Howdy from Bob Duff August 30, 2008, 2200 hours,
Ever since the Junior Olympics Festival in Rockport earlier this summer I have wanted to show this artistic display of starting flags created by Mariah Dunn for us on the race signal boat. Left to right are the 420 Champion flag, the Green 420 flag, the Laser flag, The Susie Schneider "BLACK FLAG" which discourages early starters and the blue "Preparatory 'P'" flag used during more genteel start sequences. I was so impressed with the artistry of Mariah's display that it is now a part of my own start flag organization. As reported earlier, my timing partner Brad Marvin just says harrumph, harrumph.
Speaking of timers, this again is me imitating Brad Marvin at the J.O.s in full race committee uniform complete with Brad's famous harrumph, harrumphs. Brad let me experience three days of the pressure and voice exhaustion that goes with yelling start times over and over. I was happy to go back to my normal job of quietly hoisting and dropping flags at the loud commands of Brad the Timer.
Today was another glorious day for sailboat racing here off Marblehead. We had 36 boats in 4 fleets with three races each for Vipers, Sonars and J-24s with the Rhodes 19s heading home after only two races. The "C" courses (double sausage windward leeward windward leeward) had 0.8 knot legs in a fairly steady breeze around six knots at 205 degrees magnetic.
I was a slacker today recording just a small piece of the race results in my personal notes. I got Viper #55 PLAYSTATION with Paul N. Zimmerman getting one gun. Martha and Sam Altrueter got a first and a second in #787 RESONANCE Sonar. Peter DeWolfe and Bill Kuall had a first in Sonar # 374 PDSquared. Official scores are not yet posted as I write. These may be available for tomorrow night's blog.
I am personally anxious to see the IOD scores as one of my favorite IOD yachts #46 EDEN owned by Jennifer and Greg Mancusi-Ungaro appeared to be leading #7 GYPSY with Bruce Dyson and Norm Cressy on an extremely long beat staged by the Corinthian Yacht Club. I hope that a Mangusi-Ungaro was on the helm of EDEN and one can never be certain but what the eight or six year old daughter was driving the boat. Hopefully we will get all the news Sunday.
Especially nice for me today was my son Stephen Duff working with David Soule on the pin boat. He will be back Sunday with Paul McCauley on the mark boat. Jim McCully and Art Saulsberry did the mark Saturday. Rear Commodore Phil Smith was our honored guest on the ETO signal boat. Jennifer Tegfeldt was our recorder with Susie Schneider PRO, Ross Peterson operator/gunner, Brad Marvin timing and me on flags. I have not heard other changes possible for Sunday.
See you tomorrow night!
