Miles River YC Annual

Saturday, July 31st, 1999 - Sunday, August 1st, 1999
Miles River YC
St. Michael's, MD

Miles River Results/wrap-up submitted by Dave Gendell

The Phantom Menace "A few days ago on a race course far, far away..."

The weekend started very promising. Eleven Annapolis-area Laser sailors battled beach traffic to make the trek to St. Mike's. A quick look around the launch area revealed a good collection of Bay Laser sailors including Ned Jones--reigning TESOD god and fresh from a win in Cambridge; David Frost, winner of the Laser class at last month's SSA Junior Olympic Festival; SSA instructor Amy Boothe; Olympic Finn class hopeful Geoff Ewenson; CBYRA Adams Cup rep Cap Pin; veteran sailors Nick Von Der Wense and Dave Petty; class upstart Dave Gendell, and top juniors Nick Van Waggoner and Pat Doyle. Von der Wense was breaking out his brand new Laser for the first time and carefully unwrapped parts as wide-eyed competitors looked on with envy. The morning temperature was already in the 90s and was expected to reach 100 but the sailors hoped the hot air would drive a seabreeze. It was shaping up to be a Big Day.

And then the wheels fell off. Plagued by poor recon, the fleet of relative class newcomers rigged and launched from the yacht club's beach rather than from the more traditional private residence which is very close to the racing area. Jones heard from a member of the Penguin class that when the RC said the Laser course was "a long sail" from the beach", they really meant it. He left the dock about two hours before the first gun and was the only Laser sailor to cross the line on time in the first race. The remainder of the fleet suffered through a 0-3 knot beat to the starting area which took 60-90 minutes. Von der Wense had the toughest haul to the starting area, capsizing, separating his shoulder, and suffering an allergic reaction to stinging nettles all shortly after launching. The trip to the Easton emergency room removed both he and Pin from the fleet. Nick later returned to the club, arm in a sling, and seemed in decent spirits despite his unfortunate mis-adventure and a few dings on his new hull.

Two Saturday races were contested in 0-3 knots of 100 degree breeze. Jones won the first race and three other sailors were able to complete the course. The second race saw nine starters and eight finishers. A monster triangle took nearly two hours to complete. Amy Boothe drifted across the starting line having established, lost, and recaptured the lead several times around the course. Jones was second and Doyle third. "The Dark Side" reared its head again as this correspondent snapped his boom after landing on it during a "balancing act" capsize following the race. As is often the case, the sequel didn't live up to the hype. Sunday saw five sailors take to the water and an equally lengthy haul to the starting area in equally light air started the day. Jones, Boothe, Van Wagonner, Doyle, and this correspondent completed a single "painfully light" windward/leeward in that order before voting unanimously to return to the dock.

Top 3 of 9 Lasers:

Finish	Name
1	Ned Jones
2	Amy Boothe
3	Pat Doyle

Added: 8/01/1999 15:30:50 by Jon Deutsch
Updated: 7/02/2005 15:31:35 by Jon Deutsch