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?

MRA Series #3 Day #1 MIDWAY Line & Comments - SATURDAY July 5, 2008

Howdy from Bob Duff July 5, 2008- - - - - - - - - - - - -

In thinking about International One Design yachts for today, I delved into history and came up with this racing picture of my first IOD in San Francisco. It was printed by the The San Franciso Examiner-Hearst Newspaper on May 18, 1959. Click on it for an expanded view.

Out there we call IODs ICs which matches the familiar class ID on sails. Bermuda calls them simply,One Designs. They are truly magnificent! In SF every IC was required to carry an outboard engine with an installed access well for it in the cockpit. Also required was a head just aft of the mast step with through-hull outlets. They were one-design! Some wag explained that if you used the IC head, it might be classified as an ICBM. I never did.

This day Earnie Brown (SFYC) and I with crew on IC #80 FLIRT were running under chute to win in a fairly big IC fleet. The "wonderful" Hearst race committee had established a starting line right off of the Saint Francis Yacht Club on the city front.

Unfortunately, they decided to use that same starting line for all finishes. 281 yachts were racing that day on that absurd course. As we were finishing, dozens of starboard tack STARS were starting coming at us on OUR finish line. It was great for thousands of spectators reported at the club and on the shore line parks. As seen in the photo, it was not so great for us racers and especially for IC #80. We had to turn 180 degrees from our normal finish course with no opportunity to manage the chute. That is not really what you want to do in a yacht race. Thus began my long and happy career with IODs, ICs, One Designs or whatever they may be called all over the western world!

My good friend and photographer Jim Ayer (EYC-RC) headed off for family things this week end and left me without any more recent picture of my beloved International One Design yachts. No offence intended for those super Etchells here today, but nothing, absolutely nothing, is as sleek and beautiful as an IOD. TANGO #16, of course, is my most favorite

Both classes were here today for racing on the MIDWAY line. This is really "The Outer Line"! My last will and testament directs survivors to sprinkle my ashes on "The Outer Line" where I had so much fun with IODs. I refuse to change that will. They had better remember where the Outer Line was! It was fairly close to where the MIDWAY line is now.

Eight Etchells and eleven IODs turned out today for the first races of day #1 of the 3rd MRA series. The weather did not cooperate! Light winds delayed all starts for about 45 minutes. Even then, some starters were struggling in 10 or 15 minutes after the IOD starts.

The eight Etchells started at 12:52 for course pattern C, distance 1.0 nautical miles at 130 degrees and less than 6 knots velocity for what turned out to be their only race. First was Hannah and Gregory Hefler in #1105 CHEMICAL. Second was Don Miller and Bill Douglas in #63 VALKYRIE. Third was Stephen Gaynor in #846 JEWEL. We flew "N" over "A" for Etchells and sent them home. There was no prospect for another race in the dieing breeze.

Eleven IODs started at 13:00 with the same wind and course as Etchells. Victory for Timothy Dittrich in SAGACIOUS #51 was a squeaker leaving Peter Stahle third in #76 SPIRIT. Peter had led the whole day until the last few seconds when Timothy and Bruce Dyson at second with Norm Cressy in #7 GYPSY teamed up with fluky winds to deprive Peter of victory. Peter had a beautiful port tack start and led almost all day. We flew "N" over "A" for the IODs to announce no second race.

To see what has gone on so far this summer in both fleets click:

http://www.mheadrace.org/Scoring_2008/Midway_scoring_Series1_2008.htm#Etchells%20%20--%20%201st%20Series

That hyperlink looks scary, but it works in my tests. Posting is done by Jim Whipple(CYC) and Anne Coulombre(BYC) for the MRA web site. That site provides beautiful data for yacht racers. Today's races will be posted in a day or so- - - - -. I am not familiar with the entire schedule. Just keep this report handy and come back at your leisure to see it all. Adding my stuff to your "favorites" on your Internet explorer gives you a simple two click or so access. No problem.

If you would like to see the IOD web site that needs work, click:


http://www.marbleheadiod.com/


Some of the data there is wrong and stories are obsolete. IOD identification is SAIL #s not HULL #s as shown. Neither numbering system has much significance anymore. Example, Peter Stahle's (CYC) # 76 SPIRIT came here from the Northeast Harbor's 1939 fleet as either #6 or #7. There was a conflict. We had 26 IODs at one point. Knox Robins (CYC then) added one number to her sails yielding #76 and inspiring the SPIRIT name. I would be surprised if any IOD in Marblehead has a brass plate showing hull number.

TANGO #16 is Glass not Wood as listed. Thornton Clark (formerly EYC) and I converted her 1936 Wood to Glass in 1976 for the IOD '76 Worlds Championship. For a short time we carried #108 which signified the 8th glass hull made. Todd Sparling's #107 CITIUS was formed new in glass just before #108 (#16).

