2011 Fleet Scuttlebutt

9/3 and 9/4:  Series 4 Labor Day Regatta - The series was a match race between Jean and Elusive.  Connie and Jim in elusive won the first race but it Jean won the next three.  Elusive won another race but it was Jean winning the series 4-2.  The final tally for the season:  1st - Jean,  2nd - Elusive,  3rd - Auf Blitzen,  4th - Frolic, 5th - Nolo, 6th - Gone, 7th - everyone else who signed up but never made it out to the line once all summer.  Attendence played a part in the final scoring.  Jean was consistently impressive all season and was well deserving as the overall winner for the season.

Hurricane Irene caused cancellation of the following Thursday (8/25) and Sunday (8/28) racing.  Thursday looked ominous, and the activity for the evening consisted of Dave Cooke and Dave Goldsmith removing sails and gear from Auf Blitzen, and both Frolic and Jean being hauled out at Riverhead Beach.  Tip decided to call it a season and take Frolic home while Peter backed the trailer with Jean, mast still up, into the side of the parking lot to ride out the storm.  Jean would resume racing in the MRA Labor Day Series 4 races. 

8/21:  Sunday Series - 4 boats started downwind on a 28 twice around course.  Mark and Peter Maitland put Jean in a good position, starting at the pin and sailing fast on the first broad reach to 28 and Dave Cooke and Dave Goldsmith in Auf Blitzen following.  Going upwind, the wind bend in very stange angles.  Tacking into Fort Sewell provided a nice lift while going towards Marblehead Rock had the wind heading the other direction.  Elaine and Linda Regis in Elusive made it close with Auf Blitzen at the end of the upwind and the broad reach.  Jean was well ahead of Auf Blitzen and Elusive sailing neck and neck.  On the upwind, Elaine headed in towards shore and Auf Blitzen went out to sea.  The wind initially favored Elusive but at one point Auf Blitzen had high hopes that the wind had shifted dramatically to the left to put them ahead of Elusive.  The dominating wind was closer to shore so that Auf Blitzen's apparent lead over Elusive vanished quickly as Auf Blitzen tacked toward the harbor.  The order of finish was Jean, Elusive, Auf Blitzen, and Jonathan and Anne in Nolo.

8/20: MRA:  A warm summer afternoon greeted the three boats who came to race - Auf Blitzen, Jean, and Elusive.  In Race 1, Auf Blitzen successfully port tack started, tacked to cover early, and kept the speed up to place 1st over Jean then Elusive.  In Race 2, Jean held onto a good position after starting at the committee boat and in stronger winds and motored away from the other two.  Connie and Jim pushed Elusive as hard as they could but ended up in the third spot in both races with Peter and Jen in Jean and Dave and Dave Goldsmith in Auf Blitzen having good days.

8/12 - 14:  Nationals -  Nahant graciously hosted the 2011 Town Class national championship.  It was the 75th anniversary of the Town Class as an actively raced class.  All 4 active fleets were represented in this regatta.  The Marblehead boats all endured the sail in moderate to heavy winds on a beat as the prevailing winds placed Nahant directly to windward of Marblehead, making the sail that much longer.  The exception was Nolo, which was towed behind Bart Snow's Freedom 40 "Snow Cat" on Friday morning in time for the Walsh Cup team racing.  Prior to the team racing, the fleet reach the agreement that the average score of each fleet would determine the winner of the Walsh Cup since the fleets had different number of boats.  Walsh Cup, Race 1 - Team Marblehead strategized before the start to slow down the competition from other fleets, namely Nahant's Rex Antrim.  On the first upwind leg, the strategy was effective as Rex was kept out of the top 5.  Team Maitland in Jean rounded in the lead with Tip and Bob in Frolic and Dave Cooke with guest crew Dave Anderson (all the way from St. Louis) in Auf Blitzen positioned in the top 4.  However, you can only hold down Rex for so long as he steered #36 into clear air and made a run for the lead.  A fake tack on Team Maitland gave Rex the lead at the finish, however his fellow Nahant sailors were nowhere to be seen.  Jean took second, Touisset's Peter Shaw in Dragonfly was 3rd, and Bart Snow and Gen Casey in Wabi Sabi (Dave Anderson's old boat) after taking a flyer to the left side of the course was 4th.  Auf Blitzen, Frolic, and Berit Solstad and Rick Stevens in Lille Venn were the next boats to cross the line, giving Team Marblehead a resounding lead after the first race.  Walsh Cup Race #2 - In the later afternoon the breeze and likely the currents favored the right side of the course.  Rex Antrim displayed his local knowledge as he toook advantage of the right side and easily scored another first in the race.  Berit had the best score for Team Marblehead as Lille Venn took third.  The other boats gave adequate performances as Team Marblehead placed first in the Walsh Cup competition, followed by Touisset, then Nahant.  Don Watson, the lone representative of the Spofford Lake fleet, opted not to race but was spotted sailing around in the vicinity of the race course during the afternoon.

Saturday was a bright sunny day.  The team racing was over and it was every boat for themselves.  The course consisted of a triangle (a rarity these days in Marblehead) followed by a windward, leward, and another windward to the finish.  Race 1 favored the left side of the course and those who kept their air clear at the start and sailed with the fleet were rewarded.  Rex Antrim continued his dominance, winning the first race.  In the second race, a dramatic shift to the left just before the start caused the pin end to be hugely favored and those who were caught at the committee boat found themselves instantly behind most of the fleet.  Touisset's John Barker in Widget took the early lead but Berit and Rick steered Lille Venn past them on the second upwind leg and hung on to win.  Bart Snow and Gen Casey in Wabi Sabi had two solid races and was contending for the series lead after Rex had a rare 4th place finish.  In Race 3, Bart and Gen were in front around the windward mark, only to have the block on the end of the boom for the outhaul suddenly pull out it's screws.  Rex folled by Berit and Rick passed by Bart and Gen as they tried to jury rig the outhaul.   Bart and Gen only lost one other boat and finished 4th in the race won by Rex and with Berit and Rick continuing a strong series by finishing second.  Jean had three respectible finishes however Frolic, Auf Blitzen, and Nolo, who at one point was in second place in the third race, found the tricky currents and fickle winds difficult to negotiate and between them could not put together a good race. 

Sunday was planned as a day of redemption for those who did not fare well the previous day.  Berit and Rick hoped that their success would continue - they were in second place in the regatta.  As the sailors arrived at the Nahant Dory Club, there were flat seas as far as the eye could see.  So everyone indulged in the breakfast spread and made small talk and... still no wind.  Don Watson decided to haul his boat.  Everyone patiently waited for the wind to fill in.  After a few hours it was midday and there was barely a ripple.  Sometime after 11 AM the announcement came that racing was cancelled for the day - the regatta was over.  At the awards ceremony the Marbleheaders collected the Walsh Cup and individual prizes for the individual boats.  Rex Antrim repeated as national champion, followed by Berit and Rick in second and Bart and Gen in third.  Team Maitland rounded up the top 5.  Next year's nationals are scheduled to be hosted by the Touisset fleet on the same weekend in August.

8/6:  MRA -  The wind was a steady SSE with grey skies and the possibility of thundershowers.  In the first race Jean and Auf Blitzen sailed on the left side of the course with Jean holding a slight advantage at the windward mark.  Going downwind, Jean and Auf Blitzen split gybes with Jean taking the inside on port and Auf Blitzen going to the right on starboard.  At the leaward mark, the two boats were overlapped with Jean rounding in the inside position.  Auf Blitzen immediately tacked and headed left again and Jean followed.  Frolic and Elusive, sailing behind, headed to the right side of the course and were close to Jean and Auf Blitzen when crossing further down the leg.  Auf Blitzen headed to the starboard tack layline with Jean behind and to windward.  Auf Blitzen tacked Jean soon followed.  Auf Blitzen was on a course to just make the mark and Jean, needing to tack to make the mark, tangled with Frolic.  Auf Blitzen rounded in the lead.  Second around was Frolic who had gotten by Jean.  At the finish it was Auf Blitzen then Frolic, and Elusive, who had crept back into the fleet, just edged Jean at the finish.  In race 2 with a heavily favored pin end, Frolic and Auf Blitzen started near the center of the line with Frolic to windward.  Elusive started near the pin and tacked and took Auf Blitzen's stern.  Frolic and Auf Blitzen sailed a good part of the leg together with Frolic getting a slight advantage, then the boats split with Frolic going right and Auf Blitzen going left.  The right side paid off for frolic who held a comfortable lead at the windward mark.  Frolic increased their lead on the next leg when after all the boats except for Jean headed right, the wind shifted to the left with Frolic leading.  Elusive briefly got by Auf Blitzen upwind but a favorable shift to the right helped Auf Blitzen coming into the mark.  Jean was looking good on the left side of the course but the final shift cost them.  Frolic led by a large margin at the finish and Auf Blitzen had a good lead over Elusive.  Note - The MRA series 3 will conclude in two weeks on 8/20.  Next week is the TC Nationals in Nahant.

