Racing
SAIL RACE COMMITTEE
Jay Kaiser, chair
George (Buzz) Young
Shahe Momjian
RACE APPLICATION
RACE COURSE AND INSTRUCTIONS
2024 RACE SCHEDULE
Series 1
June 5: Race 1
June 12: Race 2
June 19: Race 3
June 26: Race 4
July 3: Race 5
July 10: Final Race and Party
Series 2
July 24: Race 1
July 31: Race 2
August 7: Race 3
August 14: Race 4
August 21: Race 5
August 28: Final Race and Party
Kaiser Cup
September 8: Regatta and Club Party
In July 1976, members of the club celebrated the Bicentennial with a sail race on July 4th (a Wednesday that year) off the Pier at Neff Park. That race generated so much excitement among the club’s sailors that they decided to make it a regular thing. The tradition, Wednesday night jib-and-main PHRF races, continues today, drawing new sailors and veteran racers alike. The competition, affectionately referred to as a beer-can race, serves as a regular date for club members to run around the buoys or join the dock committee at the end of the Pier. More recently, the club instituted an end-of-season race, The Kaiser Cup, a regatta for club members which takes place in September.
Kaiser Cup 2024 Results
The race committee proudly announces the winners of the Wednesday night summer series, handing out first, second, and third-place flags.
June series
Third Place: Rare tie for third place between PC Dale Scrace and Iron Bob Krueger
Second Place: Professor Jay Kaiser
First Place: PC Buzz Young
August series: The August series was very tight and anybody’s win up to the final race.
Third Place: Fred Bartel, the new racer in our fleet!
Second Place: Jay Kaiser
First Place: PC Dale Scrace (Saucy’s the boss!)
In a winner-take-all race for glory, this year’s cup went to PC Phil Allor, and the crew of his Beneteau 31, Solena. Congratulations, Phil!
Sunday was a wonderful close to a terrific season and everyone is already looking forward to 2025. New boats and new racers are always welcome!
And there is no race without race and dock committees… a million thanks to the volunteers who run the race for the enjoyment of the racers.
Race Committee: Jay Kaiser, Shahe Momjian, PC Buzz Young
Dock Committee: Brad Birch, Ed & Will Harrah, Al & Sid LeChard, Shirley Momjian, Renee Navarro, Lee Nyboer, PC Sheila Tomkowiak, Pat Warren (please let me know if I missed you)
2024 Second Series, Race 6 Results
You thought you had it bad? Imagine our dock committee sitting in that rain, waiting for boats they can’t see, wondering if we were ever coming back, taking rapid-fire times on finishes, but not sure who was who ! I have to admit that yellow mark was pretty far away. Thanks to Lee, Brad, Renee and Al (‘gotta make the last race’) for putting up with our nonsense.
With thunderstorms all around but miles away, the breeze was surprisingly steady from NE 5 -6 knots at the start. Then zero knots during the downpour and filling in nicely to get us going to finish. The beat to Mark #5 was excruciating. Sean did the no-current thing and sailed the starboard tack all the way to the lay line — or what he thought was the lay line! — only to find that at that speed the current had more time to sweep him low of the mark. We all seemed to have that problem. Fred and George went right — George even further, well across the channel. Fred rounded first and was soon followed by the bulk of the fleet. Pretty soon after the turn at Mark #5, the big black rain cloud timed with a setting sun cast us all into a wet, windless darkness. The shores disappeared, other boats disappeared, everything disappeared — oh, wait, my glasses need wipers.
When it looked like a big black cloud was not a front bringing a wind shift, we threw up the spinnaker to watch it hang in the rain. When we were able to pick up some breeze, we started moving through the fleet, gybed at Mark #3 and had a delightful ride to the hip-hop. Not being able to see the mark, we doused the chute early and started getting passed by everyone we had just passed.
Fred was first to the hip-hop, but I did not see what happened from there. We heard the gun — so it’s a short course, yay! — and a lot of horns. We were tied up with a tangle of spinnaker gear and a sticky spreader boot, but we did manage to keep moving. The whole fleet finished within two minutes. Only seconds between places. Dale broke the three-way tie for the series, initially by correcting to first by nine seconds. Jay corrected to second and Sean — the visit to St Paul on the first leg paid off — corrected to third. George got the gun, with Fred a mere four seconds later.
Who will ever forget this race??? The unsettled weather, storms in the distance, the cluster of boats becalmed in the channel as darkness seemed to take over in an instant, the spirited ride to the finish, the close finishes — what a way to end the season!
But wait it is not over quite yet — the Kaiser cup race is on Sunday September, 8 with a 2:00 warning gun. A great chance to make another memory.
2024 Second Series, Race 5 Results
Several days of wind from the north have put a bit of Fall into the air. On Monday the wind was gusting in the mid-twenties, while on Tuesday it was in the high teens. Last night we had sporting gusts of 17 knots at the start but laying down to ten by the finish. It looked like the start was going to be hotly contested, but then it seems it was Dale and George who were the only ones able to get off cleanly. I heard talk of some weird shift at the start, but I did not notice as I had my own problem with a sticky spreader boot.
Did someone say ‘cleanly’? Dale, with his clean start and clean air, went on to clean everyone’s clock (or should that be chronometer?). He led at all marks, got the gun, and finished first. It was in this race after 48 years sailing against Dale that I saw something I never thought I would see … Dale had crew hiking on the weather rail. I saw on the news last night that there has been a mysterious run on sales (sails?) of Egyptian cotton … ask Dale!
Jay, with the help of PJ, corrected to second and Sean was third by a mere three corrected seconds.
It must have been a honking good time for our dock committee (so much thanks to you folks!) as Fred, Sean and George all finished within thirty seconds of each other.