ELECTRA #2 was also converted to Glass by Steve Wales (EYC) who elected to keep her old 1936 Long Island #2. The site lists her correctly.

Thornton and I decided eventually to revert back to #16. Code flag "T" is TANGO which stands for transportation, "do not cross before me" and of course, Thornton.

POMPANO #45 and SAGACIOUS #51 are original Wood 1939 Marblehead boats. The table is okay on them. Ask former commodore Jon Wales or Ted Cook of EYC for some of their IOD memories. I have a few myself. POMPANO #45 was known as DRUMMER BOY when owned by Jud's Olympic Gold Medal winner father Dave Smith (EYC). She is back to her original name when owned by some famous sailors way back and Joanie Thayer's (CYC) parents.

SAGACIOUS #51 was my first Marblehead IOD owned by Carlie Needham (CYC). Her name then was SAGA which Ted Cook (EYC) has kept for his newer glass SAGA #151. He declines to even put new SAGA back in the water.

My first IOD was FLIRT #80 pictured above. I raced with Ernie Brown (SFYC) out there on SF Bay. I had left 22 Square Meter sailing for a time at Chicago Yacht club in the late 50s when I entered the nuclear weapons business with U of C. I have raced back there many times in invitational events including with past EYC commodore Jon Wales and Carol in the 1969 Worlds Championship. EYC rear commodore Phil Smith and Ren Greenlaw (EYC) were the other crew with us. We did not win! My former wife Debbie crewed there with wonderful Russ Cohn (CYC). They did not win either. I remember that a Bert Damner of some club in S.F. won that year and he has not been heard from since.

For a look at the recent Etchells 2008 Worlds Championship click:

http://www.etchellsworlds2008.com/

I knew that our Jud Smith(EYC) was in the hunt there at my old Chicago Yacht Club - Belmont Station. The Belmont Harbor picture displays major changes since I raced there in 22 Square Meter yachts 40 years ago.

Well, Judson Smith (EYC), Henry Frazer & James Porter were third in USA102 from ORIENTAL. Bill Hardesty, Erik Shampain, Steve Hunt & Jennifer Wilson in USA979 from San Diego won it all in a fleet of 83! Somebody ask Jud to explain that ORIENTAL thing and how he wiggles up there ahead of all those others. He may say Doyle Sails designed by Jud Smith. I think much of his success stems from early training by his father Dave in IODs and Frostbites and at Pleon!

The EYC Communications Committee posted the RC Assignments 2005 spreadsheet on July 2nd. It is really for 2008 and shows the colorful schedule for most events this summer.

The Comm. Comm. announced on Tuesday the Junior Olympics in Rockport, MA for August 11/12/13. It is not on that schedule spreadsheet.

Blessedly, no password is needed, but brace yourself when you click:

http://visitor.easternyc.org/files/EYCRC_2008_Assignments_v1.pdf

You can see that Brad and I are scheduled for most events. Susie and Jim McCully and a few others show as scheduled here and there. Some folks submitted availability offers in the spring which do not show yet. Irregardless, please advise your availability for any events to Susie or Cheryl. If you prefer, click rduff19@comcaast.net and tell me. I will pass it on. Simple, but no promises!

Other mysteries include identical e-mail addresses at the bottom of each page. It does not really matter to me but there is no explanation! Then, Anne Coulombe (BYC) is not listed there along with Jim Whipple (CYC) who is there. Both perform weekly scoring jobs for MRA and work every race day as I understand it. Jim's presence on our roster got me some grief when I transgressed by sending my racing e-mails to "outsiders". That and other events cause my trying to mark all my blogs CAVEAT LECTOR and/or CAVEAT WRITER.

Next Saturday July 12th we go back to the TINKERS Line for VIPER 640, SONAR, J24 and RHODES 19 fleets. Crew call is 10:00 for the 12;00 warning gun. My informal schedule suggests Nick Burke(EYC-RC) on the mark boat. Also noted are Jim McCully, David Soule and Bob Cushman (all EYC-RC). Brad Marvin and I show for the signal boat with no indication yet of PRO. My best guess would be Susie Schneider (EYC-RC-Chair.). She always does great job.

Rona and Dana Woodward plus Phyllis and Gordon Vinyard will be race committee for the ANNUAL EASTERN YACHT CLUB CRUISE going south as far as Newport, RI. The Vinyard's motor yacht HAWKE will serve as the race committee signal boat. The Rendevous is Pocasset Harbor July 12th. Disband is at Marion July 18th.

