Race Reports 2002

 7^th July 2002

First race of 2002 saw an unpromising morning with a shifty North West wind which changed to the more usual Southerly just before the race started and increase in strength for the first lap before gradually subsiding to a still strong 12 knots.

A small but high class field turned out from Wynburg and Brightwater with a couple of boats that had not seen action on the New Meadows before.

Eric “Black Hands” Maslen had his Typhoon racer “Polaris” out and Jim “Cold Cut” Loney was having his first race in the Wionna with his crew Nancy and had the wind been a bit lighter would probably have improved on his 4^th place.

Best start was the Typhoon of “Black Hands” who was just 10 seconds off the flag and closely followed by “Lorelei” Kidger who was again involved in a near miss with a larger competitor who she was trying to lure to their doom. Loelei was crewed by “Coach” Scott and tactician Chris “Crumbs” Kidger. Jim “Fingers” Baloney was next away and closer than he knew to a sticky end. The two fastest boats in the race were away poorly and they would have been last were it not for the usual late arrival of the Whitheads, Salty being joined by cousin Deidre “Green thumb” who seems a natural!

Crewing for Nick “You can call me Sir” Price was “Moose” Schwabe hoping to pick up a few tips but a judicious blow from Nick with the boom, rounding the last mark saw a complete memory loss by the hopeful kibitzer.

At the first Weather Mark Pattie B II had taken a lead they were to extend lap by lap and Phil “Hands Solo” Goiran had eased past Lorelei into second place on the water and he took a fine win on handicap and maximum 7 points.  Still 4^th at this stage was “Cold Cut” Loney having dropped back 50 seconds from Lorelei since the start. As the wind eased however Cold Cut made his move and it was his eyes that were laughing as they approached the weather mark on the second leg he luffed the little O’Day and passed to take 3^rd on the water. Their personal battle wasn’t over and they were to finish just 45 seconds apart on the water, the positions being reversed on handicap with Carpe Diem (3^rd and 5 points) just pipping Del Viento by 19 seconds on handicap who in turn was just 23 seconds ahead of Polaris! All 5 boats that completed the course were just 2.5 minutes apart on handicap, a remarkable result and a tribute to the handicapper whoever he was!

Thanks to our stalwarts on the dock and clock, Eleanor and Rollie.

The handicaps published before the race were from an old file and not the ones used at the end of last year. Updated list below with the new entrants added.

14^th July 2002
A beautiful morning dawned and an ever increasing wind blew throughout the day but it never reached the levels of last week. As more crews got their act together 8 boats turned out, none more than 4 minutes late starting but that was, you guessed it, a Whitehead, Macy & Edie “It don’t seem a day too long” showing where their progeny get it from.  Still it was only 4.94 seconds for every year of their marriage!

Harris “running backstay” Whitehead with his crew of Ky “1/2 a lap up and ½ a lap down” and Lenny  “Crew for hire” had the most remarkable start sailing over the line thinking he was going to be 5 minutes late but in fact the gun sounded before he could get to the line and he was first away just 9 seconds in front of the favourites in Pattie B II. Nick “Cuddle up” Price was ably crewed this week by Barbara “I’m not putting my tush there” Kirkham and Chris “Cookie face” Kidger.  Third to start was Moonbeam with Celia “I can sing and I can fly” Whitehead in sole charge  for the first time. Has her generation finally learnt that the later you start the later you finish! Carla “ For whom the bell tolls” was along as crew with another friend in what had to be the most curvacious crew on the river.  Celia also had a run in with the biggest boat on the river rounding Sheep Island Buoy but apparently gave as good as she got! Who do they think they are in their fancy yachts?

Last weeks shock winner, Phil “ambidextrous” Gorain in Sage was 4^th away but was never to reach the heights of July 7^th in the lighter winds. The three Typhoons started next with the Debbie & Geoff “Any port in a Typhoon” Leighton first of the trio and Rink “y Dink” Dupont crewed by “little girl” Fernandez  led Eric “Black hands” Maslen, Cameron, “that’s my chair” and his “quite contrary” crew by 1 second. WATER!!!!!!!!  Macy and Edie started as they meant to carry on and were comfortably last across the line a position they were to make their own. They did lead the leader across the start finish line at the end of their first lap by nearly a minute however and there were no other boats in the race that could make that claim!

With the first leg over to Rich Man’s House this week the field didn’t spread out until the first beat to Sheep Island but a few places changed hands with Catspaw getting past the Shearwater and Sage easing past Moonbeam. Positions thereafter stayed the same but the gaps between  boats was critical with Pattie B II never able to leave Sacagewea while Catspaw also remained in contact with both of them albeit a few places behind. Final margins on handicap were a comfortable win for the Indian (prepare for a handicap cut!) with Catspaw beating Pattie B II into second place by 5 seconds and Shearwater a further 1 minute 14 seconds behind in 4^th place less than a minute ahead of Sage.

