A Special prize for the winner

Kadizzle and his crew won the Mid America's cup yesterday if there was a winner.  The race was called at the third buoy.  Since our boat has had a tendency to win every year it was explained that if we won this year we would get the second place trophy.  Last year the good ship got a very nice solid silver trophy, and that again was what would be the prize this year.  The second place prize would be a nice print.  Kadizzle did not want to put the trophy donor on the spot and ask if we came in second place if we could have the nice trophy.  It would have been very strange and difficult for our boat to race for second place.  In the Performance handicap system each boat is rated by its speed and the faster boats have to give time to the slower boats.  So during the race there is no practical way to know exactly what your standing is.  After the race the times are calculated for all the boats and the winner is determined.

Now as the good ship started to sail out to the race course we decided to rig the main sail.  Kadizzle went up to the mast with main halyard and had Stroupini slowly pull up the halyard so Kadizzle could hook it to the mainsail.  Suddenly it occurred to Kadizzle that Stoupini have a fit of insanity and try to jerk the main halyard out of his hand.  Kadizzle said to Stoupini " Raise the main halyard just a little bit".  Sure enough Stroupini went nuts and jerked the halyard.  Then in a fit of complete insanity he kept hauling on it.  As Kadizzle yelled at him to stop the weight of the halyard inside the mast overcame the weight on the outside and the shackle went to the top of the mast.  Now this is a wonderful mess to have right before the race.  To race without a mainsail would be hopeless.  Kadizzle explained to Stroupini that he was going up there 55ft to get that halyard.  Strapped into the bosun chair we hoisted that skinny runt up to the top and retrieved the halyard.

About eight boats participated in the race.  Kadizzle called The National Weather Service in Bismark two times before the race for a wind forecast.  Their ability to get it so wrong is amazing.  They said ten to fifteen from the south west.   The wind came from the north east and then there was no wind at all.  Even with a dying wind we had a good time.  It was a good crew with Diane, Chuck and the Kadizzles.  There was not shortage of advice.