Pigs Fly and Blind Squirrels find nuts...Week 2 Results

So week 2 of 110ing out of the Fort was looking a little iffy to say the least. Fog and rain loomed over the bay and the breeze was threatening to shut off. Crews were bailing out for different reasons; mine was caught in a serious Rum Squall at the NYYC and another called in "sick". Four boats made it to the line that night and the players were:

1. Current National Champs Mark Van Note and Josh Hill on the Screaming Pelican (rumored to be named after a bizarre species of Boone Lake bird that makes a haunting squeal when mating)
2. Jeff Adam and MIT sailing coach Matty Cohen on Sugar Magnolia
3. Ross Weene and surprise crew Russell Coutts (Russell was getting bored watching the AC and decided to sail some real boats for a change)
4. Alexandra Laplant and Oakley Jones on the Wharf Rat

Now I can't remember all the details of racing but it was a fun night. If anyone who was out racing has comments please add them in. I do remember that the Pelican tried a port tack start in Race 1 and was shut out by Sugar Mags at the pin end. The lovely and charming Alexandra and I had some starting issues by not being able to get off the line that night but we made up for it by being very lucky and going the right way most of the time. In 2 of the 3 races we, Alex and I on the Wharf Rat, tacked to the Right as soon as possible and headed off in clear air. Josh and Mark showed the speed that won them a nationals and if it wasn't for the fluky breeze they would have walked away with the night...again. The one thing that I brought away from the racing was it's better to take the kite down 5 seconds too early than 5 seconds too late. Heros are for comic books...

Here are the scores for the night showing again why Fleet 54 is the strongest 110 fleet in the country:

1. Wharf Rat 4,1,2 = 7
2. Screaming Pelican 3,1,3 = 7
3. Sugar Magnolia 1,4,3 = 8
4. Oobleck 2,2,4 = 8

The night could have belonged to anyone and we had to go out to the 2nd tie-breaker to decide who the winner was. It says something about a fleet when 3 different boats win races. When Mark told Alex and I that we'd won the night I thought he was joking but after the Bud Lite induced fog lifted it started to sink in. This was the 1st time that Wharf Rat has won the night and hopefully not it's last. Alex and I would like to thank Jesus, Ray Hunt, the volunteer Race Committee from Ida Lewis YC, and all the other people that made Friday night happen.

We will see you all tomorrow night for Week 3 before the Newport sailors head to Block Island Race Week for mudslides at the Oar, Eastern European folk dancing at Yellow Kittens, blind driving escapades, and some big boat racing.