Another Monday feeling totally wasted after another three day regatta. This weekend son #1 Litoralis and I sailed Lasers together in the Buzzards Bay Regatta hosted this year by the New Bedford Yacht Club.
The Laser fleet was larger and the competition was much tougher than at the Hyannis Regatta the previous week. And my results reflected it. Friday and Saturday brought champagne sailing conditions with sunshine and a south-westerly that rewarded those who could hike hard and work the waves. I could do the former for a few minutes at a time and the latter not very much at all. Sunday the wind was lighter and from the east initially clocking round to the south. Not as interesting so we bagged the last race in order to beat the expected chaos in the launch area as 120 Laser sailors and a gazillion Vanguard 15 sailors along with assorted Mommies and Daddies and ginormous SUVs all attempted to load boats on to trailers in a space slightly smaller than my back lawn.
The race committee on the Laser circle was superb. Best one I've seen all year. And I told them so. Actually the PRO was a bit too much of a perfectionist for my liking. Did he really have to abandon the first race on Sunday after that big right shift came in half way up the first beat? Of course I knew that shift was coming and was halfway to Martha's Vineyard, banging the right corner for all I was worth, and looking golden. Hey, that's not unfair conditions for racing; that's validation of my impressive weather insights (and ability to check AccuWeather.com before leaving home).
I haven't seen the final results yet but as of Sunday morning I was beating this guy and this guy and this guy so that was all good. That guy was beating me again but what's new?
There were a few bloggable moments that I plan to write about later. But for now I just need to take it easy and let these aching muscles recover.
4 comments:
I have yet to do a regatta at NBYC where I felt in any way welcomed or appreciated. The BBR setup for dinghies is just plain lousy.
Needless to say, I stopped attending this event. Shame, too, as the sailing can be tremendous.
But you can only take feeling abused and fleeced so many times. Too many better events to attend to waste time and money on a place that makes you feel unwelcome.
Interesting comment brian. I tend to share your opinion. The sailing was great (at least for two days), but I have a post coming later this week about certain shore-side issues that detracted from our enjoyment of the event.
I see you beat up on Litoralis and another youngster from the puddles in NJ you used to frequent. Nicely done!
Thanks derek. Yeah, we puddle sailors from NJ are all still learning to cope with going fast in the chop.
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