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.