7/31: NOOD Day 3 - The day started out very differently than the previous day.  The winds were light from the south and those who fortunate to start early got a nice ride to the starting line.  Those who started later weren't so lucky (we must have paddled Auf Blitzen all the way to the start from Cat Island Rock, and the breeze finally filled when we got there).  The RC was ready to start the Rhodes fleet at 12PM, except that a good number of boats hadn't yet arrived.  Plus the wind died again, forcing an approximately 1 hour postponement.  At 1 PM the seabreeze finally filled and the races began.  Race 1 -  Continuing the trend started on Friday, the line favored the pin end.  Frolic started closest to the pin and headed left along with Auf Blitzen, with Frolic, trailing Auf Blitzen for third by only a point in the regatta, holding a tight cover on Auf Blitzen.  Nolo, Elusive, and Jean went right.  At one point the boats on the left side appeared to be ahead, then five minutes later the boats on the right side were clearly in front.  Elusive had the lead at the windward mark of a "C" course, followed by Jean, Nolo, Frolic, then Auf Blitzen.  Peter Shaw and Joe Vendetti were still trying to solve the mystery of their boat.  At the leaward mark, Nolo rounded the port gate and went right while others played the middle or the left, and took a big lead into the windward mark with Jean second.  Nolo and Jean held those positions to the finish.  Auf Blitzen tried valiantly to tack downwind and catch Frolic and succeeded in making the finish close, however Tip in Frolic was able to squeeze Elusive between them and Auf Blitzen at the finish.  Bart and Gen in Nolo scored their third 1st place finish, putting them in a strong position to win the NOOD regatta.   Race 2 - The wind and time of day were favorable for one more race - to the delight of Auf Blitzen and probably to the distress of others.  This time the pin was EXTREMELY favored.  The Daves in Auf Blitzen had considered a port tack start in race 1 but decide against that tactic because the forecast had predicted winds shifting left.  Given the success of the boats that went right in the first race, and the significantly favored pin, a port tack start now looked like a good idea.  Joining Auf Blitzen were Frolic, with Tip following behind Auf Blitzen using his best team racing tactics, and Nolo.  Jean, coming in on starboard and unable to make the line, tacked below the group as they headed to the right side of the course.  Auf Blitzen was pinned by Frolic, and the two boats sailed all the way to the layline.  Frolic finally tacked, and Auf Blitzen followed.  Both boats, however, were overstanding allowing Jean, who was closer and could more easily judge the mark, to sneak ahaead of Frolic, followed by Auf Blitzen, then Nolo.  Auf Blitzen tried gybing at the mark then realized they couldn't - the wind had suddenly gone about 30 degrees to the left and the downwind leg became a reaching leg.  It would even get more bizarre.  As the boats approached the gate, a horn sounded from the committee boat.  Auf Blitzen was sure that meant a change in the mark position.  One minute later, a gun sounded.  Frolic believed that that was the Town Class finish.  They were actually the one minute signal and the starting gun for the Alerion class. Jean rounded the gate and appeared to take the right side of the course.  Frolic sailed by the gate and looked back in baffled amazement to see Auf Blitzen round the starboard gate.   Bob and Tip scrambled to tack Frolic and got caught on port tack as Auf Blitzen sailed by on starboard.  Auf Blitzen tacked to stay with Frolic, only to see that the windward mark was in the same position, with both boats overstanding, and Jean and Nolo racing towards the mark ahead of them on a tight reach.  Auf Blitzen was able to drive into Frolic's air and leave them in their wake. The boats rounded the windward mark and reached back to the finish, with Jean, Nolo, Auf Blitzen, and Frolic ffinishing in that order.  Auf Blitzen was able to regain the third place position and Nolo finished one point ahead of Jean to win the NOOD regatta.  After 9 races, one point separated first from second and third from fourth.  Congratulations to Bart and Gen in Nolo, who also had the best overall score for the weekend therefore winning the Campbell trophy for the Town Class New England Championship, and to Mark and Peter Maitland who had an equally impressive series. 

7/30:  NOOD Day 2 - The forecast for Saturday was for NW winds strong in the morning and diminishing towards midday with shifty winds and possibly a seabreeze developing later in the afternoon.  Of the three predictions, only the strong NW winds was correct, which held throughout the day.  It was a tough day to sail a Townie as crews rode the windward rail throughout the four races. Auf Blitzen led Race 1 most of the way but yielded to Jean and Nolo after a dramatic shift to the left occurred just before the second windward mark.  Downwind saw Auf Blitzen split gybes with Jean and Nolo, and as the three boats converged to the finish it was a virtual dead heat where the winner was uncertain.  The official scoring showed the order of finish as Nolo, Jean, and Auf Blitzen.  Race 2 was a nearly identical race where Jean and Nolo led most of the race with Auf Blitzen closely trailing, and with Auf Blitzen splitting gybes with Jean and Nolo again.  However Auf Blitzen avenged the loss in the first race by sneaking in ahead of Nolo and Jean at the finish.  Nolo bested Jean in their private battle.  Race 3 and 4 saw variable but still strong NW winds and the emergence of Frolic.  By now the fleet had dwindled to only 4 boats as some skippers decided they had enough.  Tip and Bob led comfortably throughout race 3 and came from behind to take the finish ahead of Jean and Nolo who had traded leads in Race 4.  All were glad to get into shore to the party after the skippers and crews sustained enough bumps and bruises for the rest of the season.

7/29:  NOOD Day 1 -  A fleet of 8 boats took the line on the first day of the NOOD racing.  Of note was Joe Vendetti and Peter Shaw who came up from Touissett RI with Joe's bargain fiberglass hull. The racing was very competitive at the top with Auf Blitzen, Jean, and Nolo trading wins and, at the end of the day, one point separated the three boats.  Race 1 - Light winds forces a postponement of the Rhodes 19 start until the wind built to the required 5 knots to resume racing.  As the Townies start approached the winds held steady.  Dave Cooke and Dave Goldsmith in Auf Blitzen started at the heavily favored pin end then caught a favorable shift to the left and grabbed the lead.  Jim Cooke and Connie Blake in Elusive rounded second and Bart Snow and Gen Casey in Nolo were third.  Positions held the same the second time around as the boats covered each other on the upwind leg and paraded downwind to the finish.  Race 2 - Boats crammed the still heavily favored pin end as the wind began to build to about 10 knots.  Mark and Peter Maitland in Jean got off with clear air and took their lead up the right side of the course.  At the mark rounding Jean held a comfortable lead with Tip O'Niell and Bob McGillvary in Frolic, Elusive, Nolo, and Auf Blitzen in a tight group.  At the gate marks, Nolo and Elusive both gybed off to the port gate while Frolic and Auf Blitzen continued to the starboard gate.  The fleets split as Frolic and Auf Blitzen sailed to the left side and Jean, Elusive, and Nolo went right.  At the mark, Jean maintained their lead and Frolic and Auf Blitzen, benefitting from their choice to go left, rounded next then Nolo.  Elusive had dropped out due to a broken outhaul.  At the finsh, winds had built to built to 15 knots as the boats slid through the finish in the same order as the windward mark rounding.  Race 3 - The winds were full strength as the fleet got the third start right away, ahead of the Rhodes fleet.  Again Jean jumped out into the lead and headed right.  For about half the leg, Nolo, Auf Blitzen, and Frolic sailed neck and neck, trying to avoid each other's bad air on the left side of the course.  The boats were close downwind with Jean, Nolo, and Auf Blitzen taking the starboard gate and Frolic taking the port gate.  Nolo shot left, forcing Auf Blitzen to tack to the moddle while Jean went right.  Nolo edged Jean at the mark, setting an exciting downwind battle between the two.  Auf Blitzen had grandstand seats in the third place position to watch Nolo won the battle over Jean by about a foot.  At the end of the day Auf Blitzen held a slim one point lead over Nolo and Jean.

