6-8-7+0-0-0-0-0

2009-02-03T08:03:00.000-08:00

Over the week end the Lasers had eight races and 9 sailors. The little slump that Alejandro had in January after his Xmas vacation didn’t last into this weekend. While he didn’t win all his races like Jim Lingeman did (two out of two) Alej won six out of the 8 and was second in the other two.
Saturday Patrick Daniel won the race that Alej missed and Rob Krentel won the one on Sunday.
Now watch out for Patrick because he out there on the course checking the wind and getting his rig set up while the rest of you are talking on shore.
Rob continues to be the one that is always challenging Alejandro. Patrick is moving up into third and will help him.
Sam had a second place in one of the races on Sunday– found a private wind some place, don’t exactly remember. Had a lot of good ideas that didn’t work out.
Coach Craig Yates brought his flu racked body out to sail on Saturday before the high school bunch in the afternoon. Not bad, he nailed a third and beat me in 2 or three races. Good going coach.
Pearce Pomerleau sailed with his radial on Saturday and with the wind up did a third place without any time correction. On Sunday he unveiled a new crisp full rig Intensity sail and began working on his light wind speed. He was also learning the downwind by the lee starboard tack inside at the next mark strategy. He is our first youth. Conner Kechriotis has signed up for the GWB regatta so our youth is coming back. If the Ladleys will get to bed earlier on Saturday after basketball they will add to our group.
Now looking at the scores, Marc Solal is beginning to beat people and I have seen him up at the weather mark with the leaders. Welcome to Laser Racing Marc. We have seen the fast French Laser sailor in the "Boat Whisperer" sailing with windward heel and good roll tacks.
Then the 420s are French boats and the Around the World Winner.
Coach Jennifer Burno joined us on Sunday for the light wind day and nailed one of the third places that Alej and Rob left for the rest of us to fight over. Our first woman and we will be looking for Leah and the two Carolines to join us.
Jerry Beck has managed to get elected to vice president of the Youth Foundation, Assistant Scout master, etc. He was the first here on Sunday, but just had trouble getting off the beach. Just hang in there Jerry. The sailing will always be waiting, but the scouts are growing up and that won’t wait.
Charlie Jensen got his sailing house boat out of the water Sunday– bigger job than a Laser. Maybe we will be seeing him some more.
The Youth Sailing Organization run by youth has been formed and their board is busy getting to know all the hard stuff about running things and paying for things. Wow!
January 31 and February 1, 2009
Alejandro Illera 1-1-1-2-1+1-2-1=10
Rob Krentel 2-2-2-4-2+ 3-1-2= 18
Patrick Daniel 3-4-4-1-3+4-4-3=26
Sam Chapin 7-6-3-ns-ns+2-5-4=45
Craig Yates 4-3-5-5-4+0-0-0= 48 tie
Pearce Pomerleau 5-8-6-3-6+8-6-6=48 tie
Marc Solal 8-5-7-6-5+6-8-nf=54
Jennifer Burno 0-0-0-0-0+5-3-5= 58
Jerry Beck 6-7-8-nf-nf+7-7-nf=73

Off Racing weekend.

