Greetings!
The end of season regatta for the Midwest region saw 9 boats take to the waters of Lake Lemon in Bloomington, Indiana at the Indiana University Yacht Club. It's interesting to note that of the 9 boats competing, 4 of the boats are confirmed Ballengers, with a 5th a "maybe/maybe not".
While the winds were less than cooperating, the racing was nevertheless close and exciting, and fun was had by all! The weather for both days was relatively clear, with temps around 65-70. Water temperature was measured at 57 Saturday morning. Zip up those wet suits and let's go sailing...
The first race on Saturday started with the course set for a south-east windward mark. Wind was light, and unsure. Boats making for the left side of the course missed a puff that filled in from the right. Big position changes happened. It didn't get any easier as the wind remained unsure and shifty through the race, with some 'puffs' nearing 10kts. Graham Alexander and returning 10+ year partner Mark Koenig showed they had not missed a step since their last time together, months ago, stepping out in front and taking the gun. This became a recurring theme as they took bullets in six of seven races. Blase/Blase looked strong right up until the gybe mark, where a borrowed spinnaker pole pulled some pre-Halloween trickery.
"Rick was very verbal in his abuse and I think the pole is permanently discolored from it"- R.B. Sr.
Termin/Eric sailed their best race, posting a strong fourth place. Rhodes/Gassman showed yet again how crews that practice together often make fewer mistakes, even in a different boat, sailing their never- before-sailed-by-them-in-a-regatta Rondar to a 3rd place finish.
For the second race, the committee attempted to adjust the course, sending the fleet up the lake about 1/2 a mile while trying to find the wind. After several minutes, they gave up and sent us in for lunch. No complaints were heard, as everyone was hoping for the wind to fill in more. After lunch, the course was set with a south-west windward mark. Breeden/Breeden began their quest for second place in earnest, finishing strong with a second place.
The third race had a similar course, and the winds appeared to be cooperating somewhat, though big gains could be made by the observant (and sometimes lucky). An interesting pattern that was to hold for 4 of the remaining five races began in this race as Goldstein/Kohn and Barclay/Cashman battled hard for 5th place. Goldstein/Kohn miss-timed a slam dunk tack, barely letting Barclay/Cashman out from under them with enough air to gain 5th at the line. Breeden/Breeden continued their assault on second place posting another two pointer. Rhodes/Gassman showed consistent strength posting their second third place finish, hard on the points-heels of Tuten/Nathan, who were about to find their groove.
The fourth and last race on Saturday proved very interesting as a "deja-vu" situation happened with Goldstein/Kohn slam dunking Barclay/Cashman on the last beat. This time though, they nailed it perfectly, and B/C couldn't get by. G/K at the line by a boat length. Tuten/Nathan found the groove, scoring the only non-Alexander/Koenig bullet of the regatta, and lofting a ominous warning shot of the day to come. Breeden/Breeden scored their third second place finish in a row. Joe/Brown threatened 6th place many times in this race, playing all but the last shift in their favor.
Saturday night featured a barbecue dinner, with chef-du-jour Mike Goldstein swinging and slinging away on his much traveled "Nebraska" grill (this grill has cooked in many states). Some entertainment was provided by the IU Women's Crew team unexpectedly showing up for a picnic of their own on their neighboring area. Cries of "red rover! red rover! red rover!" brought some incredulous glances from the assembled 505ers. War stories both amazing and hysterical were told over many hours, gathered around a kerosene heater inside the rustic (that's a forgiving word for it! :-) ) IUYC club house.
Sunday dawned with the lake doing it's famed imitation of a mirror. Thankfully, the wind filled in a bit and the fleet headed out for more tight racing.
Race five featured a number of interesting events, as Goldstein/Kohn posted their best finish, taking third place and moving up tie for fifth overall. Blase/Blase found new speed, borrowing a main in much better shape than their own (not to mention a spinnaker pole that wasn't possessed. The other fifth place holders Barclay/Cashman found themselves coming into the last leeward mark with a spinnaker getting stuck in the launcher tube during takedown. Cashman crawled up on the foredeck, then saw the large yellow mark looming on the bow, called for Barclay to head down, but forgot to grab on to something and was promptly dumped in the water, nailing the mark squarely, and dragging the boat into the mark while getting back in the boat in something like 5.2 seconds. Cashman, being the proud ex-Navy Reservist, let out an expletive reportedly heard around the lake. Termin/Eric, and Joe/Brown pounced on the opportunity, passing them at the mark. Barclay/Cashman managed to recover and do the penalty, but found themselves to leeward and behind of Joe/Brown by a boat length. A tacking duel ensued with Joe/Brown nailing a final slam dunk in perfect form.