7/24:  Sunday Series - According to Jim Cooke of the Sunday Race Committee, the wind swung from 280 degrees at 8:30 AM to 35 degrees by noon, making it hard to plan a course.  Reaches turned into beats and vice versa.  At the finish Jean held a narrow 7 second lead over Elaine Regis sailing Elusive, followed by Don Yeaple in Wabi Sabi, Bill Larkin in Gone, and Dave Williams in Third Time's a Charm.

7/23:  MRA - After missing two weekends of the MRA second series due to their participation in this year's Marblehead to Halifax race, the Daves were back on Auf Blitzen.  Peter Maitland and Genevieve Casey in Jean already had 3 wins and a healthy lead in the series.  The weather had been quite hot for a few days and after a 45 minute postponement due to lack of wind the arrival of the wind was followed by a 30 degree shift to the right, resulting in another postponement after starting only the Viper Class.  By the time the starting sequence was resumed, the Vipers were already back at the turning mark.  Grabbing the start at the favored committee boat end, Auf Blitzen was betting that the wind still had another 20 degrees to shift to the right and immediately tacked onto port and sailed toward the right side of the course.  Jim Cooke and Connie Blake in Elusive headed towards the opposite side of the course and found stronger winds, then tacked towards the right side with a good lead.  Peter and Gen initially went right then headed left as Auf Blitzen, still betting on the right side, found themselves in diminishing winds.  Elusive led all the way to the finish while Auf Blitzen got close to Jean on the next upwind leg and on the subsequent downwind run to the finish, looked favorable to get second until a fresh breeze came to Jean first pushing Jean over the line ahead of Auf Blitzen.  Race 2 was an"A" course with a single upwind and finish at the end of the downwind.  Jean grabbed the start at the committee boat and led comfortably to the finish.  Auf Blitzen was late to the committee boat and was forced to try the right side again, with the same result as the first race.  Elusive again went left and rounded the windward mark with enough of a lead over Auf Blitzen to finish second.  The second series ended for the Town Class fleet, with Jean easily taking first place for the series.  Time to look forward to the NOOD regatta.   

7/2: MRA - A fleet of 4 sailed three races on this July 4th weekend.  Race 1 had an upwind leg where first going right, then left was good and going left, then right was bad.  Jason Barnes and his two daughters sailing Nolo did the former and came out on top.  The Daves in Auf Blitzen did the latter and found themselves behind.  Peter Maitland in Jean and Connie Blake and Jim Cooke in Elusive were in-between.  A highlight of this race was both Auf Blitzen and Elusive mistaking the green starting mark at the outside line for the short turning mark of the course, then having to reach off to get to the real mark.  Races 2 and 3 were tighter fleet racing, where nobody wanted to stray too far and get on the wrong side of the shifts.  Auf Blitzen triumphed both times, grabbing the 1st MRA series, and Elusive and Jean followed with seconds. 

6/30:  As the Townie fleet slowly gets boats into the water and race-ready, Tip has established himself as the early leader.  Tip took the first in a 4 boat fleet on Sunday, June 26.  Second went to Don Yeaple in his first race as Wabi Sabi's owner.    Twilight Race: Finally a good night for a race, and a good turnout.  Five boats took the line with the course 18 and 22 twice around.  Jean started near the pin on a broad reach with Frolic and Wabi Sabi close by.  Nolo and Auf Blitzen opted to start towards the booth.  The wind that had been there for the Rhodes fleet near the Corinthian pool died by the time the Townies started, favoring the boats that started near the pin.  Around lighthouse point Tip lead followed by Don Yeaple and the Maitlands then Nolo and Auf Blitzen last.  On the way to Mark 18 the lead changed  - Nolo suddenly shot out into the lead, then Jean with good wind and a favorable sailing angle grabbed the lead for good.  The upwind leg to 22 looked like a one tack beat but the wind gradually shifted to the right.  Auf Blitzen, by virtue of rounding last, sailed the long tack on the right side of the fleet and gained ground.  Jean, Frolic, and Auf Blitzen rounded mark 22 in a tight fleet.  The course was changed to a short leg to mark 21, and the three boats held the same positions.  Auf Blitzen rounded 21 and by taking extra distance to stay clear of Frolic's backwind on the one-tack beat to the finish found favorable air, edging Frolic for second place at the finish line.  It was a great evening and an exciting race.

4/29:  Only in My Dreams & "Am I Heading for the Right Mark" race:  My nightly dreams of Townclass Sailing always start out the same with slight variations depending upon which "Ace Crew Member" I have with me (Gen Casey...Sailmaker to the Stars, or my expert tactician wife, Tracy) and then there is warm up period as we sail through the minefield of expensive boats headed for the starting line while we talk about the latest things going on in our lives.  Then there is that brief but grand moment when you sail past your competitors for the race and shout out your greetings.  This is also when you look for three important things: 1.  Do Peter & Mark have a beer in their hand pre-race...if so be afraid...be very afraid, and 2.  Where is Tip and Bob.  I remember many times thinking they wouldn't be making the start when the hair on the back of my neck would raise and I would hear the movie music to Jaws in my head and there they would be hitting the starting line as the siren sounded and 3.  Is "The Bart Snow" sailing with Jonathan on Nolo...in which case there has already been discussions on board about getting around the race course fast to get back to the club for Bloody Marys which goes back to 1. Be afraid...be very afraid.  Then at some point after the start there is always that thought that runs through the skipper and crews mind....Am I Heading for the Right Mark?  Nothing worse in a close race then to find out you are out ahead but heading for the wrong mark!

Well that is something that goes through my mind daily as I wake up in my small, but comfortable, "man cave" of an apartment just outside the city limits of St. Louis, Missouri where the closest thing to a sailboat race is the race to get good parking at a St. Louis Cardinals Baseball Game.  I left so much back in Marblehead but have finally got a good job which offers promise for a career...but is it the right mark? 

Back in Marblehead I had come to terms with giving this little adventure...a shot at becoming  a federal employee working for the Department of Defense Agency in a down economy (they never seem to cut much of this agency's budget) especially after looking for full time work for so long.  But then you all showed me how much I would be missing when the "Master Planner and Expediter of all things social - GE's own Jonathan Tilton" threw an impromptu dinner in my honor and I looked around the room at all the dear friends I had made, listened to the appreciation for my involvement in the fleet, and then said to myself..."are you insane?"  You are going to leave the house that was going to be the "forever house", sell the boat that you had worked so hard on getting into "Tip Top" shape and finally leave all the great friends you made through racing that small little, high maintence, quirky but loveable, little lapstrake boat? 

You see it is I who should have thrown the dinner for all of you in appreciation for your friendship, the many memorable moments of sitting on the CYC Yachtclub deck as a non-member looking out on the greatest view on earth because of my friends who are members, the hours spent over at Maitland Boat Works where after yet another capsize with some ancillary damage that Peter spent hours in helping me repair, to the table side chats with Jim, Jane and my little buddy Harry at the Cooke's chalet, to the post race discussions and tutoring from Tip and Bob, and Bob and Tip, with helpful comments like, "why the hell did you do that", or "you would have beaten me if you hadn't done this"...to the ever amusing Townie Rollling Parties and boat launchings to finally all the great times had up on Maitland Mountain Farms where I learned something important about myself...I can't catch a chicken to save my life.  These are all things I dream about when I go to sleep at night in the middle of the country - landlocked in the sprawling urban rings of St. Louis.  But then I get up and head into a paying job with benefits, listen to how the economy is still going to hell in a handbasket and anyone with a job should consider themselves lucky.  So I work all day in maritime department, in a windowless massive building where there is more security than TSA at the airport and then come home and ultimately get to dream about starting off the 2011 season which was going to be a "capsize free" season" for the record Gen!  I am pretty sure I would beat Rex Antrim in Nahant at Nationals too but it's too early to tell and there are always nightmares that go along with the good dreams.