See you next Saturday July 12th. Meanwhile, tell your friends about my blog with:

http://duffstuff-duffer1.blogspot.com/

If you click on that here, it will take you back onto yourself. That does not seem very smart! Paste it into your e-mails to your friends.

I have heard today that an accident destroyed an EYC race committee computer. It is needed for posting results from Friday's EYC ANNUAL REGATTA into the easternyc.org site. That explains why those results are not available there. No forecast has been made of getting that fixed. Maybe they should use my blog!

Eastern Yacht Club (EYC) ANNUAL REGATTA - July 4, 2008 and some belated results from the LAMBERT OCEAN RACE on June 1, 2008

Howdy from Bob Duff (EYC-RC) July 4, 2008-------

STOP THE PRESSES! STOP THE PRESSES!

I had planned a Jim Ayer(EYC-RC) photo of NUMBERS for this evening but replaced it now with Gordon Hall's (EYC) KATABATIC #9393 who won PHRF Class A today over Hugh Candler's (EYC) SCHERHERAZADE #39512 by 41.2 seconds on corrected time. SCHERHERAZADE finished first for the gun(horn) at the leeward mark 23 seconds ahead of KATABATIC on the shortened "J" course. This PHRF stuff drives ole one-design sailors like me nuts!

Course pattern "J" is triangle/ windward/ leeward/ windward starting and finishing at the middle. Course "G" for PHRF Class C and down is the same thing starting and ending at their leeward mark just above the committee/signal boat.

Wind was 7.5 knots at 010 degrees and eventually dropped to less than 2 at a clockwise 100 or so degrees. At some point velocity was nil. It was interesting to see Jud Smith (EYC) fourth in Class A with six yachts after he took third out of 80 or so odd Etchells in their Worlds earlier this week in Chicago. Now do not accuse me of saying that Etchells are odd. "80 or so odd" is the Texas way of saying a number greater than 80 where you cannot remember the low order digit. Today, a total of 50 or so odd PHRF yachts (52)participated in this 2008 EYC Annual Regatta.

Complete finishing result are ( they were not yet posted at 2116 hours when I published this) available from easternyc.org by clicking:

http://www.eycrc.org/2008_annual/annual_results.htm

AND REMEMBER to click the return arrow in the upper left hand corner to return here!

Looking back to the LAMBERT OCEAN RACE run by EYC on June 1, 2008 click:

http://www.eycrc.org/2008_lambert/lambert_results.htm

Those scores show Ward Blogett(EYC) on SIROCCO #29 winning first in Class "B". Carl Doane with INCENTIVE #30493 got the gun in Class "C". Not recognizing Carl's name, I tried to find him in the EYC annual but gave up in the "Do" 's when surrounded by all those D'Orios who fill up those pages and our tennis courts. Frank and Elaine D'Orio (EYC) once told me of a plan to fill in our harbor with dirt to create a convenient golf course for before and after tennis. Watch out sailors!

KATABATIC's neat calm appearance dropping her chute in Jim's picture above suggests that master seaman Marcel Neffenegger(Nyffeneger?) was aboard doing his super crew work. We sailed together on 114' schooner ASHANTI OF SABA during hurricane Hugo in 1989. ASHANTI was off to the Caribbean via Fort Lauderdale, FL. I got off just as soon as possible when we landed at Lauderdale! It had been a "gentle" blow! Ha! I still cannot spell Marcel's Swiss last name. I hope I got Marcel right! My excuse is that I cannot spell! I never remember whether Duff has one "F" or two! I confess that I misspell names intentionally to get people to respond with corrections, insults, criticisms, compliments and praises. Beyond that, the spell check in blogger leaves something to be desired!

Marcel went on for a couple of years as a crew chief on ASCHANTI. My son Rob Duff III sailed down into the Caribbean with Marcel in 1990. Charter guests aboard that winter included Pat and Thornton Clark (former EYC) plus Carole and John Benning (EYC) who raced their IOD #22 here a few years ago. Of couse, Thornton was my leader on IOD #16 TANGO now raced by Michael Best (EYC) and Rachel and Ian Morrison.

Dan Meyer's (EYC) NUMBERS was at Bermuda and not here today, but please remember that she is a big fast beautiful class A competitor with a nice rating and a very large crew of 12 or 14 . A joke floating around EYC involves a small billing hitch where Rick Myers (EYC-RC) got Dan Meyers' bar bill one day for that big bunch of crew. Rick took a few very deep breaths as the bill was corrected. I am not sure that this is true, but many of us can sympathize with such a predicament.