Next week is our final race of the series and season (say it isn’t so!) and at this point there is no lock on the podium positions. The last race will be a decider. Also, keep Sunday September 8 open for our Fall regatta in a winner-take-all for the Kaiser Cup… there is no second place.
2024 Second Series, Race 4 Results
So here was an example of “it ain’t over ’til it’s over.” With mere whispers of breeze during the pre-start, the air filled in enough to get us moving out to Mark #5. A number of the fleet seemed to discount the current and allowed themselves to be swept downstream and were behind at the start. George and the Lime guys — on the line at the start (you’re welcome, Paul) — got to Mark #5 first and lead the way down to Mark #5 on a light air close reach. The leg to the hip-hop was a wing-on-wing deal so my granddaughter and I opted to forgo the rating calculus and pop up the spinnaker. That worked for a while as we were reeling in Fred and George. Then, the fan turned off and the motorboat wakes brought us to a stop. While the three of us were struggling to get any way on, the current was sliding us so far past the mark that we had to go to the other tack. Then there was a shift back to the left and …well, meantime the boats that had been late for the start were coming, bring some breeze with them.
We finally made it around the hip-hop and had a line for the flagpole, going so slow that Dale, Bob and Brad (now Sean) were able to take a higher line and the last became first. We were ten feet from the line but going so slow the current was holding us at zero VMG and so close to the wall that I feared the next powerboat wake would wash us into the wall we had to tack. Our tack away was a disaster and by the time we got the jib around and drawing, we had slid all the way back to the harbor channel and took another eight minutes to finish.
Now Fred, in the sailing equivalent of a buzzer beater, made it to the line for the gun and first place with less than two minutes to spare on the race time limit! Remember, we have a two-hour time limit from the 7:15 start. If no boat has finished by 9:15 – no matter where they are on the course, even three feet from the finish, the race is abandoned. (Al LaChard later corrected this by email to state that the two-hour race limit begins at the starting gun at 7:10 pm and the race is called by a three-gun signal at 9:10 pm if no boat has crossed the finish.) If someone (Fred) makes it to the line before the time limit, there is a race and all times are taken. So, Dale and Bob did a great job of come from behind to finish: Dale second, Bob third.
Again, thanks so much to our dock crew for hanging in there in the gloom of night. Al, you are excused, to watch paint dry – or I am guessing that the low-speed finish was pretty exciting to watch.
The Latin for the night might therefore be: Si non remis ventus aga (if the wind will not serve, take to the oars)!
2024 Second Series, Race 3 Results
It was what I would call a ‘sporty’ race. Wind at the start was NNE 12 -15 knots and built to 15 -19 knots by 8:00 pm. Not too much as everyone did the beat to Mark #5 with a full mains and seemed to have good control, but geez, plenty exciting. Several at the start had allowed themselves to get too far downstream and downwind. It is hard to get a good start when you have to fight your way back to the line.
Fred had good pace and was working to weather such that for a while it looked like he might fetch Mark #5. We got to Mark #5 with two tacks, the second of which left us with a winch override and spinning in circles. Dale, close behind, took advantage and we were once again rail to rail approaching the mark. We had a slight overlap and room. After making the turn down to Mark #3, we looked back and Dale wasn’t there — don’t know what happened. The rest of our race was a boiling run down the channel and screaming reaches trying to close on Fred. Behind us the rest of the fleet was making good time in a pack, all finishing in a 30 second span of time.
Fred got the gun and — wait for it — saved his time by almost a full minute for first place. Jay, too sporty for the spinnaker, finished second and Brad (not Sean) finished third.
We had an all-star dock committee, with Lee; Al on the cannon; Syd for commentary (you’d have to be there); Renee and Pat taking times; and Larry for moral support.
One of the great things about our Wednesday Night Race is that it gets you out in weather when you might otherwise have stayed in port. You get the experience of sailing in all sorts of conditions in the company of other skippers that will have your back (or stern?) if something goes wrong. Case in point, last night we rolled up our jib and were about to drop the main. Started the motor to drive us into the wind — and then, no propulsion! After some head-scratching, we discovered that my prop was gone! Were we going so fast that we blew it off!? With competitors still on the lake, I had several offers for a tow. Brad was going our way and graciously pulled us in. It is typical of our group to look around and see that everyone is okay before heading in, especially when the wind was nearing 20 knots. Pretty cool.
2024 Second Series, Race 2 Results
A lovely evening, but an odd breeze — seven to eight knots early, but dropping off later — once again leaving a few boats behind. The direction was such that we could almost fetch the hip-hop at the start, but a tack was needed. Bob, as usual, figured out that the committee end was favored and got his usual bang on start. (What? No bang? Shirley, you have to have a shell in the gun for it to make noise! Al, we missed you.) But Fred and the Lime guys were early rounders. We were a bit late but found a nice hole in traffic to make the port tack unscathed and rounded third.
The ride out to Mark #3 was a close reach. We had committed to launching our spinnaker but found that it did not offer a great advantage on such a close reach. But it sure was fun — we really felt we were moving — even if we could not catch Fred and the Lime guys. Dale (without Dale) was in hot pursuit. After the turn at Mark #3, the chute paid its dividends and we caught and passed the leaders on the way to Mark #5. With a fetch back to the line, the big boats started to pull us back, with Fred passing with a twelve-second lead at the first time through the line. He stretched that out to just over two minutes to get the gun. We were determined to have more fun and reset the spinnaker for the reach back and forth to and from Mark #3, but really, the jib would have been as effective. Our poor gybe at Mark #3 allowed the Lime guys to pass inside and finish just a minute after Fred. We crossed third with the ‘yellow battleship Scrace’ less than a minute later.
