| the 2018 Midwinters/US Nationals Lake Eustis SC * February 2-4 a work in progress - updated: 25 Feb 2018 at 2211 hrs.. |
| Our Fabulous Four-Race
Saturday (180304) Saturday dawned gloriously sunny but
cool, with the slightly better, more northerly
breeze that had been forecast. I think we were out for a 10 a.m.
start and already the winds, having backed about
90°, were perfect. A sign of things to come and
PRO Bob Armes and his excellent team wasted no
time in getting us started and on our way to
completing the four races that were scheduled.
 pre-race check for David Pugh and Dodge Owen in the brand new W10222 Fourth race
notes from W3854:
This day was probably about as close as one can come to a boat- speed contest on Lake Eustis.  Sue Pilling's regular crew, Steph
Romaniuk, had flown in overnight.
 our race 4 start larger image here  (l to r) Phil Leonard,
Izak Kielmovitch, Dave McCreedy. Nothing like
the cool, breezy February morning air to inspire
a respect for safety, and Phil has W864 nicely
reefed - both main and genoa - for a comfortable
solo sail.
 (l to r) Ian Pouliot with Jake Wolny, Sue and Steph, Uncle Al and Frank Goulay  (l to r) Jim Burns, Phil, Sam and Ruth Pearl, Dave Hepting with Ali Kishbaugh, David and Dodge, Tony Krauss with Marc Losh  Uncle Al (r) holds an early lead and defends the right side as the fleet nears the ...  ... windward mark. Al and Frank round and head for the ...  ... offset mark, closely pursued by Sue (11149) and Marc Bennett with Julie in their brand-new W11221.  Nicely recovering from a start-line debacle and rounding 4th are Doug and Andrew (11137), just ahead of Richard Johnson with Michele (10873) and David Pugh (11222).  Sue (11149) and Dave Moring with Arial (10864) have gybed to port and will try the left side of the run while Al (red spi) and Marc (r) remain on starboard tack.  More good, close and exciting competition near the windward mark larger image here  Here's how Ann Pugh's camera saw the fleet from the RC boat near the leeward mark. larger image here  The lighter-weight teams have moved into the lead. Sue and Marc will round one-two, and Al will ...  ... drop all the way to 4th when Dave and Arial (10864) manage the inside overlap for mark-room.  The leaders approach the windward mark for the second time. larger image here  Doug Scheibner and Andrew Lockhart (r) have moved all the way from 5th place to 2nd. larger image here  The top two nearly come to grief
in a gust at the marks. Sue and Steph nearly
capsize 11149 as they gybe to defend the left
side, while the same gust catches Doug and
Andrew at a bad moment while fiddling with spi
preps. Their near-capsize drops them back to ...
  ... 4th place behind Sue, Al and Dave.  larger image here   larger image here  (l to r) Mike and Mary
Tighe, Charley and Kaitlyn Jensen, Phil Leonard
and Dave McCreedy with Dave Wilpula time it just
right at the windward mark to align perfectly
between sun and photographer. Note how Dave and
Dave have cleverly tacked below the lay line,
leaving themselves room to actually benefit from
a lift ...
 ... like this juicy specimen.   Charley Jensen and daughter, Kaitlyn, proudly carry on the Mike Murto W2959 tradition.  Near the finish line: Doug (11137) has again moved up to 2nd place - behind Sue (11149), and ahead of Dave (10864) and ...  ... and Uncle Al (3854, 2nd from left).  Sue and Steph hold on to take the gun ahead of Doug and Andrew, and seconds later ...  ... Dave and Arial edge out Al and Frank for 3rd, yet again finishing ..  ... one place ahead of Al and Frank. larger image here  A very respectable 5th for David and Dodge (11222)  Another group rolls in at a fine clip along the starboard layline. larger image here   LESC's Peter - a.k.a. Karlheinz - Krüger (r) entrusted his lovely wooden sweetheart to Andy Forman from Lake Townsend, NC, home of the largest and most active Wayfarer fleet in North America.  Pirate Dave and ... look on from the mark-laying boat.  Sailing Nick Seraphinoff's W11136 (he got called away to a Michigan funeral) were Lake Eustis Juniors, Sam Pearl and sister, Ruth  Dave Hepting with Ali Kishbaugh  Phil Leonard in the beautiful wooden W864  Mike Tighe and wife, Mary, in their impeccably maintained W3654 part 2a of Al's report |