So the bottom line is that I want you all to know (or at least the few of you who will log on and read the site) how much I appreciated all of you for your friendship, guidence and good sportsmanship on water.  When I bought Len Meredith's house I got way more than a home I got a "life" -one filled with a great past time, rich with friends and access to Marblehead's greatest asset - its waters.  So it is I who metaphorically would like to present each and every one of you with the biggest, and fanciest "sliver bowl" showing my appreciation for all that you gave to me.  There would be an extra big bowl filled with Amstell Lights for Gen Casey..."The Best Crew Ever" for hanging with me after two knock downs surpassing Jane Cooke's record of being the Capsize Queen.  Thanks Gen!

So as you all get out on the water this season I will be there with you albeit in my dreams at night (where I am pretty sure I will win every race!!! :)  My money is on Team Maitland and Jean as the boat to beat...just a prediction!  But then again the wildcard is that Jane will be back in her beloved Auf'Blitzen armed with a new knee.  I will leave you with some excellent advice that I picked up from Jim a while back..."Always Cover Jane."

Meanwhile, I will continue ponder if I am heading for the right mark. My best wishes for Smooth Sailing to you all for a great 2011 season!

2010 Fleet Scuttlebutt

8/29: Sunday Series 2:  "The last Hurrah Race!" The morning was postcard perfect with gusty warm breezes and calm seas.  We had a good showing of boats with Tip and Joan on Frolic, Dave & Tracy on Wabi Sabi, Elaine & Linda Regis on Elusive, "The Peter" and "The Mark Maitland" on Jean, Dave and Kent Williams on Third Time's A Charm, and what??? do I need a change in perscription for my contact lenses or is that "John Russell" skippering along with Ron Geddes on Rosy II? Team Cooke's David and Ted were on Auf'Blitzen and for a moment it looked like Nolo might be rigging to come out but we never did see her.  The Jim Cooke designed course was "25" "28" Twice around that would ultimately be shortened to "21" "22" on the second leg.  At the start all were on port tack with Wabi Sabi and Jean more to the pin end and Frolic closer to the CYC.  On the way out to "25" Wabi Sabi passes Jean to windward and in what is being dubbed the "Exlax Smooth Move Play" of the race, Peter Maitland dips Wabi Sabi's stern and passes her to windward and stays clear of a cruising sailboat that sails right into the middle of our race.   Part way out we heard Elusive notifying the race committee that they were dropping out of the race with a center board problem.  As we approach mark "25" Frolic comes flying in from the right and edges out Team Maitland at the mark.  Jean rounds 2nd with Wabi Sabi in 3rd.  Jean follows Frolic out to the deep right side and Wabi Sabi tacks onto port to clear her air from Jean.  Auf'Blitzen plays the middle and then Rosy II and Third Time's a Charm play the left.  Then...the breeze starts to die and we all inch along where our movement seemed more affected by tidal current than by wind pressure.  Ulitimately the decision to go to the right was the best move as Jean, who somehow got ahead of Frolic, made it to Mark "28" rounded it first followed by Frolic.  Rosy II who had gone on the east side of Gray's rock made out and edged past Wabi Sabi.  Wabi Sabi, determined to reclaim lost ground caught up to Rosy II and began numerous attempts to get past Rosy II.  While Wabi Sabi was messing around with Rosy II, Team Cooke drove Auf'Blitzen more towards the mouth of the harbor and got passed both Rosy II and Wabi Sabi.  After rounding the pin end and following Rosy II out to "21" Wabi Sabi was able to edge out Rosy II on the beat to "22" to reclaim 4th place.  Jean easily took first place with Frolic taking 2nd, Auf'Blitzen 3rd, Wabi Sabi in 4th, Rosy II in 5th.  Team Williams and Elusive got DNF for the day.  Congratulations go to the winners of the day being Jean's Peter and Mark Maitland for winning the race and to Frolic's Tip and Joan O'Neill for winning the series.  Gotta get one of those Tac Tics!!

8/26: Twilight Series 2:  "The Party's Over Race":  Warm gusty breezes along with clear skies and warm temps frame the final evening race of 2010.  Sail Maker to the Stars, Gen Casey and Dave are on Wabi Sabi, "The" Peter Maitland and "The" Mark Maitland are on Jean and the dynamic duo whose code name on the water is "Tilton and the Snowman" are on Nolo.  Elusive's Elaine Regis and Jim Cooke were seen doing test runs out of the harbor and must have decided the winds were too much and retired back to their rocky cove.  The course "20" "22" Twice around.  At the Start all three boats hit the line with a solid start but with Team Maitland in their normal start position on the pin end with Wabi Sabi in a "Townie Sandwhich" flanked by Nolo on the CYC side.  The snowman edges out Jean and rounds mark "20" first with Jean riding her transom.  After rounding Wabi Sabi follows Jean out on port tack and just before she was to tack over to stop eating Jean's bad air Jean tacks.  Wabi Sabi ducks Jean and gets to windward and then tacks over onto starboard to cover.    The once gusty wind backs off to a pleasant persistent breeze.  Gen is hiking like like her Amstel Lights depend upon it.  At the next crossing with Jean she ducks Wabi Sabi.  This tack moved Wabi Sabi from 3rd to 1st place.  Can the snowman pull a comeback out?...not this time.  After losing to a huge comeback by Nolo earlier in the season Wabi Sabi pays Nolo the respect she deserves and is careful to properly cover.  The course is shortened to "21" "22" and Wabi Sabi takes the winning siren but it is Jean's Team Maitland who sail away with the sexy shirts with the TC Logo on them for winning the Twilight Series 2 and the Combined Twilight Series.  The Maitlands wardrobe of will be well stocked with the latest in proper sailing and yacht club wear for some time. 8/20: Sunday Series 2:  "The Barbara Maitland Birthday Race" The morning definetely felt like summer was coming to a close as it was overcast, light rain and cool temps.  After much discussion on the porch of the MYC 3 "down harbor" boats decided to make lemonade out of the lemons that the weather had given us and came out to race.  Team Maitland was first down to the start line, followed by Wabi Sabi and then Team "O'Neill on Frolic.  Only one "up harbor" boat came out to play and that was "Team Cooke (David and Ted).  The course was "W" "20" Twice Around.  At the start it was Team Maitland taking their "traditional" spot at the pin end and was first off the line with Wabi Sabi close behind.  Team O'Neill went higher and to the right while Team Maitland took the "Peter Maitland Tractor Belt" that runs right off of Fort Sewall.  Wabi Sabi stayed higher and soon was overtaken by Auf'Blitzen who went more to weather.  Around the first mark it was Jean, followed by Team Cooke and then Wabi Sabi and finally Frolic.  Frolic and Jean played the right side, while Team Cooke played the middle and Wabi Sabi the left.  Upon first crossing Wabi Sabi passed behind Team Cooke and then Jean.  But on the next crossing Wabi Sabi made up some lost ground and edged in front of Team Cooke and they in turn slipped past Jean.  Team O'Neill still lagged behind but the race was not over.  On the broad reach down to what we hoped would be the finish Team Maitland footed off and slipped past Team Cooke and rounded just behind Wabi Sabi.  Wabi Sabi hit the mark and then got clear of the mark and did her 360 penalty turn and continued out now in 2nd place behind Team Maitland.  Team Cooke jumped onto the "Maitland Tractor Belt" in hopes of repeating Jean's performance the first time around.  Wabi Sabi stayed farther left and caught a breeze to pass Jean.  Team O'Neill stayed farther right and started making up lost distance on Wabi Sabi.  After putting the pole out for a brief run to "W" Wabi Sabi rounded first followed by Team Cooke, then Team O'Neill and what??? what happened to Jean?  She got stuck in a hole and by the time she got out Frolic had maneuvered into 3rd place ahead of Team Maitland.  Wabi Sabi footed off to gain some speed to punch through the oncoming waves and pulled away from #2 boat Auf'Blitzen.  By the next mark all positions were cemented and Wabi Sabi finished first, followed by Team Cooke then Team O'Neill and finally Team Maitland.  All made it back to the moorings and ashore before the steady rain started to fall.  Team O'Neill and Team Anderson go into the final Sunday race tied for 1st place and Team Maitland not too far behind. 

