09-23-07 Newport Beach, CA Lido Isle Yacht Clubs Roy Woolsey Regatta. With the Class Championships behind us for the 2007 season things around the boat garden were very relaxed as we set up our boats and headed off to LIYC. As the entry list grew to over 20 boats things started to get quite and new sails were being raised.
At LIYC you start off the tower and there is a trick on how to take the weather pin with the close proximity of the docks then play the right. Team Richley, Buddy & Maxsom, sailing in their first Lido event in Roy Woolsey boat “LIFT” seemed to have done this before and placed a close lee-bow on Class Champion Mark Gaudio at the first weather mark, then held on for a second place finish. I thought to myself, “Welcome to the fleet Buddy, you got lucky your first race” Well Buddy proved me wrong and sailed to a third place in an event that was almost a carbon copy results of the Class Championships. Team Johnson decided enough was enough after race two and Terry decided to cleanse herself of the bad juju and went for a short swim while docking after race two. Whatever she said to Walter worked because they went on to a 1,1,3 and Walter was getting away with a unique system for arriving at the right spot at the starting line and plugging the last three starts.
I did not really sail my best and got pasted a couple of times, ex: sailing around Lido and heading to X while taking the isle to close the fleet did a end around on us. On the third race, the hard part was breaking our tiller and for some reason I had duck tape in the boat. We fixed it then got back in the race and this was not or worst result. Fortunately Dina and I got a 2,5 in the last two races.
Along with Team Richley there were two new teams on the water that sailed very well. One was Don Baker, on his first "away" Lido 14 race the other was sailing in Kelly Cantley's boat - I don't know the names so we'll have to wait for the results on that one. It always seemed these two boats were in the Hunt and I looked forward to seeing more these two teams.
B Fleet had seven boats with BYC Juniors Christophe Killian, Ryan Davidson & Greg Kent sailing to second along with Ryder Nesbitt sailing with his Mom, HOW COOL IS THAT, sailing to first place.
Quotes on the water: One of the better ones was, Dina and I were sailing down wind from T to W. Teams Richley and Schupak were on either side of us all on port tack. Schupak “ Leeward boat Len” Len “ Nothing I can do Steve I have a weather boat telling me proper course” Schupak “ Well tell him to come up” Richley “ Proper course” Len “ I wish you guys would make up your mind” and I thought brokering boats was difficult! Team Richley closed that deal by gibing to starboard. We were trying to get out of that sandwich because we still owed Paps a 360 who was just behind us. “GOOD TIMES”
Everyone needs to go to http://lenboseyachts.blogspot.com/ and pick up your “NOP” for the “Mother of all Lido Party’s”. Advance registration is appreciated.
09-19-07 Newport Beach, CA Fleet One at BYC. OK, I give summer is over! Last nights practice was held in 10 knots of southerly breeze. Our coach was Class Champion Mark Gaudio taking a bird's eye look over the participants. Mark was helping John Fradkin and was at the top of the mast of DEERFOOT. Quotes from Mark; “ OK, I need two more inches”, “I should have brought my camera” “ Larry, ease your main sheet”, and of course “ Point harder in the puff’s”. Thank you Larry Walters and Kim McRae for coming out last night.
That concluded the Twilights until next March. What’s next? Woolsey this Sunday, Lido Classics October 7 & Fall Invitational at Mission Bay October 28& 29. Attached is the long awaited “NOP” for Fleet 1 Annual Party the “Mother of all Lido Parties”. Let us know if you can make it?
IDEA, We keep hinting we are going to start team racing? Lets make some teams up at the party and make it happen. Team Racing
Lens Lesson: "Team race in September next year"
09-12-07 Newport Beach, CA Fleet One ay BYC. Yes, the sun is setting earlier and we have only one more week of summer. With 6-8 knots of breeze fleet one held its Wednesday night practice series in front of the Balboa Yacht Club last night. The coach’s were Fleet Champion, John “Johnny Current” Fradkin along with John Papadopoulos. Paps took 91 photos and I will make CDs for the people that attended. Its good stuff and you can spend all day looking at them.
These short races with two-minute starts keep you on your toes and allow you to take the input from our coaches. For example Dina and I held a slight lead going into the weather mark and I called for a jybe set. Bad move when you have a number of leeward boats approaching you. A number of the same quotes we have heard over the season “ I was NOT OVER EARLY!” Or “Len why did you let Kim get to the right of you on that beat?” One of the better two quotes came from Team Killian when holding a lead going into the leeward mark with two boats bringing in the breeze behind him. “ I hate when this happens”. The other quote came from Paps & Fradkin while coaching “OOOOOHH!” Dina and I hit the starting at full speed almost fouling Team Walters. This type of sailing is fun. After the racing Commodore Andrews was operating the crane and helping everyone put their boats away. Something tells me that the Commodore was watching us sail while at yet another meeting. It was easy to see he wanted to be on the water racing with us. We all meet at the bar after the race and you could hear the number of rule questions going around. Coach Papadopoulos bought a round of drinks for everyone and we all went to dinner. GOOD TIMES at the club!
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT. During the Class championships last month, at the BYC party, my timing was off, kind of like a lot of my starts, and the Steel Drum player ended about an hour early. Kim McRae stepped up and made sure the drummer played for another hour. THANKS KIM that was huge. Kim also leads the way on participation this year along with his passion for sailing he is one of Fleet 1 most valued sailors. THANKS for everything this year KIM.
FLEET ONE BUSINESS
The annual fleet party will be held at my house October 5 BBQ and prizes. Let me know ASAP if this date works for you. I will come up with the NOP “ Notice of Party” and send it out soon.
Len’s Lesson # 4 While sailing in front of BYC in Lido 14’s with Fleet 1 “ Isn’t this shit fun”
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