Neighbors in the marina, Larry and Robert, apparently don’t like to stray too far from each other as they had their own race going in the fading breeze and finished less than 30 seconds apart.
Well, Fred missed saving his time by a mere 48 corrected seconds and finished second. Dale (without Dale) finished second. Jay corrected to first.
Thanks so much to Shirley for stepping in to lead our dock committee and to Pat and Renee for watching our nonsense and keeping time.
A question came up about using a spinnaker. Each of us has a 12 second per mile reduction in handicap for sailing JAM. If you wish to use a spinnaker or any foresail greater than 155% LP, you may, but you lose the 12 second adjustment. For me, I was unsure if the tradeoff would pay and I find that it is a close call. But I find that: 1) it is way more fun and the screw-ups are spectacular, and 2) while the extra horsepower may not outsail the rating difference, it does get you up to the front of the fleet and around the course before the air starts its sundown fade.
On a personal note, I have to tell you that I am sailing with the dream team. I sailed for years with my daughters and now I have my granddaughter at the helm — a real thrill. As for Shahe on the dream team? Well, when we can keep him awake, he is a pretty fussy sail trimmer.
2024 Second Series, Race 1 Results
A fitful WNW breeze at 3 – 11 knots gave some of us a delightful ride and others some frustration. Then a shifty die-off late in the race made it impossible to predict who would finish ahead of whom and unfortunately left the trailing boats even further behind.
The start was a fetch to the hip-hop with George’s Limey guys and Fred vying for the lead and Dale right there. On the Ranger, Shahe and I decided to have some fun (?) and fly the spinnaker — a test to see if the hit-to-the-rating would be overcome by the boost in speed. (Conclusion: I think it is worth the ratings hit, if you don’t make too many mistakes). A few seconds late for the start and having to untangle some spaghetti, we got the sail pulling and made it to Mark #3 with the leaders. It did take us some time to break out from under the Limey guys’ shadow, but we were then able to pull away for a nice lead at Mark #5. From there it got real and it was all about trying to hold off the faster boats coming for us. While cutting the first pass at the yellow a little too close, a crazy header caused me to miss it and have to come back around. With the jib leech caught on my new (and sticky) spreader boot we had a real cluster****. Meanwhile the Limey guys — Fred and Dale — sailed right on by.
The ride around the hip-hop and back out to Mark #3 had Dale and I rail to rail and exchanging positions while chasing the leaders. Dale got inside and rounded ahead of me and not far behind Fred and the Limey guys who carried on in towards shore on port tack. After the goofy shifts, we had at the first yellow, we went to the left on starboard. Dale came with us. Now it was all about the shifts, the puffs, and lulls. At one point we looked good and then it was Dale looking like he would finish ahead of everyone. It looked to me like Fred was going real slow trying to get a starboard tack layline for the finish, but the Limey guys had good way on a direct line to the finish and took the gun by 25 seconds. Dale finished under a minute later and we were a few minutes after him. The Brad bunch and the Gary/Teri combo had to finish (but finish they did) in the exasperating dying breeze.
So, Dale, with a consistent performance corrected to first. Jay, netting out the boost from the spinnaker, the hit to the rating and the mark mishap, corrected to second, Fred was third.
Thanks so much to Lee for commanding the dock crew, with Al whacking that canon and Renee keeping time.
2024 First Series Re-Cap
Each year the GPBC hosts two sets of sailboat races. This year, the first set concluded on Wednesday, July 17 with the second series beginning Wednesday, July 31. The Race Committee reports the first series results: PC Buzz Young was first; Jay Kaiser second, and PC Dale Scrace took third place. Congratulations to all racers! Thank you to RC Paul Maiale and his wife Kelly for hosting the first race series party last Wednesday.
And there is no race without race and dock committees — the faithful volunteers who run the race for the enjoyment of the racers. We are grateful to these volunteers:
Race Committee: Jay Kaiser, Shahe Momjian, PC Buzz Young
Dock Committee: Brad Birch, Ed & Will Harrah, Al LeChard, Shirley Momjian, Renee Navarro, Lee Nyboer, PC Sheila Tomkowiak, Pat Warren
2024 First Series, Race 6 Results
It was worth the wait. Cold, wet, and unstable conditions put us off last week. Then, just before race time, our flags were not even moving. What? Did that flag move? Within minutes, the flags were looking like sheet metal as the wind came in from the North gusting at 22 knots. Six boats got out on the course and were treated to a ‘sporty’ beat to Mark #5. The committee end-of-the-line was favored with a near fetch to Mark #5, but a wind shift to East late in the leg gave a boost to those on the right. While George and his limeys were able to send Fred in a circle on a port/starboard cross at the mark, Sean snuck through to gain some position. Being on the wrong end of the shift, I had to duck Dale on another port/starboard cross, but I was able to cut it close enough (note: Dale didn’t look worried) to make Mark #5.
I spent the downwind leg untangling my roller furler, while granddaughter Natalie drove the entire leg rail to rail with Dale. Dale got rounding room at Mark #3, but we swung wide early and trimmed up hard to get the weather position — another horse race to the hip hop.
George got the gun and Fred finished next with only ten seconds on Sean. Dale crossed the line two seconds ahead of us. All in all, some pretty exciting, close racing. So now the corrected results: Jay barely saved his time for first. George corrected to second and Sean third.
As this was the sixth race, the series results can be found on the last tab. First Place, George; second, Jay; third, Dale (staying with the yellow theme).
Thanks so much to Lee and all the folks on the dock committee, allowing me to go sailing after missing so many years.
