MRA Series #3 Day #4 MIDWAY Line & Comments - SATURDAY August 2, 2008

Howdy from Bob Duff Saturday August 2, 2008, 2350 hours,

Above right is Bermuda's Bob Duffy next to his IOD ENCORE surviving hurricane FLORENCE in Bermuda 2006. Bob's picture came from PLAXO. The two photos of ENCORE are from Bob's International IOD Webb site. The boat was knee deep with water. Sinking was a constant threat. ENCORE survived.







Bob and I met many years ago when my racing leader Thornton Clark, my wife Debbie and I were hosted at the BERMUDA INVITATIONAL RACE WEEK. Champion calibre IOD racers came from Europe and all over the USA to race against Bermuda's best. They provided the boat, housing, race management and lots of parties. Thornton was my friend and enduring benefactor. He paid most of the boat bills and made us go fast all over the western world.


We three went to Bermuda several times over the years. Bob Duffy raced with us that first week as "owner's rep". We remain friends through all these years.


I used to say that Bermuda would be a very nice trip if we did not have to race those G.D. boats. That's just a joke! Please! Please! One of my "friendly associates" here in Marblehead may now write e-mails to everyone saying that I cussed and said naughty things in print.



Bob is an International Yacht Racing Judge now. He goes all over to help manage big yachting events. I ask his permission to use these pictures, but he has left the island for parts unknown with a visit to Pat and Hal Nesbitt who now live in Washington state. Hal raced together with us almost everywhere. We became friends when he lived and raced IC's in San Franciso. That is what they are called there. In Bermuda they are "One Designs".

LATE RE-PUBLISHED UPDATE WITH PERMISSION FROM BOB DUFFY AT HAL'S PLACE IN WASHINGTON STATE:

Hi Bob: (that is me Bob Duff)

My pleasure - go ahead. ENCORE derives from 'applause' go around again - that sort of thing.......and you re right, everything is the same color concept as the original #5 'COQUETTE'. We got permission form the Class to rename her and go back to the old number for COQUETTE. She was originally Bud Litchfield's number 13 BLACK MAGIC which was hit by lightning and the hull and deck melted.

Hope all is well.

Bob - sending this from Hal's house. I still have not been able to open your blog site. (This 'Bob' is Bob Duffy)

Needless to say, I am on line now to get Bob and Hal up to speed on this blog at :

HTTP://DUFFSTUFF-DUFFER1.BLOGSPOT.COM

Norm Cressy met Bob Duffy in Marblehead one year at an IOD World's Championship and asked if Bob was my father. Bob now claims that I am his grandfather.

One little observation from the pictures is that mast mounted compass on ENCORE. We had heard way back then that Bermudians never used compasses. One of their boats had hers mounted way up in the bow where only the "coast guard" could find it during a crawling safety inspection.





Knowing this and preferring to race "our way", I always carried a 5 inch DANFORTH on the plane and used it for "wind navigation" during races. Sheila Widnall had taught me this technique in our Worlds Championship bid in Scotland - 1975. Maybe I learned it from her or Pieter Mimno earlier. That was a while back. The Bermudians watched several of us race this way and learned over the years the potentails for a compass. Noting the mast mounting, I still prefer watching the wind from below in the cabin and talking about wind with the person on the helm. I noted that Sheila was doing just that today as she, Bill and crew took second in a fleet of 10 IODs.







Speaking of that, we only had one race at MIDWAY today because of a serious threat of weather. This developed later than expected, but PRO Jack Cochrane made the wise call to get everyone on shore before the threat could cause damage. Earlier he shamed CYC into running their TINKERS races. They did not want to go out at all because of the radar evidence of a bad storm. IOD skipper Greg Mancusi-Ungaro criticised our decision saying that we now have too much potentially bad information compared to the good old days when men were men and storms were fun racing at sea.



Brad Marvin, Arthur Saulsberry and I did the signal boat for Jack with Rebecca Bennett operating and manning the guns. Fritz Koopman ran the mark boat with help from Becky Wheatland. Frank "Questie" Gringe had the pin boat with Michael Costello.



You can see the timing details here on my

worksheet. Click on it to enlarge the view. Nine ETCHELLS started the
sixth race of their Series #3. "No show" today was series and summer leader #1105 CHEMICAL IMBALANCE Gregory & Hannah Hefler. RIVA #1221 was first for Wade Edwards and Justin Muller. Second was Mark Luckes in #575 PEREZOSO. Don Miller and Bill Douglas won third in VALKTRIE # 63.



As noted above, Sheila and Bill Widnall took a second in the 5th race for IOD series 3 in #130 JAVELIN. They were beaten out of first place by Bob Lyons and Fred Callori in #45 POMPANO. Third was #4 KALLISTE for Api Rudich.
Bruce Dyson was a "no show" for #7 GYPSY after winning IOD NOOD race week with a big help from Norm Cressy. Bruce was probably down east Maine today with his 8 meter PLEIONE after taking second in the MARBLEHEAD to CASTINE Classic Race.



Results from the Marblehead to Castine Race started by EYC off Marblehead on July 27th are available by clicking:

http://visitor.easternyc.org/files/Marblehead%20to%20castine%20results.2008.xls






The new seventy-six footer WILD HORSES owned by Donald Tofias took 20 hours 21:05 minutes to cross the finish line winning class "A" by 4 hours 20 minutes ahead of EYC's Bruce Dyson with his rather new 8 meter PLEIONE. EYC's Gary Gregory was third in 12 meter VALIENT. Interesting to note that Bruce left his IOD #7 GYPSY for Norm Cressy and crew to secure IOD first place in the NOOD Regatta.




Class "B" found Elizaeth Meyer winning with SEMINOLE built in 1916. She finished one minute AFTER Brooke Parish's MERMAID but got victory on corrected time.









Next Saturday takes us to the TINKERS line with crew call at 1000 hours. Then on August 11, 12 & 13th a few of us were invited to race manage a JUNIOR OLMYPICS REGATTA off Rockport, MA. These four days show only Brad Marvin, Jim Ayer, John Rando and me for the race committee. CORRECTION, it seems that the EASTERN YACHT CLUB ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE resists management and apparently is not able to show the Rockport days. Brad, Jim, John and I are shown as scheduled on my personal spreadsheet which, for some reason, is of no interest to "management". I could say a bit more, but my well intentioned friends tell me to "SHUT UP". I have said too much already! I plan to be there all four days. August 11 is the "BETTY PLEASANT" regatta for women. I was told that this is a "ladies only" event but the "information manager" shows me scheduled there too. I think--------------okay Duffer, like they said "SHUT UP"! I will be in Rockport on August 12th.





A new feature for your convenience is a long list of FAVORITE YACHTING LINKS to be found at the very bottom of this blog. Scroll down there and prowl around the yachting internet. The AMERICA'S CUP MOVIES - 2007 offer several 20 minute noisy yachting excitements without commercials. I would love to add other good links. Please let me know about them.

