Historical Race Reports

Race Report: Frost Bite Regatta

March 13, '99

The first regatta of the ‘99 Spring Series was one to remember. Four boats showed up to combat Mother Nature--who was very angry to say the least! Winds were from the South at 20 plus knots and light rain with unusually flat water--considering the winds.

Most of us, Carrie On, PGSJuan, & Mi Nino, launched at Stan Sayers and sailed up to Leschi where we met Windance. During the sail up, we got a taste of what was in store. Carrie On, while gibing under I-90 bent her whisker pole during an untimely gust that funneled through the bridge. One can never blame the crew for such a mishap, for it is the skipper who must take the blame. Doug Ihlen was at the helm! I guess he has forgotten how to sail the 21. Luckily, we found some tools before the Skipper’s Meeting and were able to cut a couple of feet off the folded pole to sail down wind. The day was saved.

Race #1

The gun for the first race went off at 12 Noon with Carrie On hitting the line right at the gun. Having the advantage of almost 600# of crew (Marty, Doug & Jim) proved to be the deciding factor as Carrie On finished the course in 35 minutes as the rest of the Fleet worked hard to keep their boats’ rails out of the water. Mi Nino took second despite filling the cockpit with water during a nasty knock down. Windance took third, while PGSJuan hobbled across the line with broken traveler gear.

Race #2

During the pre-start for the second race, a new speed record was set for Carrie On. The knot meter counted up to 7.8 knots while on a reach--6.9 was the previous mark. During our elation and fumbling around for PFDs, Carrie On was late to the line. Still, Carrie On managed to shoot the windward mark as PGSJuan had to give room and tack away as the wind shifted. The ride down to the leeward mark was fast and the Fleet close as the wind gusted from astern. Again, however, the extra weight on the rail proved to be the difference as Carrie On beat up to the finish.

The day was exciting for the agile crews who were hiked out every second of the beat, but this time, Mother Nature finally won out by beating the Fleet into submission--a third race was not to be had!

Frank Faget was in the tower and recorded the event.

The next race to be held will occur during the printing of April’s Keel Pin (March 27th at Leschi). The following regatta is the Duck Hatch at Renton on April 10th. This is a great event! I hope to see you on the water.

Carrie On #1613

Marty Splinter--Race Chair

Race Report: White Cap Regatta

March 27, '99

The name of the regatta once again lived up to its name. Winds form the SSW gusting up to 20+ knots. Three boats showed up to the start line: Gene Adams on PGSJuan, Marty Splinter on Carrie On, and George Guedel rolled Silver Heels over from Idaho to sail with his son Charles, who lives locally.

Three races were sailed. With plenty of winds, the first race took advantage of the breadth of the lake--sailing a triangular course with the normal windward/leeward legs and a reaching mark to the other side of I-90. The

second and third race had the normal windward/leeward legs.

Race 1

The boats were pinned on their ears all day long. The reaching mark was especially fast (Carrie On recorded 7.4 knots at times), but it was no more than a parade across the lake with no movement in position. Silver Heels sailed the course superbly, leading from start to finish & taking the gun in 46 minutes. PGSJuan and Carrie On tangled up at the finish line as Carrie On tried to shoot the finish mark while calling for room just as a gust hit. The winds were too strong to allow for any forward momentum to cross the line and Carrie On had to tack to port and allow PGSJuan to barely pass by. In the melee, Carrie On nicked PGSJuan's transom and completed a 720 before finishing.

Results: #1 Silver heels, #2 PGSJuan, #3 Carrie On

Race 2

The second race saw building winds for the windward/leeward coarse. Carrie On reefed the main during the preparatory signals and barely got to the line while raising her jib. Silver Heels again started perfectly while showing Fleet 1 a thing or two. Carrie On, finding herself far in last place and out of competition, decided to sail the course comfortably and finish the race. With the reefed main, the boat had an amazing pointing ability within an eerie calm "weather vacuum." Despite the lack of competitive aggression and in survival mode, Carrie On found herself at the windward mark just a couple of boat lengths behind PGSJuan. At this time the race was back on and Carrie On shook out the reef and battled down wind. Though no change in boat position occurred, the race for second place tightened up considerably. Silver Heels sailed the coarse in 33 minutes and again took first place honors.