The sixth race featured many surprises, as the wind became puffier, and quite shifty. Boats catching puffs quite literally lept ahead of boats missing them, sometimes gaining more than a leg. Splitting tacks became exceptionally dangerous as positions changed quickly when puffs appeared and disappeared. The second windward leg found boats planing to weather, and flying down the run (which had become a broad reach). The last windward leg saw the return of the battle for 5th, as this leg became a tight reach. Goldstein/Kohn hoisted spinnaker going for a low course and high speed while Barclay/Cashman, rounding the last mark behind went high on two sails. It was speed against position, with some tricks from mother nature as G/K had to douse half way up the leg, but taking fifth by a boat length. Tuten/Nathan showed strong speed on the run (broad reach) and grabbed second place. Rhodes/ Gassman continued their consistency, bagging another third place. Blase/Blase, caught in doldrum from hell at the leeward mark graciously DNF'd themselves to allow a 7th race to get underway before time ran out.
The 7th race started with a course change, though it was still hard to predict the wind. Though the wind was definetly stronger, the psychic hotline might have had a better time predicting it. Breeden/Breeden went into the race knowing they needed to beat Tuten/Nathan to hold 2nd. All went well up the first leg, as they battled with Barclay/ Cashman for the lead at the windward mark. However, a botched tack found them kissing the weather mark, while Tuten/Nathan closed in. The first reach became a run and positions changed quickly. Blase/Blase were showing their best stuff, even staying ahead of Alexander/ Koenig. Greedy eyes looked to the upcoming tight reach as the wind had filled in nicely behind the fleet. Boats transitioning to the reach gained ground fast. Barclay/Cashman, still clinging to the lead, fought spinnaker problems part of the leg, but managed to hold off Breeden/Breeden, who were within a few feet of their transom. On the next beat, keen eyes paid off as once again the wind shifted around some. Joe/Brown battled hard with Termin/Eric for 7th, with Termin/Eric showing slightly better pointing. The following run proved deadly to the boats taking more to the middle, as wind on the left carried several boats along nicely, passing up leaders Barclay/ Cashman. Once again the battle between 7356/6660 was played out, as Barclay/Cashman rounded the leeward mark hard on the transom of Goldstein/Kohn. Both boats fought hard up the leg, with the final tack being a dead heat to the line. Both boats were in clear air a few boat lengths apart, on starboard, heading in. A photo finish happened as Barclay/Cashman pointed up just before the line to win by literally inches, securing 5th place (by tie breaker). Tuten/Nathan managed to get by Breeden/Breeden, just barely bagging 2nd place overall.
Many, many thanks go out to the many people who helped make this regatta happen. Thistle sailor Tom Sparks headed up the committee, battling Mother Nature in setting great courses for shifty wind. Victor, Andy Dorsch, Andrew Jerman, and Christine Jerman helped give us those courses. Andrew Gassman, Andy Dorsh, and Mike Goldstein helped out with grocery runs and cooking. Great idea on the taco lunch Andrew, and yummy 'what are those things called? Oh yeah, bagels!', Mike! Also many thanks go out to Bob Kessler, the new head of the IUYC for having IUYC host the regatta.
------------------------ Results ------------------------- # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 F ------------------------------------------------------------ |1| 7685 | .75 | .75 | .75 | (3) | .75 | .75 | .75 | 4.5 | ------------------------------------------------------------ |2| 8265 | 2 | 4 | 4 | .75 | (4) | 2 | 2 | 14.75 | ------------------------------------------------------------ |3| 7061 | (6) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 15 | ------------------------------------------------------------ |4| (768)| 3 | (6) | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 24 | ------------------------------------------------------------ |5| 6660 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 6 | (8) | 6 | 4 | 29 | ------------------------------------------------------------ |6| 7356 | (8) | 5 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 29 | ------------------------------------------------------------ |7| 7347 | 4 | (8) | 7 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 39 | ------------------------------------------------------------ |8| 6663 | 7 | 7 | (8) | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 44 | ------------------------------------------------------------ |9| 5816 | 9 |(DNF)| 9 | 9 | 9 |(DNF)| 9 | 55 | ------------------------------------------------------------7685 (Parker) Graham Alexander/Mark Koenig
* (768) is actually a hull number somewhere in the late 4000's
- Geoff Cashman