A quick post, no photos (and still looking for Ephraim photos, btw) before dinner to report on a great day of sailing. I think the fleet has 25 boats from all over the district, including district governor Bronson Bowling from Carlyle, Larry Klick and his crew, Jeff, from Medicine Lake, MN, who I haven't seen in several years, many local Delavan sailors who we don't often see on the circuit, and the Faugusts and Cain Goettleman and Gordy Roberts from Ephraim. We are missing Ryan Malmgren, who went to the Saratoga regatta, and Jay Lott, from Ephraim, and John Cassada from Carlyle, but other than that we have a great turn out!
The predictions were for light wind and on Delavan, which often has tons of motor boat traffic I was anticipating a lot of bouncing and not tons of sailing. But two things happened. First, it was gray and kind of cool, which kept the motor boats away. Second, it did, in fact, blow, so we had some good racing!
Delavan always holds one race in the morning and then breaks for lunch. We had a five-leg windward-leeward run by a highly competent race committee. Competition was tough, but Frank and Marianne Gerry got off the line first and fastest and led the entire race, occasionally being pressured by Cain and Gordy and by the Faugusts.
We took a break for lunch and spent a lot of time worrying about our boats bashing up on the docks (see above, re motor boats). I honestly think it might be worth it next time to pull our boat at lunch. Because we had about an hour and a half break. Everyone enjoyed a delectable lunch and shared stories of their on-the-water escapades. We were all admiring how Cain's boat was managing to not get banged around and just was hanging out, a nice distance from the dock and away from other boats. We wondered, did he have an anchor out? We couldn't see an anchor line. .. and then, gradually we realized the boat was just floating away!! I went to find Cain, who came and stood on the shore scratching his head. Then, next thing we knew, Rick Wojnar, from Fleet 135 (here sailing with Chris Tesdal, and so great to see him here!) and jumped in the water and pulled the boat to safety. Yay Rick! I think there was another young guy, don't know his hame but he's sailing a bright yellow boat, who was disappointed he didn't get a chance to jump in. It's nice to know we have people on hand game to come to the rescue!
We were all feeling pretty darn snoozy when the race committee sent us back out, but I imagine we all got into race mode in time for the next race. We had two more five leg races. Each moment we thought the wind would die, but it never did. It came up and down a lot and shifted a lot, but it never left us entirely. I will say, not to toot our own horn, but Ben and I did have a fun race, the first one after lunch. Somehow we rounded first at the mark and then got slingshotted out ahead of the fleet. Eric said after we rounded that first mark the wind died. In any case we led the whole fleet by almost a leg for about three of the five legs. That was fun, I admit it!!
Anyway, as soon as I can I'll post standings, but now it's time for dinner!
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