Totally Dinghy Roar

The Totally Dinghy roared in, then left with a whimper.

The winds were consistently 15- 17 gusting over 20 on Saturday. We saw Buzz/Gary (2) and Philippe/Simon (1) taking turns wining with the rest in tow. Bruce Mahoney and Z/Mikey fought it out in the next group, followed by Doug/Michael, Mike/Dave and JJ/Pete. The Pegasus guys (Philippe and Bruce) showed up in the second race. Slept in late – they said. Then showed up what an extensive sailing program can do for you.

Saturday we had 8 FDs for the first time (signed up and ALL showed up) in recent history. That lasted for only a moment as Gordon/Theo withdrew during the first race Saturday, then packed it home. JJ left after withdrawing the third race – for Sunday family matters. 3 races were held with the wind constant from the S SE and a flood tide keeping the waves down. 3 minute starts, FD’s started first. The course was a windward leeward: Race 1 once around. Races 2+3 twice around. Philipp and Buzz were high and fast in the conditions. Philippe keeps his boat amazing flat and consistently there. His jibes were really good. We need to ask him how he does that. The mantra for the weekend was wash, rinse and repeat. The name of the game: go left, get into the new wind, hit the corner and round the mark. All boats were full out on traps; Blue Max was depowering.

The next day, Sunday, saw a drop off as the front was moving further away. 4 windward leeward races were run. We saw the same flood, a very sunny warm day, but milder recorded winds from 10 to 16 from the South, Southeast. Just like the day, before – but milder. We had fewer boats sailing as JJ, Gordon, and Bruce left. Bruce was in the vicinity, but in the Pegasus Protector. Sunday, the first day Saturday placing was corrected. Philippe did not have a sail number and was not scored. That was subsequently straightened out with the RC. Philippe, Buzz and Z had a day of jockeying in positions all day. Philippe had to leave to go to work during the final race, and still managed to place 3^rd. Not bad for his first time out in an FD, eh? Had he arrived and stayed for the races, he would have been even more of a  factor in determining  the regatta placing  (his would have been 1 of 3 boats  which could have been on top). He was fast and high all weekend with very good starts. Buzz, Philippe, and Blue Max spent Sunday around each other. Blue Max came out on top Sunday and this weekend with 19 year old Mikey R. crewing for his first time in an FD.

The weekend seemed to be a drag race weekend: upwind Saturday Philippe and Buzz were fastest. Downwind Blue Max may have been faster. Sunday Blue Max may have been faster on all points. It appeared Philippe and Buzz were very close in speed upwind, Buzz was faster off the wind. However, they sailed pretty DDW on the downwind legs, while Blue Max heated it up a little more (to the right), jibed later, and was on a tighter reach going left at the end of the legs (when the wind died a little).  I could not tell what the speed and pointing differences were like between Mike and Doug. The finishes were more consistent for Mike M. for the weekend. It seemed like Doug was very fast upwind in the last race, then fell off downwind to Buzz and Gary at the end of the race. In all the competition was close with all of us being near each other during all of the races. The kind of races that make it fun to sail, The kind of weather sailing is supposed to be sailed in. The races were 30 minutes for the once around, and 1 hour for the twice around. about an average of 15 minutes between races.

The racing was well timed. At the end of our last and fourth Sunday race the wind died; we paddled back to the club.

Next on the list is the St. Francis Fall Dinghy. Philippe also mentioned that there is a Hobie/505 SCYC regatta coming up that we could add ourselves into the mix. Any takers? I would guess that Gordon, Buzz, and Z are right there so we could probably be there. Mike M are you in? I will get the dates from SCYC Philippe.

Results below.