2009-01-25T10:18:00.001-08:00

The Saturday extra LASER RACES on January 24/09. We were delayed getting started. Fog- no wind- and Sam couldn’t get the RC boat started.. Scot managed to do the starting for us so we sailed from 10:30 to 12:30 with the wind going from light to medium when we finished. There were some MCs working out for the upcoming regattas and testing sails. Two 420s out in the morning and about four in the afternoon high school class. Optis morning and afternoon classes.
Sam was able to follow the boats around and here are some comments.
1) when the wind is really light sit as far forward as you can. Our heavy guy Randy Rea beats us regularly by just pushing a little ahead of the cockpit. Dave C. Sits on the centerboard or just to leeward of it. So does Sam, but he can’t see anything from there and hasn’t figured out how to tack from there.
Wetted surface is the main drag at low speeds so heel th boat to leeward big time even going up wind.
As the wind picks up then wave making becomes the main drag, now hold the boat flat or heel to windward.
A little vang on in light air holds the leach tight. About 8 to 10 inches from block to block and then let the sheet out to where ever you need to keep the boat moving.
2) Good roll tacks gets you about an extra boat length with each tack. Ask to see the Steve Cockerel Upwind Boat Whisperer.
If you have trouble knowing where the next tack will go, sight across the front edge of the cockpit or draw some big black lines across the deck. Check out the lines on Sam’s boat.
In light air to be sure you are on the correct angle before your tack, have your tell tales flowing on both sides of the sail. If the sun is on the windward side and you can’t see the far side tell tale ease the sail out a little and if the windward tell tale begins to wiggle, then just trim in a little. If the sheet takes a lot, then you are sailing too low, head up gently and trim the sail in.
3) Our going around the windward mark is getting better. Get that boom out so you can stay on starboard tack. In the light air have it out past 90 degrees pretty well, so when you heel big time (wetted surface and negative helm and wind stronger off the water) the weight of the boom holds the sail out nice and steady. — try to find a streak of wind and stay in it. (Yes, you are sailing toward the front and looking behind... say that is what my crew used to do.)
4) We need a lot of work on leeward mark roundings. If no one is around, then smooth turn to keep speed up and go by mark close on lee side, not going any further down wind than necessary. When in company then the tactical rounding, coming in wide with smooth turn and exiting close hauled next to the buoy. It helps if you can get the gybe in before the turn. If you are big time by the lee, then you should be able to trim in to get the gybe in. If you do that two or three boat lengths away from the mark that shouldn’t slow you much. Then you don’t have as much sheet to get in marking the turn. We need to be better about taking the long pulls of sheet with both arms. Yes, I know you are steering with the aft hand and arm. You have that long tiller extension, use it.
If you catch the transom (unlucky or not practiced enough) just trim in and go. If someone is right behind you, you want to be wrecking his wind and if you are right behind someone, the next tack will unhook the sheet.
As you go around the mark, head up to close hauled course even if your trimming is slow and the sail has big time luffing. It is just easier to trim then and reserves that close hauled slot for you. Sailing fast in the wrong direction will not help your cause.
5) And at the end we come around to starts. Stay close in light wind because it is hard to get back for the start. Use the 3 minutes A) check the line for bias. B) time the line (helps with speed -distance judgement) C) find a range D) check the current (none). In light air if the fleet will let, you keep moving. When the wind is up a little then do the stop and go thing. That needs practice.

BACK TO LASERS.

2009-01-19T12:02:00.001-08:00

This blog is about the Eustis Laser fleet so here is the notes on this past weekend.

Rob Krentel dominated the weekend Laser racing, but it is hard for me to not be excited about all the other news. Pearce Pomerleau has a brand new 191913 Laser to match the one that Conner Kechriotis has. They are so nice and white and clean that it is a shame to put them in the dirty water of the lake.

Alejandro is back from the family visits and he worked his way back into shape by winning the last race of the weekend.

Marc Solas is showing up at the windward mark with the leaders. Good work Marc. Time in the boat really counts.

Patrick Daniel won another race over the weekend. That makes two for him so far.
Jerry Beck worked himself into several thirds on Saturday.

Pearce had a second in the third race on Saturday when I did corrected time. He didn’t correct up in any of the other races but is just getting used to the boat. We are currently short of youth due to the high school sailing on an up swing. Over the weekend, no one was using any of the Youth foundation boats, so when we get Ben, Luke, Max, Caroline L., Caroline C., Natalie, Maxwell, Conner, Tom, and don’t forget there is Jonathan, Seth and Bart, we will have a big gang of "youth" to sail with Pearce.

The weekend results:
Rob Krentel 2-3-1-1-1-1+1-1-1-2 Pts 13 Pl 1
Sam Chapin 1-2-4-3-2-2+2-3-2-3 Pt 24 2
Patrick Daniel 3-4-1-2-4-3+5-4-4-4 Pt 34 3
Marc Solas 5-5-6-5-6-5+4-5-5-5 Pt 51 4
Jerry Beck 4-3-5-4-3-4+0-0-0-0 Pt 51 4
Alejandro Illera 0-0-0-0-0-0+3-2-3-1 Pt 51 4
Pearce Pomerleau 0-6-2-6-5-6+6-6-6-6 Pt 56 7

Could youfigure out that that the + separates finishes from Saturday and Sunday.

Notice that we have a three way tie for fourth and I am not going to break the tie or recount because I like to see Marc up above those other guys.

Three 420s sailed with us on Saturday and Rob likes having extra boats on the line and Sam worries about sailing against them when they are having their own little race. E-mail back your ideas about that. They can have their own start after ours.

Eleanor Morad helped with the RC on Saturday. She is a recruit from the Lake Harris Sailing Club and lives up in Summerfield next to Lake Weir and the Ocala Sailing Club. A reminder that the group of central Florida sailing groups can help each other– we really do very different things, but it is all called "sailing". Check the blog at http://centralfloridasailing.blogspot.com

Continued THANKS to Eleanor, Marjorie and Joan for the RC work, faithful recording and taking of times.