8/19: Thursday Twilight Series 2:  "The Quickie" Still recovering from the dismal previous Thursday Twilight Float Fest we all took to our Townies with hopes of a decent breeze, to make it back to our moorings before the cannons started firing and that the race committee wasn't too deep into the cocktails to set a decent course.  The nice breeze that prevailed all afternoon seemed to die right before our start.  Tip and Bob were seen paddling like they were doing olympic time trials to make the start.  All the normal contestants were out...Tilton & The Snowman on Nolo, Kirsten Bosworth with ace crew Connie Blake on Auf'Blitzen, Team Solstad on Lille Venn, Elaine Regis & Jim Cooke on Elusive, Dave & Gen on Wabi Sabi and (drum roll please...) "The Mark Maitland" - imagine Tom Brady like applause - and "The Peter Maitland" on Jean...oh yeah Tip & Bob, Bob & Tip, Tip & Bob, Bob & Tip...(you had to be there!).  The course was a paltry "22" "21" Once Around.  I don't think I have ever not seen the Tango Flag absent but it was on this evening.  At the start it is Team Maitland at the pin end and over first with Wabi Sabi right behind and Nolo on the outside.  Mark Maitland downshifts, ignites his nitro and rockets to the first mark well ahead of number 2 Wabi Sabi.  Upon rounding Wabi Sabi follows Jean out on Starboard, Nolo follows and then Frolic makes a decisive tack onto port which will give her a leg up and lead to her taking the second place slot at the next mark rounding.  Nolo tries to tack to follow Frolic but gets tangled with starboard tackers and they sit in the "Marblehead Triangle" - that nasty little spot just north of mark "22" where the current is downright mean.  On the final stretch for the finish line the positions don't change and Team Maitland bag another first place with Tip & Bob, Bob & Tip stealing 2nd place from Wabi Sabi who take 3rd.  Nolo rounds out 4th place.  The whole race took less than 20 minutes...with the sail to the mooring and back taking longer than the race.

8/15: Sunday Series 2:  The run of beautiful conditions for Sunday morning racing continues with a steady and cool 5 to 7 knot breeze out of the south.  Jim posted a "28" "18" Twice Around course that would ultimately be shortened to "22" "21" for the second leg.  Tip was sporting his floppy hat which at a distance made him look like the "Flying Nun" (Not everyone could pull that look off but Tip was able to).  Elaine and Linda Regis were out on Elusive; Ron Geddes and Dawn Crow were on Rosy II, Dave & Kent Williams were out on Third Time's A Charm, Dave & Gen Casey were out on Wabi Sabi and finally Peter Maitland - armed with only his Tac Tic to keep him company - went solo on Jean.  At the start it was Tip and Joan who hit the line first with Wabi Sabi close behind.  Jean went high and to the right hoping to avoid putting out the pole.  Rosy II went farther left.  Elusive and Third Time's played the middle.  Slowly but surely Ron & Dawn maneuvered Rosy II towards the front of the pack and were first around "28".  Wabi Sabi got an inside overlap with Frolic and rounded 2nd with Jean and Frolic right on her transom.  Jean ended up slipping ahead of Frolic who quickly tacked over onto port to head to the right side of the course in hopes of repeating the horizon job Frolic did on the rest of the fleet last week.  All others went  left or played the middle.  Wabi Sabi slipped past Rosy II on the next tack and Jean continued to venture out to the left.  As Frolic made her way back from the right met up with Elusive.  Frolic, on starboard, cries foul as Elusive tacks too closely to Frolic forcing her "above head to wind".  After doing their spins Elusive continues on to try and make up lost ground and determined not to come in last.  Wabi Sabi is first around "18" after several tacks to avoid the wicked current that was setting them down on the mark.  Frolic was next with Jean in hot pursuit.  After rounding the pin end Wabi Sabi set out for the shortened course to "22" and then a quick job to "21" and then a bee line for the line.  Thanks to Gen Casey expertly flying the jib telltales with all the wind shifts as well as her tactical calls including calling the lay lines Wabi Sabi takes the victory siren.  The real excitement was the photo finish that followed as Peter slips Jean past Frolic at the line to take a stunning 2nd place.  Rosy II was next across in 4th with Elusive in 5th and Third Time's A Charm getting a DNF.  What happened with team Williams?  I think Dave was day dreaming about getting himself a refurbished Lyman and just lost interest in the race.  Now the real surprise came when we found out that Peter sailed sans beer!  That's right the "Miller High LIfe" boat had nary a beer on board.  No need to shed any tears for Frolic though as even with her 3rd in this race she is still solidly in 1st place for the series after winning the previous two races.  No doubt Tip and Joan will be back with a vengence next week.  Notably absent from the race was Sunday morning regulars Jonathan Tilton and Anne Walker.  It was a little lonely without Nolo and we hope to see them out next week! 

8/12:  Thursday Evening "Colonoscopy Race":  This was one of those nights that if you new how it was going to end up you would probably have stayed home and counted yourself lucky.  The breeze was very light and shifty and the increasing overcast skies promised that winds would die out without the usual last 10 minutes of solid breeze right around sunset.  At the start Team Maitland pull out ahead and never looked back on a "22" "19" course.  Wabi Sabi was able to get out in front of Frolic after the first mark rounding.  After rounding the 2nd mark "19" what little breeze there was started to die off.  Instead of shortening the course and finishing us as we limped back towards the start/finish line we recieved the news that they would be sending us around again albeit on a shorter route of "
22" "21".  Team Maitland got themselves far enough away from the whole that was about to open up around Mark "22" and was able to drift in the right direction.  Wabi Sabi who was easily 20 boat lengths ahead of Frolic, Auf/Blitzen, Double Zero and Third Time's a Charm came to a screeching halt after rounding "22".   Somehow Frolic and Auf'Blitzen were able to somehow generate their own private breeze and slipped past Wabi Sabi.  After another 20 minutes of floating and bobbing we saw a CYC boat coming out.  We were all hoping that they would put us out of our misery and either abandon the race or capture the places upon completing the original circuit.  We were also hoping that the boat might offer us a tow back to the mooring as darkness was upon us and we still hadn't crossed the finish line.  None of our hopes would come to fruition.  Utlimately we would end up paddling up harbor and would get ashore after 9 pm.  Dave Williams summed it up as he paddled past Wabi Sabi and exclaimed "Well that Sucked!".  Dave commented that he had more fun at his last "Colonoscopy" then that floatfest to Tip and Bob who were pleased with their 2nd place finish.  Let's hope next week the winds are a little more favorable and the race committee is a litlle more sensitive to the prevailing conditions.

8/1:  Sunday Series 2:  A post card perfect day with dry cool air and light breeze and a long course set the backdrop for a beautiful race.  Of special note we had the most boats out (8) thanks to Ron Geddes/Dawn Crowe sailing Rosy II and David Cooke/Bryn Evans sailing Auf'Blitzen.  All the other cast of characters were out to keep the skills razor sharp heading into Nationals Week.  The "Jim Cooke" designed course was 28, 25 Twice Around.  At the starting siren Wabi Sabi led the group off the line occupying the space close to the pin end usually reserved for Team Maitland.  Team Maitland (with "Magic Mark Maitland" driving Jean slowly but surely passed Wabi Sabi as did Auf'Blitzen by going farther right.  At the first mark it was Jean, Auf'Blitzen, Wabi Sabi and Nolo in hot pursuit.  Where was Tip you ask?  Well he was at the back of the pack and when no one was looking the wiley old salt that he is tacked over onto port and went on a "Maitlandesque" flyer that would ultimately put him wayyyyyyyyyyyyy ahead at mark 25.  Auf'Blitzen must have liked what Tip was doing and headed out to the right as well.  Wabi Sabi was able to pull away from Team Tilton who was breathing down their necks at Mark 28 and was able to outpoint Team Maitland who was also putting their money on the left side of the course.  A slight wind shift favored Wabi Sabi and was able to get out in front of Jean on the tack onto port to head over to Mark 25.  Rosy 11 played the middle of the course and made up some ground and nearly caught Wabi Sabi.  With the rounding of Mark 25 it was a reach back to the finish line as the course was shortened with Tip & Joan O'Neill so far ahead they were putting away their sails at their mooring by the time the other boats approached the finish line.  Auf'Blitzens David Cooke & Bryn Evans (good to see him out on the water) took a solid 2nd, Wabi Sabi's Team Anderson took 3rd, Team Maitland taking 4th and Rosy II's Ron Geddes and Dawn Crowe taking 5th, Team Solstad' Karen & Mary Ann taking 6th, Nolo's Jonathan Tilton and Ann Walker taking 7th and Elusive's own Elaine and Linda Regis taking 8th place.  Poor Dave Williams came in 9th place.  It was a great day to sail and with so many boats out racing a bad day to miss!

