Racing
SAIL RACE COMMITTEE
Jay Kaiser, chair
George (Buzz) Young
Shahe Momjian
RACE APPLICATION
RACE COURSE AND INSTRUCTIONS
2025 RACE SCHEDULE
Series 1
June 4: Race 1
June 11: Race 2
June 18: Race 3
June 25: Race 4
July 2: Race 5
July 9: Final Race
Series 2
July 23: Race 1
July 30: Race 2
August 6: Race 3
August 13: Race 4
August 20: Race 5
August 27: Final Race and Party
Kaiser Cup
September 8: Regatta and Club Party
In July 1976, members of the club celebrated the Bicentennial with a sail race on July 4th (a Wednesday that year) off the Pier at Neff Park. That race generated so much excitement among the club’s sailors that they decided to make it a regular thing. The tradition, Wednesday night jib-and-main PHRF races, continues today, drawing new sailors and veteran racers alike. The competition, affectionately referred to as a beer-can race, serves as a regular date for club members to run around the buoys or join the dock committee at the end of the Pier. More recently, the club instituted an end-of-season race, The Kaiser Cup, a regatta for club members which takes place in September.
2025 First Series, Race 4 (or 5?) Results
Crazy… wind was west at 8 knots, gusting to 15. According to NOAA station at St. Clair Shores, at precisely 7:10 pm, the wind shifted to WSW and the sudden shifts continued throughout the evening. Now, it is always good practice to play the wind shifts. Riding out lifts and tacking on knocks — if you can call them correctly — you can gain a huge advantage. This week, the wind shifts played us and right from the start. Pre-start, the hip-hop was a fairly easy lay on starboard from the committee end until right at the gun! Then, out of nowhere, the wind veered significantly, making the hip-hop suddently an impossible fetch.
Sean was the unwitting beneficiary (‘unwitting’ according to him as I thought he did it on purpose!) of the shift as he was on the left at the pin making a port tack entry. The shift gave him excellent position for the tacks now needed for the first mark. I did not follow George’s tactic, but he managed to get there ahead of the rest of the fleet giving Sean a contest.
With the wind WSW, it was a power reach to Mark #3 — a great ride! We had set up for the spinnaker but delayed our launch as the south in the wind made it too close. But the wind headed back to west. We went for it, only to end up with an hourglass twist; the guys behind were catching up and the guys ahead pulling away. After some tugging on the luffs and some #@%&ing, the chute filled and we went into hyperdrive, bearing away at Mark #3 leaving the followers and reeling in the guys ahead. Dealing with ‘spinnaker spaghetti’ is a bit of a pain, but when you get it sorted out and start to fly on the edge of control, it sure is fun!
The beat back to the first pass from Mark #5 was full of lifts and knocks, but so hard to play as they came and went so suddenly, inconsistently and with such a punch. George managed to weave his way through the shifts and establish the lead, albeit not as commanding as the past few weeks. Sean, Fred, Dale, and Bob had their own match races going. On the Ranger, we were all over the place. It seemed each time we had a line on a mark, we would get a sudden knock and end up going in circles. My grandson was doubting his helmsmanship and I had to counsel as he was getting his first taste of crazy wind shifts.
So some close racing: George got the gun and saved his time by two minutes to place first. Sean, with his ‘brilliant’ port tack start at the pin, placed second. Fred, finishing just nine seconds behind Sean, placed third. In another close match, Dale and Bob crossed the line a mere 14 seconds apart.
Looked like a party on the dock, giving Lee and Renee plenty of ‘help’ and I’m sure offering some very wise armchair skippering. Thanks for being there.
2025 First Series, Race 3 Results
The weather just before race time — light air and light drizzle — was such that if you were home thinking about going out on your boat, you would probably say “Never mind.” But, because you have your appointment to go sailing every Wednesday, you did not miss out on a great evening of sailing.
The wind at the start was ENE 6 – 7 knots with some shifts to north, making the committee end favored for the start. We tried getting down the line towards the dock, but too many skippers had the same idea and we were left as low boat at the pin.