Results: #1 Silver heels, #2 PGSJuan, #3 Carrie On

Race 3

The weather conditions remained the same for the third race. Silver Heels again led the Fleet without any real competition. Carrie On, liking the windward performance of the reef, again took a slab out of the main for the windward leg and "beat" out PGSJuan to the mark. Carrie On, while shaking out the reef, followed Silver Heels by reaching out a bit toward the leeward mark, while PGSJuan sailed a more direct course. Though sailing fast to the leeward mark, PGSJuan rounded up by the race tower and lost a little ground. Superb crew work by Bruce Austin, got Carrie On's reef back in the main, whisker pole gibed then down, and back in position to round the leeward mark with perfect grace--only to watch the main's bolt rope unzip up the mast as we went to weather. As Carrie On re-threaded her main, PGSJuan was able to close the gap and made it interesting to the finish. Carrie On finally took second place by forcing PGSJuan back on starboard tack at the pin end while Carrie On sailed by with boat speed.

Race Results: #1 Silver Heels, #2 Carrie On, #3 PGSJuan.

The sail back to the ramp at Stan Sayers was even more interesting as Carrie On reached across the lake through the east end of I-90. The chop was pretty significant on the south side of I-90 making for an initial bumpy ride to the launch. At the launch, however, our entertainment value increased as the Fleet watched the marine patrol tow a small runabout back to the launch. Thanks to the excellent dock skills of PGSJuan and Carrie On crews (while laughing under our breaths), I think we partially saved the day for crew aboard the runabout. Ask us about it sometime.

A special thanks to George Guedel for rolling his boat over from IDAHO to participate in a true "White Cap Regatta." I hope to see more of the Fleet at the always fun "Duck Hatch Regatta" hosted by Renton Sailing Club on April 10th. Let's put 10 boats on the line--wouldn't that be fun!

Carrie On #1613

Marty Splinter--Race Chair Fleet 1

Race Report: Duck Hatch

April 10, '99

The Duck Hatch Regatta was sailed on a wonderful Spring Saturday. Weather was partly cloudy with some sun breaks (enough to get a slight sunburn) and best of all--No Rain! Winds were variable from the SE at 5-15. Gusts at times reached a little higher--especially at the windward mark.

The Renton Sailing Club set up a small Olympic triangle at the south end of Lake Washington. Three races were completed with three starts per race. The first start was given to the San Juans plus a Catalina 22 was added to our start. Lasers made up division two while various dinghies made up the third class.

In attendance from Fleet 1 were Randy Padilla, Clark Judd, and Marty Splinter. Scott Peterson who hails from Eastern Washington also joined us by rolling "Magic Juand" across the state divide. Thank you Scott for joining us.

RACE 1

Race One proved to be very peculiar to say the least. All boats started very evenly but sailed across the start line about 10-15 seconds late. Don't ask me, maybe we didn't set our boat clocks to Daylight Savings Time!? The only exception was Scott Peterson who had to return back to the dock to repair a broken jib halyard but returned with enough time to complete the course.

The windward mark was turned first by Carrie On and built a substantial lead while the others had difficulty making the mark in very shifty and gusty winds. Randy Padilla, while breaking in a new crew, took a more leisurely approach and decided to sail the day without a jib, but surprisingly was able to keep up with the other boats. The gybe and leeward marks were fast and the second wave stayed close together. Carrie On crossed the finish line first followed by Zingara, the Cat 22, Mi Nino, then Magic Juand with a repaired halyard.

