Taco Tuesday # 4 Pre Game Write Up

TUE...NW WINDS 5 TO 10 KT...BECOMING W IN THE AFTERNOON. Sailflow has 10 Knots.

Last Tuesday night we had a good turn out with sixteen boats attending. Six boats in C’s, seven in B’s and five in A’s.

The breeze stayed at about 6-8 knots of pressure and kept the race committee on its toes with a ninety degree wind shift to the south during the last beat of the first race. In A fleet Scott Ramser picked up on the sent of that wind shift and chased it down like a hunger bear winning both races. We had a three way tie in B fleet with Mark Conzelman, Mar Hurwitz and Rolly Pulaski all finishing the night with five points. Conzelman winning the tie breaker when he crossed the finish line first in the second race of the night. In C fleet it was team Lighting using their boat speed to stay in front of the pack with a first and second place finishes.

I was fighting a jib boom that just did not want to tack from side to side. It kind of reminded of a bird, that had broken it’s wing, spinning circles frantically to stay alive. Fortunately it was nothing so serious and I was quickly prescribed the remedy by taking out the jib boom on another date. After further research I noticed one of the caller screws, that hold the jib boom in place, is locked in and I need to spend more time on the problem. My short term solution was to spray lubrication down the base of the boom. Hey it’s a boat! 

If your boat is acting up and you are looking for a remedy make sure you attend the after race awards and ask the many pros we have that are always are willing to give their opinion. I always seem to ask Peter Haynes, Jim Kerrigan, Bob Yates or Walter Johnson.

Last week quotes: We had just went into the last practice start and three of us thought it was game on when Steve Schupak, sailing with Tucker Cheadle, ask “Hey Len, where is everybody?” We had sailed almost the whole way to the weather mark before realizing it was a practice start.

I missed the next quote but it sounded like “You can’t do that!” between Emile and Jim Kerrigan at the finish of the first B fleet. From my perspective it look like a room to finish question?

This reminds me to inform you all that protests are not a bad thing and this format is the perfect time to practice your presentations and review the rules

Two items I would like to bring up: Remember the boat handling and sail trim seminar is this month June 21. To our race committee respectively, when we have a huge wind shift. Rather than waiting for all the marks to be adjusted, run a down wind start and adjust the marks when we are racing.

If anyone has time to coach this week or take photos please give me a call at (714) 916-0200.