My grandson handled the helm for the whole race and patiently accepted my coaching: “Too high, too low, feel the boat.” I think he was doing a better job focusing than I would have. We were in a nice lane to Mark #5, but still well to leeward of George, followed by Fred, Dale Bob, and even new guy Matt who were all sailing higher. Our lower heading allowed us to foot well and at least keep up with the bigger boats.
We rounded Mark #3 with Fred and he pulled ahead. It took forever to get our spinnaker launched, but once it was flying, we caught Fred at Mark #3. We got in an acceptable gybe and carried the spinnaker at good speed on a close reach to the hip-hop, passing Fred. Then… ugh! The chute takedown was a disaster when the guy would not release and we could not make the turn at the hip-hop. While we were sorting our spaghetti, Fred blew by us.
Back out to Mark #3, my grandson was on a very fine lay line with no margin for error. That was when the tug/barge sent us their wake and our margin of error disappeared. We collected some green paint and had to re-round.
Meanwhile, George was so far ahead that we did not hear his finish gun. Again this week, he had tons of time to spare and did not need his excess from race 2 and was first. We were able to stay close enough to Fred to correct to second and Fred placed third.
Nice to have Matt out there with his Catalina 27 trying the course for the first time.
Thanks to Lee and Renee for watching over us. There is some scuttlebutt that the legendary Peter Polasek might be joining the dock committee to help oversee the series he once dominated. I hope so.
Update: Somehow in putting together the results worksheet for this year the math on my own rating was incorrect. I should have noticed it, I did not. Heck, it isn’t even divisible by three (a characteristic of any PHRF rating). I had given myself ten seconds/mile. I am so sorry.
In redoing the results that contain the error of ten seconds/mile, you would expect there to be some changes in results. And there were. In the first race and second race, I was incorrectly reported as third – with the correct rating, it was Bob placing third in both races. In last night’s race, I incorrectly reported myself as second. With the correct rating, it was Fred placing second.
This is supposed to be a casual, fun series of races focused on learning about your boat and sharpening your skills. Nevertheless, your effort getting around the buoys deserves an accurate reporting. Please check my work and feel free to question. The legendary Peter Polasek certainly would have.
2025 First Series, Race 2 Results
It was a wild ride around the buoys with a WSW wind of 12 knots, gusting into the twenties with pretty flat water. I imagine the dock committee had the plenty of opportunity to inspect our bottom paint. George had the best start, but I misjudged the distance (not the only time this evening!) and was half a minute late. Bob missed his usual timely start.
It was a close starboard fetch to the orange hip-hop and then a bear-away sleigh ride out to Mark #3. Then wing-on-wing down to Mark #5 with some odd angles to keep the jib full. Bob caught me at Mark #5 and, while giving him rounding room, Dale slipped in. Then it was a beat back for the first pass. Bob was sagging off to leeward and Dale was hounding George. Somewhere off the Little Club both Dale and George were able to make easy port tack crossings but we looked good on our time.
I then noticed that the wind was clocking to the west and lifting in the puffs. With my granddaughter We got so carried away with my granddaughter watching the water and calling the gusts that we sort of got lost, unable to distinguish the Grosse Pointe City flag (hidden behind the sail) from the flag at the home further downstream. By the time we figured it out, we had significantly over stood the lay line. We came screaming in with sheets cracked off but had given too much away. The Lesson: It is good to focus on trim and steering, but you have to also pay attention to where you are.
George and Dale were rail-to-rail with George making a pass at the second Mark #3. Dale managed to stay close and while George got the gun. Then Dale corrected to first. George corrected to second and we corrected to third.
To you skippers who aren’t out there yet, you are missing some pretty good sailing and close competition.
2025 First Series, Race 1 Results
Not a pretty evening, but some pretty good racing. Just before the start, the temp dropped several degrees, the wind switched from NE 8 to NNE 12-15 knots. The offshore breeze made for some really nice flat-water sailing. George and Bob got off to good starts, Dale a bit behind them and then there was me… you would think that after few years sailing this race, I would know the start time. At 7:10 pm, I was sailing away from the line planning to turn back at 7:12 and sail down to the favored end of the line for a perfect start at 7:15. It was looking good until my grandson asked, “Where are those guys going?” Off we went in hopeless pursuit, but still a great ride.
