Caz One Day
By: AJ Murphy
The Cazenovia
One Day was held on Saturday, September 22. We had 9 boats from our
club and another 5 boats come from around the district. During the
night a cold front moved through, so the sailing was cold and wet.
It was typical Caz weather with 15-degree shifts (minimum) up and
down every ten seconds so keeping the boat going fast through the
water was going to be key, especially with the wind ranging from
7-20 mph.
In the morning we had gotten a 3-2-2 and were one
point behind first place Ed Seyerlein who had a 4-1-1. Then about
halfway through the first race in the afternoon the wind shifted
about 45 degrees to the west. With the pole on the forestay and the
wind puffy everybody had to be on their toes, and it was exciting to
see them when they weren’t. We all learned how to use the “air
brakes” by Fritz Konnecke and crew (pictures 191-200).
As usual John Steiner, Dave Bull and my Dad made
their fabulous chili, which everybody enjoyed. Then we were on the
water again for three more races. The last race we were first to the
windward mark. We got to the offset first, put up the chute and got
a puff and were gone. I was amazed when we rounded the leeward mark;
everybody was so far away now, when they were just inches from us at
the windward mark. Then the wind shifted to the north and the wind
was really cranking so the race committee sent us in.
Docking was a real fire drill with the wind speed
almost 25 mph. We ended up getting three straight bullets in the
afternoon to win the regatta. Ed ended up second and Federico Meira
in third. It was a great regatta, with lots of great photos shot by
my mom.
PS:
This year Fleet 164 at Willow Bank YC celebrated its 60th
year of lighting racing. AJ’s Great grandfather, Jack Tuttle was one
of the four founders along with Harold Bentley, Don Sanford and Hal
Murray.
