MRA Series #3 Day #5 TINKERS Line & Comments - SATURDAY - August 9, 2008

Howdy from Bob Duff - August 9, 2008, 2350 hrs, and again Sunday PM when by wireless router came back up,

 This is a new challenge as my old DELL computer developed a terrible virus and I am trying to create this blog on a new APPLE MacBook Pro.  It is different and quite a challenge.  So far I am impressed with APPLE.  Time will tell if the Spyware/Malware follows me in this happy journey away from Bill Gates.

We ran the TINKERS Line Saturday where two late arriving Vipers joined four others for a total fleet of thirty boats.  Six Sonars, six J-24s, ten Rhodes 19s and two Lasers raced in individual fleet starts under PRO Rick Myers' leadership and Rebecca Bennett's cannon blasts. Assistant PRO was Alex Myers, Rick and Tracey's 11 year old Opti racer son.  Mom did check-in, recording and helped with finishes.  Niece Elizabeth Myers(age 10) and Alex's 9 year old sister Anne Myers kept Brad Marvin, Jim Ayer and me on our toes with questions. Jim Ayer's picture here is Anne on the left with Elizabeth.  One question was, "Mr. Duff, why do you wear that blue blazer out here on a beautiful hot day like today?".  My traditional answer was "breeding" which no one seems to understand.  Another part is being a Texan who seldom feels the heat. Finally,  I have worn a jacket since my military training in uniform beginning at age 13 during WWII. 

"Chuck" Angle and Russell Wells ran the pin boat like old pros.  Roger Drumm had the mark boat with three teenagers who showed him a few tricks known only to very experienced young Opti sailors. These kids were Christopher and Michael Drumm with Ian Barrows on a visit from the Virgin Islands. I met his mom who talked a little about an older brother, Thomas Barrows. He is in China racing a Laser for the USA in the Olympics.  All four of these outstanding young sailors are products of Marblehead's PLEON YACHT CLUB.  

Before leaving talk of the Olympics, "Chuck" Angle is traveling shortly to watch his son race n a Sonar in the para-Olympics next September.  WOW!

The VIPERs had a disastrous 3rd race with three boats over at the start.  All were disqualified as they failed to come back for a needed re-start.  One was #55 PLAYSTATION Paul Zimmermann who had a 1st and 2nd before the DSQ.  #60 noname John McCormack had a 2nd and two 3rds.  #74 TUSKER Justin Scott had a 3rd, 1st and DSQ.  #50 RATTLER Michael McCloskey got 1st after the 3 DSQs in the last race.  #41 GERONIMO Duncan Mcintyre picked up a 2nd place.

Peter Frisch took the day for Sonars in #547 PENN PACKET with 2 firsts and a second without his regular super-helm Dru Slattery.  Very well done!  Larry Ehrhardt took a 1st and a 2nd in #690 RALLIE.  Tyler Doyle #564 had a 3rd and a 2nd and did not finish the last race in noname.  Sarah and Jon Sheldon recorded a 2nd and a 3rd in SHEARWATER #566.  A 3rd each went to #362 BLUE STREAK for Miriam Jaffe/Marty Browne and for #374 PDsquared Peter DeWolfe/Bill Kauff.

J-24 #3525 VITAMIN J dominated the class with three firsts for Ted Johnson.  Jeffrey Earl got a 3rd and two 2nds in #4119 USUAL SUSPECT.

The two Lasers got three minute dinghy starts with Wayne Colahan winning all four close races with noname #192032 over Adam Dubitske in ICE PLANTER #154091.

On Monday a group of us journey to Rockport Massachutts to manage a 3 day Junior Olympics Regatta.  We will have our own ETO signal boat for PRO Susie Schneider, Andrea Dunn (EPYC), Rebecca Bennett(EYC-O/G) and me.  I probably will be the timer since our regular Brad Marvin has another commitment.  Jim Ayer will join us for Tuesday and Wednesday. John Rando will take over as PRO Tuesday afternoon when Susie rushes back to run the Betty Pleasants Memorial Women's Race.

Jim McCulley is taking Gaele's fancy motor boat for doing marks all three days.  We will use regular 5 minute start sequences and run as many races per day as weather permits. 

 

We anticipate about sixty Championship 420s with about forty Green Fleet 420s.  The Lasers will be somewhere near that number. A couple hundred Optimist single hander prams will be managed by other people on other lines.

I plan a blog every night.  Maybe my APPLE printer/scanner will be working for more of Jim Ayer's pictures by Monday night.

The APPLE gets better and better with a little practice.  Do not forget to check the two Olympic links at the bottom of this blog!  Charley Cook had a publication waiting for us when we got home from racing on Saturday.

See you all again Monday night!   

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

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

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







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


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


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



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

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

Hi Bob: (that is me Bob Duff)

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

Hope all is well.

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

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

HTTP://DUFFSTUFF-DUFFER1.BLOGSPOT.COM

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

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





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







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



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



You can see the timing details here on my

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



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



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

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






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




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









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





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

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

Howdy from Bob Duff July 27, 2008 2350 hours,














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


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





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


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








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




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







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

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

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


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

Thank you for all your kind words --

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

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

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

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

Greg

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

For full final NOOD results click:





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





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



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


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

Congratulations Rick!

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

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

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


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



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


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



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

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

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

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


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


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



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



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



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



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



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





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









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



http://www.castineyachtclub.org/



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






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



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







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



See you again Sunday night!

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

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

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

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


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


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


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



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


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


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

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

APPEAL TO RACE COMMITTEE MEMBERS

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

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

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

I think you will like it now.

See you again tomorrow night!

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

Howdy from Bob Duff July 24, 2008 2300 hours,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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