MARBLEHEAD Senior Race Week NOOD - Day #4 - SUNDAY July 27, 2008

Howdy from Bob Duff July 27, 2008 2350 hours,














Above is my timer work sheet for the seven starts today on the OUTSIDE line. These finished a great week for everyone including the EYC race committee crew. See the Marblehead to Castine Race report published earlier for those details.


The only significant hitch occurred during the fifth STAR race sequence while finishing another fleet. A first place GUN was ordered by mistake causing a brief AP postponement and re sequence beginning at 1354 hours.





Incidentally, many of us wear "atomic" watches which get reset early every morning to GPS time. It is amazing that more racers do not use this fairly inexpensive timing trick. It helps make starts more precise as every watch gets reset daily to exact GPS time after midnight. We always count from zero-zero seconds GPS time and everyone is potentially on the same clock!


This photo from Duff archives shows Jon Cressy with my son Stephen Duff winning the Rhodes 19 National Championship in the late 1980s. I believe the other crew Stuart Wales was below sleeping off a very early golf game with his former sailor father Steve Wales. Jon won the NOOD R-19 Championship today over 32 competitors. Jon also won last year which shows again the rewards from past coaching by members of the Duff family.








The other big news from NOOD 2008 was the first place victory of IOD #7 GYPSY Bruce Dyson over Sheila and Bill Widnall #130 JAVELIN who was second-----------I know---------I know---------there is no "second" in boat racing despite the number of times I have been there!




Norm Cressy was the popular hero this evening at the CYC "prize giving" along with his two sons Eric and Jon. Norm sailed downwind legs all week on IOD #7 GYPSY with owner Bruce Dyson taking her upwind. Today Norm had to steer all the time. Norm won it all with a second place finish while Bruce was racing his fairly new 8 meter PLIONE to Castine, Maine. Ahead of Norm and GYPSY in the final race was Lori Bate in IOD #33 SMALL HOTEL.







Meanwhile Eric Cressy was third in the new Alerion Express 28 class throwing out a 3rd with # 1 & #2 tied for first place scores. Finally youngest son Jonathon Cressy won first out of 33 Rhodes 19s.

John Scott won VIPER 640 in #1 DR. WHO. Jeffrey Earl was the winner in #4119 USUAL SUSPECT J-24. Bill Lynn took first in #653 SONAR with Martha and Sam Altreuter second in RESONANCE #787. Martha Martini won TOWN CLASS with PATIENCE # 558. Peter Morgan won in J-105 #620 STEELAWAY III with Carol and Jon Wales second in BANTRY #189 followed by Brian Harrington #55 UPROAR from Piscataqua Sailing Association down Maine. Other firsts were Wade Edwards & Justin Mueller on #1221 RIVA ETCHELLS and John MacCausland with STAR #8195 ERIN .

With all the negative aspects of being involved with the EYC Race Committee it is nice to hear things like the following green e-mail from Greg Mancusi-Ungaro. He and wife Jenny, and daughters Eleanor(8) and Margaret(6) own both IOD #2 ELEKTRA and #46 EDEN:


From: The Mancusi-Ungaro's
Date: 07/27/08 06:41:18
To: rduff19@comcast.net
Subject: The blog is going great !

Thank you for all your kind words --

You should know that Eleanor reports that she was not sulking -- just sitting to leeward sighting the pin.

FYI – ELEKTRA is spelled with a K (not a C)

And Jenny is sailing with Danielle Ames (not Daniel) .

But those are just small corrections. The Blog is awesome.

Greg

It is quite obvious that she is Danielle (not Daniel) an outstanding racer even on an unfamiliar borrowed IOD EDEN #46. Danielle is an EYC member listed with Jeffery Lawson residing in San Anselmo, CA. It is rumored that she authored the Marblehead International One Design web site which is orphaned and in need of update. Maybe she could fix it for all of us even while away in California.

For full final NOOD results click:





http://www.sailingworld.com/nood-regattas/marblehead-ma/2008-marblehead-nood-regatta-final-results-1000063465.html





BTW - This blog is a personal exercise for fun with ABSOLUTELY NO ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT or ENCOURAGEMENT by THE EASTERN YACHT CLUB. An attorney warned me that I endanger EYC with what I write. Let the record show that this is only my personal mutterings and does not represent the EYC in any way! As stated, it is just for fun!



A LATE ADDITION - Cheryl Byrne advised Monday via e-mail as follows and I quote:


"Our very own Rick Myers was awarded the Leonard Munn Fowle trophy and received a rousing ovation in appreciation for his hard work throughout the sailing community--junior AND senior."

Congratulations Rick!

See you next Saturday after the MIDWAY line with ETCHELLS and IODs! Crew call is 1030 hours. We welcome Jack Cochrane as Principal Race Officer striving to do as well as our regular "Black Flag" Susan O. Schneider.

MARBLEHEAD to CASTINE - CLASSIC YACHT RACE - SUNDAY July 27, 2008

Howdy from Bob Duff July 27, 2008, 1950 hours,
This first image is the scratch sheet for the Marblehead to Castine Race sponsored by the Castine Yacht Club (CYC) and Eastern Yacht Club (EYC) with assistance of Sparkman & Stephens and Doyle Sails. The occasion this year is a celebration of Olin Stephens' Centennial year.


The next sheet is my personal timer's work sheet documenting sequences for starting eight class "A" and seven class "B" yachts. Click on ether to expand the view.



David Bicks and Kevin Coady from CYC boarded ETO signal boat with coffee & donuts for the cruise to the starting area at Nun 2 east of Halfway Rock approximately 42 degrees 30.48'N/70 degrees 45.61W. Wind was about 6.1 knots at 225 degrees magnetic with the course to the first mark G "1" Whistle bearing 108 degrees. Total race distance is 143nm to finish at Hosmer Ledge Day Beacon.


Visiting officials from CYC were ferried ashore by Tom Brennan and Tad Gillespie on the REILEY mark boat. They returned with Halsey Brengle to support the final day of NOOD racing on the OUTSIDE line. Helping all day were Mike Piper and Russ Wells on the pin boat. For both events PRO Susie Schneider had a signal boat crew of Brad Marvin timing, Jennifer Tegfeldt, Tamison Johnson, Ashley Boyle and me supported by Rebecca Bennett and Ross Peterson operators/gunners.



I recently employed one of those little wheely things for luggage you see at the airports. I carry all my sailing gear that way including my new APPLE MacBook Pro computer. Rolling it down the dock this morning I was confronted by Dock Master Mike Smith asking for the extra $ 15 luggage fee. I did not pay!

MARBLEHEAD Senior Race Week NOOD - Day #3 - SATURDAY July 25, 2008

Howdy from Bob Duff Saturday July 26. 2008 2350 hours,

Before getting down to the NOOD, I want to share a bit more of my IOD history. This is old friend Thornton Clark and crew after winning a second place in the International One Design North American Invitational in San Francisco 1981. (I know---there is no second place in boat racing!)


