EC 12 POINTS NITE AUGUST 8, 2006

It was kinda like an iffy day. It was hard to tell whether the WX was going to be kind to us or whatever else would be dished out It was overcast during the day with threatening skies and erratic winds. I was picked up by Howard Rasmussen, University Place, WA. We both live in UP and switch off in picking each other up. We arrived at the lake at about 5:30PM. Already there were Jerry Snowbird Muridge, N Tacoma, Steve Young, Tacoma, WA and Joe Ozckewicz, Port Orchard, WA.

Jerry M placed the start/finish with an EW orientation for a S and SW start. Thanx, Jerry! Other marks were set out for a triangular course. The starting gun went off at 6PM. The winds were from the S and SW at 5-8mph with gusts to 15mph with broken clouds and temps in the high 50s to low 60sF. With these winds speeds, we were able to get many heats in during the regatta. We sailed many triangular courses with single and double sausage. Since Howard R did not sail he officiated as RD. Thanx, Howard.

When we were sailing heat 4 Harry Lange, Enumclaw, WA arrived. While he was setting up his boat we sailed double windward/leeward courses to keep the time short so that when Harry was ready he would not lose out on more heats than necessary.

Unfortunately, Murphy, was present and it was with a vengeance! At the end of heat 6 Steve Y brought his boat into the dock for an adjustment. Instead of taking it out of the water (it’s getting far to the water now from the dock level). While he was making adjustments his transmitter went into the lake!!! Disaster! Down to the bottom it went. So Steve was forced to retire from the regatta.

Things continued in the Murphy Mode to do its thing with the spreader popping out of the mast on the last heat on the club boat and I did not finish the heat. We had good strong winds this evening, so most probably the shrouds stretched to the point that the spreaders popped out.

Joe O had a lot of experience preparing for those gusts and trying to prevent the roundup maneuvers causing the uncontrollable moves the EC12 does at those times. Also, he had plenty of practice in controlling the ‘death roll." He’s really catching on fast and had some very good competitive finishes! And, congratulations, Joe! You came in 3^rd!

As we were finishing the last heat #14 it started to sprinkle a bit. Seems that our timing was just perfect. We were all done by 8PM. Harry L and Jerry M brought in the marks, locked up the boat and put the gear away. Thanx, guys. We then headed for the Tav to figure the scores and have a bite to eat. It was a GREAT nite of sailing. Must be my boat was tuned correctly, for once (maybe I should have left it rigged??!!!) because it just flew. Too bad it can’t be that way all of the time!? We all headed for home at about 9:30PM.

The points on the placing show that this was a wide open regatta with no close finishes. The points were spread all over from 14 to 69. However, it would have been a different ending had Steve Y not had his mishap with the transmitter. Since Jerry M and Steve Y are excellent skippers, it would have been a tight finish between those two and, of course I and all below me would have dropped a placing.

Joe Brohan