George and Bob hung together for much of the beat to Mark #5 until George pulled away and went into turbo mode. Dale caught up to Bob and they were sailing rail to rail for most of rest of the race to finish only twenty seconds apart.
We were all surprised when, while making our first pass, we got the gun. Our theories: we were so far behind that Lee thought we were so far ahead? Lee was so itchy to fire his new canon (aka Big Bertha) that he thought we were George?
Regardless, George should have got the gun and he saved his time (too bad we can’t bank time for future races) and was first. Dale in a come-from-behind effort placed second and Bob was third.
Thanks to Lee and Renee for standing watch on the dock to watch us sail in circles.
Kaiser Cup 2024 Results
The race committee proudly announces the winners of the Wednesday night summer series, handing out first, second, and third-place flags.
June series
Third Place: Rare tie for third place between PC Dale Scrace and Iron Bob Krueger
Second Place: Professor Jay Kaiser
First Place: PC Buzz Young
August series: The August series was very tight and anybody’s win up to the final race.
Third Place: Fred Bartel, the new racer in our fleet!
Second Place: Jay Kaiser
First Place: PC Dale Scrace (Saucy’s the boss!)
In a winner-take-all race for glory, this year’s cup went to PC Phil Allor, and the crew of his Beneteau 31, Solena. Congratulations, Phil!
Sunday was a wonderful close to a terrific season and everyone is already looking forward to 2025. New boats and new racers are always welcome!
And there is no race without race and dock committees… a million thanks to the volunteers who run the race for the enjoyment of the racers.
Race Committee: Jay Kaiser, Shahe Momjian, PC Buzz Young
Dock Committee: Brad Birch, Ed & Will Harrah, Al & Sid LeChard, Shirley Momjian, Renee Navarro, Lee Nyboer, PC Sheila Tomkowiak, Pat Warren (please let me know if I missed you)
2024 Second Series, Race 6 Results
You thought you had it bad? Imagine our dock committee sitting in that rain, waiting for boats they can’t see, wondering if we were ever coming back, taking rapid-fire times on finishes, but not sure who was who ! I have to admit that yellow mark was pretty far away. Thanks to Lee, Brad, Renee and Al (‘gotta make the last race’) for putting up with our nonsense.
With thunderstorms all around but miles away, the breeze was surprisingly steady from NE 5 -6 knots at the start. Then zero knots during the downpour and filling in nicely to get us going to finish. The beat to Mark #5 was excruciating. Sean did the no-current thing and sailed the starboard tack all the way to the lay line — or what he thought was the lay line! — only to find that at that speed the current had more time to sweep him low of the mark. We all seemed to have that problem. Fred and George went right — George even further, well across the channel. Fred rounded first and was soon followed by the bulk of the fleet. Pretty soon after the turn at Mark #5, the big black rain cloud timed with a setting sun cast us all into a wet, windless darkness. The shores disappeared, other boats disappeared, everything disappeared — oh, wait, my glasses need wipers.
When it looked like a big black cloud was not a front bringing a wind shift, we threw up the spinnaker to watch it hang in the rain. When we were able to pick up some breeze, we started moving through the fleet, gybed at Mark #3 and had a delightful ride to the hip-hop. Not being able to see the mark, we doused the chute early and started getting passed by everyone we had just passed.
Fred was first to the hip-hop, but I did not see what happened from there. We heard the gun — so it’s a short course, yay! — and a lot of horns. We were tied up with a tangle of spinnaker gear and a sticky spreader boot, but we did manage to keep moving. The whole fleet finished within two minutes. Only seconds between places. Dale broke the three-way tie for the series, initially by correcting to first by nine seconds. Jay corrected to second and Sean — the visit to St Paul on the first leg paid off — corrected to third. George got the gun, with Fred a mere four seconds later.
Who will ever forget this race??? The unsettled weather, storms in the distance, the cluster of boats becalmed in the channel as darkness seemed to take over in an instant, the spirited ride to the finish, the close finishes — what a way to end the season!
