Greeting from the Prez – July 2010

Huge thanks to Lydia & Rick Smyers for opening their home to us on June 5th . Aside from my kid dropping out of a tree onto his head, it was a perfect evening. Thanks also to our bar-master general Jim Raisides for stocking, lugging and assembling your fleet bar. Never underestimate the importance of that job.

So where to start? How about East Coasts? Seven boats made the trek to Padanaram and were rewarded with a terrific regatta. Seven boats, by the way, was the largest contingent from anywhere, including the local fleet. And so prevailing was Fleet 5?s aggregate performance – seven of top 11 places – that we took home the Fleet Award for the second straight year. Well done Fleet 5. And speaking of the second straight year, how about that Chris Small! Nine points in nine races. I’ve never heard of such a thing. He was simply masterful. His dominant performance doesn’t bode well for the rest of us with Race Week and Nationals just around the corner. Dare I say it, but Chris could very well be the first legitimate non-Jud Smith contender in 10 years for the Triple Crown – winning East Coasts, Race Week and Nationals in the same year. A tough task, I grant you, but if he keeps sailing like he did last week, the rest of us may well be sailing for second place. As an aside, the last time I suggested that someone could win the Triple Crown in this newsletter, it was Shan McAdoo and Doug Trees back in 2000 sailing this very same 1680. Of course, back then, my suggestion proved to be a bit of a jinx for them and they didn’t pull it off. But don’t think that is my motivation for bringing it up now. How could I possibly be that petty, calculating or self-serving?

While on the subject of East Coasts, allow me to digress briefly about the hazards of bunking up with your competitors. Teams Raisides/Pendleton and Pandapas/Kaznoski shared a small house on a farm at 40 Jordon Road. Mercy me! I don’t recall staying up as late, laughing as much or being more juvenile at any time over the past 20 years then those three days. Of course, by mutual agreement, what happened on Jordan Road stays on Jordan Road, so you’ll get no details from me. But that experience serves as a stark reminder that sailboat racing is a serious business that requires sleep and focus. You can bet Chris Small wasn’t cow-tipping at one in the morning.

So now to the meat of our season. First up is the annual 4th of July barbecue (on July 3rd), generously hosted for the 73rd consecutive year by Jane & John Casler (just kidding John). The e-invite went out a few days ago. Please RSVP as we need to know how much stuff to buy. No need to bring anything except yourselves, your good humor and a $10 donation per person. It should go without saying that Jim will once again contribute to our collective delinquency. Next up will be the 3rd and final local measurement on July 11th . We’re planning to prioritize out-of-town boats over local boats at the event measurement in August, so this is truly your last chance to measure with as little hassle as possible. The 10-11 boats owners who have yet to be measured have been contacted and plan to be there. If you have lingering issues that require the measurer’s attention, please RSVP to me by email.

And finally the big one – what I’ve always regarded as the centerpiece of our season – Race Week. Of course, this year, Race Week will be a tune up for an even bigger one, but it’s still a big one to me. This year’s Race Week party will be on the Thursday night (after racing). Thanks in advance to Jenifer & Steve Uhl for opening their beautiful new home to us. See you on the water.