Success...at last

chasfm11 · 09-21-2009, 09:22 PM

This past weekend, we attended the National regatta for the Star 45 model sailboats in San Antonio. The folks who put on the regatta did a great job... but the wind didn't cooperate and it was a start and stop, wind comes from anywhere and nowhere event. 15 boats showed up, almost exclusively from Texas and Ohio, with a couple fo guys from Colorado through in for good measure.

About this time last year, I was sailing in the Regionals for the Star class that were held in the Woodlands. To say that I went down to miserable to defeat (7th out of 9 attendees) would have been an understatement. In almost the same conditions this year in San Antonio, I actually won a race. In fact, I won several of them over two days with some 2nd and 3rd places finishes thrown in (along with other races that I don't want to talk about.) When it was done, I squeaked out a 3rd place overall finish and my first National trophy. I wish that I could tell you that it was a particularly fun regatta but it was the worst case of "bumper boats" that I've sailed in during my sailing career. I was lucky to have one of the fastest boats in the fleet and even luckier that I managed to mostly keep it out of the large clusters of boats. On one race, I was the 12th boat across the start line and was in the lead by 3 boat lengths at the first mark simply because I was able to stay away from everyone else. I went on to win that race. Under those conditions, once someone got into that much of a lead, it was really hard to catch them. That I was able to take the boat apart each day and put it back together with the same performance the next day tells me that I have finally gotten it "dialed in." That should make it easier on me in future events.

I know that a couple of you have followed my less than illustrious sailing career and wanted to share with you that old adage - "even blind squirrels find acorns once in a while."

Elkhartjim · 09-22-2009, 05:20 AM

Congrats on a win...now when are you going to take me for a sail?

chasfm11 · 09-22-2009, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elkhartjim

Congrats on a win...now when are you going to take me for a sail?

Hmmmm... you must have missed the part about it being a MODEL sailboat. It is 45 inches long. Somehow, me thinks it would be a bit cramped for you.

P.S. I didn't win. Like horse racing, 3rd place is a "show" position.

TXiceman · 09-22-2009, 07:37 AM

Charlie....Good going. I have never like "light" air and no air is definitely a real bummer. It is so tiring to try and sail in the conditions you had.

Ken