Dock & clock were watched over by Eleanor Johnson and Wendy Price who spent nearly 3 hours bobbing about to bring order to the chaos of our sailing. Many thanks to them!

Watch for something different next week. Race start at 2.00 and details will be posted.

21^st July 2002
Some came, some saw, some conquered but some didn’t come, some went home early and some disappeared during the race.

Folks, it was blowin out there! Not only was it blowin but there were shifts and gusts and a big chop from those dang motor boats adding to the natural elements. There were movable hazards, some near misses and some that weren’t misses at all. 

The 3^rd race day was a beauty, the first try out of a new three legged course with the first leg up to a new buoy off Harrington’s Point and the 3^rd leg down to another off the Johnson Point with a reach over to Rich Man’s in between.

6 boats finally started, Pattie B II having been out for a look with reefed mainsail and decided prudence was the better part of a happy marriage valour, going home again before the race started.

Sacagewea had also reefed as had Mehitabel and the other 4 were keelboats.

The Indian had another good start, on purpose this time, and sailed by Harris and family Whitehead, led the fleet away closely followed by Melody, Polaris and Sage. Mehitabel also improved and was over the line less than 2 minutes late and tail end Charlie was Catspaw.

Coming to the first mark Sacagawea couldn’t quite lay the mark and had to put in a short tack letting Melody sneak by and they followed each other back to the start line. Polaris had increased their lead over Sage who had lost a place to Catspaw. Sage, with Rink “The wrecker” Dupont and Jan “Port Tack” Flinterman had a busy afternoon in their efforts to keep the New Meadows free of other traffic. After unsuccessfully trying to sink one of the larger boats on the river they turned their attention to smaller fry and tried to pick “Black Hands” Maslen out of his boat with their bowsprit! This is not the first time they have tried this tactic and I am appending some right of way information for their edification.  The local Artiste had enrolled the help of would be professional crew team Mary “Wet & Windswept” Hobart and Barbara “Wet Tush” Kirkham and they had Polaris flying.

Melody sailed by Peter “Island Man” Alexander and an assortment of dedicated sailors who didn’t know where to go were asking directions of everyone on the river and as soon as they took the lead they were in trouble, choosing to leave the course rather than read the sailing instructions!  We’re working on a system that will get you out of trouble as long as you’re not colour blind (and can read) guys!

Polaris was third to round at HoJo but was being caught by Catspaw who had reduced their starting deficit to less than a minute. Catspaw sailed by Ade and Christina Flinterman enjoying a girls day out before Christina’s wedding, had also passed Sage who were doubtless looking for other smaller boats to attack. Mehitabel was also maintaining contact just over 50 years 2 minutes behind Sage.

The reach over to Rich Man’s and back was pretty wild, Polaris pulling back some of the lost ground to reassert their lead over Catspaw.  Melody, as they approached the line in the lead, realised they didn’t know where to go next, so sailed off down the river. Sage now passed Catspaw and was now breathing down the neck of Polaris or should that be nibbling? Even with a crew of 4 Sacagewea was a handful and they resorted to tacking at the gybe marks to try and keep the spars in the boat.

The race was shortened to one lap by popular demand most of the crews having had more than enough for one day.

Winner on handicap was Polaris having finally got the conditions and crew needed to prevail in these waters. Line honours and second on handicap was Sacagewea who pipped Mehitabel by less than a minute. They in turn were less than a minute ahead of Catspaw with Sage, still in shock, took last place of the finishers and had to go lie down in a dark room. Congratulations to all who took part and completed the race in very trying weather and thanks as usual to Eleanor & Rollie.

With three races gone, Sacagewea and sage are tied with 13 points each, one ahead of Pattie B II who in turn is 1 ahead of Polaris. Best four results will count.

  28^th July 2002 
A splendid turnout of 12 of the finest boats in the New Meadows turned out on Sunday for the 4^th race this year and the battle for places was tight!  One minute and 45 seconds separated 3 place and 10^th place.

At the front it was no contest however and Sacagewea romped away with line and handicap honours by 4 minutes from Lady Ship who was in turn nearly 3 minutes ahead of the 3^rd place, (for the second week running) Mehitabel. This little boat, sailed by Deidre “Green Thumb” Whitehead and Lenny standing in for the newly weds put in some very fast times on two legs and surely has more to show.