But wait it is not over quite yet — the Kaiser cup race is on Sunday September, 8 with a 2:00 warning gun. A great chance to make another memory.
2024 Second Series, Race 5 Results
Several days of wind from the north have put a bit of Fall into the air. On Monday the wind was gusting in the mid-twenties, while on Tuesday it was in the high teens. Last night we had sporting gusts of 17 knots at the start but laying down to ten by the finish. It looked like the start was going to be hotly contested, but then it seems it was Dale and George who were the only ones able to get off cleanly. I heard talk of some weird shift at the start, but I did not notice as I had my own problem with a sticky spreader boot.
Did someone say ‘cleanly’? Dale, with his clean start and clean air, went on to clean everyone’s clock (or should that be chronometer?). He led at all marks, got the gun, and finished first. It was in this race after 48 years sailing against Dale that I saw something I never thought I would see … Dale had crew hiking on the weather rail. I saw on the news last night that there has been a mysterious run on sales (sails?) of Egyptian cotton … ask Dale!
Jay, with the help of PJ, corrected to second and Sean was third by a mere three corrected seconds.
It must have been a honking good time for our dock committee (so much thanks to you folks!) as Fred, Sean and George all finished within thirty seconds of each other.
Next week is our final race of the series and season (say it isn’t so!) and at this point there is no lock on the podium positions. The last race will be a decider. Also, keep Sunday September 8 open for our Fall regatta in a winner-take-all for the Kaiser Cup… there is no second place.
2024 Second Series, Race 4 Results
So here was an example of “it ain’t over ’til it’s over.” With mere whispers of breeze during the pre-start, the air filled in enough to get us moving out to Mark #5. A number of the fleet seemed to discount the current and allowed themselves to be swept downstream and were behind at the start. George and the Lime guys — on the line at the start (you’re welcome, Paul) — got to Mark #5 first and lead the way down to Mark #5 on a light air close reach. The leg to the hip-hop was a wing-on-wing deal so my granddaughter and I opted to forgo the rating calculus and pop up the spinnaker. That worked for a while as we were reeling in Fred and George. Then, the fan turned off and the motorboat wakes brought us to a stop. While the three of us were struggling to get any way on, the current was sliding us so far past the mark that we had to go to the other tack. Then there was a shift back to the left and …well, meantime the boats that had been late for the start were coming, bring some breeze with them.
We finally made it around the hip-hop and had a line for the flagpole, going so slow that Dale, Bob and Brad (now Sean) were able to take a higher line and the last became first. We were ten feet from the line but going so slow the current was holding us at zero VMG and so close to the wall that I feared the next powerboat wake would wash us into the wall we had to tack. Our tack away was a disaster and by the time we got the jib around and drawing, we had slid all the way back to the harbor channel and took another eight minutes to finish.
Now Fred, in the sailing equivalent of a buzzer beater, made it to the line for the gun and first place with less than two minutes to spare on the race time limit! Remember, we have a two-hour time limit from the 7:15 start. If no boat has finished by 9:15 – no matter where they are on the course, even three feet from the finish, the race is abandoned. (Al LaChard later corrected this by email to state that the two-hour race limit begins at the starting gun at 7:10 pm and the race is called by a three-gun signal at 9:10 pm if no boat has crossed the finish.) If someone (Fred) makes it to the line before the time limit, there is a race and all times are taken. So, Dale and Bob did a great job of come from behind to finish: Dale second, Bob third.
Again, thanks so much to our dock crew for hanging in there in the gloom of night. Al, you are excused, to watch paint dry – or I am guessing that the low-speed finish was pretty exciting to watch.
The Latin for the night might therefore be: Si non remis ventus aga (if the wind will not serve, take to the oars)!
2024 Second Series, Race 3 Results
It was what I would call a ‘sporty’ race. Wind at the start was NNE 12 -15 knots and built to 15 -19 knots by 8:00 pm. Not too much as everyone did the beat to Mark #5 with a full mains and seemed to have good control, but geez, plenty exciting. Several at the start had allowed themselves to get too far downstream and downwind. It is hard to get a good start when you have to fight your way back to the line.
