The Carlisle regatta was a very good experience. Both days were blustery though winds were a touch milder on sunday. Still breezy and shifty with plenty of capsizes, 180 degrees wind shifts, groundings, etc. We had Dan Fontaine, Craig Carlson, Colin Browning, Joel with the Sea Scout’s ship and me. Craig sailed a great first day as the results appended show. He could not sail on sunday. Dan was great as well. Colin came in third and he also sailed very well though I know that the winds were very trying for him and his light crew. Winds were trying for me as well and we were not a light crew at all. Joel and I had a capsize competition and I think I beat him on that department so the honors for shrimping should go to Lady Lane. There was some carnage as well...Joel broke a spreader. I lost my one week old wind indicator...this capsizing business has to end, enough already. I also busted the boom close to the goose neck area...when I got the boat, there was a crack in it already...the stress of the capsizes plus the vang tension made that area buckle and if not for Colin's great repair job on saturday night, I could not have raced on sunday. Thanks a lot Colin!! Now my boom has that Frankenstein look that intimidates the fleet so much ha ha ha. Dan’s boat also suffered from the collage of parts that had been exchanged from his boat into the Sea Scout’s boat and the efforts of Dan to slowly put his boat back together, he could have been even more competitive had his boat remained “whole” as he used to have her…but, it was a labor of love and dedication on Dan’s part. We all had fun and for Colin, Joel and myself it certainly was a learning experience. Camaraderie was built. We need to get Super Dave Ellis a boat.
More items of notice are the fact that the Windmill Fleet was well represented and competitive. The Sea Scout’s Ship skippered by Joel was fast and it showed how much the Sea Scouts worked to get it ship shape. The Sea Scout boat restoration was just completed the week of the regatta so they had only taken the boat out a couple of times beforehand. But somehow they were amazingly often close to the front and/or leading in when disaster would strike, and then over they went. Thanks to Joel, Dan and the sponsoring kindness of the Boca Ciega YC, the Sea Scouts have a Windmill named Dingbat and a home to sail her from. These kids learn so many valuable lessons being exposed to the Sea Scouts principles and to mentors such as Dan and Joel. The Windmill Class is having a positive effect in the community…one boat at a time. And the WIndmill racing is designed to help them to learn the hard work, dedication and determination it takes to be successful. That competitiveness is an important virtue as long as one behaves in a fair and sportsmanlike manner.
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