Update: This just in! I just ran into Lee on the dock and he happened to mention that the timekeepers for last night entered the net elapsed time — subtracting ten minutes (time from warning to start) from the raw time we usually use. Since the spreadsheet already adjusts the raw time to net, the spreadsheet presented earlier was inadvertently net, net time. I have corrected the spreadsheet and include it here. The result was minor changes of elapsed time, but no changes in positions.
While making this correction, it came to my attention that the series results for Bob K. had an error. Correcting that error moved him up to a tie with Dale for third place.
2024 First Series, Race 3 Results
What the heck was that? We came down to find the lake dead-flat calm. Personally, I was convinced there would be no race. So much so that I motored out late, fully expecting I would be motoring back in shortly. Well, as if scheduled, the air filled in right at the start. Everyone had the sense to stay close to the line and not drift off to Alter Road, so the start was tightly packed and everyone was off to Mark #5 on a nice easy fetch.
Well, almost everyone. I was not really prepared to sail (so, shame on me) and several rigging foul-ups left me on the start line watching everyone sail away. But on a positive note, I got to watch the whole race — taking place well in front of me. And a special bonus — I got to have my grandson as crew.
Speaking of ‘well in front’, George and his lime-shirted bunch took off and rounded Mark #5 well in front and stretched out to a significant lead — so far ahead that I stopped paying attention. Dale and Fred and Bob were vying with each other and I doubt they never would have guessed what was to come. Remember, it ain’t over ’til it’s over.
Meanwhile Robert, Larry and I were having our own little race down the channel. Larry got some strange shift and fell back, but then got his wing on wing on and was threatening Robert and me on the ride in from Mark #3.
Meanwhile, my grandson had noted that guy who was way out in front seemed to have run aground. Hewasn’t moving and the others were catching up! We watched as Dale closed on the finish, passing George who sat not aground but becalmed in some kind of windhole nearer to shore. To add to the excitement, Fred made a tight turn at the hip hop to get on top and drive over Dale and get the gun by four seconds. When the numbers are cranked, Dale got first, Fred second, and George third.
Thanks so much to Lee for running the dock crew with Sheila and Pat. Will Harrah was on hand to record the photo finish and posted to YouTube.
2024 First Series, Race 2 Results
Whee! What a night! Power reaching and fetches all the way around the course. Bob got his usual on the gun start — he should give lessons — with Dale and George right on his heels. Jay was a bit early and was doing doughnuts to eat time. Larry and Terri/Gary had their own battle going off to leeward. The rest of the race was a romp in the wind (7 – 12 kts SSW). George was first to Mark #5, then Dale. Bob and Jay rounded together with Bob winning the inside and weather track. Thankfully, it was not a really close-hauled line to the first pass and Jay was able to ease sheets a bit and power up to chase the leaders. George was able to stretch out from a lead of 45 seconds at Mark #5 to over 2 minutes at the second hip hop and had Dale pressing the whole time.
George got line honors and the gun… but missed saving time. Jay corrected to first; George second; and by a mere 12 corrected seconds, Dale — fresh from an expertly installed, high tech, super-fast main halyard installation — finished third.
Massive thanks to folks showing up stand watch on the dock. Lee, Renee and Shelia might have had things under control, but were eclipsed by an appearance by the ‘ole cannon whacker Al accompanied by Sid. Almost made feel like I would rather be on the dock!
And I was grateful to have that wiley bastard Shahe onboard pulling strings and executing the fine adjustments (halyards, out haul, cunningham, backstay) that help the boat reach full power at the various sea states wind angles. Wait… what? There are boats NOT changing sail tensions as you go ’round the buoys? I am suggesting you consider changing sail shape through luff and foot tensions as you transition from upwind to downwind, from flat to lumpy water. It will make a difference.
2024 First Series, Race 1 Results
Did the dark and stormy late afternoon deter some of the competitors? Only four crew hosed off the fish flies and headed out to the start line to almost sunshine, face flat water, and a light SSW breeze that filled in just enough to get us around the course.
The pin end of the start was highly favored and highly contested. Jay had a safe leeward position and was holding up the rest of the fleet, but was ten seconds early and had to bear off down the line and let the weather boats in. Bob had a great position…and had he waited another moment before tacking around, he would have found room at the pin for a perfect start. New guy Fred now had the highest line and made it to the hip hop with a nicely timed tack to make the mark and avoid a starboard tacker. The ride out to Mark #3 was slow, but George and Fred stretched out a bit and Bob was closing from the rear. Apparently, there was some contact between the leaders as Fred did a penalty turn. See, it is a gentleman’s sport!
On the run up the channel, complete with passing freighter, George tried to heat up by reaching out to the right. Fred stayed on the rhumb line and Bob was closing up his deficit. Jay bore off to the left under wing on wing, hoping to avoid some current and be able to heat up coming into Mark #5. That seemed to work as he was able to catch up to the leaders and round right on Fred’s stern. From there, tactics were straight line and it was a boat speed thing. George passed Jay and was chasing Fred; George was about a minute behind on the first pass and closed it to 28 seconds at the finish.
It seemed that Fred — in his first Wednesday Night race — took the gun for first to finish. But did he save his time? No, Jay managed to stay close enough to the leaders to correct to first. Thus, Fred corrected to second and George third.
Special thanks to Shirley for setting up the RC station and bringing the “wiley bastard” to crew with me. Also, thanks to Renee and Shelia for standing watch.
2024 Sailing Season to Launch Soon
Holy fish flies Batman! It’s almost time to for our favorite way to spend Wednesday evenings. This year our series will begin on Wednesday, June 5 and continue for a total of six weeks. The second series — after a one-week break (which may be used as a make-up race) — will run six Wednesdays from July 24 – August 28.
Race information and a 2024 application can be downloaded from this webpage. Please get your application and $40 fee to Jay Kaiser so he can work up the finish time worksheets, etc.