For last year's results for the 2007 EYC ANNUAL REGATTA click:

http://www.eycrc.org/2007_annual/annual_results.htm

You can do all of this the normal way by signing on as easternyc.org or clicking:

http://www.easternyc.org/

Sailors need no password anymore. I rather enjoy just clicking! Isn't that fun doing yachty things on a yacht club web site by just clicking? This way you avoid digging through page after page of passwords, sign on sheets and stuff about tennis, swimming, dancing, dining etc. Here we get to the "real" stuff about yachting on a yacht club site!

Get MRA one design race results by clicking:

http://www.mheadrace.org/

Today John Koopman(EYC-RC-PRO) ran the regatta without a hitch except a drifting jibe mark (110 feet of water) and a dieing wind. The breeze began about 010 degrees and fairly steady at about 7.5 knots. We used course pattern "J" at 1.3 nautical miles to the weather mark. Starting with Class "C" and continuing was course "G" for 1.5 miles at 040 degrees.

Rona and Dana Woodward (EYC-RC) worked the pin boat with Tamison Johnson(?) doing wind shots. (Help me, I am awful with names!). Gaele and Jim McCully (EYC-RC) worked hard on the pin boat. Before the race it was rumored that the ladies were going to take one RC boate and leave the men on the other. They did not! If they had done that it would have created a rare "all girl" crew. As journalists said when Sheila Widnall (EYC) took off in an Air Force jet fighter flown by a USAF female pilot, " it was an unmanned journey". Sheila was Secretary of the Air Force at that time. Her official Air Force Secretary flag once hung in The Barker Clubroom/Bar. Rumor has it that the "tennis crowd" or "swimming crowd" took it down and put it in the attic. Who are those guys other than the D'Orios?

EMERSON T. OLIVER (ETO) signal boat today hosted Susie Schneider(EYC-RC-Chair.), Jennifer Tegfeldt (EYC-RC), Brad Marvin (EYC-RC), Joel Kinney (EYC-RC) and me as a supernumerary. I really enjoyed myself just sitting there and yelling at Joel as Brad, Susie and I coached him on how to do all the flags. He was super, but he says Jack Cochrane (EYC-RC) will not release him from crew duty on FALL LINE where they race in PHRF Class "D"and twilight series. We would enjoy having him again on ETO.

Colter Beote operated ETO and handled the signal cannons and a few frantic anchor things as the wind shifted and died. We shortened course at some mark or other! I am afraid to ask Susie any questions. Sometimes I feel she does not like me. Remember the little bird? I lost track after the reaching mark drifted in 110 feet of water. We think that everybody rounded that drifting mark except Justin, Cheryl, Duffy and Perry Rose Byrne (EYC-RC) who withdrew MITHRIL #495 PHRF "G" Cruising. My day felt more normal when Susie let it be know that I should have gottten off my "Duff" so she could take pictures instead of lowering class flags for the shortened course. That really "made my day" as a normal one!

I must mention my special friends we saw racing today. Peter Frisch (EYC-RC) was with Ward Blodgett (EYC) on SIROCCO #29. I could not see Peter, but I could hear his wonderful laugh. My blog mentor Arthur Saulsberry (EYC-RC) was on William Straus' (BYC) J105 HEART THROB #145. Todd Sparling (EYC-RC) was on Bruce Dyson's (EYC) 8 meter PLEIONE #38 who took second behind behind Peter Engel's (DYC) GOLDENEYE #40180 in PHRF Class B. David McCue (CYC) in REDWING #25060 is a previous tenor singing buddy in St. Micheal's Episcopel Church Choir with Jim Ayer and me. His wife is a Duff (no relation) so that makes them very special. Fritz Koopman (EYC-RC-son of PRO John) raced on Vern Polidoro's (EYC) J105 VIGILANTE #51563. My former neighbor and former commodore Jim Flannagan (BYC) took the J105 honors in ACHIEVER V #442 ahead of the third place former commodore Jon Wales and the whole Wales family (EYC) on BANTRY #189. Squeezed between those "flag" folks was Samel/Royer/Mann (JYC) in BLOWN AWAY #398 at second place. Our Mike Piper (EYC-RC) took first in CEBU #182 in PHRF D ahead of third place Jennifer and Greg Mancusi-Ungaro (EYC)in their beautiful Class D IOD ELECTRA #2. I saw three Slatterlys (Jack, Dru & Gram) on Steve Cucchiaro's WINDWARD SPIRIT #41730 which took second in PHRF F Cruising behind first place Vice Commodore Robert E. Doyle (EYC) in ECLIPSE #2. Robbie did that without any crew help from our Race Committee! Rob Gorman (EYC-RC) finished 3rd in F Cruising with ONLY TIME #12001. Jay Connolly (EYC) finished with TAYGETTA #1210 in an unaccustomed place for the "ALL AMERICAN SAILORS" aboard from BC and the 420 class. Susie Schneider's son Andrew was among the embarressed "grinners" as they struggled last across the finish line. Also near the last here was Rear Commodore Phillip J. Smith (EYC) with no race committee crew in STREGA #39 sailing in PHRF F Cruising with eleven boats. As exoffficio member of the Race Committee, he could probably "order" some of us to sail with him the way Susie bosses us around. Just kidding! Just kidding! One big boat came by with a half dozen or so happy yelling youngsters who spotted their favorite teacher at the Tower School, Susie Schneider.