This coming Saturday will be Fun Funny racing at 10 to 12 again. We may bet 420s or high school people in Lasers– hard to tell– come and see. That will be the end of that for a while as we dive into the regatta season with all the weekends busy.

2009-01-18T18:35:00.001-08:00

Cool temperatures and brisk winds didn’t cool Jim Lingeman who scored four firsts in four races at he Lake Eustis Sailing club over the past week end in the Wayfarer Class including one come- from far behind in the last race. Second place was David Hepting and third Mike Murto.
Flying Scot sailboats were lead by Ray Laguna, second Jack Bazner and third was George Golder.
First place in the MC scows was Dave Moring with Jon Pomerleau second and Mike Baldacchino was third.
Laser sailboat first place was won by Rob Krentel, Sam Chapin second and Patrick Daniel third. Pearce Pomerleau was the first youth.
The high school teams sailed on Saturday in Club 420 sailboats. Ben Getchell and Seth Bahr were first after a tie break with Conner Kechriotis and Bart Eckhart. Lindsey Powers and Craig Yates were third.
Next Club Racing is in two weeks. Optimist pram sailing classes for ages 8 to 15 continue on Saturday with high school sailing Saturday afternoon.
The 10th Annual Wayfarer Regatta will be February 6-7 and 8 with boats from Canada and Michigan coming.
The 39th Annual George Washington Birthday Regatta will be February 21 and 22, a week before the City of Eustis’s George Fest.

2009-01-04T20:34:00.000-08:00

Roll gybe in California

2009-01-04T20:30:00.000-08:00

2009-01-04T20:29:00.001-08:00

Warm temperatures and light winds dominated the Sailing at Lake Eustis over the weekend. In the Laser class Randy Rea from Crystal River won all three light air races on Saturday, but didn’t sail on Sunday so Rob Krentel won the weekend series with Sam Chapin second and Patrick Daniel third. Luke Yates was the first youth and Jennifer Burno the first woman.
The other classes only got one race in on Sunday with Lee Sayler winning the MC scow race, David Moring was second and Jon Pomerleau was third. Ben Getchel was the first youth.
Flying Scot class was won by Ron Baerwitz, Chris Erichson second and Ray Laguna third.
Jim McIntyre was the winner of the Wayfarer race. Jim Lingeman was second and David Hepting third.
Richard Kinnie won the A cat race.
Optimist sailing classes and 420 high school sailing was called off because of light wind. The sailing classes will continue next Saturday with special race coaching.
Next club racing will be in two weeks.

2009-01-01T17:37:00.000-08:00

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Rob Gretchell(Ben's big brother) was the first sailor on Lake Eustis in 2009 and in a Laser. He had a full rig and was easily the swimming and diving champion.The wind was us up but probably a little off yesterday but the wind was out of the East so we had the smooth water and big shifts and strange puffs that come off our shore.YES, WE DID HAVE THE FIRST RACES OF 2009. We had six boats out with four 4.7s that did most of the racing.Ben Getchell wins the last race of 2008 (See the notes from yesterday) and the first race of 2009. Actually he won two races today (Thursday) and then Luke Yates stopped fooling around and Luke won the last race holding off Ben with a nice loose cover.Ray Laguna had his red boat in and sailed with both the full rig and later the 4.7.Patrick Daniel sailed with his full rig and is getting used to the big shifts from the full hike position.Coach Craig Yates had the soft yellow youth foundation boat going pretty well.that boat is pretty fast in light wind but is hard to drive in heavier stuff.There was one MC out (I don't know who) and Phil Eckland unpacked his MC scow and red kayaks.Marjorie Chapin and Randy Boekema managed the spectator crowd. DO NOT FORGET THAT REAL RACING IS THIS SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.We should have someone at First Friday which is tomorrow, so if you are in Eustis stop by and talk sailing with the tourists.

