2004 Wayfarer Ontarios
Race 6
photos by
Lois Frankel

Sunday morning brings more sunshine and ...
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... a cool on-shore breeze from ...
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... the ENE.
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launch time!
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Sunday brought more perfect sailing weather. Above, Mike Codd and George Blanchard head out into a generally easterly wind that has enough substance to actually let Mike sit out on the deck going upwind.
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Dave and Charles Hansman, not as weight-advantaged as Mike, actually have to hike to keep Banshee flat.
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It was cool on shore this morning, but Roger will soon "lose" some of his "keep warm" gear.
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The line is soon set and the fleet finds it nicely square to the wind. Uncle Al and Marc (3854) have their "new last August" main and jib plus their brand new genuine Mike Mac spinnaker on SHADES today - sails that were to be used only at the Nationals level or above, but in this closely matched fleet, every edge could be important.
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Robin Allardyce is going with a different secret weapon today: a crew.
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A great boat-end start for Dave and Charles who in squeeze at full speed just to windward of Roger and Joanne.
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Coming in at even better speed is Andrew Gumley (4610) with his new crew, Teri Theoret.
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Andrew has just enough speed to make it past Banshee's wind shadow and then ...
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... pinch out above Roger's backwind as the latter (7700) has his own backwind problems from ...
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... the speedy pointer, Peter Rahn (286). Remembering other similar days here, Al and Marc (3854) have decided to go left into mid-river where they expect better winds and a possible port-tack lift. And they have gotten ...
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... the perfect start to allow them to pursue this strategy. Al (5th from right) has a nice safe leeward on Mike Codd and excellent windward separation from Mark Taylor so that Al can foot off a bit any time it may become necessary. In the end, it was very close between Peter and Al for the lead going onto the first run with much of the fleet still in very close contention.
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Both Peter (r) and Al (red spi - the first picture of the Mike Mac chute's inaugural run) are wisely staying out of the group led by Roger, Mark and Bill who are fighting each other up to windward ...
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... and will eventually have to ...
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... sail extra distance to reach the leeward mark. Finally, Peter can't stand it any longer and ...
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... luffs up to pass Al (3854) to windward. Al has no desire to defend his wind here since a duel will carry both leaders off the rhumbline and perhaps into the disturbed air from the group to windward.
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Excellent downwind technique by Peter and Alex, with Peter standing so that he can ...
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... lean to windward or leeward as required in order to keep his helm neutral. The photo above is a bit misleading: Al seems clearly behind Peter but - as is shown by relative mast lengths of the two boats - Al has worked his way well to leeward, thereby sailing a more direct course to the mark. Ultimately, Al will head up just enough near the mark to speed up and trap Peter on starboard tack since Peter would risk fouling Al if he (Peter) gybed to port, and thus Al and Marc end up rounding onto the second beat with the lead - albeit a very narrow one over Peter until the latter screws up his rounding.
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Meanwhile, it very close for 3rd among Mark (7673), Roger (7700) and Bill who have all gybed back towards the rhumbline. Their advantage will lie in the fact that they won't have to gybe and then round right up to closehauled at the mark as both Peter and Al ended up doing.
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George now has the helm back aboard RED TOP (CAN 90) and is hanging in there nicely against John (7351).
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Having been the first to gybe and keeping the weather gauge as they say in my wonderful Dewey Lambdin books, has paid off for Mark and, to a lesser degree, Roger, as these three near the mark. Here is a spot in which it is essential to defend your wind from pursuers who will not only take your wind but also ...
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... end up inside for buoy room as John and Dolores have done here. Shame on you, Dolores and John!
Taking advantage of a 90-year-old!! (just kidding! George neither needs nor wants special treatment).
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A quick tack while Peter was straightening out his mark mess, has left Mark and Al (3854) to windward and ahead of ...
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... Peter (286) and well to windward of Roger (7700).
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Peter (286) looks great as he enjoys a puff with a lift attached while the less blessed Roger can only wait.
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Mark Taylor and Jim Hately have tried going left as Al did on the first beat and have not suffered. Tsk! tsk! Their new Mike Mac designed main is a bit stretched along the foot - past the black band, in fact!
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Doug Netherton in good form as he approached the windward mark on starboard
while crew, John Johnston, wisely keeps a good look-out for port boats.
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Marc and Al increased their lead with judicious covering - mostly of Peter Rahn
- and are out of this picture, sailing to victory while Peter (286) has three close pursuers ...
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... to contend with: Mark (7673) who will end up 3rd behind Peter (286) ...
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... Bill (misnumbered spi 739 on W937) who will come 4th and Roger (7700)
who will somehow manage to drop from his current 4th to a 7th by the finish.
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A good race among Doug Netherton (1366), Alan Asselstine (7346)
and
Dave Hansman (282) who helps crew, Charles, fill the chute by ...
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... sailing a bit higher.
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Marc and Al (3rd from left) hold a healthy lead going onto the short beat to ...
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... the finish where they tack across the line all alone.
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2004 Wayfarer Ontarios
results
report
shore pics & awards
Race 1
Race 2 - 1
Race 2 - 2
Race 3 - 1
Race 3 - 2
Race 4
Race 5

Race 6
Race 7  - 1
Race 7  - 2
Race 7  - 3


Ontarios 1999-2003