September 18, 2003
All good things...
must end. So it is with the 2003 Wednesday night sailboat races. We had fine weather for the last race, wind just south of east between 9 and 12 knots. We had six boats in the fleet - Two Day Sailers, Surprise and Cacafuego, Dick Hoover's Lido-14, Joe Cornelison's Coronado-15, Paul Shield's FJ, and Tom Kaczmareck's Vanguard 15. We faired well, kept with the Coronado-15 and the Vanguard-15 well throughout the race. The plot is included for the amusement of any who read this.
Jim Wells recently shimmed up his centerboard to remove the slop it exhibited, and his upwind performance has improved. My crew Joe poured the ice water from the small cooler we carry aboard over my head after the race to celebrate. I rigged the grating and had the infernal dog flogged.... Just kidding.
There are 7 fleets in the Clear Lake Racing Association's Wednesday night series: A non-spinnaker PHRF fleet, a PHRF fleet, a Sunfish fleet, a Laser fleet, a Portsmouth fleet, a J-80 fleet, and a J-24 fleet. As Portsmouth fleet champion, I have the honor of humiliating myself in a race with the other fleet champions, in boats provided by the Organizing Authority. This year the boats are...Thistles...
I've been on a Thistle once in my life, in 1999 I was a trimmer for a short race at Shreveport YC one evening during the '99 North American's. I know they have a much larger sail area, and lower weight than a Day Sailer. A crew of three is the normal compliment. We get to use the spinnakers, as well. I don't know yet if I am to sail in the semi final next week or the one the week after.
I'm looking forward to it!