2008-12-31T17:59:00.001-08:00

Yes, we did it. I thought I might be doing the old "one boat race" but the wind was up with numerous west wind white caps and we started using all the 4.7 sails but ran out of them.We had Ben Getchell, Jonathan Watson, Bart Eckhart, Marc Solas, Patrick Daniel, Rob Krentel, Conner Kechriotis, Alejandro Illera with his brother and Genesis. Tom Doyle came with the MX-ray and Richard Kinnie with the A cat.Sam decided it was motorboat time and put the big whaler in, the marks out for WL and triangle course. By the time I had that set up the gang was spread all over the lake. With the breeze building we sent those we could corral on a reaching race to the anchored boat off the Eustis Marina and back. This was out of the play book of coach Craig Yates, eat your heart out Arlen and Glenda. It was like a motorboat race.Ben Getchell won the 4.7 race, last of 2008.Rob Krentel won the full rig race, last of 2008.Aljendro Illera and crew won the three in a Laser race, the last of the year.Jonathan Watson and Bart Eckhart tied for "we sailed the nearest to Leesburg".Patrick Daniel won the swimmers trophy.Mark Solas won the swim to the beach trophy and the big smiles award.Tom Doyle won the "my rudder comes off" trophy.Richard Kinnie won the "first out sailing and first out and boat covered" award.Marjorie Chapin and Greg Murphy were incharge of the spectator group.Joan Watson, Chris Kechriotis (Conner is driving), Laura Getchell our loyal support group.TOMORROW WE WILL TRY FOR THE FIRST RACE OF THE 2009 YEAR. SAME TIME - SAME PLACE. Wind prediction a little bit less and from the EAST. Don't bet on the prediction. Come and see what happens.

2008-12-23T11:42:00.000-08:00

Fog on Saturday shut us out and to no wind closed out the other boats, but wind came up later and C scows were out with the Optimists.
Sunday turned around and brought brisk west wind with a little chop. We had 8 boats out for six races. Leah Ladley and Patrick Daniel sailing with us for the first time. Where were all the youth with the 4.7s? Were they at an Opti regatta? The 420 folks?? We will try to find out and report later.
Sunday’s races:
Alejandro Illera 2-1-1-4-1-1 = 10
Rob Krentel 1-2-2-1-2-2 = 10
Patrick Daniel 5-4-6-3-4-5 = 27
Jerry Beck 8-3-4-6-3-4 = 28
Leah Ladley 6-6-3-5-5-3 = 28 This was the Radial. Corrected time ate into Jerry twice.
Charlie Jensen 4-5-5-2-ns-ns= 34
Marc Solas 7-7-7-7-6-6 = 40
Sam Chapin 3-ns,etc = 48
Rob and Alejandro changed leads all morning and ended up tied but the break goes to Alej as he has more firsts.
Rob was the first out and got the marks set. He will be rewarded for that later.
There was a big contest for third. We did the corrected time thing for Leah in her radial and she took two places away from Jerry, which left them tied – they both has two 3s but Jerry had some fourths so he edges back. Patrick Daniel got them both by one place. Patrick was steered to us by Ray Laguna. He has signed up for a trial membership and will be back to sail with us again. We are looking for a boat for him and one for Marc Solas. More on that later.
Third place would have easily gone to Charlie J but he skipped out early to get the Xmas tree decorated and had to eat 9s for the last two races. Charles almost has Chutzpah glued up and if I can find the parts that go with it, we can have a new christening party for her. Maybe George Barton who originally brought her to us will come and sail with us.
Marc Solas has started beating boats and he didn’t swim at all. Now he wants to tack better and sail faster. The happiness from just being out sailing is starting to disappear.
Sam was just uncomfortable for a variety of reasons and packed it in after the first race. The wind was near my threshold as I don’t sit out as far as I did a year or two ago. I just didn’t get set up. Probably if I had gotten out a little before the first race and figured out the Cunningham and outhaul settings that I wanted to use, had the vang on and tacked a couple of times under the low boom. I sailed the first race without any Cunningham just because I was too busy sailing the boat to reach in and pull it on.
When the wind is up and we are bending the mast, the draft will move aft and forces begin to want to turn the boat over and less trying to pull you forward, i.e. everything gets harder to do.
So before the start you should get the outhaul and Cunningham set for the upwind leg. Have a good idea about where you want the vang. Then sail up to the start with the vang off. That will keep the leach soft when luffing to stop or slow the boat. In a crowded start you may have to sit and not be going anywhere. It is harder to do that if you have some vang set up. Then when you are ready to move, pull on the vang, pump the bow down with the tiller, lean in to heel the boat to leeward, hike out to flatten the boat and drive forward on a close reach to gain speed and then sheet in more and get close hauled and out in front at the start. I am so good at this, in typing it up.
When I left the club Sunday the High School Team was arriving, setting up tents and getting ready for the evening sail and night sail, games and food and stuff. Three boys and five girls and Leah Ladley. Robert L went home to feed the dog. I think high school sailing has turned around.

