2008 Tim Dowling: race #1 pics

Race 1.10
photos by Sharon Nowak, Janice Ryder, Mike Sharkey
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... in pretty fair shape (we were nearest the ball in the photo above) until you consider the odd angle of the finish line (above) which was at 135° to the rhumbline from #3 instead of the more usual 90°, making it nearly impossible to cross on port as we approached it. - click here for full-size image

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Still, it was what it was, and my job was to deal with it.
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After the race, Bruce told Larry that we (4180) had lost to Dave by two inches!
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The reverse-angle view: At this point, we were already moving much more slowly than Dave, due to serious pinching while attempting to cross a line which we were sailing virtually parallel to. I did express to Dave (4176), my belief that he was not entitled to room at this mark (having, in my view, established his overlap after we entered the two-length zone) but Dave begged to differ. I wasn't entirely certain and so chose to try to beat Dave without resorting to the nastiness of cutting him off.

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Wow!! What an exciting finish it was!
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Above, you can see the yellow mark that I thought might possibly be the other end of the finish line. You can also see Interlake 909 (Tom and Mike) finishing on starboard. Tom told me later that evening that his crew, new to sailing, had said after opening a beer aboard, "This bar has a very nice view!" Meanwhile, Jim Quiniff and Mike Desjardins (2nd from left) are about to finish 3rd ahead of Neil and Bob (3rd from left), both of whom illustrate how hard it was to cross this line on port.

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Interesting to see how far forward Jim and Mike (4179) have their weight! - click here for full-size image
We do that in Wayfarers in the really light stuff but I hadn't seen it done in Rebels before.
Al's note: Dave Nickels had the following reaction to my commentary here:

----- Original Message -----

From: David Nickels

To: Al Schonborn

Sent: Wednesday, October 01, 2008 12:12 AM

Subject: weight placement in Rebels

Al,

... I have always sailed the Rebel with my weight forward. It keeps the transom from dragging. ... In the last race at Lake Fenton when I was trying to catch up, I was sitting on the jib track. In normal air, I sit so my aft side is even with the aft end of the trunk. And NO, I don't sit forward just to be next to the lovely Shannon and Emilia!

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In a close Interlake finish, Jimmy Ward and Jayme Huntley (1417) beat out Craig Spear and Joe Schardt. At right, Neil and Bob put the finishing touches on a most disappointing Rebel 4th. Also looking a bit glum are Al and Larry in 4180. "Never mind," I consoled my crew (and myself!), "it's only ...

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... the first race."
- click here for full-size image
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One more look at some finishers.
- click here for full-size image
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Two of our hard-working photographic contributors: Sandra Smith and her mom, Janice Ryder,
who got some great shots of the racing from this very vantage point.
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Our post mortem continues.
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In view of the dying winds, the RC has kindly sent us in to an early supper, with hopes of one after-dinner race. Behind the Rebels and Interlakes heading for "home", Joe DeBrincat and Brian Johnson (red hull) put the ...
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... finishing touches on their Wayfarer win.
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Craig Spear (161) and Neil Robb drift towards shore.
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Mike Anspach and Mark Murton (l) complete a nice come-back to take Wayfarer 3rd. Little do they know it, but Ryan Mabie (Sunfish) and Jay and Pat Topping (Rebel 3994) are about to win a Yachtwurst each. Mike Smith's crew, young Riley (2nd from right) has been waiting for the race to be over because now ...

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