7/25:  NOOD (Day3):  Forcasts of heavy & gusty NW'ly winds kept many on their moorings a little longer than previous days anticipating having to work hard once we got out there.  However, on the way out it appeared that the winds might not be as strong as originially forcasted.  Still there was a nice breeze, clear skies with a few puffy cumulous clouds adding to the backdrop of a beautiful day.  I know I speak for all that after two quirky days of racing that we were all hopefull that the day would be a good one with hopefully two good races prior to the 2:30 cutoff for race starts.  Notably missing from the cast of characters where "Double Zero's" Connie Blake and Jim Cooke.  Word trickled through the fleet that they had headed in fearing heavy winds.  A radio call to them was answered by Jim who indicated that he was at lighthouse point and all attempts to try and talk them into turning around and coming back out failed with Jim's comment that "We'll be first to the Bar"!  (We didn't know that when he said he was at Light House Point he was standing on dry ground and not in the boat as we thought).  On the start of our race Nolo was closest to the pin followed by Lille Venn, Wabi Sabi, Jean, Frolic and Auf'Blitzen.  Nolo and Lille Venn play the far left side, Auf'Blitzen plays the far right side and Wabi Sabi, Jean and Frolic play the middle.  The far left turned out to be the right call and Nolo is first around the windward mark followed by Lille Venn, Wabi Sabi, Jean, Frolic and finally Auf'Blitzen.  On the downwind run the breezes started to diminish while the pack of Rhodes 19 all flying spinnakers bore down on the Town Class fleet taking was little breeze was left.  Nolo made it around the leeward mark just before we got swallowed up by the pack of Rhodes.  Lille Venn was closest to the leeward mark and was carried around the mark while Berit and Rick fended off the Rhodes who were on all sides.  Wabi Sabi was not so lucky.  After negotiating a cooperative maneuver with the inside Rhodes to Jibe to round the right leeward mark Wabi Sabi Jibed onto starboard and the inside Rhodes jibed then jibed back onto port and yelled that they had changed their minds.  With that Jean and Frolic and then Auf'Blitzen who were farther towards the left gate were able to escape the worst of the Rhodes onslaught.  Nolo tries the left side again to try and duplicate their succesful first round, Auf'Blitzen again goes far right with Jean and Frolic going towards the left middle.  Wabi Sabi was stuck at the leeward mark becalmed for what seemed like an eternity now in last place.  Meanwhile little pockets of air gave some boats enough air to creep to windward while others merely floated awaiting a reprieve.  Finally Wabi Sabi started to catch enough breeze to begin to make way.  Jean was first to the windward mark followed by Auf'Blitzen whose decision to go right was a good one.  Frolic, Lille Venn and Wabi Sabi converge on the mark simultaneously with Frolic gaining inside overlap.  Frolic is first around with LIlle Venn just outside and Wabi Sabi is able to get inside on Lille Venn.  Frolic jibes over onto starboard while Lille Venn and Wabi Sabi continue on port for a short run then both jibe back onto starboard.  The run turns into a reach and oscillates between a beam reach and a beat with light and shifty air.  Jean is over the line first and takes the 1st place cannon securing her win the series and Auf'Blitzen takes the 2nd place slot.  Wabi Sabi is able to pass Lille Venn and Frolic to take 3rd with Frolic in 4th, Lille Venn in 5th and Nolo 6th.  We were all hopefull that with 45 minutes to get another race off that the race committee would hustle and get a final race in.  But with the wind shift the Race Committee called an end to the days racing.  We didn't know at the time that none of the other lines got a single race in!  On the ride in the strong NW'ly winds kicked in with a furry!  It was a "Harbor Hurricane" on steroids that made the ride a wet wild experience.  Fortunately all boats made it to their moorings with nothing broken.  All congregated at the BYC to congratulate Team Maitland on their first NOOD and New England Championship win.  Despite the quirky nature of this year's races the competition was very competitive and it was anybody's regatta right up to the end.

7/24:  NOOD (Day 2):  Fog and light shifty breezes cause "painfull" delays to day 2 of the NOOD.  By noon we had all done the long and slow slog out to Half Way Rock only to be put into a postponement that would last nearly 3 hours as the fog rolled in and out of the race area.  It go so bad that Frolic picked up a lobster float, moored and Tip and Bob were seen taking naps while the rest of us nuts went back and forth in the race area careful not to stray too far from the race committee boat in the fog.  Finally the word came in that there was a hole in the fog closer towards Marblehead Rock so the whole Halfway Rock group head out on a 270 degree heading towards mark 18.  Ultimately, the fog broke and a south easterly breeze filled in to get the first race off.  Positions changed several times but it was Team "Dave" who took home the 1st place by narrowly edging out Frolic who took 2nd place.  The 2nd race of the day saw many leaders and positions changed like the direction of the breezes with Wabi Sabi 1st around the windward mark.  Nolo's "Casey and the Snowman" ultimately make up ground on the run and get an inside overlap at the leeward gate.  Wabi Sabi fouls Nolo by misjudging Nolo's turn around the mark and ends up spinning cirlces in the water to clear the protest.  Team Maitland sneaks past Wabi Sabi and heads out in hot pursuit of Nolo.  Team Maitland must have had that new "Tac Tick" working for them as they beat Nolo to the windward mark.  Lille Venn is next around followed by Auf'Blitzen's Team Dave.  Wabi Sabi gets fouled by Frolic who screamed in on the port layline and crosses ahead of Wabi Sabi nearly causing Wabi Sabi to hit the mark.  It was Frolic's turn to carve circles in the water.  Team Maitland ends up with their 2nd 1st place by edging out Nolo, Lille Venn follows them across and Wabi Sabi scraps their way forward to challenge Auf'Blitzen's Team Dave for 4th place.  Wabi Sabi notices a windshift ahead of Team Dave and drops their pole and rigs for a broad reach.  This gives Wabi Sabi the extra "umphf" needed to edge out Auf'Blitzen.  Another very long day on the water.  One more day to go...let's hope for smoother sailing on Day 3!

7/23:  NOOD (Day 1):  Analysis Paralysis is the best way to sum up the nearly 3 hours we all waited for the race committee to get a race off.  Winds were shifty and went from light to blowin' like stink back to light again.  Proudly we had every boat that was in the water out on the line.  Jean's Mark and Peter Maitland, Nolo's Casey (Gen) and the Snowman (aka Bart), Lille Venn's own Berit Solstad and Rick Stevens, Double Zero's Connie Blake and Veteran Jim Cooke, Frolic's "Dynamic Duo" (wouldn't they look great in tights!) Tip O'Neil and Bob MacGillivray, Wabi Sabi's Dave and Tracy Anderson, and last but definitely not least Auf'Blitzens "Team Dave" (David Cooke and David Goldsmith).  When the race commitee finally got us off it was Team Maitland (with Mark driving) who got out in front with a daring port tack start at the pin end and maintained the lead for the race to take 1st.  At the start of the 2nd race the wind had filled in to the strongest breeze of the day and Wabi Sabi's Team Anderson took advantage and out tacked Tip to take 1st. 

