Race Day

The big race it today.  Kadizzle called the National Weather Service at 5:30 this morning for the wind forecast.  Rarely do they get it right on race day.  Apparently they have a cage full of monkeys that throw darts.  One dart hit a wind direction, and another hits the speed. The report is complete. Now if the monkeys did a good job the wind will pickup around noon. To avoid the wind we will try to start and finish the race before the wind comes up.  That seems to be the pattern.

Kadizzle thought he might print out rules for the crew.

1. Losing is not an option
2. The captain must be obeyed
3.  Everyone on the boat is the captain
4.  Pull any line you would like whenever you want.
5.  If the helmsman tells you something ignore it if it doesn't suit your needs.
6.  Disagree on all decisions.
7.  Blame all failures on anyone but yourself.
8.  Make a list of reasons for failure.
9.  If we win take personal credit.
10. If we lose blame it on anything but our performance.
11. Have fun at any cost.

So if all goes well we meet Ruth and Rodger at 8, head across to the marina on the north side.  If history is any prediction the wind will be nonexistent.  The last two regattas had a decent wind for the start that died by the second buoy.  Please wind Gods don't do that again.

Last year Stroupini was on the crew. We were in the process of hoisting the mainsail. Kadizzle had a strong feeling Stroupini would screw up a one car funeral. Kadizzle told Stroupini to raise the main halyard just a little so Kadizzle could hook it to the Mainsail.  Of course Stroupini pulled on the halyard like he was trying to hang someone. The halyard jerked out of Kadizzle's hand and went up the mast too far to reach.  With the race about to start we had to hoist Stroupini up the mast to retrieve the halyard.  Doing this as we motored toward the start line was no easy task, but we made it.

A lot of the people who have not participated in sailboat races do not understand the importance of the start.  Sailboats start races while moving. The boats jockey for position waiting for the gun to be fired which signals you can cross the line.  In order to fight for position it is normal to force other boats out of the way according to the rules. This means at times you must come extremely close to the other boat, often within a few feet.  To the uninitiated it seems intimidating, but that is the fun of it.  Politeness in yielding right of way usually means you are going to lose. The boat on starboard tack has the right of way.  If you can force the other boat to tack it slows him down.