Three boats were out for the first time yesteday, Diastole, sailed by Jim “No pressure” Sidel  and the Wynwater, Blueberry sailed by alcoholic cousins Jim “Don’t ask” Price and Ben “Zelda’a dad” Cherner and of course Moose Schwabe with his long suffering crew (Lael “If only he’d listen” and Nina “He’s my dad I have to go” Schwabe) who he freely admits to shouting at to get his way. Maybe he should listen! Moose himself was at the receiving end after the race when Lorelei Kidger put a “move” on him to restrain him in a room full of a baying mob knowledgeable sailors. Christopher “Crumbs”  Kidger was standing by to support his mom if needed but had his hands full of cookies.  Moose himself had earlier put a move on the Wilburs, snatching 3^rd place on the water with a late Starbord tack incident, apparently legal this time.

All three Typhoons were out together for the first time and were locked in battle for the whole race with honours going to Shearwater, ably sailed by Debbie “Steady as she goes” Leighton with granddaughter Shelby “Whatever” and “Able seaperson” Grace  Mueller  who overtook Polaris on the second reach to Rich Man’s to head the trio with just 1 minute to an unusually subdued Rink “Wrecker” Dupont with Polaris in the middle. Diastole was a further 20 seconds behind Catspaw and we can look forward to some more splendid duels over the coming years between these 4.

Moonbeam and Carpe Diem had their usual battle with Carpe Diem taking line honours but Moonbeam coming out tops on handicap. Lorelei was conned by Moose Schwabe who had a late start and sailed well to work his way through the fleet to take 3^rd place on the water although too far back to do better than 11^th on handicap.  Skipper of the usual favourite Pattie B II, Nick “Swami” Price and his crew of cuzins Jacquie “What me sail” Price and Emma “Zelda’s mom” Cherner,  had a quiet day and were left to meditate being comprehensively outsailed by The Indian on the second lap. Sacagewea was also faster overall than Humble Pie albeit by just 30 seconds and the Lightnings will have to up the pace for the coming week-end. Handicaps will also tumble in an effort to control this turn of events. No one stays top for long in this series but the 12 points Sacagewea won will stand them in good stead at the end of the season.

The timekeepers, Eleanor & Rollie had a busy time, particularly at the start with 5 boats starting almost simultaneously. Please let the committee (me) have your views on the new course and markers. Same marks but a different route on Sunday.  Kites were courtesy of Rink Dupont whose fading eyesight inspired the gay brightly coloured marks.  Moonbeam led Carpe Diem and Lady Ship after the 1^st 3^rd but by the end of the second leg over to Rich Man’s Lady Ship and Carpe Diem had passed Celia and left her playing catch-up for the rest of the race swapping places with Carpe on the beats but losing out on the reaches. Carpe would probably have won outright if Moose hadn’t forced her to give way in a belligerent display characteristic of this animal. If he confined his preparation to the pre-race hours and didn’t spend half the race getting ready he’d do better. Eric “Dock rammer” Maslen  and his sister The windswept Mary came up with a novel way to stop the 2000lb boat by sticking out the whisker pole when they got to the dock. The dock & Mary didn’t move and the boat didn’t stop but something had to give. I leave the rest to your imagination gentle reader….

The other regular crew member, Barbara “sheet trimmer” (say it carefully) Kirkham got herself tied in knots with the jib sheets but said she enjoyed the experience. A cry for help if ever I heard one!

Sacagewea now leads with 25 points to Pattie B II’s 21 each from 3 races with Polaris and Mehitabel tied 3^rd on 15 from 4.

4^th August 2002

The British are back! In an intrepid move the British have reclaimed a small part of America as part of a master plan to reclaim the colonies. One Three intrepid redboat redcoats sailed up the New Meadows in the early morning while nearly all the lazy slovenly drunken tired Americans were in bed and raised the Red Ensign over the HOJO dock as the first step. In an effort to stop the invasion the Americans rebels have captured the British Vice Commodore’s Child Bride but he will not waiver and his vengeance will be awful terrible horrible swift inevitable.

Today the second part of the colonisation was enacted when a British crew with a Yankee spy hostage lulled the US fleet into a false sense of security and then trounced them within sight of the line and their watching rabble,  camp followers loved ones! As soon as our Child Bride is recovered the final piece of the master plot will be in place and the reclamation of the territories can continue.

13 proved unlucky for the cream of the American fleet who were reduced to ramming each other and drifting helplessly at the mercy of the Jolly Jack Tars.

Earlier on the odds seemed stacked in the Mets  Yankees favour as some of their number used their sails to blanket the British at the start while the greyhounds of the American fleet, Sacagewea, Humble Pie and Lightning raced off to try and fox the British. A well-known wrecker whose name (Rink) has been withheld was back to his old tricks with a ploy to start a domino collision by pushing one boat into another. The press-ganged crew on Humble Pie attempted to escape by jumping overboard but were recaptured and chained in the bilges. Polaris was lost at sea with all Black hands. While Lorelie and her crew disguised as pirates could lure only herself to doom and numerous stories were heard of penalty buoy rounding in the tricky conditions. Some boats lost the plot, a number of boats tacked when they should have held on and some couldn’t tack at all! Crews were numerous and motley and names have been withheld for the most part to avoid embarrassment.