New participants are always encouraged and welcome. Also, please note that the Grosse Pointe Parks & Recreation Director has asked us to provide the names of crew that are not residents of Grosse Pointe City. Kindly take a minute and make a list of any non-resident crew members and give it to either Rebecca or a guard. It will help life easier for both the guards and your crew.
2023 Kaiser Cup Results
So who won the Kaiser Cup? Out of eight boats, who took home the coveted trophy? NOBODY, that’s who!
The wind gods were not kind to our fleet on Sunday. Conditions included light, patchy air that never came from the same direction for more than twenty seconds. A sailor’s frustrating challenge, to be sure!
Because the wind was so light and uncooperative, the official scoring declared that nobody won because nobody crossed the finish line in the two hours allowed by the rules. Yes, some came close. Conundrum got the official cannon for crossing first… but still twenty minutes late. Saucy crossed twenty after that. At that point, the rest of the fleet who hadn’t already abandoned the race and headed for home said, “The hell with it!” and everybody headed in.
And what was waiting for them but a fabulous party at the Littlest Club, hosted by PC Sheila Tomkowiak with help from Kelly Basnett, Dir. Veronica Greiner, Geri Haselmire, Mary Scrace, and Ski and Ceci Chmielewski. A special thanks to Lady Jen DeWard and Dir. Veronica Greiner for taking photos during the event. More than fifty GPBC members enjoyed the beautiful — if windless — day, yummy food from Chicken Shack, and each others’ company.
Bottom line, everybody won on Sunday!
For photos, click here: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAUnGT
2023 Second Series, Race 6 Results
Well, yesterday evening put the “night” into Wednesday Night Race. The breeze — as we can’t call that “wind” — was SSW 5 – 9 knots (hmmm, mostly five!) at the start and held for much of the ride out to Mark #3. The turn downwind meant a loss of apparent wind, plus it was fading. Thus, the trip to Mark #5 became excruciatingly slow in the latter part as the breeze dropped to 2.9 knots. Most of the close reach to the finish ( = a merciful call for a short course) was like sliding on a mirror, at least until that motor yacht threw in some water wrinkles. Finally, it filled in enough to get everyone going for a very pleasant reach to the finish.
Thanks to sufficient assistance on the dock, I was able to jump on my boat and make the start. I went for a middle of the line port tack and managed the “hip hop” on one tack right with Sean. Thankfully I was to weather and he had to wait for my tack. I think I had a bit of breeze that the others did not get and therefore, I got away pretty good. Buzz broke from the pack and started to reel me in, catching me at Mark #5 in some real light air. I did get a better angle at the last minute and was able to round just ahead… in slow motion. For most of the final leg, Buzz was creeping away while Dale was coming like he had his motor running. Meanwhile farther back, Bob managed to put a few minutes on the others and Terri/Gary hung in ghosting along to make a last-minute pass for a finish. All in all, pretty exciting “racing” at drifting speed. Too bad it was too dark for the committee to watch!
Buzz crossed the line first for the “Gun” (Side Note: Sorry, the new supply of shells was to have been delivered by race time. Hopefully we will get them by Sunday!) and held onto first. Dale charged in to place second and…Terri/Gary corrected to third! Not bad for a first year crew.
I can’t believe the season has come to a close… and it was even a week longer! Looks like Shahe will have to make the drive down from St Clair to pick up his first place flag. And…. Dale can send his granddaughter up to collect his first place flag. Yes, we had a tie for first! George can add another flag to his string for second place. Bob, with five 4’s, had a winning hand to place third.
Thank you to the dock committee — Shirley, Shelia, Renee, Al and Brad — for being willing to sit there all season and watch sailboats go around in circles at breathtaking speeds.
And don’t forget! One last chance to get out on the race course this Sunday, September 10 for the Kaiser Cup race. The warning gun (hopefully) goes off at 2:00 pm with a start at 2:10 pm. Winner take all, with no second place. So far, the weather looks good.
2023 Second Series, Race 5 Results
Bright clear evening, wind north at 7 – 10 knots… so far so good. But the temp was in the 50’s! When does that ever happen in August? Well, once in a blue moon – there, I did that. Sorry, just had to.
After last week’s starting mayhem, skippers were more cautious and no one crowded the line. Dale hit the line first with full way on and took a nice lead. Robert sailed a higher line and his windward gain paid off — he was first to Mark #5 and lead at all marks, got the gun and saved his time to place first. Off wind, Dale was able to reel in the lead quite a bit and finished second by a mere nine corrected seconds. Buzz must have been really shaken by the chaos of last week’s start; they started well after every one else was gone. Maybe they just enjoy passing boats as they finished third?
As an example of what can be accomplished by sailing tighter lines and playing shifts (e.g., it was a weird wind, shifting, holes…), Shahe played the wind angles just right rounding the hip hop for the finish using only one tack. He passed two boats with that tactic.
By the way, this was the last race for that wiley bastard and his “flying dixie cup.” Shirley and Shahe have moved to St Clair, Michigan and the Surge scourge will no longer be a threat. The Momjian’s will be greatly missed. Shahe’s participation in the Fleet and Shirley’s dedication to the Dock Committee enhanced all of our Wednesday evening sailing events. Thankfully, Shahe, still enamored with Wednesday Night Racing, is interested in joining us next summer as crew.
It always seems to happen that the air goes light around sunset and the boats behind get “behind-er”. Terri/Gary seemed to be doing fine until the air softened and they got left behind-est. You can tell who else got left behind just looking at the times — there is a nine-plus minute gap between the first three finishers and the rest of the fleet.
Next week we will sail a make-up race. The following Sunday, September 10, 2:00 pm is the Cup race. Since we will be having a big “do” for the Cup race four days later, we will dispense with the traditional series end after-race get-together and tell our stories on Sunday. Hope to see you there!