2008-12-21T19:38:00.000-08:00

NEWS RELEASE FROM LAKE EUSTIS SAILING CLUB

Fog and light wind shut down the Saturday racing at the Lake Eustis Sailing Club on Saturday December 20, 2008. C scows had a late afternoon scrimmage when the wind came up and the other sailors got busy with the holidays.
Brisk winds on Sunday with exciting racing gave a mixture of finishes in the MC scow class. Consistency payed off for Jon Pomerleau as he won the two race series with finishes of 2 and 5 and no big mistakes. Second was Texas visitor, Jack Kern, with 7 and 1 and third was Dave Moring with a 1 and 8.
In the Wayfarer fleet Jim McIntyre won both races with Jim Lingeman second and Mike Murto third.
Ray Laguna won both Flying Scot races with George Golder second and Randy Boekema third..
Alex Shafer won both C scow races with Richard Kinnie second and Othon Dominguez third.
The Laser fleet was tied after 6 races and the tie break went to Alejandro Illera with Rob Krentel second. Patrick Daniel was third and Leah Ladley was the first woman.
High School sailing continues irregularly during the holidays and then resumes regular practice Wednesday and Saturday afternoons.
The next Club racing is in two weeks and the next regatta is the 10th Annual Wayfarer regatta on February 6 to 8 followed by the George Washington Birthday Regatta on February 21 and 22.

2008-12-18T13:37:00.001-08:00

Laser racing this weekend at usual time. 10 to 12 on the water both Saturday and Sunday. Wind will probably stay on the light side so you need to figure a little extra time to get out to the course. Multiple races, but not as many as when wind is up so you want to be early and not late.
Anybody that wants afternoon racing or off weekend racing speak up– there is a case to made for both and it would not take much to do it.
Did you want to know what has been going on and why you have not been flooded with e-mails? I was waiting for my correspondents to let me know what was going on around the area..
Dean Grimes reports that Ray Laguna and the Cal 22 gang (four on the boat) ended up 10th in the Cal 22 big races at Indian River this pat weekend. The main problem was the jib halyard parted and disappeared down the mast and left them with not enough sail power to dust everyone off. Maybe a little like the old sheet I had been using for 5 years that came apart when the wind was up a month ago. When we had the high school sailors here for their regatta, as protest committee I gave one of the teams average points for the race when his tiller extension broke off before the start. The high school official that was helping us complained mildly because they instruct the sailors to check the tiller extension, ringdings, halyards etc when they exchange boats and that those sort of accidents should be noted ahead. Or if Ray had high school coaching he would have changed that halyard last month. Ray and Dean will be back in the Flying Scot this weekend. If we had some races on off weekends we might pick them up sailing Lasers.
The cool Saturday that is just past had all the high school 420s (7) out sailing with coach Chris and then he kept them out for a good long practice. I sail a Laser out to middle of the lake, saw that they were working pretty hard and then got out of the way. Bob Getchell had his big deep sea fishing motor boat out with Jeannette Getchell driving. That was worth the trip– imagine that big smile.
The mystery Alan showed up with a revised version of his rotating tiller for Laser sailors that don’t like the tiller extension. He is Allen Edelberg form Apopka and has sailed with us twice, but we had lost rack of who he was. We will try to keep him coming because we have some other big boat sailors that want to sit in the middle of the boat and steer with one stick or a wheel.
On Sunday Aggie and Carlton Brown had the San Juan 21 down to try and work out the problem of trimming their new jib, mast rake, and spinnaker work.. We gave them a lot of Laser advice and not sure that it helped any. A Compact 16 complete with anchor on the bow, engine on the stern, reefed main, tricolor and VHF antenna on the mast head stopped by on a visit from Buzzard Beach. Sherry Magno came to sail. Yes, a Laser sailed again.
This Wednesday with a very light wind Tom Doyle, one of the big boat (44')sailors, had his MX -ray out – he looked fast particularly as it looked like next to no wind. Sherry Magno was advanced to Laser radial and had a good "magic" sail— boat moving along and no sign of wind on the water while she was sitting on the lee side and boat just moves along like magic.
Mary Anne Ward planned, but missed sailing with us-- again. We will get her yet, but it is a little bit of a drive over from
Cocoa, but remember you don’t have to have a crew and if the wind is up instead of talking some spectator into become a combatant, we just move down to the next smaller sail.
Leah Ladley tried to get in an extra sail in her Laser. She and Caroline are planning to sail with us on Saturday and Sunday. Wait till you see their Christmas card. I will pin it up on the Bulletin board even if it is of a 420 boat.
Patrick Daniel is planning to come and race with us on the weekend. Be nice to him so he will come often.