Tomorrow we head back to the MIDDLE line for IODs and Etchells. Just as an experiment, I invite you to click below for a look at the Series #1 standings as posted by MRA:

http://www.mheadrace.org/Scoring_2008/Midway_scoring_Series1_2008.htm#Etchells%20%20--%20%201st%20Series

That hyperlink looks scary, but it worked in tests for IOD and Etchells. While there you can bounce around for other fleets. As noted before, you can get there for lots of information. For starting a little higher - click:

http://www.mheadrace.org/

Susie Schneider will be PRO tomorrow (Saturday) with Brad Marvin (EYC-RC), Bob Vessot (EYC-RC) and me. Past commodore David Soule (EYC-RC) will be on the pin boat with Bob Cushman (EYC-RC). Todd Sparling (EYC-RC) volunteered this morning for the mark boat. I regret that he and David Curtis (EYC) will not be racing IOD #107, but maybe Todd will bring that beautidul blonde he was with this afternoon!

The long promised assignment schedule for race committee was posted on easternyc.org July 2nd. It needs a lot of grooming. Blessedly, it does not require a password for guest access.

Next Saturday July 12th we go back to the TINKERS line for VIPER 640, SONAR, J24 and RHODES 19 fleets. Crew call is 10:00 for the 12:00 warning gun. My primative schedule suggests Nick Burke(EYC-RC) on the mark boat. Jim McCully, David Soule and Bob Cushman all of EYC-RC are checked off for duty. Brad Marvin and I of EYC-RC show for the signal boat with no indication yet of PRO. My best guess would be Susie Schneider (EYC-RC-Chair.). She always does a great job.

The Woodwards and Phyllis and Gordon Vinyard will be race committee for the ANNUAL EYC CRUISE going south as far as Newport, RI. The Vinyard's motor yacht HAWKE will serve as signal boat. The rendevous is at Pocasset Harbor July 12th. Disband is at Marion July 18th.

See you again tomorrow. E-mail your friends about my blog! It is:

http://duffstuff-duffer1.blogspot.com/

DO NOT CLICK IT HERE OR YOU WILL LOOP ON YOUSELF! I will test that for my first time later. Just copy that DUFFSTUFF thing and put it into emails for your sailor friends!

MRA Series #2 Day #2 -Summer Regatta - BRIMBLES Line & Comments - SUNDAY June 29, 2008 - -scored as Series #1 Day #6 for TOWN CLASS ONLY

Howdy from Bob Duff(EYC-RC) 6/29/08,- - - - - - - -

Jim Ayer(EYC-RC) did not do this wonderful image of birds, but it would still make a good custom wooden jigsaw puzzle. I admired it and could not resist labeling the birds as timer Brad Marvin(EYC-RC) on the left being fed the bug by an unnamed mother/leader. The little bird way out on a limb alone on the right is me, Bob Duff(EYC-RC). I imagined that after eating the bug, Brad said to Bob, "what makes you think our mother/leader does not like you?".

I would invite my friend Dick LeBel(EYC-Ph.D.) to comment, but my HMO does not cover psychotherapy treatment "out of network".

A friend advises that I note CAVEAT LECTOR on my BLOGs. Another suggests CAVEAT WRITER. Nevertheless, the BLOG name derives from"weB LOG" which this is. BLOG is defined as any bit of media wherein the subject expresses his opinion or simply talks about something. That's my BLOG.

The BRIMBLES, MIDWAY and TINKERS line races were abandoned on shore today about 1400 hours with code flags "N" over "H"and three guns at the three yacht clubs. Answering pennant "AP" postponement flew earlier this morning with two guns about 1100 hours. Light winds and poor visibility appeared to be the problem. I am not certain what, if any scores will be posted by Jim Whipple(CYC) and Anne Coulombre(BYC) to the MRA web site. Saturday's scores will be there soon. Nothing has been posted for Saturday as of 1700 hours Sunday. If it is not already in your "favorites", click later at:

http://www.mheadrace.org/

Safety concerns on the water grew recently after two CYC race committee members on a mark boat capsized and went into the cold water. They caught a racing mark anchor line on the prop of an inboard. Without a knife, they left the engine running and worked together at the stern to get free. The boat turned stern to wind which is normal like a reverse mooring. Waves flooded the low transom, started filling the boat as the stern went down from the weight and anchor line pull. The boat reared up and capsized. Both men wore flotation jackets, but one failed to inflate. Luckily, a rubber ducky nearby accomplished the save. Advice! - wear good flotation - cut the engine - cut the fouling line!