Thornton is shown at his second favorite hobby-chasing naked girls. The attractive young female artist figured him out immediately. Sorry that Ron Young's head was chopped off by my little scanner. He was great crew climbing the mast to free a jammed spinnaker as we beat upwind in that normal 25 knot S.F. breeze. Next is Hal Nesbitt from S.F. who sailed with us everywhere including Marblehead and Bermuda. Ahead of me as always is my ex-wife of 25 years Debbie who could start an IOD better than any other person I know. She drove TANGO #16 frequently when Thornton was away in his travel business. Last there is me.


Next is an IOD photo stolen recently from Susie Schneider after the EYC Annual Regatta earlier this month. Shown is IOD #2 ELEKTRA crossing the finish line. Mother Jennifer and father Greg Mancusi-Ungaro are crewing for their six year old daughter Margaret while she roars across the finish line in third place class "D" PHRF. Eight year old sister Eleanor may be sulking down below while the little one takes her turn at the helm. ed-correction-Eleanor was sitting to leeward watching the pin end of the finish line!



Yesterday Jennifer and Eleanor crewed on their other IOD #46 EDEN with guest helm Danielle Ames. The family competition showed normal intensity as Eleanor threw water balloons brought specifically for dad and little sister on #2 ELECTRA. How's that for competitive spirit?



Racing today was comparable to the competitive spirit shown by the Mancusi-Ungaro girls. SAILING WORLD has already posted complete scores for the series available by clicking:



http://www.sailingworld.com/nood-regattas/marblehead-ma/2008-marblehead-nood-regatta-saturday-results-1000063463.html



My quick review shows John MacCousland way out front with STAR #8195 ERIN. Wade R. Edwards & Justin Mueller have ETCHELLS #1221 RIVA in a comfortable lead position. Peter Morgan leads the J-105s with #620 STEELAWAY III followed by BANTRY #189 Carol and Jon Wales in second.



The Cressy family is at it once again. Jonathan leads the Rhodes 19s in #892 SHEERBOOM while older brother Eric is in a close third place with the new Alerion Express 28 #26 SABRINA. Not to be outdone, father Norm sails with Bruce Dyson on IOD GYPSY #7 in a close tie for first place with Sheila and Bill Widnall in JAVELIN #130.





Continuing with my lifelong love for IODs, Jennifer and Eleanor Mancusi-Ungaro with Daniele Ames in #46 EDEN are tied for third place with my wonderful old TANGO #16 owned now by Michael Best and Rachel and Ian Morrison. Tomorrow will be lots of fun!









A very special Castine Yacht Club and Eastern Yacht Club regatta will start at 1035 hours off Marblehead tomorrow Sunday July 27th. This race brings Classic and Spirit of Tradition yachts downeast for a week of fun on Penobscot Bay in Maine. ETO signal boat and committee will start that race and then steam over a short way to conduct the last day of racing for Marblehead 2008 Sperry Top-Sider Senior Race Week/NOOD Regatta. For Castine details click:



http://www.castineyachtclub.org/



For more description I QUOTE (with a flaw in text presentation) FROM THAT WEB SITE AS FOLLOWS:






"The Castine Yacht Club in cooperation with the Eastern Yacht Club, Marblehead, and
the yacht designers Sparkman & Stephens (S&S), will sponsor the inaugural Marblehead to
Castine Race on July 27 and the ninth annual Castine Classic Yacht Race to Camden on July 31.
These events will commemorate the 100th birthday of Olin Stephens, widely acclaimed as
the preeminent yacht designer of the Twentieth Century, who designed many of the yachts
sailing in these races. Stephens plans to join the Castine celebration.



The races are expected to attract a spectacular fleet of Classic and Spirit of Tradition
yachts. According to David Bicks and Bob Scott, Chairmen of the events, some of the larger
yachts planning to race include DORADE, the famed 52’ yawl which launched Stephens’ career in
1929; ANNA, the 56’ S&S sloop built by Brooklin Boat Yard in 2007; WHITEHAWK, the 105’
ketch (styled after TICONDEROGA) built in Rockland in 1978; the 76’ (W-76 Class) sloop WILD HORSES designed by Bob Stephens (no relation to Olin); the 65’ SWAN EDEN designed by S&S;
VALIENT, the 64’ Twelve-Meter America’s Cup contender designed by S&S in 1970; the 58’ (PClass) JOYANT, a 1912 Herreshoff design; and three 46’ (NY32 Class) sloops designed by S&S in 1936 – SIREN, FALCON and GENTIAN."







In telling friends about this blog you need only remember to have them type "duffstuff" on Google or other Internet screens. A brief look will bring them to a complete access. All one must do is to wade through all the "HILLARY DUFF STUFF". She is a fellow Texan but no relation that we can identify. Remember simply "duffstuff" one word.



See you again Sunday night!

MARBLEHEAD Senior Race Week NOOD - Day #2 - FRIDAY July 25, 2008

Howdy from Bob Duff July 25, 2008, 2300 hours,

Going back in time on the right is me piping to the Scottish Storm Gods for a little breeze on "PLEON DAY" in the '70s. Wednesday was set aside then during Race Week to turn boats over to PLEON kids with limited adult intervention. Dave Smith loaned young son Jud his IOD #45 DRUMMER BOY ( before then and now named POMPANO) to race against all comers. Jud brought a Fernberg and a Cambell crew and was stuck with me representing the "older folks". I wish I remembered the crew's full names!

Jud's father Dave raced Thornton Clark's #16 TANGO that day. J.J. "Donnie" McNamara raced his own IOD with a fairly young lady friend who was our PRO today, Susie Oliver now Schneider. Both of those "ole" guys had won Olympic Sailing Medals in prior years. Other kids with "borrowed" IODs included the sons of both Bruce and Ted Hood if I remember details correctly.


The bagpipes did the trick with the wind and we had a successful race. Jud's only concern at all was "where are those two ole guys?" The Pleon kids did everything with hardly a spoken word. I recall that they let me set the foredeck. The "ole guys" stayed way back there and we won by a wide margin over everyone.


I taught the kids a few tricks that day. Ask me about it! Most of you recognize what my coaching has done for Jud! It could work for you too! BTW, this picture was in The Boston Globe.


Next we have my timer's sheet from
the first two races today of the 2008 NOOD Senior Race Week for each of three fleets. All were course "C" double sausages. Wind was 145 degrees at 7.5 knots shifting to 130 degree for the second set of races. Distance to the weather mark was 1.2 nautical miles shifting to 130 degree as the breeze diminished. Second races were shortened for finishes at the first leeward mark which is a single sausage.



Seventeen J/105s raced with Peter Morgan getting two firsts in #620 STEELAWAY III. Jon Wales took second and third in #189 BANTRY. Kevin Colcord got a ninth and a second in CIRCE'S CUP #51306.


