Hello everyone,

Yesterday we sailed the Singlehanded championship, and I think all would agree that while the wind was far from ideal, the temperature was just about perfect. Mid-fifties at this time of the year is most unusual but much appreciated. The forecast was for SSW winds at 10 to fifteen, and when I first got to the pond there was wind from the southwest, but nowhere near what was predicted. When I went to get the crash boat I could see a thermal just starting to come in off the lake and wondered if it would get to us.

It did--barely. Dick Tennerstedt was our race committee and he did a great job getting the races off quickly. Before the first race he set up a southwest course with 2 weather marks. No one knew where to start as it was shifting around a lot. Fritz and I were at the boat, and "Port tack Rickard" was at the pin. Right after the start the wind shifted to the southeast and everyone tacked and started reaching. We abandoned that one and got set up for a southeast course. I thought the wind would build but it stayed very light. We almost never got to sit on the rail, making for some sore knees afterwards.

The real first race was between Jack and Fritz who left the rest of us in the dust after the start. Fritz was ahead initially, but Jack ground him down coming into the weather mark. Jack was using a new light air sail and we could tell he really liked it! Jack held Fritz off on the run for the win. In the second race I got a bit lucky with the shifts and took the lead early. Tom Provencher was really breathing down my neck the whole race and I had to watch him carefully. I hung on for the win and Tom took second followed by Jack. In the third race there were three or four boats close together when Pat Hilliard took off and jumped out in front--I believe on the run. He sailed really well on the second beat and kept a loose cover on me and got the gun. I was second and Jack had another third, so at that point I was leading the regatta. Two things happened that derailed me: the wind began to get really light--so light that the pond became like a mirror.

I had trouble getting my sail to set and felt that I slowed down a lot in the last 3 races. And my starting woes caught up to me in the fourth and fifth races. It was very easy to get just a bit too far from the line and then you were in big trouble. I believe the next three races were all one-lappers, and Jack won them all. He had the knack for going fast to the right spot and never stopped. He also had a great knack for sitting still in the light stuff, something that is hard to do when you get impatient! In the last race I had a decent start and went up the middle. I lost Jack who went way left, and Pat who went way right. I guess the middle was not the place to be, but it all looked the same to me!

After the regatta it was obvious who won, but not so obvious who was second.

The point score was very close, and I made a scoring error at the party and didn't realize that Fritz and Pat had tied for third. Since Pat had a first place finish I believe he wins the tiebreaker but I am not sure. If you know how this should be scored please let me know! I had 15 points for second, and Fritz and Pat both had 16 points. That is amazingly close racing for such a tough day and it shows the depth of this fleet. I should also mention that we had nine boats on the line which is great for this time of year.

The chili party afterwards was a lot of fun! It was nice to be able to enjoy a party without having to run downtown for a concert. Jack seemed quite taken with his first place trophy--a Penguin cookie jar! My wife Dawn found all the trophies and she has developed quite a knack for finding all sorts of things that have a Penguin theme.

I am not able to sail the next 3 Sundays, so if folks want to race let me know and I will deliver the batteries for the crash boat. We have a big cold front coming Thursday so our perfect temperature won't last forever but I haven't seen a forecast yet for the weekend. It has been a great season and we'll get together again at our annual winter party. More details to follow later.

Singlehanded Championship results:

Rickard: 1--3--3--1--1--1 = 7 points.

Pegis: 3--1--2--6--6--3 = 15 points.

P. Hilliard: 5--6--1--4--4--2 = 16 points.

Hanselman: 2--4--4--3--3--4 = 16 points.

Perley: 4--5--7--2--5--7 = 23 points.

Boyle: NS--NS--6--5--2--6 = 28 points.

D. Hilliard: 6--7--NF--9--7--5 = 34 points.

Provencher: NS--2--8--8--8--9 = 35 points.

Coan: NS--NS--5--7--9--8 = 38 points.

Regards,

Jon