Some of this reporting comes from pleasant conversations while waiting to either race or go home. Fritz Koopman (EYC-RC), Mike Piper(EYC-RC), Peter Frisch(EYC-RC), Brad and I enjoyed ourselves. Susie poped in and out as she shouldered the burden of leadership. A big bunch of IOD sailors congregated on the EYC porch.

Race committee people are encouraged to consider buying personal flotation devices to wear on the water in a mark/pin boat. This is not yet "an order" at EYC, but CYC may have a mandate. Each EYC boat has jackets to wear but they are rather bulky for working in comfort. WEST Marine, US SAILING, Marblehead Marine Outfitters, Jamestown Distributors. Fred Woods, Lynn Marine Supply among other places stock good equipment including the "vests" that young racers (and Bill Widnall-EYC) wear full time. Search these and other names on your Internet Explorer and review the options.

Jim McCully(EYC-RC) likes his "fanny pack" device which hangs out of the way in back near his belt. His includes a hand held flare and strobe light. Critics say you will drown face down with these when clobbered into the water unable to pull the trigger.

I wear my "SOSPENDERS" most of the time on ETO and Brad has inflatable vest-like gear that looks similar to big suspenders. These are fairly comfortable but a drawback is the trigger. You must pull it if clobbered overboard. My device is ten years old and has never been inflated. Friday, WEST Marine said that I do not need a replacement cartridge ($26). Please testify for my estate against WEST Marine if I drown next Friday during the ANNUAL REGATTA.

Automatic jackets are available. I wore one offshore during hurricane Hugo in '89. I was dunked deep while riding the bowsprit of the 114 foot schooner ASHANTI of SABA. We had an "ALL HANDS ON DECK" call at 2am when the jib shattered into rags. I was removing jib remnants when ASHANTI plunged me down under water. The life jacket exploded open slapping my head and knocking off the glasses from a string round my neck. Stupid, but I have not enjoyed the thought of an automatic jacket ever since.

Finally, Jim McCully installed a big sharp fish knife on the stern of each of our small boats today. Familiarize yourself with them before you wrap a prop. Best yet, carry your own sharp knife! Jim's were $10 each at WEST Marine.

Yesterday I gave you some hyperlinks to click for accessing interesting web sites. This evening, I have some more. Check wooden jigsaw puzzle things by clicking Jim Ayer's site:

http://www.ayerpuzzles.com/

It is fun playing with both hyperlinks and puzzles. Sometimes my hyperlinks work on my computer: sometimes they do not. I hope they work for you. Please advise.

Next, please consider forwarding this e-mail to friends who might like to look at DUFF STUFF. If you and/or they put this site into "favorites", it can be checked at leisure for the latest stuff in DUFF STUFF. I will send out e-mail notifications initially, but beyond that you are on your own. Future "articles" will appear in this same blog "newspaper"and same blog "address". That concept and several other good ideas came to me from Arthur Saulsberry(EYC-RC). Thanks very much Arthur!

There is a "comments" thing with a little pencil icon down near the bottom of these pages. I have tested it and replied to myself with compliments, but I do not yet know how "the little pencil" manifests itself with other people. Play around and keep me busy! I would enjoy being submerged with insults, complaints and compliments. After all, I am from the Eastern Yacht Club!

On Friday, Brad and I had a most pleasant lunch with Carol and Tom Brennan(EYC-RC) in the Henderson Dining Room. I had been meaning to thank Carol for the photo she took of me which appears up there under "About Me". She took it and sent it via "snail mail" a year or two or three............ago. Unlike other images, it is not available for any wooden jigsaw puzzles! That day we were on ETO in full service dress as was the custom when Tom was PRO and Chairman of the Race Committee. Conversation drifted happily along until the mention of a mutual friend, Steve "Fish Bait" Wolfe(NYYC). I had to report that Steve blasted me for using what he called Carol's "ancient photo".

Accustomed to such insults from Steve, I planned exposing his much greater sin with the professional photo on his personal web site:

http://www.prussian-wolfe.com/

Click there and see if you agree with me that Steve's picture is probably from 1980/85 or at best the nighties. It is dangerous these days messing with "Fish Bait" since he is held in such high esteem at EYC.