2008-12-08T20:13:00.000-08:00

Max's trophy

2008-12-08T19:57:00.000-08:00

We finished the Keenan Series last month. It was the races of September, October and November. Lasers had 66 races. There were 18 sailors not counting Randy Rae and the two Erics. Rob Krentel was the only one that sailed in all 66. We counted 60% of the races or 40 of the 66. There were five of us that races in 40 of the races. Rob,.Alejandro, Sam, Marc Solas and Charlie Yost. The rest took a big hit for the races that they missed— with 18 sailors, that is 19 points for each of the races up to 40 that they missed.
Some of the trophies were given out at the Christmas party and the rest will be passed out individually as I can find you. Next time we will try to have our own little get together after the series.
After 40 races Alejandro Illera was one point ahead of Rob!! Then way behind was Sam in third. Marc Solas as fourth and had his trophy award at the Christmas party by Frank Keenan who was there with his wife, daughter Candi Robb, and friend and old sailing supporter Jane Hartge.
Fifth was Charlie Yost who also gets the Second Place Gold Award for sailors over 80 years of age.
Sixth was Caroline Ladley who also picked up first woman and first youth. I rolled that into one trophy with the label.
Seventh was Ben Getchell who as the second youth. Eight was George Sola. George was pretty regular for a while and I need to hunt him up.
Ninth was Charlies Jensen who receive our Middle of Fleet award.
Tenth is Jerry Beck who will climb up now that he is sailing regularly.
Eleventh is Jennifer Burno, second woman, sailing some with the MCs and busy Saturdays with the Opti coach job.
Twelfth is Conner Kechriotis, he is third youth, won one race, sails with high school team and is down in the scoring only because just recently got his boat.
Thirteen is Coach Craig Yates with just a few races with us. Fourteen is Glenda Libby, just sailed the first weekend.
Fifteen is Alan, sailed with us twice – nice guy, good sailor but we can’t figure out where we got him.
Sixteen is Arlen Bensen on leave to library school in Tampa.
Seventeen is Tom Galasso, Rudy’s son and happy to have him back anytime.
Eighteen was Max Barten who has been busy busy this fall season, but is our young youth award at 11years and a great sailor.

The complete 66 races will be posted at the club for everyone to check out. I hope to have the next series posted regularly on the blog– http://eustislaser.blogspot.com

2008-12-08T17:35:00.001-08:00

The winds varied across the central Florida sailing lakes with the Saturday noon races at Lake Eustis cancelled because of calm, but the afternoon racing at Lake Monroe goes on schedule. Lake Monroe Sunday racing was delayed because of the heavy winds early, but the Lake Monroe Sailing Association was able to get their annual Kettle Cup regatta off with twenty boats and raised $1400 for the Salvation Army. The Kettle Cup is named for the Salvation Army.
Results from the Kettle Cup:
Division Catalina 22
1 Mercury Rising---- Brad Ruffe
2 White Hawk----- Randy Pawlowski
3 Bangerang --------Al Pivonka
Division: Portsmouth 1 ( 9 boats)
1 Old Yellar --------Kyle Everly
2 PDQ2-------- Patrick Daniel
3 Sticky When Wet------ Joe Waters
4 Just Us----------- Carlton Brown
Division: Portsmouth 2 ( 7 boats)
1 Miss Fits ----------James Davis
2 Andiamo -----------John North
3 Show Me ----------Andy Forrest
4 Lough-Buoy -------Michael Loughlin .
http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp&icid=aolcom40vanity&ncid=emlcntaolcom00000010
At the Lake Eustis Sailing Club this weekend with very very light wind on Saturday, the Laser fleet got in two slow races and the other fleet races were cancelled. On Sunday, brisk winds and cool temperatures made for exciting action.
On Sunday Ron Baerwitz won both races in the Flying Scot class. Randy Boekema was second and George Golder was third.
In the MC scow class Bob Cole was first, David Moring second and Jon Pomerleau was third.
The Wayfarer races were won by Jim Lingeman, second was Rudy Galasso and third was Jim McIntyre.
In combined weekend races for the Lasers the winner was Rob Krentel with Dave Chapin second, Sam Chapin third. Jennifer Burno was first woman and Caroline Chapin was first youth.
The calm winds of Saturday picked up to brisk in the afternoon for the Optimist pram and high school 420 clinics which will continue every Saturday. Next club racing is December 20 and 21st.
The Central Florida Yacht Club will have it’s annual beach Ball Regatta at Lake Fairview this coming weekend. Members participated this weekend at the Kettle Cup Regatta with Lake Monroe sailors.
The Sailing Club of Central Florida- Orlando has a number of it’s members sailing with Reinhard Schilp in Antigua. They will soon be starting another set of sailing lessons at Lake Baldwin.

2008-12-07T20:38:00.000-08:00

At the finish if you are coming in from the right, it is starboard tack and that is worth a boat lenght or a little more.

2008-12-07T20:31:00.000-08:00

A picture Kelly took with his i phone from the committee boat Sunday 12-7-08. Dave Chapin in 91 and Rob Krentel almost beat him.