In these conditions, your position when the wind shifted meant everything and handicaps didn’t help much. At the end of the first lap just one second separated the first three boats and most of the fancied runners were still in contention. At the end of the reach over to Rich Man’s for the second time the wind was showing early signs of the vagaries to come and there were now 5 boats within a minute of the lead.  More bunching occurred on the short run to Johnson’s Point. The ensuing beat up to Harringtons Point and the lack of wind there with an ever-increasing adverse current was to decide the race. Pattie B II were to windward and behind Sacagewea and Humble Pie but were just able to lay the mark with less tacking and Melody carried her wind up as well to round second and make the gains that gave them third overall and 1^st place on handicap.

There are two races left of the series, seventeen boats have sailed at least once and the top two boats and others now have 4 results and will have to drop their worst score in each of the last two races. Handicaps have been altered to boost those with lower scores and the series is still wide open. Get out there!

Eleanor and Rollie and Gary handled the start with almost no hiccups apart from a 5 minute delay at the start to accommodate the usual stragglers and fool a few folks into the bargain.

To reiterate, there is a flag AND horn at 10 minutes, horn only at 5 and horn and flag at the start.

Set your watch at the 10 minute flag, check it at 5 minutes and then you’ll know when to start. Easy isn’t it? 

11^th August 2002

 Crews were more numerous and motley than ever before as 17 fine yachts turned out for the 6^th race of the summer and the sizes ranged from the little Snark at about 10’ to the giant otter Tarka at 36 with bowsprit and bumkin. On a glorious afternoon many boats were on time and  eager to be in the action. Apart from the two aforementioned boats, Union Maid was making it’s first appearance of the summer albeit a little late and that was not to be the end of their afternoon dramas which apparently involved a superhero. The Bulls new boat, Rightsideup Harmony also made it’s debut and was soon involved in a race long battle with seasoned campaigner Carpe Diem coming out tops over the line but just behind on handicap. Humble Pie also enjoyed some close racing, being harried from behind by Melody while they in turn tried in vain to get past Sacagewea, the widest boat on the river!  Melody spent a while in the Whitehead cove drying their sails on the beat up from Johnson Point and might well have improved on their 7^th place had they decided to wait till after the race! Polaris and Catspaw also had a race long battle with Polaris holding off the wrecker wily veteran in Catspaw for the first lap only to succumb during the second beat up to Harringtons. Try as Polaris might they had to settle for second in their battle to the overall winner Catspaw. A one minute and 39 second deficit being enough to drop Polaris to 5^th place on handicap. Less than 2 ½ minutes separated 1^st from 7^th place after handicaps had been calculated and if the turnout for the last race is as large then 6 boats still have a chance of taking the trophy home for the winter. Sacagewea leads the standings with 41 points but has to drop their worst result of 8 points while Pattie B II has to drop just 6 points. Catspaw, while just 4 points behind Pattie B II only has to drop 3 points next week and Carpe Diem on 29 points, is in the same boat. Polaris is the only boat to have competed in all 6 races so far but with only the best 4 results counting there are 7 boats that have sailed that many races and now have to drop points and three more that can get 4 results if they sail next week. 

The British were nowhere to be seen this week, by most of the fleet that is, as they overcame gear and lobster pot hang-ups to take line honours, their only misdemeanour being a port/starboard incident at the start when a tack onto Port to avoid running into the rocks put them bang in front of Lady Ship who kindly avoided ramming them. Another right of way issue came up about sailing the proper course and the rule is written in full below, Carpe Diem being exonerated in this case.

Mehitabel lost their way on the run from Harrington’s to Johnson’s Point and failed to cross the line on their way through. Tarka avoided the rush at the start but made up ground thereafter with some very competitive legs, which showed a taste of things to come. 

The Shoal Cove race is on Saturday the 17^th with a briefing at 12 noon on Van Orden’s dock ring Nick for details on 389-1976. Our final race this Sunday will be at 2.00 as usual with the final excuses tea party and prize giving at the Price cabin as soon as you can get there.

Course  for the 18^th will be the blue course and be denoted by a blue buoy on the flagpole on the HOJO dock. Last week was red for those of you that noticed. Blue will be from the line going South to Harringtons buoy which should be taken to Starboard then straight to Rich Man’s. Take that to Starboard and back to cross the line at HoJo from South to North and on to Johnson’s buoy which should be taken to PORT. From there back to cross the start line from North to South and back to Harringtons for a second lap. There will be no further notices for this week-end!

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