7/18:  Sunday Series 2: (First Race):  Hot and Gusty!!!  It was a Team Maitland kind of race day..."pop one open, and hang on for the ride of your life - just don't spill the Miller High Life!".  Elaine & Linda Regis were out on Elusive, Peter and Mark Maitland on Jean, Joan & Tip O'Neill on Frolic and Dave & Tracy Anderson on Wabi Sabi.  To say the winds were all over the place would be an understatement.  Despite that Jim Cooke "made Lemonade out Lemons" by giving us a good course of "25" "22" then shortened to "21" "22" to finish.  Off the line it was Wabi Sabi, Elusive and Jean all hankering for the pin end and Frolic slightly behind and higher towards the race booth.  A broad reach ultimately turned into a run and positions seemed to change by the minute.  Team Regis broke from the pack like she had Nitrous Oxide fueling her boat and shot forward like a "Bad out of Hell".  Meanwhile Team O'Neill slowly closed the distance upwind and to the right.  Wabi Sabi and Jean jockeyed positions back and forth like a reciprocating engine.  At the "25" Elusive rounds 1st, with Wabi Sabi, Jean and Frolic close behind.  The wind continued to build and now on the beat back to "22" we were all hanging whatever "meat we had" over the rail and held on for dear life.   with Team Maitland and Wabi Sabi taking turns in narrowly crossing in front of each other.  Team Regis falls behind at this point and never is able to recover lost ground.  Wabi Sabi is first to "22" and then to the pin end with Frolic and Jean right on her transom.  On the way out to "21" Wabi Sabi edges around 1st with Jean so close that we could have passed "the grey poupon" and Frolic edging around in third.  Frolic makes a play to the left side of the course and does what Frolic always seems to do...sneaks up and gets ahead by beating Wabi Sabi and Jean to "22".  Jean seemed to be going so fast that there was a frightenging "Whooshing Sound" coming off her bow wave as she and Wabi Sabi sailed in close formation each trying to get an advantage for the mark rounding.  Team Maitland decided that they were ready to tack over onto port and ducked Wabi Sabi's stern and Wabi Sabi tacked to cover.  Ultimately Wabi Sabi narrowly edges out Jean on the rounding of "22" and positions hold to the finish line with Frolic's Team O'Neill taking first, Wabi Sabi in 2nd, Jean 3rd and Elusive in 4th.  Noticably absent was Sunday Morning Veterans Team Tilton who opted for sleeping in on the "Big Boat" leaving Nolo on the mooring.  Jonathan did wave greetings and salutations as we all passed by Finnisterrae on our beat back up harbor.  That was one of the most competitive and hard fought races I have been in.  Team Maitland/Masey has raised the competitive stakes this year by their stunning shut-out to win both the first Thursday and Sunday Series.  Can Team Maitland take the whole season?  Will Frolic rise up like the Leviathan that she has been in season's past to take the 2nd series?  Or will Dave Williams put in Third Time's A Charm and whip all of us?  Stay tuned!

7/15:  Twilight Series 1 (Last Race):  Light and shifty breezes characterized the evening and a course set for "21" "19" that would be shortened to "21" "22" on the second time around.  Most of the normal cast of characters were in play and notably absent was Nolo's "A-Team -Tilton and the Snow Man (aka Bart Snow).  Reportedly Bart needed more time to study the operations of the "talking timer" used on Nolo for precision starts!  On a "pre-race drive by" Peter Maitland was sporting an early "Miller High Life" to loosen things up after uttering the command "Beer Me" early.  All the boats seemed to hit the line with a good start and then started to spread out with Team Maitland going their traditional low route to the left and Frolic and Elusive taking the high route to the right.  Jean was first to the mark in a lead that would only continue to grow for the remainder of the race.  Wabi Sabi rounded second but Elusive's Elaine Regis fresh from the Cape pulled out the "grease job of the century" by squeezing in between Wabi Sabi and the mark to slip ahead on the beat to "19".  Frolic rounded in 4th with Lille Venn in 5th.  Those that went tot he right towards lighthouse point seemed to make out (Jean and Frolic) although Elusive seemed to enjoy great boat speed anywhere Elaine and Jim decided to sail (Must be the new Sails with the Sexy Draft Lines!).  At "19" it is Jean then Elusive and...what "where did Tip come from?"...Frolic pulls ahead of Wabi Sabi who narrowly fetches the mark.  Positions hold on the reach to the pin end of the line and we head out for the 2nd lap.  Sadly (from the author's perspective) no changes in position take place in the next set of roundings.  Elusive's 2nd place over Frolic was just the ticket to place Team Maitland into Series 1st place edging out Frolic's Tip and Bob narrowly by 1 point.  Congratulations to Team Maitland for securing their 2nd Series Win of the Season (they also won the Sunday Series 1).   

7/11: Sunday Series 1:  Lots of wind characterized what is normally a "light breeze" Sunday morning race.  It was so breezy that Salty Dogs "Tip & Joan O'Neill" almost cancelled their participation in the race.  Fortunately they sailed down under power of their "Main" only and then decided to put up the jib and come out and play.  The course was engineered by "the" Jim Cooke and turned out to be a punishing "28" "21" twice around.  At the start it was Frolic who made a last minute tack to hit the line with speed and be the first over.  The rest of us were happy to avoid the pin as we all congregated around the pin end for the start.  Wabi Sabi continued out to the right to chase Frolic while Team Masey went to the left side.  Nolo's team Tilton and Auf'Blitzen's David Cooke stayed to the right as well.  Wabi Sabi was 1st to reach "28" with Aufblitzen and Frolic battling for 2nd place.  AufBlitzen wins out after the rounding but Frolic continues to challenge AufBlitzen during this next leg out to "21".  Team Masey takes Jean way in to the right in hopes to get a break.  Wabi Sabi is first to round "21" and heads for what they hoped would be the finish.  All working really hard to keep the boats under control in the wind that remained steady throughout the course.  Meanwhile Jim must have settled into a comfortable rocker there on the CYC porch and decided "what the heck" let's send 'em out again for another spin around the course.  Wabi Sabi rounded the pin first with Frolic and Auf'Blitzen close behind.  Nolo's team Tilton announce that they have had enough fun for the day and would retire to their other yacht "Finnisterrae" which was better suited for the prevailing winds.  The second time around was much like the first time with Frolic being able to hold off Auf'Blitzen to take 2nd with AufBlitzen in 3rd, Jean's Team Masey taking 4th.  Now before you shed a tear for Team Masey (who probably went "Beer Me" soon after starting the race), they ended up winning the 2010 Series 1.   Congratulations to Peter & Gen who were powered by Miller Light and the determination to get the job done!

7/10: MRA Series 2:   The "Peter and Jim Made Me Do It" race:  After waking to the forecast of impending doom from the weather forcaster's who were calling for "End of Days" like heavy rain and thunderstorms and reviewing the radar which painted a menacing line of thunderstorms ranging from Canada to Philadelphia I began calling around to see what the other skippers thought.  However, current conditions were beautiful and promised to be nice for at least two hours.  After a discussion with Tip we had made the decision to not risk it by getting caught in the Brimbles with a storm bearing down on us so Tracy and I made the decision to go over to the boat and take care of some maintenance items and go for a harbor sail.  Then a salty dog  voice from behind me (as I am standing by the transom) says...are you rigging to go out?  It was "the Jim Cooke" and Connie blake.  I was shocked as I thought for sure that they would be on dry ground.  As Connie flew by she said something about going out to give a try for one race and that we should come.  Peter meanwhile swings by on his admiral's barge bringing him out to his little yacht Jean and say we should go out and give it a try.  So in a quandry but wanting to be supportive of the group we agree to at least sail out and see how things progress.  No sooner do we get out there the CYC's PRO Tom Thompkins has the line ready to go and gives us an early and quick start to try and get one race in before we have to return to port for weather.  Wabi Sabi gets the best start ahead of David Cooke's Auf'Blitzen and close behind is Jean's Team Masey.  The boats are close on their first crossing with Wabi Sabi tacking over on Jean's lee bow as they didn't think they would make the crossing.  Jean ducks Wabi Sabi's stern and loses some headway towards the mark as a result.  Wabi Sabi makes the mark on that tack and round several boat lengths ahead of Jean and AufBlitzen.  Positions remain unchanged on a brisk run towards the leeward mark.  Wabi Sabi is first around followed by Auf'Blitzen who tacks over to the left side of the course and Jean who takes the right side.  Wabi Sabi plays a loose cover on the two who are shooting the corners and again is first to the weather mark.  Wabi Sabi crosses the finish line 1st while Auf'Blitzen narrowly squeezes out a 2nd place over Jean.  Somewhere along the line Jim and Connie must have abandoned and gone in.  The race committee sent us in after the one race and all made it back to moorings and land before the skies opened up and drenched the area with flood like rains.  Whew!  we got lucky on this one!

