Monday, September 19, 2011

Marblehead Laser Frostbite Week1/Ponce de León regatta: 14 boats, beautiful 10k breeze



Nick La Chance, Marblehead HS Senior, soon to be widely known sail boat racer, and winner of Race 1 on his forst day out, announced his arrival by smoking the fleet on the first beat and never looking back. If you were there you saw how good he is - if you missed it, come out and try to beat him in a couple races before its too late.

In race two Nick did some remedial work on staying up right while JB Braun led the fleet around the course. In race three JB was at it again, alone in front, before the swirling chop got hold of him on leg 2, sending his daggerboard skyward; a pile up at the bottom mark opened the door again, and he recovered to 4th. Race 4 was a blur, don’t remember it. In Race 5, with JB with in position to win the day, he banged out to the right, where he so selfishly had been hording - but denying - more wind. True to form, he tacked and was to cross the port tackers by about two lengths. Then it happened. It was beautiful. A dark blue 35 foot 'racing sailboat' parked itself just inside the starborad tack lay line to hoist its main sail. Beers in hand, puttering forward at about 1kt, main flogging wildly, oblivious to JB's hard-hiking form, the bog boat crew got the sail up most of the way, but it got stuck, or maybe they got tired, and the situation lingered. JB, now bouncing in the chop, going slower, not heading quite as high - he was not going to cross after all. Joy and laghter from the port tackers. And that was it, he finished 2nd.

Nick took top Junior, Christina Mignosa was our top radial, and Jason Yarrington, in 4th place just behind Chris Hufstader, was our top Corintian - well done all!
Thanks to Cheryl and Suzie for RC, another flawless day
PS RC volunteer positions still open - act fast!

Program Reminders
**Sail on Sundays**
Longer season: start Sunday 25 SEP; finish Sunday 21 SEP
More boats: last Fall we averaged 14 on the line
Pool House open for post-race party from Day 1

Prizes
Daily first
Corinthian Daily first: low-point score among those who’ve not previously won the day or the Corinthian
Season top 5, top Junior, Ironman: starting 100% of races in the season (not been done yet… go for it)

Amenities
Hot showers, cold beer

Schedule
People who make the first start arrive: 1145
Skippers Meeting: 1215
Harbor Start: 1230; First Signal: 1300; Last Signal: 1500
Presentation of Prizes: 1600
Fall sailing thru 21 Novermber
Spring Tentative: 6 Sundays– 16 April thru 21 May
Other details: just show up
Eastern Yacht Club
47 Foster Street
Marblehead

Other
You probably don’t need it until Spring, but Team1 has good deals on dry suits, etc.