Fred had good pace and was working to weather such that for a while it looked like he might fetch Mark #5. We got to Mark #5 with two tacks, the second of which left us with a winch override and spinning in circles. Dale, close behind, took advantage and we were once again rail to rail approaching the mark. We had a slight overlap and room. After making the turn down to Mark #3, we looked back and Dale wasn’t there — don’t know what happened. The rest of our race was a boiling run down the channel and screaming reaches trying to close on Fred. Behind us the rest of the fleet was making good time in a pack, all finishing in a 30 second span of time.
Fred got the gun and — wait for it — saved his time by almost a full minute for first place. Jay, too sporty for the spinnaker, finished second and Brad (not Sean) finished third.
We had an all-star dock committee, with Lee; Al on the cannon; Syd for commentary (you’d have to be there); Renee and Pat taking times; and Larry for moral support.
One of the great things about our Wednesday Night Race is that it gets you out in weather when you might otherwise have stayed in port. You get the experience of sailing in all sorts of conditions in the company of other skippers that will have your back (or stern?) if something goes wrong. Case in point, last night we rolled up our jib and were about to drop the main. Started the motor to drive us into the wind — and then, no propulsion! After some head-scratching, we discovered that my prop was gone! Were we going so fast that we blew it off!? With competitors still on the lake, I had several offers for a tow. Brad was going our way and graciously pulled us in. It is typical of our group to look around and see that everyone is okay before heading in, especially when the wind was nearing 20 knots. Pretty cool.
2024 Second Series, Race 2 Results
A lovely evening, but an odd breeze — seven to eight knots early, but dropping off later — once again leaving a few boats behind. The direction was such that we could almost fetch the hip-hop at the start, but a tack was needed. Bob, as usual, figured out that the committee end was favored and got his usual bang on start. (What? No bang? Shirley, you have to have a shell in the gun for it to make noise! Al, we missed you.) But Fred and the Lime guys were early rounders. We were a bit late but found a nice hole in traffic to make the port tack unscathed and rounded third.
The ride out to Mark #3 was a close reach. We had committed to launching our spinnaker but found that it did not offer a great advantage on such a close reach. But it sure was fun — we really felt we were moving — even if we could not catch Fred and the Lime guys. Dale (without Dale) was in hot pursuit. After the turn at Mark #3, the chute paid its dividends and we caught and passed the leaders on the way to Mark #5. With a fetch back to the line, the big boats started to pull us back, with Fred passing with a twelve-second lead at the first time through the line. He stretched that out to just over two minutes to get the gun. We were determined to have more fun and reset the spinnaker for the reach back and forth to and from Mark #3, but really, the jib would have been as effective. Our poor gybe at Mark #3 allowed the Lime guys to pass inside and finish just a minute after Fred. We crossed third with the ‘yellow battleship Scrace’ less than a minute later.
Neighbors in the marina, Larry and Robert, apparently don’t like to stray too far from each other as they had their own race going in the fading breeze and finished less than 30 seconds apart.
Well, Fred missed saving his time by a mere 48 corrected seconds and finished second. Dale (without Dale) finished second. Jay corrected to first.
Thanks so much to Shirley for stepping in to lead our dock committee and to Pat and Renee for watching our nonsense and keeping time.
A question came up about using a spinnaker. Each of us has a 12 second per mile reduction in handicap for sailing JAM. If you wish to use a spinnaker or any foresail greater than 155% LP, you may, but you lose the 12 second adjustment. For me, I was unsure if the tradeoff would pay and I find that it is a close call. But I find that: 1) it is way more fun and the screw-ups are spectacular, and 2) while the extra horsepower may not outsail the rating difference, it does get you up to the front of the fleet and around the course before the air starts its sundown fade.
On a personal note, I have to tell you that I am sailing with the dream team. I sailed for years with my daughters and now I have my granddaughter at the helm — a real thrill. As for Shahe on the dream team? Well, when we can keep him awake, he is a pretty fussy sail trimmer.
