Monday, February 16, 2009

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

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