the 2008 Pumpkin Regatta
Fanshawe YC * London, ON * October 4-5
Race 4.04
photos by Steve Currie and Paul Chesman
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Their patience rewarded, Julia and Al have tacked into a nice starboard tack lift towards mark #4 on the far (west) shore. But the ...
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... best is coming now: talk about a favourable shift!!! And wind, as well!!! When it all goes right like this, smiles are not forced!!
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Sail trim dept. I have often looked for a picture that illustrates certain aspects of our rigging to the less experienced, and this one is useful in that regard. It shows:
  • our jib leech ticker in action just above spreader height
  • spreader deflecting shroud forward an inch or two so that the mast is not too easy to bend > better main leech tension under vang
  • no excessive tension on jib and main luff
  • mainsheet bridle just long enough that when both crew sit to windward, the sheet is nearly block to block > totally block to block when both of us hike
  • thin mainsheet (5 mm)
- click here for full-sized image
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Al is still on the starboard lift as he passes the Hut, always careful to remain between the next mark and ...
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... his nearest pursuers (l to r) Len?, Mike, Jens
One further beauty of having a substantial lead is that you have far more leeway as you manoeuvre to stay between opponents and the next mark. In other words, if a tack is required for instance, you can take your time and sail to better wind, a knock, etc. before you tack, and still maintain your strategic position.
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Still working the far side and looking good are Sue and ...
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... John.
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While Dolores checks out the situation to windward, John contemplates a tack after getting knocked.
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Well now!! Talk about an obstruction!!! (l to r) Ed, Drew, Mark
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The leading Lasers pass the Hut on their second run, and it's still very close.
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(Lasers, l to r) Jon?, Rick, Kevin, Brad
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Cliff view as Al begins his second run, while John (l) and Sue work towards the windward mark off to the left.
I vividly recall keeping my fingers crossed that we would get to #4 before the "no wind" line did!!!
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If Sue and Al converge here, who has the right of way???
Indeed! Close-hauled does not enter into it. It's just a case of Al being on starboard while Sue is on port.
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An idyllic scene on a lovely Sunday morning. Congratulations to Paddy MacCallum (yellow hull, 4th from right) who is doing a horzion job on the other Radials and will win this race handily. Interesting overview of wind patterns from the top of the cliff. On a smaller scale, it pays to stand in your boat from time to time to get a better look at those patterns than you can while sitting down. You can also see above, that the War of 1812 is about to resume, and if you look closely, you can further see that the rowers are not letting a little thing like the Pumpkin Regatta stand in the way of their Sunday morning practice.   - click here for full-sized image
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If you see these guys on the Olympic podium in 2012, remember that ...
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... you saw them here ...
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... first!!! Luckily for the rowers, John reacted very professionally by immediately luffing sharply. Imagine the carnage if he'd tried to bear away and not quite made it!! Now John has been forced onto the unfavoured tack, and not a single rower seems to be thanking him!!
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But life goes on! (l to r) Jens, Jamie?, Matt McClure, Matt Dietrich. And - in the upper right-hand corner:
If you pinch up a bit, John, you can get another one!!!
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Lesson learned, the cox is now looking out the front of the craft as well!!
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