RACE 2

Race Two saw the boats at the line when the gun went off. The beat to the windward mark proved a difficulty in keeping the boats flat. Thoughts of the first and second regattas raced through our heads. The windward mark was won by Magic Juand but overlapped by Carrie On. Magic Juand built a small lead by the gybe and leeward mark.

The beat back to the finish was very close. Initially taking different tacks, Magic Juand and Carrie On were overlapped as Magic Juand tacked back on starboard and to windward near the finish. The crews of the boats were close enough to shake hands--but nothing doing! Carrie On, with boat speed, pinched Magic Juand to windward. Unable to maintain speed, Magic Juand tacked to port as Carrie On crossed the line. A very exciting finish to say the least. The Cat 22 finished third followed by Zingara and Mi Nino.

Race 3

The pre-start of Race Three proved lethal for Magic Juand who had to retire with a broken rudder pintles. Once again Murphy decided to sail on Magic Juand--Sorry Scott.

The rest of the fleet arrived at the line as the gun went off. The beat to windward was once again very gusty making it difficult to keep the boats flat. Carrie On (on starboard) tangled up with the port tacker Cat 22 near the mark. The Cat 22 realized the infraction and did a 720. Shortly after, Carrie On, still on starboard, tangled with port tacker Zingara who lost steerage in a heavy gust. Meanwhile, Mi Nino who initially took a flyer to port, rounded the windward mark first.

Carrie On and Mi Nino raced to the gybe mark but Mi Nino would not let go of the lead. The battle to the leeward mark was close as Carrie On closed the gap. Mi Nino would have had an inside overlap but lost sight of the mark while tending to her bow line she was dragging. The beat to the finish was won by Carrie On then by the jibless Mi Nino. Zingara soon finished followed by the Cat 22.

Overall, it was a wonderful day for sailing. With the winds that we've had lately, La Nina is certainly having her way. Thank you again to Scott Peterson for making the long trek over the mountains to join us. I hope that your boat will prove reliable for the rest of the season. Fleet 1's next race is in Pasco for the Desert Regatta on May 1 & 2. I believe a couple of boats from Fleet 1 are planning on making the voyage.

The Race Chair realizes that these reports are from only one perspective and invites and welcomes reports from other racers. Such reports will be posted on this site if sent by email to: sj21fleet1@geocities.com

Carrie On #1613

Marty Splinter--Race Chair Fleet 1

Race Report: Desert Regatta

May 1 & 2, '99

The annual Desert Regatta was once again hosted by The Columbia Basin Sailing Club (CBSC) the first week of May. The race was sailed on the Snake River on the impounded lake behind Ice Harbor Dam.

Randy Padilla & Marty Splinter rolled their boats across the mountains and were the only boats to represent Fleet One. Gene Adams intended to compete but had encountered problems with his towing vehicle prior to leaving his hometown. Later it was determined that his truck's rear-end needed to be rebuilt. Good thing this was not discovered while attempting Snoqualmie Pass and the 400 + mile trek to Pasco, WA!

Boats from all over the state participated in the multi-class regatta with individual starts given to Hobies, Thistles, Flying Scots, San Juan 21s, and various other boats competing within the Portsmouth handicap system. The San Juan 21 sailors will again use this regatta as their "Districts" for NW competition and try to un-seed George Guedel from his reign as Desert Regatta Champion--better known as the Silver Heels Dynasty.

Trophies were given to first and second place finishers in each class. The first place trophy was a magnificent piece of art--a handmade "air block" (Harken, I believe!?) of wood with working bearings and sheave. Very beautiful! Second place trophies were beautifully framed certificates with photos of the second place boats under sail.

Races were scheduled to start on Saturday with the hopes of getting at least three races off. But due to high winds (20-30 mph), the race committee postponed the races and later cancelled all races. Most of the racers used the day to clean and maintain their boats while enjoying the camaraderie of the other sailors while awaiting the much acclaimed BBQ--which lived up to all expectations!