Thirteen ETCHELLS raced with a first and a seventh to Ethan Doyle with father Robbie on board #1085 COUGAR. Wade Edwards & Justin Mueller took two seconds on RIVA #1221. A 3rd and a 9th were scored by Don Miller and Bill Douglas in VALKYRIE #63. STEAMBOAT WILLIE #26 showed an 8th and a 3rd for Hugh Greville.


Thirteen IODs brought on some surprises as Sheila and Bill Widnall took a first and a 12th on #130 JAVELIN. Bruce Dyson/Norm Cressy led the series with a 2nd and a first by #7 GYPSY. Two thirds were scored by Timothy Dittrich/"Oakie" in #51 SAGACIOUS. POMPANO #45 for Bob Lyons and Fred Callori scored a 6th and an 11th as compared to the win by Jud Smith documented with my pipes back in the '70s.

Tomorrow and Sunday these three classes with be joined by an expected 12 STARS. Race committee with PRO Susie Schneider expects Ashley Boyle, Cheryl Byrne, David Hooks, Mike Piper, Jennifer Tegfeldt, Brad Marvin timing and me on flags

APPEAL TO RACE COMMITTEE MEMBERS

If you are like me, you stopped wasting time on easternyc.org web site a long time ago. I have encouragement for you and a suggestion for "painless" access. If you use the following link you will bypass all the "passwords", "Ashore", "Afloat", "Planning Committee", "tennis" and "swimming" clutter and get right down to the essence of a YACHT CLUB information system.

Before proceeding, when you see the clean white spreadsheet, remember to click those two little stars at upper left and add this route to your "FAVORITES". For a glimpse of that readable/printable Assignment Schedule for 2008 (not 2005 as it said last week) click:

http://visitor.easternyc.org/files/EYCRC_2008_Assignments_v2.xls

I think you will like it now.

See you again tomorrow night!

MARBLEHEAD Senior Race Week NOOD - Day #1 - THURSDAY July 24, 2008

Howdy from Bob Duff July 24, 2008 2300 hours,

The first races of Marblehead Senior Race Week/2008 Sperry Top-Sider NOOD Regatta at Marblehead were abandoned today because of serious weather conditions. Tomorrow we may have sixteen J/105s, fifteen ETCHELLS and twelve INTERNATIONAL ONE DESIGNS (IC-IODs) if the weather allows. Then on Saturday twelve STARs should start racing. It promises a good time for the EYC committee on the OUTSIDE LINE.

Pat and Jim Ayer are scheduled for the mark boat with Paul McCauley. I am counting on Jim for some more of his great pictures but there was rumor of illness. My schedule shows Rear Commodore Phil Smith with Jim McCully on the pin.

ETO will have PRO Susie Schneider, timer Brad Marvin, Ashley Boyle, Jennifer Tegfeldt and me on flags. Cheryl Byrne was running around this afternoon trying to steal Ashley from the signal boat onto the mark boat. I think Cheryl may be joining Paul on the mark boat with the potential absence of the Ayers. We shall see.

While we do our thing, RHODES 19s and TOWN CLASS will perform on HALFWAY ROCK LINE. TINKERS LINE will host VIPER 640s, ALERION EXP28s, SONARs and J/24s.

Managing all of this is Peter "LUIGI" Reggio. We hear about him in Charley Cook's blog about their work together at the China Olympics coming up in August.

With no racing to report, I delved back again in my archives to show you my first IOD racing in San Francisco in May 1958. This is Ernie Brown's IC #80 FLIRT headed upwind with spinnaker toward Japan after a fleet of starboard tack STARS were just starting going west on our same finish/starting line. Not very thoughtful race committee management! That will not happen here tomorrow.

Next I picture my only "gold medal" from the 1975 IOD World Championship in Edinburgh, Scotland. Thornton Clark, my former wife Debbie and I had qualified in Marblehead for a shot at the Worlds. Our regular crew, Phil Sommerby, declined to travel to Scotland. Desperate for good crew, we chose Sheila and Bill Widnall from among the dozen who wanted to go with us. Steve Wales went to Scotland and took the win. I think that we were second, but "there is no second in a boat race!"

I have some other ancient mementos for tomorrow. Meanwhile, I look forward to a great day of racing!

PLEON-MARBLEHEAD Junior Race Week - last Day #3 WEDNESDAY July 23, 2008

Howdy from Bob Duff - July 23, 2008 - 2250 hours,


These photos by Andrea Dunn (EPYC) tell a nice story about yacht racing. Andrea worked with us on the EYC signal boat for Junior Race Week-2008.


Eighty-six 420s and fifty LASERS kept us busy at area "A". These, along with 118 OPTIMIST prams are shown scattered on beaches at Eastern Yacht Club and other harbor spots. At an appointed time, a cannon signaled the harbor start each morning.


I had another of Andrea's photos of the 66 Champion 420s crowding the start line. A beautiful sight! I planned to use it right here but the blog system sent it off to cyberspace. I will save it and some other good ones from Andrea and Lou Guirino (CPYC) for future use.

This shot singles out 420 #4647 sailed by Andrea's son Jared and crew Braely Jelmberg. They are cruising around getting ready for a start. We saw and heard a few crashing collisions. Timer Brad Marvin is appalled by the disregard of racing rules by a lot of these youngsters.

In a few of the Championship 420 races we reverted to the BLACK FLAG needed to get a fair start. BLACK FLAG rules let the RC identify any boat over On the Course Side (OCS) triangle during the last 60 seconds before a start. They are notified to retire with a penalty score of last place +1 until the next race.



With Mom watching and snapping photos, Jared Dunn and Braely Jelmberg were seen OCS and were disqualified. With big grins they yelled "WE PROTEST THE RACE COMMITTEE". They did just that in writing! A hearing with witnesses supported the disqualification. Their 10th place overall would have been better without the OCS, but as someone once said, "there is no second place in a yacht race". Jared's father, John Peter Dunn sent me Andrea's photos with the following quote:


"I heard about Jared protesting the RC... that's funny: the kind of mistake you make once in life... it's great to be young. "

At this point my old DELL froze! I can guess that lightening zapped it during the thunder storm. I am back now to re-publish while another storm is crashing around. Anyway, the computer is up!

For complete OFFICIAL scores from Junior Race Week click:

http://www.pleon.org/page/3889

Regatta first place winners are as follows:

--------------------SAIL#

420-CHAMPION--4566--CONNOR BAIR-CUCCHIARO & GRAM SLATTERY-PLEON-YC
420-GREEN-------4730----BRIAN FELSENTHAL & JAKE FISHER--PLEON-YC

LASER-FULL----101194--EVAN SIEPERT---------------------------PYC(Maine?)

