From: James Heffernan [mailto:jheffernan@nc.rr.com]
Sent: Friday, October 8, 2021 8:35 AM
Subject: smith mtn lake report

Smith Mountain Lake, October 2-3, 2021 Fleet 15 was again represented at the John Bernard Invitational Regatta on Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia.  Five boats were towed to the lake for a lovely two-day event on the first weekend of October.  Some of the group camped on the grounds while others enjoyed a warm bed in a log cabin on Blackwater Creek, one of the many tributaries that feed this deep mountain reservoir.  The club ladies put out their excellent cooked breakfast so all could put on some weight in case a big wind appeared. No big wind, just a drifter that had enough strength to push us around for two races before we were mercifully towed home. Positions changed with the wind and at the end of the day Nora and Jim Cook, Jim and Linda Heffernan and Phil and Cathy Leonard each had six points while Neil Smith sailing with his nephew, Patrick, from Toronto stayed ahead of Marie Lyne Lavoie and Sid Hale.

With the wind from the east, RC had to set the start line along an underwater ridge so that the anchors would be in reachable depths. This made the port end very favored so there were a few pileups around the pin as boats drifted and powerboat waves moved everyone around in the zephyrous wind.

We watched closely as the Flying Scots started and then struggled to get away from the line. Sunday turned out perfectly sunny and with a steady 3-6 mph breeze. Now we could race using our skills instead of sitting waiting for a shove from above. While racing was very close at every mark, the Heffernan's found the finish line first in all three races. No doubt their new spinnaker was an asset. Nora Cook was smooth and steady at the helm, showing patience in the light air as she worked downwind to stay in second.  Marie Lyne used a local sailor for Sunday's races and stayed very close to the group as we threaded our way through the Flying Scots sailing a few minutes ahead of us. Wayfarers will return next October.

                                                                           R1        R2        R3        R4        R5        Total

Jim and Linda Heffernan, W1066                   2          2          1          1          1            7

Phil and Cathy Leonard, W864                        1          3          3          3          2          12

Nora and Jim Cook, W10873                          3          1          4          2          4          14

Neil Smith and Patrick Smith W449               4          4          2          5          3          18

Marie-Lyne Lavoie W11340                            5          5          5          4          5          24

Sid hale / Nancy Young

the 2021 Wayfarer winners: Linda and Jim Heffernan