2023 Second Series, Race 4 Results
So, some philosophy here — I’m looking for an answer to the age-old question: “How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?” Or perhaps the Wednesday Night Race version might be “How many sailboats can be at the pin at precisely 7:10 PM?” I think the answer is: “Six is too many if they are not all going the same way.”
What the heck happened?! Well, I must accept some of the blame. I took an evening off from the dock committee to go sailing. Terri and Gary graciously invited me to ride with them… and they may have got more excitement than they bargained for! So obviously, I was not on the dock. But had I been, I might have been able to prevent the over-early signals from sounding before the gun.
As a point of interest, the “over-early” horn is a courtesy and not a requirement. Our policy has been to try to signal one sound for each boat over-early (since no one has their radio on). That sound should be made only AFTER the starting gun. Last night, the signal was made before the starting gun, causing early boats to attempt to restart, with some by sailing back into the fleet. Thus, the mayhem.
So, if you find yourself on the course side of the starting line before the start, what should one do? You must restart. That is, get your boat completely back on the off course side of the line and only then resume racing. Understand that a boat attempting to restart has NO rights. No port/starboard, no windward/leeward, no room at the mark — no rights. You must restart keeping clear of any and all boats. Failure to follow this rule, triggered by the early warning, is what caused the mayhem that ensued. Also, it seems there was a bit of a favorable shift and increase in wind velocity that threw off everyone’s time/distance estimates.
Thankfully, there was no damage reported. Many of you may have heard a loud noise and thought, “Uh oh…!” I was focused on guiding Terri through the tangle and did not see what happened. But Chris — one of the Terri/Gary crew — reported that a pulpit “twanged” our lifeline; he was not able to identify the twanger, but we were rounded doing a 360 to absolve ourselves.
Once everyone changed out of their “brown pants,” it was a lovely night. Wind reported at the SCS station at the start time was east at 12 – 14 knots. Somewhere on the first beat to Mark #3 the wind went southeast and picked up a bit. Those of us on Serendipity were at the rear and on the right, so we got some lift to allow us to close a bit on the sterns ahead. Shahe was hounding Buzz all around the course and seemed to sail higher on the second trip to Mark #3 to get ahead of Buzz for the finish. Shahe got the gun and first. Dale sailed well to keep the yellow boat in the game — just on the edge of his antique 170% genny to correct to second. Buzz, having to restart (note that he did it the proper way!), was third.
Dale reminded me that this is one of those races that will come to mind some winter day and take you back to the wide-eyed excitement of that start. But let’s not do that again.
2023 Second Series, Race 2 Results
Well, that was sailing’s equivalent to a fun run. (Fun for me because, thanks to a well trained dock crew, I got to sail on the “flying dixie cup” Surge.) The wind was a little more west than last week and lighter; it made a starboard tack lay line from the start to the lay line to the “hip hop” just possible. And, of course, Bob was there right at the flag pole first to start and first to the “hip hop” — Bob, any powder burns on your sails???
Several boats opted for the port tack start. It was about even as there was a bit more air at the pin end. The fleet rounded the “hip hop” en masse and the fun run began. Rail to rail, stem to stern, jockeying for clearer air, spirits were high and the paparazzi were snapping photos like crazy. The party continued all the way up the channel — even a freighter joined in! Shahe was in a “Surge sandwich” with 27 footers right and left and pushing from astern. Our plan at Mark #5 was to take Dale’s stern but round tightly to get the weather, I messed up trimming the mainsheet, went too wide and Dale did not miss the opportunity. It was a very close fetch back to the line and some decided to foot off for speed and make the tacks. Based on our results, footing proved to be a better tactic. Dale and Robert made the first pass three minutes ahead of us and Bob and Sean caught up big time.
About then, the party was over. The two in the lead had some air while the rest of us did not (you know the old sailing saw… the rich get richer!) and extended their lead. On Surge, we were at the tail of the fading breeze and lost only a few minutes to Dale, but those just behind us reeky got left behind losing more than ten minutes to Dale.
So, Dale’s Egyptian cotton 170% genoa finally paid dividends as he was able to fight off Robert by 30 seconds to get the gun and save time for a first place. Shahe was able to hang in with a better wind angle from Mark #3 to the finish and correct to second. Robert, crossing the line a close second, corrected to third.
An interesting side note… as you know, our dock committee often takes time on the first pass in the event the wind dies and we can not complete the full race. We then score it as a short course race. Well, in looking at the first pass times, there would have been no change in first and second places, but Terri/Gerry would have placed third. Do we have a “most improved” award?
2023 Second Series, Race 1 Results
It was a “georgeless” night — wait, I think I spelled that wrong! — it was a gorgeous night, wind south at 8 knots gusting to 12 knots with a temperature of 80 degrees. Bob made his usual timely start but left too much room to weather; he allowed Shahe to repeat his red-dog start a little back, but to weather; he slipped around the “hip hop” first. The Buzz Boyz, sailing George-less, started low and got trapped at the “hip hop” having to wait for room to tack for the reach out to Mark #3. Sean was well back at the gun but came to the “hip hop” with speed and weather to gain nicely. Terri/Gerry were seconds off the start line, but low and needing a lot of jib trim. The race then became a contest of trim and position as places changed so often it was hard to keep up with them.
Coming into the first pass was so exciting that we are going to try to sell the television rights! Shahe had been leading at Marks #3 & #5 and most of the way back. Sean and Dale were playing cat and mouse — with Shahe as the mouse. The mouse was scrambling, but the grey (Sundance) slowly got the mouse’s wind and made the pass right in front of the bleachers. The yellow (Saucy) was right there hoping to pounce while the other two were engaged. Sean made the pass, kept his lead back out to Mark #3 and was able to get the gun (= first time for Sundance!). Shahe finished 14 seconds later, close enough to correct to first place. Sean corrected to second… and Dale, in a near photo finish with the Buzz Boyz coming in hot, placed third.