LASER-RADIAL-186544--CALLIE NAUGHTON---------------------PLEON-YC

LASER-4.7-------8--------HANNAH LYNN--------------------------PLEON-YC

OPTI-CHAMP.BLUE----14414---THOMAS SAFFORD---------------SANDY-BAY-YC

OPTI-CHAMP-RED-----14141---JACK MCGUIRE-------------------CAMDEN YC

OPTI-CHAMP-WHITE---------16327---MATTHEW SAFFORD------SANDY BAY YC

OPTI-CHAMP-ALL------------14141--JACK MCGUIRE--CAMDEN YC
OPTI-GREEN-CHEERIO--------13657--PETER REMSEN------------ANNISQUAM YC

OPTI-GREEN-FRUIT-LOOPS-8921-JAMES COLLINS----MANCHESTER SAILING CLUB

If I read it correctly, Jack McGuire won the overall OPTI championship in addition to his victory in RED!

Our race committee gang Wednesday was the same as Tuesday except Andrea went back to her nursing job and we were joined by Garret McKinnon (an OPTI sailor come to watch the "big boys & girls), Lou Guirino's wife Ann Mulvaney and their young friend from Puerto Rico, Jose Luis LaSante.

I will be back here again Thursday night after the first day of Senior Race Week/NOOD Regatta!

PLEON-MARBLEHEAD Junior Race Week Day #2 TUESDAY July 22, 2008

Howdy from Bob Duff July 22, 2008 2350 hours,

It took two pages of my timers recorder sheets to cover eleven start sequences for nine complete races. Two General Recalls for the Chanpionship 420s were followed by "BLACK FLAG" starts where a few OCSs were disqualified. Several instances of code flag "X" for Individual Recalls occurred. The nine starts yielded 15 1st place finishes as LASERS were finished in 3 seperate fleets - "Full Rigs", "Radials" and "4.7s". The LASER hulls are identical with the three unique rigs/sail plans defining the specific class. The hastily scrawled enties on the 5 minute RRS #26 timing sheets summarize what happened.

Unofficial finishes of races today are as follows:

=======================================================
420 Championship Fleet - 66 boats - 3rd of 5 races.

1. 5435 - JACOB CHAPLIN-SAUNDER & JOSS WARREN from CHESTER YC
2. 4566 - CONNOR BAIR-CUCCHIARO & GRAM SLATTERY from PLEON YC
3. 4669 - ANDREW KING & MACKENZIE NEEDHAM from SHELTER ISLAND YC

420 Green Fleet - 20 boats - 2nd of 4 races.
1. 832 - MADISON OLESON & OLIVIA HENNEDY from BIDDEFORD POOL
2. 1111 - SARAH EVANS & RILEY CALHOUN from SWAMPSCOTT YC
3. 4730 - BRIAN FELSENTHAL & JAKE FISHER from PLEON YC


Full Rig Laser - 12 boats - 2nd of 4 aces.
1. 101194 - EVAN SIEPERT from PLEON YC
2. 181092 - ERIC MCCAFFREY from QUANNAPOWITT YC
3. 007 - LUIGI GUARINO

Laser Radial - 31 boats - 2nd of 4 races.
1. 180532 - EMMA KOFMEHL from SHELTER ISLAND YC
2. 186544 - CALLIE NAUGHTON from PLEON
3. 190457 - ALBERT NICHOLS from PLEON YC

Laser 4.7 - 7 boats - 2nd of 4 races.
1. 8 - HANNAH LYNN from PLEON YC---------------------* these two MAY be reversed.
2. 189834 - COLE SCHREIBER from PORTLAND YC -------* see official score sheet!
3. 4 - HARRISON RODTS

====================================================
420 Championship - 66 boats - 4th of 5 races
1. 5435 - JACOB CHAPLIN-SHUNDER & JOSS WARREN from CHESTER YC
2. 10018- ANDREW BEAUCHESNE & CAMILLE CONOVER from CAMDEN YC
3. 4669 - ANDREW KING & MACKENZIE NEEDHAM from SHELTER ISLAND YC

420 Green Fleet - 20 boats - 3rd of 4 races.
1. 1111 - SARAH EVANS & RILEY CALHOUN from SWAMPSCOTT YC
2. 4730 - BRIAN FELSENTHAL & JAKE FISHER from PLEON YC
3. 832 - MADISON OLESON & OLIVIA HENNEDY from BIDDEFORD POOL

Full Rig Laser - 12 boats - 3rd of 4 races.
1. 101194 - EVAN SIEPERT from PLEON YC
2. 181092 - ERIC MCCAFFREY from QUANNAPOWITT YC
3 175151 - JOSEPH STAEHLE from SHELTER ISLAND YC

Laser Radial - 31 boats - 3rd of 4 races.
1. 186544 - CALLIE NAUGHTON from PLEON
2. 180532 - EMMA KOFMEHL from SHELTER ISLAND YC
3. 210186 - BILLY GRAVES from PLEON

Laser 4.7 - 7 boats - 3rd of 4 races.
1. 189834 - COLE SCHREIBER from PORTLAND YC
2. 8 - HANNAH LYNN from PLEON YC
3. 25 - RYAN FORD from PLEON YC

=====================================================

420 Championship - 66 boats - 5th of 5 races
1. 10018 ANDREW BEAUCHESNA & CAMILLE CONOVER from CAMDEN YC
2. 4566 - CONNOR BAIR-CUCCHIARO & GRAM SLATTERY from PLEON YC
3. 5728 - MAX JENNINGS & CASEY BECKER from HARRASEEKET

420 Green Fleet - 20 boats - 4th of 4 races.
1. 1111 - SARAH EVANS & RILEY CALHOUN from SWAMPSCOTT YC
2. 832 - MADISON OLESON & OLIVIA HENNEDY from BIDDEFORD POOL
3. 3271 - HENRY KNUTZEN & WILL WICKERHAM from WINCHESTER BC

Full Rig Laser - 12 boats - 4th of 4 races.
1. 101194 - EVAN SIEPERT from PLEON YC
2. 181092 - ERIC MCCAFFREY from QUANNAPOWITT YC
3. 175151 - JOSEPH STAEHLE from SHELTER ISLAND YC

Laser Radial - 31 boats - 4th of 4 races.
1. 210186 - BILLY GRAVES from PLEON
2. 186544 - CALLIE NAUGHTON from PLEON
3.

Laser 4.7 - 7 boats - 4th of 4 races.
1. 8 - HANNAH LYNN from PLEON YC
2. 4 - HARRISON RODTS
3. 170108 - TREVER JONES from PLEON

=====================================================


A glimpse of the 420 ONE DESIGN is available by clicking:


http://www.club420.org/PAGES/Library/classRules.htm


For some ideas on LASER equipment from WEST COAST SAILING click:


http://www.westcoastsailing.net/osCommerce/catalog/-c-54_49.html?gclid=CJu63Jee05QCFQikHgodcj3IQQ


While all of the above occured on area "A" line, About 118 single handed OPTIMIST DINGHYs raced on lines at areas "B" and "C". For some background data on the OPTIMIST DINGHY ASSOCIATION click:


http://www.usoda.org/


We had the same race committee crew as on Monday with the addition of Ross Peterson who is training as boat operator/gunner.


