11-20-10 RACING
at 11.22.2010
by Pam
Racing reports have been scare since computers and cameras have insisted on vacations and retirement. It happens! So, for those like me, who haven’t been around as much as they’d like, here’s what I found upon my last couple of visits to White Rock.
Most noticeable is that there is one very large tree in the middle of our normal Butterfly race course. I think it arrived with one of the floods just before the Laser regatta in September. I recall Jacques saying it was an island and he was going to go claim it. We tried to move it a couple of weekends ago without success and it appeared a bunch of wasps had taken up residence. Let’s hope the next flood moves it on down the lake or decomposition sets in enough to eventually move it in pieces.
It appears that new boats, sails and guests that have been popping up everywhere. Bruce and Sandy have new boats and are slowly putting them through the paces. I’m not sure if the 3rd boat that arrived recently has hit the water yet but with Amber and Dave’s new boats, that makes 5 new boats at White Rock. Pretty cool! Frank ended up with a new sail. Not sure if anyone else got one but it’s getting a little loud on the start line with all the crispy new sails luffing in the wind. I love the windows in the new sails. Must be nice to see that starboard tack boat coming.
I’ve noticed an interesting phenomenon with the new boats and sails. Amber, shortly after getting hers was dismasted. Sandy, I believe was dismasted shortly after getting his as well. Ok, the push twist pin in the forestay isn’t anyone’s favorite design but Frank, who only bought a new sail, sailed by me and said he’d was still getting used to his sail and had only used it for about 30 minutes and then less than 10 minutes later, he was dismasted. Not sure about Dave, but I’d venture a guess that his sail has taken a swim as well. So what’s my point? It’s the lake. It’s insisting on christening all the new sails. I understand Bruce hasn’t had the chance to get out much in his new boat yet so get the cameras ready. Maybe he should just turn his boat over in the harbor and get it over with.
Okay, Saturday started overcast with some light wind. By lunch time, it was sunny and howling. For this time of year, I was surprised to see boats everywhere. CSC had juniors in Optis, 420s and Radials running drills and racing and the Butterflys and Lasers had a decent showing on the Butterfly course. It was a thing of beauty to see the lake being so well used. As the wind built, those little Optis just hung in there and kept going even when some of the adult Lasers retreated to the docks.
Unfortunately, I really can’t tell you who won or what happened on the Butterfly course because even though I was there, I wasn’t really paying attention. I was on a Laser with Doug and just soaking up the joy of simply being on the lake and sailing in wind and not really having to work all that hard. Doug was equally distracted. He had his fourth (and last) eye surgery a couple of weeks ago and just couldn’t get over what he could see. I think he stopped almost every 5 minutes to tell me how much he could see and how blessed he felt. He’s essentially been in a rebuilding year and next week he starts getting serious about sailing again. I don’t know if we’ll see much of him on the Butterfly course, but I’ll certainly be there. I’ve missed it so much. It’s good to be back!
Most noticeable is that there is one very large tree in the middle of our normal Butterfly race course. I think it arrived with one of the floods just before the Laser regatta in September. I recall Jacques saying it was an island and he was going to go claim it. We tried to move it a couple of weekends ago without success and it appeared a bunch of wasps had taken up residence. Let’s hope the next flood moves it on down the lake or decomposition sets in enough to eventually move it in pieces.
It appears that new boats, sails and guests that have been popping up everywhere. Bruce and Sandy have new boats and are slowly putting them through the paces. I’m not sure if the 3rd boat that arrived recently has hit the water yet but with Amber and Dave’s new boats, that makes 5 new boats at White Rock. Pretty cool! Frank ended up with a new sail. Not sure if anyone else got one but it’s getting a little loud on the start line with all the crispy new sails luffing in the wind. I love the windows in the new sails. Must be nice to see that starboard tack boat coming.
I’ve noticed an interesting phenomenon with the new boats and sails. Amber, shortly after getting hers was dismasted. Sandy, I believe was dismasted shortly after getting his as well. Ok, the push twist pin in the forestay isn’t anyone’s favorite design but Frank, who only bought a new sail, sailed by me and said he’d was still getting used to his sail and had only used it for about 30 minutes and then less than 10 minutes later, he was dismasted. Not sure about Dave, but I’d venture a guess that his sail has taken a swim as well. So what’s my point? It’s the lake. It’s insisting on christening all the new sails. I understand Bruce hasn’t had the chance to get out much in his new boat yet so get the cameras ready. Maybe he should just turn his boat over in the harbor and get it over with.
Okay, Saturday started overcast with some light wind. By lunch time, it was sunny and howling. For this time of year, I was surprised to see boats everywhere. CSC had juniors in Optis, 420s and Radials running drills and racing and the Butterflys and Lasers had a decent showing on the Butterfly course. It was a thing of beauty to see the lake being so well used. As the wind built, those little Optis just hung in there and kept going even when some of the adult Lasers retreated to the docks.
Unfortunately, I really can’t tell you who won or what happened on the Butterfly course because even though I was there, I wasn’t really paying attention. I was on a Laser with Doug and just soaking up the joy of simply being on the lake and sailing in wind and not really having to work all that hard. Doug was equally distracted. He had his fourth (and last) eye surgery a couple of weeks ago and just couldn’t get over what he could see. I think he stopped almost every 5 minutes to tell me how much he could see and how blessed he felt. He’s essentially been in a rebuilding year and next week he starts getting serious about sailing again. I don’t know if we’ll see much of him on the Butterfly course, but I’ll certainly be there. I’ve missed it so much. It’s good to be back!
