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?

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!