See you here tomorrow night to wrap up PLEON MARBLEHEAD JUNIOR RACE WEEK for 2008

PLEON-MARBLEHEAD Junior Race Week Day #1 MONDAY July 21, 2008

Howdy from Bob Duff Monday evening July 21, 2008 2150 hours,

Starting at the top look again at Saturday's picture by Bob Vessot aboard ETO of Brad Marvin, Susie Schneider and me heading home after a good day on the MIDWAY line. Just below that is the same photo enhanced by Jim Ayer's (EYC) magic to remove shadows. Jim brings out details that were there all along but not seen. I am impressed! He does photo work as part of his custom wooden jigsaw business.

The harbor start cannon went off at 1200 hours releasing everyone from shore near the Pleon Yacht Club float. Tuesday and Wednesday this start will be at 1030 hours. The wonderful little solo OPTIMIST PRAMS headed over to either Rick Meyer's (EYC)/Don Miller's(BYC) green fleets at area "C" or the more experience OPTIs to Tom Tomkn's (CYC) area "B". Susie Schneider (EYC) with Peter Frisch (EYC) ran the area "A" line for 420s and LASERs.

I did flags for area "A"on ETO with Brad Marvin (EYC-timer), Andrea Dunn (EPYC), Allison Beckert(CYC) Lou Guirino (CPYC) and Coulter Beote as boat operator/gunner. We used course pattern "J" which is a trapezoid starting and ending in the middle of its long leg. Wind direction was 080 degrees around 13 knots and distance was not posted since the GPS was on the blink for Jim McCully (EYC) and Nick Burke (EYC) on the pin boat.

My timer log above shows more detail than you probably want about the races at area "A". Click on it (or the pictures) for an enlarged view. The first 420 Championship start was at 1329:00 hours. That is one and one-half hours after the harbor start gun. The confusion of checking in all these competitors will give you ulcers if you let it.

Area "A" got only one race for all fleets plus a second for the 420 Championship group. Lasers all started together with finishes reported here for specific sub categories : Full Rig, Radial and 4.7s . Weather threats caused an early departure for home except for the Championship 420s. We all got in before the rain showers. etc.

Unofficial finishes are as follows:

420 Championship Fleet - 66 boats - 1st of 2 races.
1. 5435 - JACOB CHAPLIN-SAUNDER & JOSS WARREN from CHESTER YC

2. 4669 - ANDREW KING & MACKENZIE NEEDHAM from SHELTER ISLAND YC

3. 4566 - CONNOR BAIR-CUCCHIARO & GRAM SLATTERY from PLEON YC

420 Green Fleet - 20 boats - only race

1. 3271 - HENRY KNUTZEN & WILL WICKERHAM from WINCHESTER BC

2. 832 - MADISON OLESON & OLIVIA HENNEDY from BIDDEFORD POOL

3. 4750 - BRIAN FELSENTHAL & JAKE FISHER from PLEON YC

Full Rig Laser - 12 boats - only race

1. 101194 - EVAN SIEPERT from PLEON YC

2. 175151 - JOSEPH STAEHLE from SHELTER ISLAND YC

3. 007 - LUIGI GUARINO

Laser Radial - 31 boats - only race

1. 180532 - EMMA KOFMEHL from SHELTER ISLAND YC

2. 190457 - ALBERT NICHOLS from PLEON YC

3. 184428 - HENRY O'BRIEN from BAY HEAD YC

Laser 4.7 - 7 boats

1. 189834 - COLE SCHREIBER from PORTLAND YC

2. 138143 - JULIA REILLEY from PLEON YC

3. 8 - HANNAH LYNN from PLEON YC

420 Championship - 66 boats - 2nd of 2 races

1. 5729 - FINN HADLOCK & FRED QUESADA from HARRASEEKET

2. 4566 - CONNOR BAIR-CUCCHIARO & GRAM SLATTERY from PLEON YC

3. 5731 - BEN WEIGEL & ELSA PRICE from HARRASEEKET

BLACK FLAG START - ONE OCS but I did not RECORD the number right! They were disqualified and sent home for being over in the triangle from start line to the weather mark during one minute before the start!

Crew call Tuesday early for the 1030 harbor start. See you again Tuesday evening.

MRA Series #3 Day #3 MIDWAY Line & Comments - SATURDAY July 19, 2008

Howdy from Bob Duff - July 19,2008 2250 hours revised and corrected July 20th AM,

The Timer's Log sheet at the top above shows details about the MIDWAY line races 7/19/2008. The photo taken by Bob Vessot Saturday shows Brad Marvin, Susie Schneider and me steaming home on ETO after a wonderful day of races. I have asked my "other" photographer Jim Ayer to consider clearing the facial shadows with his digital "magic". If he does that I will publish the results sometime in the future.





As of early Saturday morning , the ETCHELLS fleet was being dominated by three yachts who are scored first, second and third both in this Series #3 and for the entire season. By rank they are: (1) Hannah & Greg Heffer #1105 CHEMICAL IMBALANCE; (2) Micheal Jobin & John Stitzer #741 noname and (3) Don Miller & Bill Douglas #62 VALKYRIE. One question: "where are those other folks including Pat Stadel #1111 CRAPSHOOT"? She usually gives the boys a run for their money.





She failed to show again today among 8 then 7 starters in two races where the Heffers continued to dominate with two firsts for CHEMICAL IMBALANCE. Neither #741 nor #62 reported for racing. Mark Luckes with PEREZOSO #575 took a second and a fifth. Eugene Ho in #46 noname was seventh then second in an unusual final race for the day. He and the Heffers seemed to get a private heavy wind for their top finishes in that race.





The INTERNATIONAL ONE DESIGNs (IODs) presented a more diverse picture. 1st in series and 7th for the season was Timothy Dittrich #51 SAGACIOUS. 2nd in both series and season was Bob Lyons & Fred Collari #45 POMPANO. 3rd for series and 1st for season was Sheila and Bill Widnall #130 JAVELIN. 4th and 10th for season was Herbert J. Motley #49 KUNGSORNEN. Tied for this series in 5th and scoring 9th for the season is Lori Bate #33 SMALL HOTEL. Also tied for 5th and showing 8th for the season was Peter Stahle #76 SPIRIT.





Peter had a heart breaker back on July 5th. He led the 1st race all day until, in the last few seconds, a dying breeze found Bruce and Timothy drifting smartly across the finish line inches ahead of Peter. This dropped him back to 3rd. We have all been there! It is both painful and joyful to watch everyone from the comforts of the ETO signal boat.