2008-11-25T20:03:00.000-08:00

November 22 and 23, 2008 participation was down a little but we had a great weekend. Cool and windy on Saturday. Sam chickened out and went on Race Committee for a little different look. Rob had put the marks out. That worked well. Randy Rea came over to check out the windy conditions.
Watching from the committee boat 1) when the wind is up boat handling is different. 2) Faster. 3) more physical. 4) Randy is better. Starts were at the boat end favored and only one did Randy get challenged when Rob got underneath him. We had five out for Sunday, but Craig Yates had a capsize that torn loose the gooseneck and he was out of the last several races. Marc Solas was game. Sailed one race and decided he needed more practice on a calmer day.
Randy won six of the eight races. Arlen, Rob asked for a triangle course about half way through so we had that in your honor. Rob won one race and Alejandro won one, but Rob had a bunch of seconds and was ahead for the LESC members. I was really proud of Alejandro as he was sailing his full rig and giving Rob 30 pounds and maybe more to Randy. He had the vang sheeting bending the boom good and was sailing fast and low, and really smoking on the reaches. Randy didn’t bring the Eric’s, but they are coming back and are fixing up a boat for Eric Sr as Eric Jr already has one.
Saturday Charlies Jensen and Yost came by to see who was going out. Jensen is making arrangement to pick up Chutzpah to glue it back together and give us another boat. C. Yost is working on his stretches to get his muscles back in shape.
On Sunday we had seven for six races. Conner Kechriotis had his new boat put together and got out for the last five races with his new radial sail. In the second race he corrected out to second place (bumped Sam out of second). The third race he won outright. Then he dropped back to 5-5 and 4 to finish fourth for the day. When we get Caroline Ladley and Ben Getchell back our youth program should be ready to take off.
Jennifer Burno and Sam were looking at each other on a lot of the races and were the only ones once to figure out starting at the buoy end after the big wind shift. (Always check the line.) Jennifer should have won that race but sailed into a hole right at the finish line and Sam got across first. It doesn’t hurt to have a family member on the RC. Now that Jennifer is about to win races, no more "be nice to the lady" stuff.
Jerry Beck got up on Sunday. We usually see him on Saturday with the youth program, but he had Boy Scout camp out on Saturday. We were glad to see him and he got caught in all the wind shifts and holes that we had. Really tough to shift gears when you are just getting started again.
Marc Solas was out again, smiling and having a good time. He is sailing better and getting closer to everyone and we love it.
On Sunday Alejandro had a 1-1-2-3-3-1 and Rob had 2-4-3-4-1-2 and when we added the Saturday score Alejandro had 32 and Rob 33 after 14 races over the weekend. Wow! The next person is 35 points down.
Overall we had 9 sailors over the weekend plus Tom Doyle was sailing his MX - ray. That is the little red flat boat that is in the Northeast corner of the club. It rates a little faster than a Laser, has an unstayed mast, cat rig, and a spinnaker. Tom is a big boat sailor converting to a little thing. He has been invited to come and race with us – he is practicing his boat handling. He has also been invited to do the Laser thing with us.
Then Sunday afternoon Sherry Magno, who has been skippering big boats in the Virgin Islands for a number of years, was out in a 4.7 getting used to steering with a little stick at the back of the boat. She had a good time and is coming back for more.
Vince Renzoni visited late Saturday. He has a Laser down at Lake Placid and has been sailing it in preparation to joining and sailing with us.
Ex-mayor and soon to be ex- Eustis commissioner Dr. Jim Rotella dodged a Laser sail and ended up crewing for Richard Kinnie on Saturday in the C scow. When the new commission takes over he will have a little more time and we will get him on days the C scows aren’t sailing. He is another that need converting from big boat sailing to steering with a stick and leaning out to balance the boat. It is a lot easier to move the other way– little boat to big boat.

2008-11-23T21:04:00.000-08:00

Club racing at Lake Esutis...