2024 Second Series, Race 1 Results
A fitful WNW breeze at 3 – 11 knots gave some of us a delightful ride and others some frustration. Then a shifty die-off late in the race made it impossible to predict who would finish ahead of whom and unfortunately left the trailing boats even further behind.
The start was a fetch to the hip-hop with George’s Limey guys and Fred vying for the lead and Dale right there. On the Ranger, Shahe and I decided to have some fun (?) and fly the spinnaker — a test to see if the hit-to-the-rating would be overcome by the boost in speed. (Conclusion: I think it is worth the ratings hit, if you don’t make too many mistakes). A few seconds late for the start and having to untangle some spaghetti, we got the sail pulling and made it to Mark #3 with the leaders. It did take us some time to break out from under the Limey guys’ shadow, but we were then able to pull away for a nice lead at Mark #5. From there it got real and it was all about trying to hold off the faster boats coming for us. While cutting the first pass at the yellow a little too close, a crazy header caused me to miss it and have to come back around. With the jib leech caught on my new (and sticky) spreader boot we had a real cluster****. Meanwhile the Limey guys — Fred and Dale — sailed right on by.
The ride around the hip-hop and back out to Mark #3 had Dale and I rail to rail and exchanging positions while chasing the leaders. Dale got inside and rounded ahead of me and not far behind Fred and the Limey guys who carried on in towards shore on port tack. After the goofy shifts, we had at the first yellow, we went to the left on starboard. Dale came with us. Now it was all about the shifts, the puffs, and lulls. At one point we looked good and then it was Dale looking like he would finish ahead of everyone. It looked to me like Fred was going real slow trying to get a starboard tack layline for the finish, but the Limey guys had good way on a direct line to the finish and took the gun by 25 seconds. Dale finished under a minute later and we were a few minutes after him. The Brad bunch and the Gary/Teri combo had to finish (but finish they did) in the exasperating dying breeze.
So, Dale, with a consistent performance corrected to first. Jay, netting out the boost from the spinnaker, the hit to the rating and the mark mishap, corrected to second, Fred was third.
Thanks so much to Lee for commanding the dock crew, with Al whacking that canon and Renee keeping time.
2024 First Series Re-Cap
Each year the GPBC hosts two sets of sailboat races. This year, the first set concluded on Wednesday, July 17 with the second series beginning Wednesday, July 31. The Race Committee reports the first series results: PC Buzz Young was first; Jay Kaiser second, and PC Dale Scrace took third place. Congratulations to all racers! Thank you to RC Paul Maiale and his wife Kelly for hosting the first race series party last Wednesday.
And there is no race without race and dock committees — the faithful volunteers who run the race for the enjoyment of the racers. We are grateful to these volunteers:
Race Committee: Jay Kaiser, Shahe Momjian, PC Buzz Young
Dock Committee: Brad Birch, Ed & Will Harrah, Al LeChard, Shirley Momjian, Renee Navarro, Lee Nyboer, PC Sheila Tomkowiak, Pat Warren
2024 First Series, Race 6 Results
It was worth the wait. Cold, wet, and unstable conditions put us off last week. Then, just before race time, our flags were not even moving. What? Did that flag move? Within minutes, the flags were looking like sheet metal as the wind came in from the North gusting at 22 knots. Six boats got out on the course and were treated to a ‘sporty’ beat to Mark #5. The committee end-of-the-line was favored with a near fetch to Mark #5, but a wind shift to East late in the leg gave a boost to those on the right. While George and his limeys were able to send Fred in a circle on a port/starboard cross at the mark, Sean snuck through to gain some position. Being on the wrong end of the shift, I had to duck Dale on another port/starboard cross, but I was able to cut it close enough (note: Dale didn’t look worried) to make Mark #5.
I spent the downwind leg untangling my roller furler, while granddaughter Natalie drove the entire leg rail to rail with Dale. Dale got rounding room at Mark #3, but we swung wide early and trimmed up hard to get the weather position — another horse race to the hip hop.
George got the gun and Fred finished next with only ten seconds on Sean. Dale crossed the line two seconds ahead of us. All in all, some pretty exciting, close racing. So now the corrected results: Jay barely saved his time for first. George corrected to second and Sean third.