Filling in the gaps for season standings is 3rd GYPSY #7 Bruce Dyson with "ringer" Norm Cressy: 4th ELECTRA #2 Greg & Jennifer Mancusa-Ungaro: 5th Rachel & Ian Morrison #16 TANGO and 6th Api A. Rudich #4 KALLISTE. Please notice that when we deal with these REAL yachts, there are no "nonames" or disrespectful slurs like CRAPSHOOT. Any questions?

Today, Bruce Dyson & Norm Cressy took two firsts in GYPSY #7! Lori Bate in SMALL HOTEL #33 got 2nd and 5th. Api A. Rudich showed versatility with KALLISTE #4 LAST then 2nd. Sheila and Bill Widnall fell from grace with JAVELIN #130 5th and 3rd. We did not see Sheila taking videos!

Race Committee crew today was PRO Susie Schneider, Bob Vesso, Brad Marvin, Rebecca Bennett and me on ETO. Jack Cochrane and Jennifer Tegfeldt ran the pin boat. In her first support boat duty, Jennifer took a header overboard. They would not comment about PFDs or other details. Jack said she forgot to call him "SIR" and he kicked her overboard. Jim McCully had Thomas Rogers on the pin without incident.

Click MRA below and later (not yet posted Sunday AM) to see completed postings:




http://www.mheadrace.org/Scoring_2008/MidwayScoringSeries32008.htm#Etchells




Photographer Jim Ayer was busy making custom wooden jigsaw puzzles today. Susie Schneider's camera was also not available. In desperation I went to the archives and stole the following beauties from the Long Island Sound IOD Fleet. As with Jim's pictures (and now Bob Vessot's) you can click on any of the 85 shots to get an expanded view. Look at the #5 boat! I would have loved competing against that bunch with what looks like a "hippopotamus" on the foredeck! Whoops! I forgot to be "PC". Click to view:




http://www.iod-lis.com/gallery/racing/070206.htm




The pictures there were provided by George Petrides from July 2006. Some commentary would be nice, but this is all we have.



The EYC Annual Cruise disbanded yesterday in Marion, MA. Race Committee for just 16 yachts was Phyllis and Gordon Vinyard with Ronna and Dana Woodward on the Vinyard's yacht HAWKES. The easternyc.org site forecasts that they will disband (again?) on August 14th!





A recent ETO guest, EYC Club Manager Jeff Wargo wrote to us as follows in green: "The highlight of the entire time out on the water was the "shtick" between you (that's me) and Brad Marvin. I would suggest that this aspect of the RC on the water is not properly exploited as a means of recruiting more volunteers".



Further comments from Jeff are pasted here in green with his permission:



From: Jeffrey Wargo
Date: 7/17/2008 19:38:09 PM
To: rduff19@comcast.net
Subject: Please add these comments

Hi Duff,

After I posted my thoughts on your blog I felt remiss in not mentioning
(and hope you can assist by editing here) that I gained an appreciation
for the professionalism and knowledge of those involved with the Race
Committee which certainly didn't suffer nor get in the way of the
apparent camaraderie of all.

Thank you,

Jeff



Marblehead Junior Race Week starts this Monday July 21st followed immediately by Senior Race Week/NOOD Regatta for four days beginning July 24th. I plan a short blog each evening centered around my hand written timer's start sheet. Crew call is 1000 hours at the beginning.



Monday's crew is Peter Frisch, Todd Sparling, Nick Burke and Judy and Joel Gardiner. Susie is Pro with Brad Marvin and me certain on ETO.





On Sunday July 27th Eastern Yacht Club is scheduled to start the CASTINE YACHT CLUB classic yacht race off Marblehead - first warning gun at 1030 hours. Many beautiful old yachts will race. Details, sailing instructions and entry forms are available by clicking:





http://www.castineyachtclub.org/





The start will be east of Halfway Rock at approximately 42.30.48 N/70.45.61 W. After that start, ETO signal boat will steam back to the MIDWAY line for the last day of Race Week/NOOD.







There is no information available about Marblehead Junior Race Week either at easternyc.org or at the Pleon Yacht club site - click:





http://www.pleon.org/page/alumni_parents





You can read there about sailing acomplishments by Pleon alumni.

I was directed to SAILINGWORLD.COM for news about Senior Race Week/NOOD. Hidden there was a list of registrants for SPERRY TOP-SIDER MARBLEHEAD NOOD REGATTA Hosted by Corinthian Yacht Club. We will be at MIDWAY for 15 ETCHELLS, 12 IODs, 16 J-105s and 12 STARS who have registered. Reportedly the "Js" and STARS will come in closer to the week end. Race crew call is 0930 hours except for Sunday when 0900 is needed for the CASTINE early start.

See you again Monday night!

MRA Series #3 Day #2 TINKERS Line & Comments - SATURDAY July 12, 2008

Howdy from Bob Duff July 12, 2008, 1930 hours,

Today yielded only one race each for 11 SONARs, 5 J-24s and 12 RHODES 19s on the TINKERS line. This is 28 boats out of 84 on my sign-in sheet.

Wind shifted from 150 degrees at the first starts to a course change at 135 and then on to 80 degrees for the attempt at a second race. It was course pattern "C" "double sausage" at some 0.6 nautical miles. RHODES were finished on a shortened course at the last weather mark. Many R-19s were away in Winthrop for a district competition. All VIPER 640s were away for a keel replacement exercise. This completed DAY #2 of MRA SERIES #3.

Three lead SONARs for the summer so far are Sam and Martha Altrueter on top with RESONANCE #787. Peter Frisch and Dru Slattery in PENN PACKET #547 are second followed by Peter DeWolfe and Bill Kaull in PD2 (really "PD" squared) #374.

In the first (and only completed) race both SONAR #425 BACK SEAT DRIVER Eric Goethert/Andrew Crocker and #775(really 773) JUMBLY Jeremy Bloxham were OCS and restarted under code flag "X". #773 won the race despite that error at start time. On Course Side is the relatively new OCS penalty abbreviation which previously was PMS for PreMature Start. Wonder why that abbreviation was changed? Peter DeWolfe/Bill Kaull were second in PDsquared #374. Third was Larry Ehrhardt with RALLIE #690. The only other notation was EYC Vice Commodre Robbie Doyle crewing for son Tyler Doyle in nameless #564. Unlike pictured below on June 21st, no spinnaker laundering was observed!

J-24s series leader as of this morning was Jeffery S. Earl in USUAL SUSPECT #4119 followed by Bob Kraemer and Mike Tabor in XINGU #1587. Their point scores place these two well ahead of the other 7 boats.

J-24 Jeffery S. Earl won again today with #4119 USUAL SUSPECT. #1587 XINGU did not check in. LONDON CALLING # 3916 for Caroline Ross/Paul Smith was second. #4202 ZOT scored third for Frank McNamara. At the atttempt for a second race at 1451 hours, Rick Smyers/Jeffrey Sachs in nameless #1939 were OCS and restarted before everything went down the tubes.

