11-17/18-07 Alamitos Bay, CA Alamitos Bay Yacht Club. Turkey Day Regatta. While driving home from this event I had a large smile on my face. I had seen everybody from “Back in the day” through the upcoming stars. I had seen families with two boats on their cars. The parents sailing their lido 14 and they’re kids sailing sabots. YES! I had a lot to be thankful for. 1. I had sailed well. 2. I did not hit any sabot’s 3. I was leaving a true sailing club with young and not as young sailors attending. 4. The best of all, I had found a good parking place. Yes, I have a lot to be thankful for.
Well now that you got your serving of mashed potatoes let me pass you the gravy and tell you about what you missed on the inside course in the Lido 14 fleet. You really did miss a good event with over cast sky’s, although not cold yet, shifty southwest breeze of 5-8 knots. Twenty-Four Lido 14 teams attended split into A’s & B’s almost equally with separate starts and windward/leeward courses. Jerry Montgomery was the inside PRO and he did an outstanding job keeping the 60 Sabots, 24 Lido and 10 coach boats from killing themselves.
Dina and I sailed well; I would have to say WAY over my head, and were hitting the shifts like they were pop up squirrels at an arcade. Although I missed the skippers meeting, I was drooling over the Pogo 40 sailboat that is berthed in the ABYC marina, my first quote was a classic, two rows from the starting line “Yep, three minute starts”. Also fun to watch was Bob Little with his two kids sailing with him. I am not sure but I think Bob and Lisa changed the name of their boat to “1xtra child dinner”. At the pre start Bobs son liked the sound of the starting horn, so the little guy (no pun intended) kept duplicating the sound with his voice and was doing a good job. The Little family hung in there all day with a 4th place the last race and it was a three times around. I wish I could have filmed them on the runs with Bob comely asking them to quite up as we approached the leeward mark. He did good Lisa and good for our sport. Meanwhile there was a good battle going on for first place between Team Weise and Team Yates/Kincaid. Unfortunately, for Team Yates/Kincaid on the third race of the day he and Dina & I sailed through the restricted start finish line. Teams Kent a Weise quickly pointed out our mistake and we returned to the line and unwound our self. After the race I was told by a number of people that once you go through the line you’re done. The chief judge and PRO felt I could unwind myself still not sure about that one? There was another great quote on the water this weekend from Team Kent. While sailing next to son Gregg “ Hey Dad, looks like we are both last place” Steve reply was even better “ That’s not that funny on this boat Gregg”.
On Sunday Team Yates/Kincaid came out of the blokes on fire. Hitting a big right shift and sailing away from the fleet to an easy win. The next race the team was back with a second. After finishing forth in the fifth race Kurt Weise was seen rubbing his chin and wondering what to do better in the next race. Well he found it, with a good start, at the upper end on the line, and finding the first shift Team Weise secured their Turkey dinner.
Lessons leaned from this event. Go to the skippers meeting, read the SI and the board and leave the fin sailors a lot of room in the parking lot.
Next Sunkist is Dec 1 come on down. Get your Lido Membership dues before all your bill's come in from the holidays
Sea Ya!
Len Bose
All photo were taken by Rich Roberts
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