Everything happened "a long time ago" after Steve became "Fish Bait" and way after he posed for that photo. It was an Eastern Yacht Club Cruise down south when a "micro wind burst" capsized a multi-hull EYC boat at anchor in Block Island harbor. Two adults had been aboard with something like a four year old child and a six month old infant. I could go on at length as Steve did lunching as guest of the POOPS group Wednesday on the Samoset Porch. To shorten it up, Steve rescued the family via his Bristol 45.5 yacht MARS and her dinghy. Steve and MARS are now permanently honored guests at EYC with regular accolades from former commodore William "TWIG" Burke, III(EYC). The EYC manager, Jeff Wargo, stopped by our table and greeted "Fish Bait" ( he called him Mr. Wolfe) with genuine warmth and admiration. He totally ignored the three of us who are members of EYC.

Next Friday July 4th is the Eastern Yacht Club Annual Regatta. The race committee call is 900 hours for working with PRO John Koopman(EYC-RC). Brad times it and I do flags. Susie O. Schneider(EYC-RC-Chair.) is coming with Jennifer Tegfeldt(EYC-RC) scheduled on ETO. Rona and Dana Woodward(EYC-RC) are scheduled for mark/pin boats with Jim and Gaele McCully. There was mention of the possibility of their arranging an "all girl crew" which is rare. I was on the ETO one year as the "token male". The only thing they let me do was to order me below to retrieve their lunches. Humpf! Humpf!

The following pastes from NOR/SI found on http://www.easternyc.org/ define the racing.

Schedule of Races: One race is scheduled for each Class

Class Flags: Flag A = PHRF A; Flag B = PHRF B; J/105 Class Flag; Flag C = PHRF C;

Flag D = PHRF D; Flag E = PHRF E; Flag F = PHRF Cruising F;

Flag G = PHRF Cruising G. Depending on the number of entries,

some Classes may be started together.

Racing Area: In the vicinity of Tinker’s Rock Gong, Mark D.

The Start: The first Warning Signal will be made at 1100

Time Limit: Five hours after each start.

I think that race results will be posted on http://www.mheadrace.org/ and/or possibly on http://www.easternyc.org/ sometime following the races. The collaboration or lack there of between these two sites is not yet clear to me. I will let you know if that gets straight in my head.

On Saturday July 5th the next day following the Annual Regatta, EYC will run the MIDWAY line for Etchells and IODs. Crew call is 10:30 with warning gun at 12:30. Brad and I are back with Bob Vessot(EYC-RC) wanting to do flags. I might arm wrestle Brad for the timer job as my confidence grows. However, I will probably yield to his greater age and experience. I will just resign myself to checking-in, recording and calling finishes unless someone else is there wanting to do those things.

I will greet you again Friday and Saturday evenings.

MRA Series #2 Day #1 - Summer Regatta - BRIMBLES Line & Comments - SATURDAY June 28 2008 - - - - - -Scored as Series #1 Day #5 for TOWN CLASS ONLY

Howdy from Bob Duff(EYC-RC) 6/28/08,- - - - - - - -

This new background picture by Jim Ayer(EYC-RC) shows the EYC Emerson T. Oliver(ETO) Race Committee signal boat steaming east for a day of racing. The lobster boat going home is the Heart of Stone. Behind her is the top of the mainsail on IOD #130 Javelin, William S. Widnall(EYC). SONAR Shearwater #566 is Sarah Sheldon(EYC). Other boats defy identification.

ETO was named for the father of Susie Oliver Schneider's (EYC-RC-PRO-Chair), Emerson T. Oliver who was a mainstay on EYC-Race Committee for years and years. S.O.S. is currently chairman and frequent Principal Race Officer(PRO) for the EYC Race Committee. Her son Andrew Schneider just became an "ALL AMERICAN SAILOR" at Boston College.

This ETO picture will continue to show for a while at the top of each race day issue of DUFF STUFF. The "click to enlarge feature" which works on other images does not work here on this heading background .


Susie O. Schneider is shown above/right on that EYC-ETO signal boat. The photo was taken and enhanced by Jim Ayer. Click on it to expand the image.

My computer system suddenly imposed a new word limit without telling me how many words it will accept. It must have heard one of my critics (Jim Ayer) who said "Too many words, Wolfgang, too many words". Jim really just wants more of his great photos. I have not found how to include more than one in each daily article.

Support today on the BRIMBLES line from EYC-RC was Jim McCully on our rubber ducky pin boat and Susie(PRO) on ETO with Brad Marvin, Bob Vessot and me. Rebecca Bennett, our boat operator, had an easy day with no cannons and no moves after the first anchor went down at the harbor mouth. Tomorrow, Sunday, Fritz Koopman(EYC-RC) is joining us and Bob and Jim take off for the day. Bob will be back with us July 5th. I did not hear if anyone else will join us for another relaxed day.

