Howdy from Bob Duff about August 11, but it is now August 12 at 0230 hours,
We had a delightful time for the opening day of the JUNIOR OLYMPIC SAILING FESTIVAL. I will be brief tonight (this morning!) as it is very late and I have had a nice experience (in the drizzle) timing three full races for three starting fleets, 4 finish guns each and a total of about 80 or so little yachts. That would tally to about 143 youngsters on our line for forty-eight 420 Champs, fourteen 420 Greens and nineteen LASERs mostly Radial with 3 or 4 "full" types. I have not got a count of what looked like 100 plus Optimist Prams on the other lines.
My numbers and names today are vague or missing because of a large/lovely signal boat crew and a leader who seems to go out of her way to impede my writings. She says she never has time to read anything I write. Maybe it is just my imagination. I do not suffer from paranoia as far as I can tell.
My friend Brad Marvin was not here for this 3 day regatta and I was told to do his timing job. It went pretty well except for two mistakes made by me for which I was soundly scolded in many more words than "Duff, YOU ARE A BAD CHILD". The message is familiar.
I really enjoyed timing and coaching Mariah Dunn doing flags which is my regular job. I joked with Mariah about the dangers of hoisting a class flag upside down which does happen in the heat of battle. I said that if she did that, the entire fleet starting would have to capsize. Those of us downstairs were enjoying a chuckle at my silly joke when "someone" upstairs commented with authority that this was only DUFF's rule. No smiles from upstairs where the burden of leadership seems to take its toll.
I was denied access to scratch sheets so I have no names to report. In Champion 420s out of about 48 boats #4589 had one first and #4647 and #5731 each had a first and a second. Out of about 14 Green 420s we saw firsts for #15, #2559 and #94. #5082 had a second and a third. In LASER Radials, #175930 had two possibly three firsts. The scorers were using all of the data sheets so I gave up on my low priority interest. #180082 and # 190457 each had a second and a third in the data I could collect. My timing sheets were soaked beyond recognition. I "invented" a plastic covering sheet tonight to try out tomorrow.
We had Emerson T. Oliver (ETO) signal boat which Susan Oliver Schneider drove up to Rockport as her Principal Race Office (PRO) platform. Our regular operator/gunner Rebecca Bennett drove up with Susie. We had Andrea Dunn (EPYC & SBYC) as an assistant PRO , her daughter Mariah on flags, Patti Page doing auxiliary flags and Alison Becker (CYC) also assistant PRO. Andrea & Alison were with us in Marblehead for Junior Race Week and it was a pleasure working with them again.
Our Stephen Jeffries came as a Judge for the regatta on his rib M-JULIP which is the creative composite of his childrens' names. Jim McCulley had his wife Gaele's boat for mark duty assisted by a Rockport local Alexa Jorgensson. Anthony Santos of SBYC served as the second mark boat on the trapazoid course designated here as "F" which is "J" at Marblehead. We did not post directions or distances since the kids have no compass and can see the marks on the relatively short course.
Tuesday's racing call is 0900 hours for Race Committee. Jim Ayer is coming with his camera and Patti Page will sing at home and maybe rejoin us on Wednesday.
See you again tonight!
