Lake Guntersville Sailing Club Guntersville, AL
Lake Guntersville Sailing Club Guntersville, AL
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| LGSC Racing Results updated 03-09-10
From the Fleet Captain, Racing
The season is of to a start – a slow start. On Saturday, March 6, we tried a new idea, a Predicted Log Specialty Race. After the course was announced, each Skipper estimated the time they would take to complete the course after the Start Signal. The boats were to start a one-minute intervals and their objective was not to beat the other boats around the course but to finish as close to their predicted time as possible. Their score would be the error with the lowest error the winner, etc. An 8 to 10 mph northerly wind was forecast and the course was some 7.2 miles long. Well no sooner had the start signal been given but the wind died completely and boats were left well behind the line struggling to overcome the current as they slowly beat up to the line. Over the next hour or so it stayed at about 2 mph from the north and eventually the first boat reached the first mark – Buck Island Light some 1.5 miles up the river. So the Race Officer – me – decided to abandon that race but to switch to an alternative format by shortening the course and directing the boats by radio and cell phone to come straight back to the start. Meanwhile the wind shifted to the south at about 2 mph later picking up to 5 mph. So over the second hour, the boats slowly finished. Results were calculated on the time-on-course using the appropriate Club ratings and the winner was Amy in “Bad Word” who had left the fleet in her dust (well there was not enough wind or speed to raise any spray). She was followed in by Keith and Bev in “Teagarita” and Sterling managed a slow third in “Volant”. The others just straggled in. Sunday, March 7 didn’t look any better but we had to race so a 1.7 downstream into a 2mp Southerly wind was proposed. This being the first Pursuit Race of the Spring Series, the seven boats started pretty much together. I was a passenger on “Teagarita” chosen as the fastest and last starter so as to make sure no one was over early. Most boats went towards the east shore but Larry Bontrager in “Puff”decided to buck the trend and went for the west shore, with Rich Mason in “Eclipse” heading towards Buck Island which we all know is nowhere to go since the wind is always shielded by the Island. We all said, “What on earth do they think they are doing?” as we steadily sailed away from them. Eventually we all tacked and when everyone thought we should come together the racers were devastated to see those two well ahead. They then finished in that order about an hour after the start (that’s one hour to make 1.7 miles with the river current!!!) and were followed in by the Commodore and wife, George and Trish on “Mystic T”.
Oh well, it’s the windy season!!! So what else can you expect with Lake Sailing. The full results follow.
Next weekend the Spring Buoy Series starts on Saturday followed by Pursuit Race #2 on Sunday.
Elsewhere you should find the entry form (registration) for the April 23/24 Guntersville Cup. All I can say is sign up quickly so the Committee is too over worked with entries on the day.
Dick Potter
LGSC Race Results – March 6 & 7, 2010
Race: Specialty Race – Predicted Log Race – Abandoned after wind died and made into a Shortened Time-on-Course, Time-on-Time Race March 6, 2010 Course: Start just out of Inlet to Buck Island Light and return to Start - approx. 3miles Wind: 0-2 mph N to 2-4 mph S Starting Time: 12:17 pm
Race: Sunday Spring Pursuit Series #1 March 7, 2010 Course: Seibold Light to Short Creek Light - 1.7 miles Wind: 2-3 mph SE Starting Time: 12:07pm
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