Western Lakes Region Regatta -
1/4/2013 10:15 Friday evening
We depart Point Place, Ohio and trek Westward toward Wisconsin. Erica is along for this trip, and being a night-shift worker assumes the helm of the green van (Van-Diesel). A bearing squeal that revealed itself to us in Minnesota just a month before was just fixed a few hours earlier so we are off to the races!
Erica takes us all the way through Chicago where we stop just east of Rockford for fuel. After a driver change the last couple hours goes easily until there is some navigation challenges and Erica and Mike wake me up to ask what the name of the hotel was...
I lean up and try and focus as we brake to a stop in a snow-filled parking lot. "AmericInn", I croaked hoarsely from the back of the van. About that time I could see we were at Ameri-Host. I lay back down as they navigated their way between parked cars and snow piles.
10 minutes later we arrive at the right hotel. Its 4:30 and I already called the front desk to see if we could slip in an early check-in. The clerk is very friendly and wishes to accommodate us, but due to the automation of the hotel computer system, we cannot get in any earlier than 6:00 without paying an extra night. She welcomes us to use the lobby where breakfast will be served soon. Erica and i take turns laying by the fireplace while mike gets some shut-eye in a nearby pleather chair. Jody and Rich stay in the van, but since its only 15 degrees out, they end up starting it back up to keep the heat going. Luckily by 5:30 the nice lady at the desk is able to issue us our key cards. We all crash for about an hour, then its up for some breakfast.
As always we begin to see lots of old and new "DN'er" friends. After a while, we head to the launch site on Lake Kegonsa. Julie Jankowski and the good people at 4 Lakes Ice Yacht Club have carefully orchestrated a team of 4-wheelers to take our trailers the 1/4 mile from the public ramp to in front of the waterfront restaurant called "Springers". This fine establishment featured lots of parking, great lake views, and lovely bartenders - an important ingredient to any business trying to appeal to cold-weather sportsmen.
We get rigged up, each of us taking a moment to help out Mike as he is using a borrowed boat this weekend after his old "Nancy's Nightmare" took a turn for the worse and suffered a broken plank and sideboard. There is about 1/2" of stiff snow on what is otherwise nice hard smooth ice. Rich and I have marveled at how a new guy can show up to a regatta with a $1000 boat, wreck it. Then return a week later with an up to date $5000 program - all borrowed! Such is the generosity of the Ice-sailing addicts looking to hook a new one!
First race for me isn't all that impressive. 11th place. On the positive side, its better than my worse races the previous weekend. Sticky hard snow and lighter air prompt me to change to my thin-T runners. They are slightly thinner than my standard-issue 3/16" thick runners, but are also sharpened to 100 degree angle instead of 90 degrees. This decreased the friction of the runners substantially, but also decrease much-needed lateral stability, making the boat harder to control.
Second Race, I have a great start, and feel the boat power up as soon as I am in and sheeted. I am hiking and accelerating in clear air. John Dennis is right next to me and we sail to the lay line together, he tacks first and I tack just after him gaining some weather position behind him. About 100 yards to the weather mark the wind dies and JD has now understood the mark. I am barely making it, then I get a new shot of wind before Ron Sherry and Mark Christensen can cross me from the other side of the course. I am first around the weather mark with a shot of speed!
What I didn't see behind me is that Christensen shot around the top mark passing Sherry who was forced to get out and push! What I also didn't see is Christensen jibed immediately finding more air on that side of the course. By the time I got over there he had extended a lead on me, but the rest of the fleet was getting smaller behind me. The next two laps were almost a solo effort. While "the doctor" Christensen extended his lead slightly on me, I did the same to the rest of the fleet having learned from my mistake of the first downwind leg that cost me my first position. Second Place!!! Now that's more like it!
Third race, the wind was up a bit. I still had my T-runners on, and I never quite got up to speed. It felt like I couldn't track well in the increased wind. I was passing boats downwind and loosing them upwind. I fought hard and barely clinched to 15th place, passing 4 or five boats in the last 100 yards.
Fourth race I switched back to the reliable insert runners. Just not feeling fast. I again fought my way into 15 place. And with that disappointing yet probably well-deserved result, the first day was over. Afterward I learn that my travel buddy, Jody Kjoller had flipped his boat in that race. His helmet was cracked and tiller broken, but he said the only thing that really hurt was his ego. Lou Loenneke had a similar experience in the same race, which he attributed to hitting a crack at the wrong angle. Cracks in snow-covered ice come up very quickly at 40 mph! Most are safe if crossed perpendicular, but if you hit them anywhere close to parallel, bad results are bound to happen.
Back at shore we put our sails and runners away and hastily head to Springers. It is fun to meet a few of the local sailors, and enjoy a few adult beverages and a warm buffet meal. It is still fairly early when we leave for the hotel with the hot-tub as the next goal for the night.
Back at the hotel the sign by the tub stated: "Hot Tub Capacity: 10 people" I think we easily doubled it that night.
In the room later, the Packers - Vikings game was on, and gradually we all fell asleep. All 6 of us crowded as it was, slept well!
Day 2 -
Well I dont remember a lot of detail. But finishing another 11th place in the days first race, I knew something needed to change. Everytime a puff hit me I was popping up on a hike and loosing potential acceleration. already loose in the stays, I loosened the forestay a half-turn, then decided to sail more physically. This meant hiking hard out the back side of the boat, just like they used to do in the old days of DN sailing. The results were, my mast bent sooner, and the boat accelerated better. I was barely able to get in the boat once I hit speed, so I settled on just staying hiked out 90% of the upwind legs. It seemed strange to sail this way, but a pair of 7th place finishes showed the effort paid off.
Back at the club, Jim McDonagh showed me the results as posted on his phone. He got me by a point! But when the awards were announced I got him!?! Well my place in the last race seems to be off. Erica says I got 7th but one set of results says 9th. Who knows, its not really important, but I told Jim that I will gladly trade him if they settle the results.
Back at shore, we pack up, and ready the trailer. Mike and I drive the van to the launch and meet a 4 wheeler there. After some struggle with the jack and the hitch ball barely fitting, we head to the bar.
Back at Springers there are lots of smiling faces. A buffet lunch is served and then we file into the corner of the place where the awards take place. Upon receiving my 8th place mug, I take the opportuntity to plug the upcoming Worlds. There is no reason (other than lifes responsibilities) that anyone at that regatta couldnt sail the worlds. Hopefully I convinced at least one person to try it. I know I was hesitant my first time.
Drive home was easy. Chicago area was annoying as always, but we were home at 11:30.
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