As this was the sixth race, the series results can be found on the last tab. First Place, George; second, Jay; third, Dale (staying with the yellow theme).
Thanks so much to Lee and all the folks on the dock committee, allowing me to go sailing after missing so many years.
Update: This just in! I just ran into Lee on the dock and he happened to mention that the timekeepers for last night entered the net elapsed time — subtracting ten minutes (time from warning to start) from the raw time we usually use. Since the spreadsheet already adjusts the raw time to net, the spreadsheet presented earlier was inadvertently net, net time. I have corrected the spreadsheet and include it here. The result was minor changes of elapsed time, but no changes in positions.
While making this correction, it came to my attention that the series results for Bob K. had an error. Correcting that error moved him up to a tie with Dale for third place.
2024 First Series, Race 3 Results
What the heck was that? We came down to find the lake dead-flat calm. Personally, I was convinced there would be no race. So much so that I motored out late, fully expecting I would be motoring back in shortly. Well, as if scheduled, the air filled in right at the start. Everyone had the sense to stay close to the line and not drift off to Alter Road, so the start was tightly packed and everyone was off to Mark #5 on a nice easy fetch.
Well, almost everyone. I was not really prepared to sail (so, shame on me) and several rigging foul-ups left me on the start line watching everyone sail away. But on a positive note, I got to watch the whole race — taking place well in front of me. And a special bonus — I got to have my grandson as crew.
Speaking of ‘well in front’, George and his lime-shirted bunch took off and rounded Mark #5 well in front and stretched out to a significant lead — so far ahead that I stopped paying attention. Dale and Fred and Bob were vying with each other and I doubt they never would have guessed what was to come. Remember, it ain’t over ’til it’s over.
Meanwhile Robert, Larry and I were having our own little race down the channel. Larry got some strange shift and fell back, but then got his wing on wing on and was threatening Robert and me on the ride in from Mark #3.
Meanwhile, my grandson had noted that guy who was way out in front seemed to have run aground. Hewasn’t moving and the others were catching up! We watched as Dale closed on the finish, passing George who sat not aground but becalmed in some kind of windhole nearer to shore. To add to the excitement, Fred made a tight turn at the hip hop to get on top and drive over Dale and get the gun by four seconds. When the numbers are cranked, Dale got first, Fred second, and George third.
Thanks so much to Lee for running the dock crew with Sheila and Pat. Will Harrah was on hand to record the photo finish and posted to YouTube.
2024 First Series, Race 2 Results
Whee! What a night! Power reaching and fetches all the way around the course. Bob got his usual on the gun start — he should give lessons — with Dale and George right on his heels. Jay was a bit early and was doing doughnuts to eat time. Larry and Terri/Gary had their own battle going off to leeward. The rest of the race was a romp in the wind (7 – 12 kts SSW). George was first to Mark #5, then Dale. Bob and Jay rounded together with Bob winning the inside and weather track. Thankfully, it was not a really close-hauled line to the first pass and Jay was able to ease sheets a bit and power up to chase the leaders. George was able to stretch out from a lead of 45 seconds at Mark #5 to over 2 minutes at the second hip hop and had Dale pressing the whole time.
George got line honors and the gun… but missed saving time. Jay corrected to first; George second; and by a mere 12 corrected seconds, Dale — fresh from an expertly installed, high tech, super-fast main halyard installation — finished third.
Massive thanks to folks showing up stand watch on the dock. Lee, Renee and Shelia might have had things under control, but were eclipsed by an appearance by the ‘ole cannon whacker Al accompanied by Sid. Almost made feel like I would rather be on the dock!
And I was grateful to have that wiley bastard Shahe onboard pulling strings and executing the fine adjustments (halyards, out haul, cunningham, backstay) that help the boat reach full power at the various sea states wind angles. Wait… what? There are boats NOT changing sail tensions as you go ’round the buoys? I am suggesting you consider changing sail shape through luff and foot tensions as you transition from upwind to downwind, from flat to lumpy water. It will make a difference.
