Media D15 Regatta Day 1

[odinsvitskjaldr]

Steady 20s gusting near 30 from the E shifting slightly ESE with air temp around 55 made the first day of the D15 Laser Regatta challenging. About 20 full rigs and 8 radials braved the 4 foot rollers, and I'd guesstimate that at least 50% of those who raced swam at least once today. Two races were able to be completed before lunch, and the increasing winds and waves prevented more races after lunch. Both full rig races and the first radial race were O courses, and the second radial race, sailed by only 2 of the original 7 from the first race, was changed to a G course. SSC's Mark Eldred crossed first in both races in the full rig. The first full rig race started with a general recall, probably due to the racers still getting used to the heavy wind and waves. Some of the younger sailors showed some really great technique aggressively hitting the start line, with some good backing close on the line. Only one boat was over the line at the start of the second full rig race, and 10 of the first race's fleet vied for the top spots. Those of us on race boats (I volunteered on the RC boat since I played it safe and knew I'd be wrestling with the wind and waves if I raced) got plenty wet, and were very impressed with the courage (insanity?) of those who raced today. Hopefully, tomorrow will be slightly less challenging and more racers will get to finish more races.
Here are a few of the pix I got to take from the RC boat.

 

[gouvernail]

COOL!!!!

Sorry I had to stay in Austin. Sally grounded me after I decided I was sick and slept from 9 am Wednesday to 9 am Thursday.

OK, so I am still a little wobbly, but in those waves nobody would have noticed

 

[mee168]

The water looked muddy! May I know what are O and G courses?

 

[odinsvitskjaldr]

O=Olympic course, G-Gold Cup course
Check out page 2 of http://www.seabrook-sailing.org/share/Shared%20Documents/2006%20Race%20Instructions.pdf
It has diagrams of the courses and the designations by letter that are posted on the stanchion of the RC boat.

Oh, yes, the water in relatively shallow Galveston Bay is right murky, especially when it gets stirred up by heavy winds/waves. Turtling in Galveston Bay will often yield a silty-muddy-sludge tipped mast; there's gotta be a nickname for the dirty mast end, maybe a dirty-diaper or something? We always bathe our boats and selves well after sailing in the Bay.

 

[Merrily]

there's gotta be a nickname for the dirty mast end, maybe a dirty-diaper or something? We always bathe our boats and selves well after sailing in the Bay.

Drilling for oil is what I was told when I did it.