2008-11-23T20:48:00.000-08:00

Dear Lake Eustis Sailing Club Members,
Our local newspapers are trying to get our news in. The Daily Commercial got the two weeks ago story in and the Lake edition of the Sentinel put in this past weeks news.
We appreciate their help.
This is a tough time for newspapers to find their way, but we need them for local news. TV and internet do well for national and international– but then you have to sit through the ads and the come on stuff. With the paper - read the first paragraph and get a summary. If you want all the details read on or pass to the next section. Then there is the funnies, editorial, cartoon and local ads.
Don’t forget to enjoy the local paper and look for your name or your neighbors.
This past weekend.
Sailors of the Lake Eustis Sailing Club had a variety of winds over the weekend, with high winds on Saturday and light shifty winds on Sunday. Dave Moring mastered both conditions with two wins in the two races on Saturday sailing the C scow, a 20 foot boat and winning the two races on Sunday in the 16 foot MC scow. Second place on Saturday in the C scow was Scott Tillema and Don Fancher was third.
The Saturday MC scow races were won by Geoff Moehl. John Houck was second and David Leather was third.
The MC races on Sunday were both won by Dave Moring. Second was Don Houck and third was Robert Newland .
Sunday Flying Scot races were won by Ray Laguna and second was Randy Boekema.
The Wayfarer races on Sunday were won by James McIntyre, second was Ted Benedict and third was Jim Lingeman.
In the Laser class Randy Rea of Crystal River won six of the eight races on Saturday, but didn’t race on Sunday so he dropped back to third for the weekend. Alejandro Illera won big enough on Sunday to put him ahead for the weekend with Robb Krentel in second. Jennifer Bruno was the first woman and Conner Kechriotis was the first youth.
Next club races will be in two weeks. The Optimist pram sailing will continue on Saturday morning and afternoon. The high school sailing continues on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons.

2008-11-21T18:14:00.000-08:00

These are some of the entries in the T shirt contest. Actually I have ordered some of the "big wave", can you guess which one that is?

Design one to enter!!!

2008-11-21T18:12:00.000-08:00

Maybe this is the one that Arlen wanted.

2008-11-21T18:09:00.000-08:00

Have you gybed this way? Another T shirt entry.

2008-11-21T18:07:00.000-08:00

Maybe too many colors for a T shirt.

2008-11-21T18:04:00.000-08:00

Another T shirt entry.

2008-11-20T08:02:00.000-08:00

2008-11-19T16:09:00.000-08:00

This is an unusually cool day in November and the bunch of people invited to sail Lasers this afternoon all chickened out. The high school guys-- five of them -- had a good workout and Sam sailed a little. None of the girls showed up-- basketball for the Ladelys. Just too bad about the rest of you.

2008-11-19T16:08:00.000-08:00

Host club members top the entries in the South East Regional Championships of the MC Scows and the Melges 17 scows at the Lake Eustis Sailing Club this past weekend. The South East Region runs from Texas to North Carolina but the regatta is "open", so boats from Michigan and Wisconsin were also present in the 37 boats entered.
First place in the MC scows was David Moring of Ocala but a LESC member. Second place was Jon Pomerleau of Winter Park, but a LESC member. Third place was Eric Oppen of Pewaukee, Wisconsin. Mark Marenokos from Charleston, South Carolina was the first "master" ( over 50) and the eleventh overall. The first "grand master" (over 60) was Lenny Krancheck of Charleston. Jack Kern from Texas was the first "mega master" (over 70) and fourth over all. Ben Getchell of Eustis was the first youth and seventeenth over all.
In the Melges 17 scow races Mary Ann Ward of Cocoa Beach and LESC member was first with crew, Ross Blair. She grew up sailing on Lake Eustis as Mary Ann Erban. Second was Jim Wilgard of Glenn Lake, Michigan with crew, Brian McMurray. Third was Benjamin Birver of Pewaukee, Wisconsin with crew, Sprink Drake.
High winds and waves on Saturday with the arrival of the cold front caused cancellation of the third race with only a few capsizes.
Next weekend will see the regular club racing on MC scows, Flying Scots, Wayfarers, and Lasers with Optimist Pram classes for youth and 420 sailing for high school teams on Saturday.

2008-11-14T21:14:00.000-08:00

This is the Blog for the Lake Eustis Laser Fleet-- that is the sailboat that is most popular worldwide for youth, women and men, six contents and 122 countries.

We sail and race on Lake Eustis at Lake Eustis Sailing Club in Eustis, Florida. Check the LESC web site for more detailed information.

We are looking for more Laser sailors and boats to race with us. We usually have 5 to 12 boats racing with us and sailors from 10 to 80 years of age. Laser Full rig, radial and 4.7 are sailed and we try to do the Portsmouth corrected time thing.

If you want to sail with us get in touch or show up.

I will try to keep the race results posted .

Sam

11-15-08 The MC regatta is going on, but Sam got Dean Parsons, a big boat sailor from Maine, out on 4.7 and getting him to use the tiller extension and to turn forward in tacks. Lots of fun. Wind came up in the afternoon. Blew the third race of the MCs out. While Jerry Beck and Sam took turns planing the 4.7 around the Optis and 420s had a great sail. If you didn't come you missed a lot of excitement.