2024 First Series, Race 1 Results
Did the dark and stormy late afternoon deter some of the competitors? Only four crew hosed off the fish flies and headed out to the start line to almost sunshine, face flat water, and a light SSW breeze that filled in just enough to get us around the course.
The pin end of the start was highly favored and highly contested. Jay had a safe leeward position and was holding up the rest of the fleet, but was ten seconds early and had to bear off down the line and let the weather boats in. Bob had a great position…and had he waited another moment before tacking around, he would have found room at the pin for a perfect start. New guy Fred now had the highest line and made it to the hip hop with a nicely timed tack to make the mark and avoid a starboard tacker. The ride out to Mark #3 was slow, but George and Fred stretched out a bit and Bob was closing from the rear. Apparently, there was some contact between the leaders as Fred did a penalty turn. See, it is a gentleman’s sport!
On the run up the channel, complete with passing freighter, George tried to heat up by reaching out to the right. Fred stayed on the rhumb line and Bob was closing up his deficit. Jay bore off to the left under wing on wing, hoping to avoid some current and be able to heat up coming into Mark #5. That seemed to work as he was able to catch up to the leaders and round right on Fred’s stern. From there, tactics were straight line and it was a boat speed thing. George passed Jay and was chasing Fred; George was about a minute behind on the first pass and closed it to 28 seconds at the finish.
It seemed that Fred — in his first Wednesday Night race — took the gun for first to finish. But did he save his time? No, Jay managed to stay close enough to the leaders to correct to first. Thus, Fred corrected to second and George third.
Special thanks to Shirley for setting up the RC station and bringing the “wiley bastard” to crew with me. Also, thanks to Renee and Shelia for standing watch.
Much Ado about Racing
The weekly GPBC Wednesday sailboat races are run from the end of the pier by a small but dedicated, and utterly beloved Dock Committee, led by Jay Kaiser, namesake of the fabled and coveted Kaiser Cup. Jay’s usual supporting cast are Al “The Old Cannon Whacker” LeChard, Shirley Momjian, PC Sheila Tomkowiak and Sid LeChard. From week to week, any number of other club members will come out to hang with the DC, assist if needed, enjoy the race and socialize.
The starting line of the racecourse, which is also the finish line, is from the flagpole at the end of the pier to a yellow buoy set about 125 yards straight out. At 7:00 p.m. is the first gun… cannon, actually… signifying the beginning of the starting sequence. A second gun is set off at 7:05. For the next five minutes anywhere from six to twelve boats will prepare and jockey for optimum starting position when the race begins with a final cannon blast at 7:10.
The start of any race can be very exciting because all the boats are trying to get to the same place at the same time. And it takes place within shouting distance of the pier, up close and almost personal. Even though by the end of the race the boats can be fairly spread out, one-on-one duels for position at the finish can be very exciting too.
Obviously, the velocity and direction of the wind has everything to do with how long the race lasts. Typically, a race takes anywhere between 60 to 90 minutes. The race course itself is a triangular pattern that incorporates channel markers #3 and #5. A chart of the race course and race instructions can be downloaded here.
All club members are encouraged to come out to watch the start of a race and see what all the fuss is about. Hanging with the DC is a blast in itself (pun intended) and can be highly instructional. The truth of sailboat racing is it runs the gamut from white-knuckle, adrenaline-fueled excitement to soul-crushing boredom. Professor Kaiser describes our dear little beer can race as a weekly appointment to go sailing. We go out when it’s nice and we go out when it’s awful, including rain and strong winds. The only time we do not go racing is if the conditions are deemed unsafe by the Dock Committee.
Although the competition on the racecourse can be pretty intense, after the race it’s all camaraderie, good will, laughs and back slapping. Typically, the racers will retire to a local watering hole afterward to compare notes, support each other, discuss the race, have a beer and pizza, yuk it up, tell outrageous lies, and begin looking forward to the next race.
The final high point of any race usually comes the day after when Professor Kaiser publishes his recap. Jay’s recaps are informative, highly instructional, entertaining and loaded with wry humor. We all look forward to them, hoping if he calls one of us out it’s for something we did well and not something we screwed up.