2023 First Series, Final Race Results
Bottom line, it was worth the wait. Last week we postponed for impending bad weather. This week, instead of dodging bolts of lightning, we were treated to 8 -11 knots of steady SSE wind giving us a tack-free race. The only times we had to turn the boats were at the marks.
It was an all reach/fetch race, making the start really important. Terri/Gary were up on the line for a good start, but Robert got the jump and lead at all marks to get the gun and barely save his time to take first. Shahe played cat-and-mouse with Dale for most of the race and even managed to “surge” (see what I did there?) past Bob at the last minute to correct to second. The “Buzz boys” chased Robert all around the course, but just could not catch him… and had to settle for third.
Thanks to Paul for coordinating the pizza and refreshments for the after race get together — a lovely evening to sit around and talk about boats. Al was on hand to whack the cannon and have some pizza and Renee and Shirley took the finish times.
Well, I guess it is only in yacht racing that three aces can beat a straight. Buzz with three 1″s won first for the series and Bob, with a 1.2.3.4.5.6 won second for the series. Robert’s first place in race six moved him up the standings to place third for the series.
Remember that, because we used our week off, the second series of racing starts next week.
2023 First Series, Race 5 Results
What would you call a ‘perfect evening’? Wednesday, July 5 was close to it — easy breeze, south/southwest, 7 – 10 knots. The pin end on a port tack was highly favored. We had a few coming into the line on starboard, hoping to find a hole. Perfectly legal and not a bad move in an easy breeze, but not recommended in a blow as the hole you find may be in YOUR boat!
Buzz sailed the line and did one of his patented turn-on-a-dime moves to lead the pack to the “hip hop.” He was able to tack onto starboard first and leave the cluster behind. Shahe shied away from the pack at the start and found himself in the middle of the bunch. But as weather boat, so he too was able to peel away and head for Mark #3. Bob was now weather boat, approaching the “hip hop” and holding the remaining fleet under him, making it difficult for them to tack with room.
Erik, Sean, and (I think?) Robert each saw an opportunity and tacked in unison. Then Bob — just moments before in a controlling position — was now the “give way” boat. Give way? I don’t think so! Rather than duck all those sterns, Bob’s steely-eyed helmsman opted to ‘thread the needle’, taking Erik’s stern and crossing two bows simultaneously! Looked impossible from our vantage … needless to say, impressive!
The rest of the race involved watching Erik reel in the boats ahead. Fascinating to watch Shahe attempt to hold off Erik on the close reach into the first pass — comparing the two rigs side by side was amusing! Elsewhere on the course, Sean had changed dance partners. After weeks of rail-to-rail sailing with Joe, this week it was Bob. Hmmm, was it something you said, Joe?
After the first pass, Erik chased Buzz and finally made a pass on the reach to the finish. And then to solidify his lead, he pulled a match racing move by holding Buzz below the finish line, forcing him to follow to the finish. Erik got his first gun in his first race, but — to use an all too familiar phrase — “did not save his time” and corrected to third. Buzz, happy to have time on his side for once, corrected to second. Getting the weather he likes and the room to sail with clear air, Shahe corrected to first.
Elsewhere in the news, Sean, Bob, and Joe each finished within nine corrected seconds. Some pretty close sailing!
Next week is the sixth race and, therefore, the traditional get-together after the race. It’s a great time to meet up with the competition without a rope or tiller in your hand! Trade those ‘wouda, coulda, shouldas’ and other sailing gossip.
Please let us know if you plan to attend so we can have enough pizza, beer, etc. available. The cost is typically offset with a ‘pass the hat’ deal — you know the drill!
Thanks to Renee and Shirley for keeping time and me focused (well, let’s not tell Al about that second gun, okay?). Welcome Joe H. to the dock! By the way, Joe is looking for a crew position. Let me know but Dale has first dibs.
Afterword: A rating update resulted in a change in the third and fourth positions.
2023 First Series, Race 4 Results
Deep Purple’s “Smoke on the water, fire in the sky” was the theme for Race 4, thanks to the Quebec fires. Certainly, some smoke was spewing in Buzz’s after-burners as he once again buzzed the course leading at all marks but for the start where Bob — with his typically good timing — hit the line first.
The weather was essentially a repeat of last week, except the breeze was a bit more steady and easterly. The “east” made for a true beat to Mark #5. Joe sailed a lower line to keep Fast Forward footing — and, so low it looked like he was heading to St Paul’s! Perhaps he stopped in to light a candle because, even with all the extra distance sailed, he was right in it at the upwind mark.
Sean took a higher line and rounded with Joe. The two then repeated last week’s tussle at the “hip hop” with Sean once again getting the inside overlap for the advantage to the finish. Joe wasn’t worried; he had “time on his side” (yes, courtesy of the Rolling Stones). Bob took a mid-line to Mark #5, chased Joe and Sean down the channel, and pulled (what looked to me!) an odd move in, going around their sterns to take a leeward position. But it worked — he finished about a minute ahead of them!
Well, Buzz got the gun and a first with time to spare. Bob’s pass at Mark #3 paid off and he took second. Joe corrected out on Sean by something like 30 seconds to place third. Did Sean lose those thirty seconds while placing an order with their onboard bartender?
Thanks to Shelia and Renee for doing the time keeping and keeping me focused. We missed Al who wisely decided his lungs did not need any more particulates — at his age he already has enough in those lungs!
