Twas a Few Days Before Christmas

Fleet Racing 12-21-14

Checking the trailer?

Stu and Paula ready to launch

  Happy Birthday Paula

They are off-  looks like Paula is at the helm and Stu is crewing.

     Stu set a long windward, leeward course in a nice southeasterly.  The prediction was for the day to go downhill but we got in two good long races before the rain came.  We heard some rumbling of thunder in the distance all day.  Mark's car failed him on the launch ramp so we only had three boats today.  We missed you out there Mark and Lil.

Bruce and Janet checking out the starting line.

The course started on the east shore by the houses and ran across the shoals almost to the channel.  The Kelly's ran aground a few times cutting the shoal too tight on the north side but it seemed to pay off for them anyway.  On the last race The Kelly's and Kreutzer's sailed to the south of the shoal which also seemed to pay off- and no one hit bottom.  Both races took about 35 minutes each. 

Paula & Stu with Bruce & Janet just around the windward mark near the bridge.

Check out the Kreutzers!

Nearing the finish.

Kreutzers in the lead

Twas a great day on the water.  We had to de-rig in some sprinkles but that's sailboat racing.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Next race Saturday, January 10, 2015 at Belleair Causeway 

12 noon Skippers Meeting, 1PM start

Other non-Day Sailer Class boats welcome to join us.

   

December 13, 2014 Winter in Florida's Gulf Coast

     The sky was as blue as could be.  The sun was warm in the lee.  The wind was a perfect 10 knots from the northwest.  The cool air in the 60's was a nice change and it kept the bulk of the power boaters on shore.  We pretty much had the Inter coastal Waterway to ourselves except for the occasional fisherman or tour boat passing through the channel.

Mark and Lil cruising around before the start.

Bob and Angie testing out their new spreaders

Andy on the helm leaving the dock with Stu and Andy sporting their team uniforms

 Team Red with Stu back at the helm

 Stu ahead.  You can see Mark and Lil through the triangle of Stooze Boat, properly flying their spinnaker

Angie dousing the spinnaker as they prepare to round the leeward mark

We could not ask for a more perfect day!  We had four races with a good course.  Nice reaches set by Stu though the first one was a little tight which the Kelly's could not get through their head.  They kept trying to fly their spinnaker and were passed to windward each time, however they did regain the lead again before the finish- but not by much.

Amateur photographer Chris in her winter woolies and foulies taken by Dave (Christmas colors too)

Don't forget next Sunday, Dec. 21st at Belleair Causeway

 

From dinner after racing Nov.29th.  Everyone cleaned up nice!

Fleet Race November 29, 2014

     We have a lot to be thankful for in sunny Florida.  The cold front that passed through a few days ahead of our racing left us with clear blue skies, a warming trend with temperatures in the 70's and moderate flukey winds.  Lead changes were drastic if someone by sheer bad luck ended up in some weird hole or unfavorable wind shift.

Stu and Andy flying the spinaker on a reach.  Looks like the Kelly's just behind them.

      After being in last place on the first race, the Kelly's found some wind by the shoal but had to tack because running aground is slow.  Not sure how but Kelly's ended up in first.
     We had a surprise entry in the second race.  The Plessners came out to sail with us in What.  What?  Yes.  They sailed in what?  Yes.  What did they sail in?  What. 

"What"  Dedee and Beau Plessner

Seems they were not so rusty.  "What" got a first in the second race.  Who sailed what?  No,the Plessners sailed "What".

 Mark and Lil got a first in the 3rd race.

Mark in the lead with his new mast.  "This Side Up" stayed this side up today.

We got in one more race and this time Stu and Andy took a first.

If we had a 5th race, this would have been the winning boat.

Bob and Angie with their victory wave.

Next race, Sat. 12/13/14 at Belleair Causeway.  Everybody Come!

Pool Party hosted by Stu & Shirley Smith

     Stu and Shirley hosted a pool party for the sailors of Fleet 123.   The sailors brought pizza from their favorite pizza shop.  New York style pizza seemed more popular. 

Stu racks for the first game.

Team Angie & Chris

Team Lil & Janet

The women ruled the table!

Boca Ciega One-Design Championships

Florida Day Sailer State Championships

November 8th and 9th  2014

     Boca Ciega Yacht Club once again hosted the One-Design Championships and did a great job as always.  Regatta director, Mark Rother did a great job organizing the event from on-line registration pre-regatta to the famous signature Strawberry or Mango daiquiris post regatta. 

    Races were postponed for about 1 1/2 hours waiting for the wind to settle in.  When it finally did a short course was set which left for a lot of close sailing and fleet intermingling.  As the wind picked up it got really crazy.  The committee managed to get in 3 races before calling it for the day.

The Kelly's  drifting to leeward of Stu & Andy

      Finally some wind and that stayed and the committee was able to set a course.  Very, very short.  The races were 10 to 13 minute races in tight quarters crossing tacks with windmills, sunfish and capris.

Running the line before the start

  It is great to have Gilligan and Ginger back from Minnesota for a 3 hour cruise

It is really Bob and Angie

After the first day scores were Kelly's ahead.  Mark & Lil were in second, Stu and Andy held 3rd and Bob & Angie were in 4th

Chris & Dave leading by 1 point after Day 1

 Sunday started early and on time at 9:30.  There was already a nice breeze and the committee set up a nice long course.  They kept us out there for 5 races, shortening the course for the last race.  Great job all Day Sailers for making sure everyone noticed the green flag indicating a different course.

Mark and Lil  "Thumbs Up"

Happy & Dry

Mark & Lil  " Bottoms Up"

Nice job getting "This Side Up" this side up. 

Boat low- spinnaker high.

Results

Skipper	Crew	#	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	Pt	PL
Chris Kelly	Dave Kelly	13	3	1	1	1	2	1	1	1	8	1
Mark Rother	Lil Epstein	61	2	2	2	2	1	2	2	5	13	2
Stu Smith	Andy	11835	1	3	3	3	3	3	3	2	18	3
Bob Holsinger	Angie Stirien		4	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	27	4

Skipper

Crew

#

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Pt

PL

Chris Kelly

Dave Kelly

13

3

1

1

1

2

1

1

1

8

1

Mark Rother

Lil Epstein

61

2

2

2

2

1

2

2

5

13

2

Stu Smith

Andy

 11835

1

3

3

3

3

3

3

2

18

3

Bob Holsinger

Angie Stirien

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

3

27

4

Awards

Raffle winners

3rd Place

2nd Place

1st Place

 

 

Mark doing his thing as Master of Ceremonies.  He has his party shirt on and his mango daiquiri by his side.