BRIMBLES found NO CORINTHIANs, 3 TOWN CLASS and only 2 LASERs. More of us than of them! This is disappointing. As Tom Brennan(EYC-RC) said once when he was our chairman/PRO, " never before have so many done so little for so few".

Fairly steady breezes were 10-15 knots about 20 degrees east of magnetic north very near the harbor mouth. It was dim and overcast. One TOWN went home before their first start at 12:50. David and Tracy Anderson won that only race in Wabi Sabi #2091. Wayne Colahan in LASER #192032 won all three races which started at 12:22. Complete series results will be posted shortly by Jim Whipple(CYC) and Anne Coulombre(BYC) on the MRA web site. Check later at:

http://www.mheadrace.org/

Click or paste this to your web search box for full results. NO PASSWORD IS REQUIRED. Geoff Smith(BYC-RC) was among the creators of this beautiful informative site. All Marblehead racing classes are there. I have it as a "favorite". You may want to do the same. It is linked rather obscurely on the EYC web site.

Steve(EYC-RC) and Phillip Jeffries were spectating in their new rubber Ribcraft ducky named M-JULIP. The name is a contraction of the two kid's names, Julia and Phillip. M-JULIP was hailed by the BYC-RC to assist a support boat with a line wrapped around the propeller. This is getting to be a familiar occasion, but all went well this time!

On yet another front, the Cottage Park Yacht Club had a fire on their signal boat while steaming out past Deer Island to managed the Constitution Cup Regatta for PHRF and J105 racers. No one was hurt, but racing was stalled. According to Fritz Koopman, the J105s salvaged the day by organizing a RABBIT START without committee for a successful race. I doubt that finishes were recorded, but you never know with these one-design classes! Fritz reported later that the rule was "he who gets first to the Eastern Yacht Club bar wins". That was more that six nautical miles racing. They arrived very close together.

Posting of EYC Race Committee Assignments on Eastern Yacht Club Home Page began during a meeting of some race committee members Thursday night. Work details are to be available regularly via:

http://www.easternyc.org/

Click or paste to your web search box to get Eastern Yacht Club Home Site. Unfortunately, a password is still required to view that schedule. This means that some 20% of active committee members cannot check their own schedules. Clicking on the first line shown there saying "Attention Sailors For Race Results & Regatta Information " helps you bypass the tennis, dining, party, family sail and swim things to get to yachting at a yacht club. This site needs a lot of work which fact is well known. Nevertheless, you may want it included as a "favorite" .

Typically, I find myself wondering why EYC would show race results on easternyc.org which are easily available by a link to MRA. Maybe I am confused about duplication, but an OBVIOUS link would make some sense. The current link is buried so far under "non-racing" news that I did not know it was there until this week.

For Newport-Bermuda race information, click or paste:

http://www.nyyc.org/

for the New York Yacht Club Home Page with much "big boat" data. NO PASSWORD IS REQUIRED. I found Fred J. Atkins(EYC) finishing at Bermuda on yacht WESTER TILL. You really need a yacht name/ID or owner's yacht club to figure out very much. Someone suggested that these result were exclusively NYYC members. I really do not know.

Jack Slatterly(EYC) reportedly crossed the finish line for a gun as crew on yacht Chippawa, but she did not show in the scores I found. Jack's SONAR champion wife Dru joined him there for the parties. Justin Byrne(EYC-RC) finished on a yacht named Whisper, but my search yielded no hits. Wife Cheryl Byrne(EYC-RC) stayed home with the kids and their grandparents. As expected, crews are not listed. I got bumped off several times while surfing. It is somewhat comforting to find that even NYYC has web problems.

EYC-RC will be back at the BRIMBLES line again Sunday . More fun with the "little orange electric timing box with air horns"! This is a 3 minute automated start sequence under Racing Rules of Sailing Appendix "Q". Brad's timing challenge with it is to push a little start button with his little finger at :11 seconds on his atomic watch before the intended start sequence . This courtesy allows racers to supplement timing sounds and improve their starts. With bigger yachts under RRS #26 the signal sequence is 5 minutes without an electric box so far. We try to start everyone at exactly :00 seconds GPS time.

Automation threatens some of our race committee jobs. Many happy enthusiasts joined the BIMBO union while serving in the Georgia yachting Olympics 1993/'94/'95 & '96. The BIMBO union is the Brotherhood of International Mark Boat Operators organized then at Savanna. The BIMBO union may become active again in Marblehead if "management" employs more automation and lays off Race Committee members. I already feel somewhat threatened. Jim Ayer suggests that we need those fancy horizontal lobster boat winches on mark boats. Older members with seniority bumped by automation could then still work races. Jim McCully originated the winch thought and Jim Ayer is trying to run with it..

See you again tomorrow night!