Dale’s press gang was unable to Shanghai a crew, so he came to watch the finely tuned RCs do their thing.
2023 First Series, Race 3 Results
In a word … easy! Easy breeze, easy temps, easy sea state, and easy on the dock too. So why was it so hard???
The beat upwind to Mark #5 separated the fleet and, with the exception of Joe and Sean, it seemed like everyone was sailing their own private race.
Buzz “buzzed” off the starting line with an odd port tack thing but got to windward and sailed the highest to make Mark #5 well ahead, He kept that lead and even extended it in the last legs to get the gun, and — wait for it! — saved his time (with enough to earn interest!) to take first.
Dale, with new crew (his son Ben was off to pirate school getting fitted for a peg leg to replace a broken ankle!) got a good start but could not sail as high as Buzz in the light air and took second.
Bob also had to take a few more tacks out to Mark #5 but, once he was going downhill, he hung in to take third. It was fun to watch the slow motion battle between Sean and Joe right down to a photo finish.
Newcomers Gary/Teri decided they did not like the placement on the yellow buoy and determined to reposition it using their rudder. After getting untangled, they made a valiant effort to chase the fleet. But even the longest day of the year wasn’t long enough for them to make it all the way around. Hey, there’s always next week.
2023 First Series, Race 2 Results
With the wind at 30 mph last week and 5 -7 mph and spotty this week, it sure would be nice to have an average! The fleet was moving well in the restart but, as the start time approached, it dropped, leaving some (i.e., a certain “yellow boat”) pretty far from the line.
Buzz nailed the start – even if in slow motion – and Bob was right there as well. It seems the wind pretty much quit about three-quarters up to Mark #5 but then filled in with fits and starts to get the fleet around. Apparently, Bob was still exhausted from his performance last week and fell well off to leeward on the beat to sail a longer race. Buzz was first to all marks. But, coming into the “hip hop,” maybe he got caught in a hole and let the others catch up?
Just as it was about to get exciting (or maybe it never really did?!), he got a little sting of air and crossed first for the short course gun at 1:17:32. Dale finished second and Shahe was third.
Based upon an earlier and erroneous report, Buzz may have been wondering, “What do I have to do?” Well, maybe he needs to ensure that Dale gets a late start as he was a minute late starting and then corrected a half-minute off first.
For what it’s worth, Buzz affirmed via social media that the Professor did indeed read his mind, albeit with a few creatively unwritten expletives. He thanks “Eagle Eye” Momjian for setting the record straight and looks forward to the next race.
2023 First Series, Race 1 Results
Wowzer! Gusts on up to 30 mph from a steady 23 mph from the NNE and cool temps made for a challenging first race.
And then there was one … while several notices of “not racing” were received before the start, four boats were present in the pre-start: Bob on Second Wind, Buzz on Conundrum, Joe on Fast Forward, and Gary on Serendipity. After a couple of failed bolt ropes and some intelligent decisions that beating into 30 mph headwinds would not be a good way to introduce oneself to the course, Bob found himself the only one starting. It took about forty minutes for him to sail the first leg and only twelve (= that must have been some ride!) to sail the next two and a few minutes to make the final beat to the finish for the gun — and, of course, a corrected “first.” The course was shortened on the fly after the first pass to have mercy on the dock committee. Bob may have wanted to keep going, but we were getting our hair blown off!
Much Ado about Racing
The weekly GPBC Wednesday sailboat races are run from the end of the pier by a small but dedicated, and utterly beloved Dock Committee, led by Jay Kaiser, namesake of the fabled and coveted Kaiser Cup. Jay’s usual supporting cast are Al “The Old Cannon Whacker” LeChard, Shirley Momjian, PC Sheila Tomkowiak and Sid LeChard. From week to week, any number of other club members will come out to hang with the DC, assist if needed, enjoy the race and socialize.
The starting line of the racecourse, which is also the finish line, is from the flagpole at the end of the pier to a yellow buoy set about 125 yards straight out. At 7:00 p.m. is the first gun… cannon, actually… signifying the beginning of the starting sequence. A second gun is set off at 7:05. For the next five minutes anywhere from six to twelve boats will prepare and jockey for optimum starting position when the race begins with a final cannon blast at 7:10.
The start of any race can be very exciting because all the boats are trying to get to the same place at the same time. And it takes place within shouting distance of the pier, up close and almost personal. Even though by the end of the race the boats can be fairly spread out, one-on-one duels for position at the finish can be very exciting too.
Obviously, the velocity and direction of the wind has everything to do with how long the race lasts. Typically, a race takes anywhere between 60 to 90 minutes. The race course itself is a triangular pattern that incorporates channel markers #3 and #5. A chart of the race course and race instructions can be downloaded here.
All club members are encouraged to come out to watch the start of a race and see what all the fuss is about. Hanging with the DC is a blast in itself (pun intended) and can be highly instructional. The truth of sailboat racing is it runs the gamut from white-knuckle, adrenaline-fueled excitement to soul-crushing boredom. Professor Kaiser describes our dear little beer can race as a weekly appointment to go sailing. We go out when it’s nice and we go out when it’s awful, including rain and strong winds. The only time we do not go racing is if the conditions are deemed unsafe by the Dock Committee.
Although the competition on the racecourse can be pretty intense, after the race it’s all camaraderie, good will, laughs and back slapping. Typically, the racers will retire to a local watering hole afterward to compare notes, support each other, discuss the race, have a beer and pizza, yuk it up, tell outrageous lies, and begin looking forward to the next race.
The final high point of any race usually comes the day after when Professor Kaiser publishes his recap. Jay’s recaps are informative, highly instructional, entertaining and loaded with wry humor. We all look forward to them, hoping if he calls one of us out it’s for something we did well and not something we screwed up.