Report and Commentary:
Norfolk Labor Day Regatta Report
The race committee and whomever wished to attend held a meeting at 10:00 AM Saturday morning to decide how to proceed in 18 kt. winds gusting to 25 kts. Initially the suggestion was to race the juniors close inshore and the senior fleet (Hampton One Design, 420, Mobjack, Flying Junior, Laser, and Moth) just inside Tanner Point, rather than in the usual location outside Tanner point in the Elizabeth River. However, a Hampton One Design sailor known to some as "Hothead" argued long and drearly that the wind was too flukey inside the point, and that sailing in the river, with the steader winds, was necessary to avoid turning over and breaking masts on the shallow bottom (???). This voice prevailed.
The race time was moved up to 11:15 AM for the juniors, and 11:30 for the seniors, since the weather report indicated steadly worsening weather. It was decided that today's heats would be the regatta (no racing on Sun.). After consulting the other three moth sailors, Walt Collins prevaled on the race committee to start the moths on the juniors course.
The juniors and some seniors went out. The four moths (Joe Bousques, Mark Saunders, Walt Collins and George Bailey were rigging and getting in the water. As the moths were getting in the water, the juniors were being blown over, keeping the chase boat busy. Apparently, some of the seniors who headed out also found the wind too high and came back in.
About that time all four moths reached the committee boat on the inshore (juniors) course, the race committee decided to cancel the races altogether. The moth skippers asked the committee boat if they would run the races for the moths, and this request was agreed to. (Thank you, committee boat person.)
It was raining most of the time, with very shifty winds (20 to 30 degrees at a shot), from 15 Kts to who knows (seemed to George about 25 in the strongest gusts). We got three very guick starts (three minute warning, followed by three 45 second minutes, or so it seemed.) The first start was around 11:30 AM, and the third heat was finished by 12:30 PM. The course was not all that short, but we were all planing to the second and third marks in the "nice breeze" we had, so it did not take long to get around. The hardest stretch was the beat from the third mark to the finish line, as the first half of this was getting clear wind down the Lafayette River, which seemed to be least 18 kts before the gusts. All in all, it was really fun flying around this course off the wind and trying to beat to windward with half of one's sail luffing!
Despite the wind, all four boats finished all three heats with nothing broken and without swamping. (I can't say without turning over. But those that went over came right back up.) Just shows what can be done with a moth.
The overall results were:
1st. Joe Bousquet, 2nd. Mark Saunders, 3rd. Walt Collins (tied for points with Mark), 4th George Bailey.
Since the moths were the only fleet to race, we were the only fleet to get trophies. The other fleets will come back in two weeks and try again.
Many thanks to the race committee boat person who stayed out in the rain to give us three heats and to the Norfolk Yacht Club for providing the moths with a great time!
I forgot to mention that while we were racing, the storm causing all the wind and rain was upgraded to a hurricane, so I guess that technically, the moths (and only the moths!) raced the Labor Day regatta in a hurricane.
Cheers, George
Note from Walt Collins:
Greg, Gusty winds, instantaneous shifts, blinding rain occasionally. Just another day at the races. George Bailey and I both left our glasses ashore, since we couldn't see with them anyway. We had to follow Joe around the reaches because we couln't see the mark until at least 1/2 way there. I sailed FEATHER and George sailed CURLEY. Our choices were verified as sound since both of these boats were well behaved considering the conditions. I got to try out my fiberglass boom (windsurfer mast section) in a blow and confirmed that it bends a lot, but hangs in there. We rigged in a hurry, and I left my sponge ashore. I ended up taking my rubber shoe off and using it as a bailer between races, although the extra weight of a couple gallons of rainwater seemed to help FEATHER punch through the chop at the outer portions of the course.
Best wishes to the bride and groom. You will probably lose the other daughter when Mr. Right shows up.
See you at EC,
Walt
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