RHODES 19s found Douglas Trees and Chris Small leading for the season in #1680 SWING ROOM over number two Kim G. and Christina Pandapas in #722 MO HOTTA MO BETTA. The Pandapas' confuse competition with one half the boat's name on port side and the other different half on starboard. Neither boat checked in with us today.







The RHODES 19 winner at the weather mark shortened finish was David L. Ruben with #2495 DAVID ROSE. Second was #3038 WAY Mike Lane followed third by #3299 CLEWLESS Jan-Paul Zonnenberg.





The second race cycle began with QUACKS at 1430.00 hours which turned into a totally frustrating drifter. #787 champion SONAR RESONANCE Sam & Martha Altreuter were what we always called "stuffed" near last. The 1st race winner JUMBLY #773 Jeremy Bloxham was what we always called "pickle" (among other expressions such as DFL) when he drifted into a leeward gate mark and attempted doing 720 degree penalty circles. Mercifully, PROs Rick Myers and Susie Schneider called for "N" over "A" code flags and three guns to end the bleeding with an abandonement.








Click on the image above to see my starting log and some notes about the races before we started towing people home at 1530 hours.






Complete MRA results from TINKERS for this Series #3 are available by clicking:






http://www.mheadrace.org/Scoring_2008/TinkersScoringSeries32008.htm






You'll see that Sam & Martha Altrueter's RESONANCE took two firsts on July 5th. Are they having fun yet with the new "supersonic" SONAR? The two "Bills" in TOUCH of GREY ex SOGGY DOLLAR are fading a little as you may see with posted results from today. Neither fared terribly well today.






Commodore John Fisher #624 JAZZED was squeaking along ahead of Dru & Peter #547 PENN PACKET for second in this MRA series before seeing today's postings. Come back to click the above hyperlink early and often. Neither yacht checked in today!





Speaking of clicking, try this for a handy Marblehead weather update:





http://www.intellicast.com/Local/Weather.aspx?location=USMA0233





Going back in time, here is my personal starter work sheet from EYC's last races on the TINKERS Line June 21st. It introduces Jim Ayer's great SONAR photos. Click on any image for enlarged details. As at the beginning of this blog, you will see more than you really need for our purposes. I will try to scribble entries more neatly next time. How did I do July 12th?



Notice that I forgot to post the number of starters in each race! Details! Details! Details! as my old friend John V. Farwell often said in days gone by. These sheets tell you almost everything you ever wanted to know about the five minute start sequences - Racing Rules of Sailing #26. I have another sheet for the 3 minute dinghy machine start under Appendix "Q". Many three minute starts are done manually without our fancy electric machine with horns.

The same thought about details applies when clicking yacht picture images. Tyler Doyle Sonar nameless #564 may not enjoy the film details Jim caught of him washing his spinnaker at the last leeward mark! I believe he lost one boat between there and the finish.

The first picture shows SONAR #547 PENN PACKET- Peter Frisch and Dru Slattery - under the red spinnaker with a wide white stripe charging toward that final leeward mark. They are just ahead of the Altrueter's full red chuted #787 RESONANCE.

Following closely are Brent Larlee #480 GOAT and Bill Mann & Bill Rothwell #585 TOUCH OF GRAY. This gray lady was the Altrueter's SOGGY DOLLAR all last year and before.


Sam described his concern with that day's race developments watching their "old boat" hugging new RESONANCE's transom for a third at the finish line.




Brent Larlee is not talking about what happened next. He went from maybe 3rd at the mark to 9th at the finish in GOAT #480. As we used to say down home in Texas; "somebody really got his GOAT"!



Tyler Doyle is closing in on the right with nameless #564 under red,white & blue chute. He finished fourth. One of the white kites is 5th place finisher EYC Commodore John Fisher #624 JAZZED.





Close in you see Peter DeWolfe and Bill Kaul who finished 6th in PD squared #374.





Next we see the two leaders beating for a finish 0.8 nautical miles to the south of east (160 degrees magnetic). Jim gave me a beginning and an intermediate shot for right here, but I could not insert them. Blogs do get unfriendly at times. This is my first success with more than one picture. Bloggers please advise! I am just learning the tricks.





Shots of the finish are hiding somewhere on my old DELL computer. I start up the new APPLE MacBook Pro next week. Things should get a bit better if you believe all the ads!

All MRA results for this Series #1 races are yours for the clicking at:

http://www.mheadrace.org/Scoring_2008/Tinkers_scoring_Series1_2008.htm

Jim advised Friday that he is "working" on five SONAR pictures which probably include these three. Expect the fruits of his labors in the future.

Other late minute news includes another blogger most of us knew from the '96 Olympics in Georgia and at Eastern Yacht Club - Charley Cook. You can click his new China Olympics blog at :

http://blog.cooksailing.com/

You can "subscribe" there for daily reports on Olympic yachting. I have not found a way to get your subsciption here. Charley jokes about our old friend "LUIGI" without giving his real name which is Peter Reggio.

His referral to http://www.cooksailing.com/ fails on my old DELL. Maybe it will function with my new MacBook Pro next week!







We had a good group running today's races. A special treat was our club manager Jeff Wargo on ETO to see what his "non-swimming pool" and "non-tennis player" membership does on the water. We put Jeff on the auxillary signal flags and gave him a good work out. His performance was great!

PRO Rick Meyers was coached by Susie Schneider. Timer Brad Marvin, "X" flagger Ashley Boyl, recorder Cheryl Byrne and operator Rebecca Bennett let me do class flags with occasional assists from Jeff Wargo. I was a little distracted keeping "neat" notes on my timer sheet. Ashley is new with us. She is a SONAR sailor who will be back on RC during Race Week.

I propose to use timer sheet logs again for documenting each day during junior and senior NOOD race weeks. EYC gets the "big boy" visiting STARS and J105s, Etchells and International One Designs (IOD). It would be nice to see more visitors bring yachts just like we did in years gone by.

Notable news, Greg and Jennifer Mancusi-Ungaro have visitors flying in to race their beautiful varnished IOD #46 EDEN against them in their other IOD #2 ELECTRA. Anyone like to bet on this duo?

Roger Drumm had Justin Byrne and our new friend "Chuck" Angle working the mark boat. "Chuck" is a SONOR sailor from DYC and former EYC member. He had our John Koopman as crew "for a thousand miles" per "Koop". "Chuck" says that "Koop" is "always right". "Koop" just smiled when I asked him about that quote.

David Soule and Bob Cushman ran the pin boat again today. Always comforting with these "pros".

Next week (Saturday July 19th) we head to MIDWAY for more Etchells and IODs and the 3rd day of MRA Series #3. Crew call is at 1030 hours.

The newly release assignment schedule shows Bob Vessot with Brad and me on the committee boat. Jim McCully has Tom and Pam Rogers on the mark boat. Nobody else is posted as of this writing. Assignments?