7/8:  Thursday Twilight Series 1: Brisk and blustery winds and building seas were what faced the sailors on this Twilight race with the race course being "W" "19" Twice Around.  Wabi Sabi's Dave and Gen Casey get a great start and get out ahead with Jean, Frolic and Lille Venn abeam and Nolo across last (word on the street was that the Snowman had a tough time with the talking timer).  Fortunately it was a broad reach (and not a downwind run) out to "W".  Wabi Sabi resisted the urge to put up the whisker pole as the other boats were doing.  Wabi Sabi rounds "W" first and heads out to the left and is followed by Jean and Lillie Venn.  Frolic and Nolo go to the right.  It was a long brutal slogg out to "19" battling 4 foot rollers and having to bisect a sonar race to get to the mark.  Wabi Sabi is first around and heads on a broad reach (with skipper Dave almost totally spent) towards what they are hoping will be a shortened course.  As they approach the line they are dismayed to see that the course stands and after a few explatives sent the way of the CYC race committee Wabi Sabi heads out to do it again.  Frolic is right behind and Jean and Nolo behind them.  Meanwhile, Aufblitzen abandons and heads in and Lille Venn who went way out to the left lags in 5th place.  Second time around Wabi Sabi replays their plan that worked for them on the first time around.  Somewhere along the line Nolo nearly swamps taking on a foot of water in the process.  It definetely was knarley and probably geared more towards keel boats.  Wabi Sabi gets her first 1st place siren of the season with Frolic in 2nd, Nolo in 3rd, Jean 4th and Lille Venn in 5th.  Needless to say we all slept well that night!  Many thanks to ace tactician Gen Casey who called the shots on the course as Wabi Sabi's skipper hung on for dear life! 

6/27:  Sunday Series 1:  A light breeze, perfect temperatures and clear skies created the canvas for a beautiful Sunday Morning Race.  At the start Team Regis (Elaine & Linda) were across 1st closely followed by Wabi Sabi on a broad reach out to the 1st mark.  Places changed many times as Jean's Team Masey (Peter & Sail Maker to the Stars - Gen Casey) took Jean high and Nolo's Team Tilton (Jonathan & Anne) and Frolic's Team O'Neill (Tip & Joan) going low initially but both passing Wabi Sabi and followed Jean high and past the first mark (#28).  Wabi Sabi watched increduously as the boats that had passed her went right by the mark without rounding it.  Wabi Sabi followed Elusive around the mark and headed for the 2nd Mark (#19) and informed all the wayward boats that they were heading for the wrong mark.  Jonathan Tilton was heard saying as he turned Nolo towards the correct mark "Well this isn't pretty is it!".  Amazingly enough Nolo rounded the mark and actually caught up to Wabi Sabi and started a long battle for 2nd and 3rd place.  Jean and Frolic ended up heading in towards the harbor as Nolo, Elusive and Wabi Sabi stayed left towards Cat Island.  Elusive, unchallenged still rounded the next mark and was followed by Nolo and then Wabi Sabi.  Upon approaching what we were sure was to be a shortened course to finish we saw that Jim Cooke (Race Committee) had modified the 2nd circuit and the race continued.  On our way to the next mark Wabi Sabi overtakes Nolo and falls into the number 2 spot behind Elusive.  The final mark rounding is where it got interesting...Jean who had gone on a series of "flyers" to the corners came from out of nowhere to meet up with Nolo at the last mark rounding.  Ultimately Nolo was able to hold a narrow lead and took 3rd behind Wabi Sabi in 2nd and Elusive in an "unchallenged" 1st place.  Team O'Neill rounded out the group in last place which had to be disappointing.  Frolic doesn't like to see other boats transoms but rather is used to having all others observe her shapely transom.  Jean is still the boat to beat on the Sunday Series 1!

6/26:  MRA Series 1 (Final Race) "The Brimbles Triangle":  After a long slog out to the race course in light breezes the first and ultimately only race started with most boats hitting the line with Wabi Sabi slightly behind.  Shortly after the pack seperated into "those who went right, those who went left and those that stayed in the middle".  Rounding the windward mark it was Nolo, AufBlitzen and Wabi Sabi with Nolo not too far behind and wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy back there was Frolic and Jean who seemed to have ticked when they should have tacked and were getting muddled down in the "Brimbles Triangle".   On the run for the leeward mark Wabi Sabi overtakes and passes AufBlitzen on the inside and rounds the leeward mark just behind Nolo.  Nolo and AufBlitzen go far to the right, Wabi Sabi stays more in the center.  On the final windward rounding it is Nolo, AufBlitzen and Wabi Sabi.  Nolo and AufBlitzen initially seem to escape the Brimbles Triangle effect (circling winds from all directions, wierd currents) on their downwind run for the finish line.  Wabi Sabi got stuck in a bad area of the Brimbles Triangle and seemed to founder for some time.  Finally escaping it Wabi Sabi was able to make up a lot of lost ground and come in 3rd behind Aufblitzen in 2nd and Nolo in 1st.  Meanwhile Jean and Frolic were still grappling with the wierd effects of the "Triangle" and were ultimately scored where they were (Jean 4th and Frolic 5th) and the races abandoned for the rest of the day.  On our way in we went from "no wind" to the "harbor hurricane" to round out the day.  Congrats to Team Barnes for doing everything "right" and taking home the win. 

6/17:  Thursday Twilight Series 1 "From Worst to First":  On a Seattle like evening with misty overcast skies that threatened rain 3 boats took the chance, threw caution to the wind and set sail to start the Twilight Series for the season.  I was able to sail as crew on Elusive with Elaine Regis, Mark Maitland and "Sail Maker to the Stars" - Gen Casey were aboard Jean and the dynamic duo team of Tip & Bob were aboard Frolic.  The course was "21" "W" Twice around.  At the start it was Elusive hitting the line in the lead with Jean a boat lenght behind and Frolic 3 boat lengths behind...What...Tip & Bob in last place...no I wasn't drinking...they were actually in last place at the start.  I did learn that as frustrating as it is to try and catch Frolic, it is equally stressfull to have them behind you knowing that they are slowly closing in on you.  Jean sailed faster to the first Mark with Elusive gaining a narrow inside overlap in 2nd and Frolic in 3rd.  Frolic broke from the pack and went over onto starboard tack towards Fort Sewall and appeared to get hung up in the middle of the Sonar race going on at the mouth of the harbor.  Elusive and Jean continued out towards Grays Rock.  Winds continued to lighten as we bore down on "W".  Frolic's decision to stay insided panned out as they went from last place to first upon rounding "W".  Jean was in second by a boat lenth with Elusive in 3rd.  It was a slow slog towards the finish line on a broad reach.   The course was shortened and Frolic got the winning siren with Jean following in 2nd and Elusive in 3rd.  The real gift of the evening was the clearing in the weather that followed us in to the finish line.   With the skies clear and a light breeze that picked up enough for all to get to their mooring it turned out to be a beautiful evening to be on the water...of course even better if you were Tip & Bob :) !

6/13:  Sunday Morning Series 1 "Clash of the Titans":  On a morning that said "stay in bed and pull the covers over your head" Jean's Team Maitland and Frolic's Team O'Neill set sail for the first sailed race of the 2010 season.  With Jim Cooke setting the course and officiating from the CYC racebooth, plenty of light rain, cool temps, fog and the Old Spice Jingle playing in the background the two Titans of the Town Class fleet started the "20" "25" Twice around course.  Frolic got the start ahead of Jean and maintained the lead through the first circuit.  However, not to be undone by a little fog, Peter Maitland used a little basic navigation seamanship to help sail towards the marks that were hidden in the fog.  Armed with a compass bearing and a prayer, Jean made up ground on Frolic by going to the right and rounded the last mark about 5 boat lengths ahead of Frolic.  A scrappy dog fight ensued as the two Titans raced for the finish line and ultimately Team Maitland's Jean pulled out the upset victory over Team O'Neill narrowly crossing the finish line ahead of Frolic.