the Wayfarer North Americans
Tawas Bay YC * Sept. 10-11, 2005
Saturday photos: Races 2 to 4
by Emily Seraphinoff
Race 2, beat 1: Don Thwing comes from as left corner towards the Tawas lighthouse, as does ...
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... Mike Anspach - both boats looking well trimmed.
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On the first run, it's Uncle Al (3854) clinging to a narrow lead over Frank (648) and Nick. Doug (l) has gone high early and will now start to pay - going much  slower as he has to run down to the leeward mark.
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A slight windward heel for Uncle Al does two things: it eliminates weather helm and keeps parts of his sails just that little bit further out of that nasty Frank's (r) big wind shadow!!
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Ditto for Frank (648) against Nick (864) whose boat numbers are no delight for my slightly dyslexic crew who hopes to become a member of DAM (Mothers Against Dyslexia).
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Doug Ryan and ...
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... Don Thwing bring a nice breeze in from the right.
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Joe DeBrincat and Bob Frick (1115) have The Maltese Falcon looking great, while Mike Anspach and Paul McVey have decided on the more relaxed two-sail run this time around.
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Hard to believe that the spinnaker Al Fick and Dave Merchan are flying is anywhere near the max. size permitted??
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Uncle Al and Marc are in perfect upwind trim as they finish race 2 first, just ahead of ...
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... Frank and Joe.
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Another close 3rd for Nick and Julie.
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6th place for ...
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... The Maltese Falcon.
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Race 3 saw a course change as the wind backed about 40 degrees to blow somewhat off shore. In the concomitant oscillating shifts, Marc and Al were at their best and led throughout this race.
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Frank and Joe got another come-back second ahead of ...
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... Nick and Julie.
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Mike and Paul (4271) get the most from their venerable old 1980's Richard Storer "cheese wedge" spinnaker as they hold a nice lead over Joe and Bob.
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A close battle over 3rd place with Doug and Chris holding the inside track here over Nick and Julie who will later come back to snatch 3rd from Doug.
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Two ancient spinnakers battle it out. Mike and Paul (4271) will not buckle under pressure from Don and Mark, and will hold onto a fine 5th, their best finish of the series.
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Hard to believe that a boat being sailed this well by the veterans, Joe and Bob, could finish as low as 7th.
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The day's 4th and final race got underway about 1500 hrs. Again, Al and Marc (l) sailed a nearly flawless beat, and their lead going onto the run was too much for even KGB's (648) fine downwind speed to make up.
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Again, it's a fight over 3rd between Nick (l) and Doug.
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Textbook downwind form for Don Thwing and Mark Olgaard.
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Hanging in there nicely are Joe (1115), Mike (4271) and Al Fick (3488).
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The fleet has closed up quite a bit on the second beat, but Al (red spi) will hold his shrunken lead to the finish.
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