Four races where sailed on Sunday after a great pancake, ham & egg breakfast hosted by the CBSC. Winds were much calmer, 5-15 mph, and provided a great day of racing.

Racing would have proved to be more competitive if George Guedel did not show up--taking all first place finishes without any serious competition. The rest of the fleet battled for second place. With seven boats in the mix, racing became much more enjoyable. Tacking duels abounded within the middle of the fleet. Every inch of the beat proved competitive with an adjacent boat. This was Fun! George, you ought to drag an anchor to experience some of this competition. It must get really lonely way out in front.

At the end of the last race, no one really knew who took second place because of the even competition. But according to CBSC, it was a tie. Without any tie-breaking system, 2nd Place was awarded by CBSC to Fred Lee & Marty Splinter with 13 points each. Third Place was awarded to Gary Van Dusen sailing with his wife, crew, and dog. The singled handed Scott Peterson may have taken 2nd Place honors alone, but failed to initially finish properly in the second race and wound up 7th for the race and 4th Place overall. Randy Padilla finished 5th with Mark Grandstaff on his heels.

Overall, it was a wonderful experience and well worth the 400 mile trek. The food, camaraderie, and competition were excellent and exemplifies San Juan 21 sailing. I hope to see more sailors at local regattas, because more boats equals more fun!

Carrie On #1613

Marty Splinter--Race Chair Fleet 1

Race Report: Ihlender Cup

May 22, '99

If you did not race in the Ihlender Cup, you missed the best sailing day one could imagine! The wind, weather, water, and participation were the best that we've had in an awfully long time. Clear skies with the Olympics standing proud, sunny enough to get a pretty good sun burn, wind form the north at 10-15 knots--steady, and six boats at the starting line made for a memorable day. What else can I say: It was as good as it gets!

Doug Ihlen acted as Race Committee from the Port Orchard Marina docks aboard Ihlender (an SJ 24). The wind was strong enough to use the majority of Sinclair Inlet amongst the Navy warships. Three races were completed with a new course each race. The variety was very nice!

Gene Adams, Marty Splinter, Randy Padilla, Dave Post, George Seguin (Yes, you remember George!), and Jim Millovich all participated.

Race 1

The first race was a two lapper around the mooring buoys of the BIG ships. A barge acted as a large barrier moored to the windward mark to the west while the leeward mark was empty and to the east. These marks are huge--bigger the the Juan.

Dave Post shot out of the gates with a commanding lead but forgot to pass through the start/finish until it was too late. This subtle requirement cost him several places in the end. Gene Adams remembered the requirement and passes the mark with a birthday wish from the race committee. Gene never gave up day present and won the first race. Carrie On took second followed by Revival, Ah Sweet Music, Mi Nino, then Crew Rest.

Race 2

The second race made use of the dolphin by the inlet up to Poulsbo then back to another dolphin at the SW shore of Sinclair Inlet. The long beat to the windward mark was won by Carrie On by several boat lengths. The run to the start/finish and the leeward mark was looong--a spinnaker would have been nice to use! Carrie On never relinquished the lead and won the race. She was followed by PGSJuan, Mi Nino, Revival, Ah Sweet Music, then Crew Rest.

Race 3

Race Three saw a smaller fleet with Revival and Crew Rest watching from the dock--likely due to the cries of their young crew members. Gene Adams won the windward mark and sailed to victory without contest. Ah Sweet Music rounded second and battled Carrie On relentlessly to the leeward mark. She did not succumb until Carrie On called for room at the mark and passed Ah Sweet Music during the rounding and sailed to a second place finish. Carrie On was followed by Ah Sweet Music then Mi Nino.

All in all, it was a wonderful day. I much enjoyed seeing new faces on the course as it made for more exciting racing. Thank you everyone who participated. The perfect sailing day made for a very memorable experience--one I will take to Africa.

Carrie On #1613

Marty Splinter--Race Chair