Team Big Storm Takes PCYC Snow Flurries Regatta by Storm - September 30 -October 1, 2006

You Missed it!  You Missed it!  The 2006 PCYC Snow Flurries Regatta was an absolute blast as we got blasted by south winds  22 - 31mph on Saturday.  We had a nice fleet of 6 multihulls come out to race in very challenging conditions.  We had Patrick Quinn's F-31 UC, Trippple Trouble and Brian Thorpe's Native Newick 38, Alacrity.   Richard Gracely cancelled his trip to Japan so that he could race his Elan 7.7, Runaway in the Snow Flurries and put forth a challenge for the Gary Hall Series Championship.   Harold Alber came to protect his 1st place position for the Gary Hall Series on his STL 30, Battlecat.  Even Kim Toms and Doug Gouty showed up with Kim's F-28R, Kerberos.   Jim and I brought our F-28, Big Storm out for our 2nd race of the season. 

Saturday Morning - Breakfast at PCYC 

Port Clinton Yacht Club served their usual continental breakfast.  The prices can't be beat and the proceeds benefit the Junior Sailors. If there was a Skippers meeting, I missed it, but I made sure to pick up a scratch sheet and a set of SI's.....you can't tell the players without a program!  The course for the Snow Flurries Regatta would be windward/leewards twice around with a downwind finish for all three races.   

The Race Committee, headed by PRO Doug Young,  shot off the I Hour Gun as they left the PCYC Harbor.  The JAM fleet would have the first start at 10:00am, followed by the T-10s, 3 PHRF fleets and the Multihulls.  The monohulls began to peel off the raft-up immediately.  The Multihulls would have the last of 6 starts at 10:25am, so we had plenty of time to get out to the race course.   

On board Big Storm, we were off the dock by 9:30am.  NOAA Weather radio called for south winds at 10-20 knots building to 15-25 knots.  Beyond the Port Clinton pierhead, we were greeted by flat water and an offshore breeze, blowing15 knots with 22 knot gusts.  Within 10 minutes of leaving the dock, we had our main sail up and we were sailing downwind to the starting area at a fast clip passing the slower monohulls enroute.  At 8 knots boatspeed, it only took us 11 minutes to reach the starting area.  The Race Committee had set the start line on one side of the boat and the finish line on the other.  Whether starting or finishing, we would need to leave the RC boat to starboard.  We ran the start line to find some fishing boats anchored off one end of the finish line.  The head boat, with all their fishing lines out, was right in the middle of the race action....this could be interesting.   

Race One:  The Race Committee set a 7.48nm windward-leeward course, twice around for the first race.

Big Storm screamed into the start on a reach, winning the start with no challengers, even though we were 15 seconds late across the line.  Brian Thorpe's Native Newick 38, Alacrity was the next multihull across the line at 10:26:10, and Patrick Quinn's F-31 UC, Trippple Trouble was third across at 10:26:30.   

On board Big Storm, we carried out on starboard almost to the port layline before we tacked back.  We found a strong lift on port tack.  Patrick Quinn tacked early to port and to leeward.  We both overstood the starboard layline, which we really didn't want to do in the 20 plus knot winds.  High Side weight!!!  But, it was an exciting sail as the two Corsair boats reached into the 1st windward mark, Patrick's F-31 UC ahead and to weather of Big Storm.  In the heat of the fray, we didn't realize how quickly that the wind was shifting to the right.  It would continue to shift  as much as 15 degrees in the first race. 

On board Big Storm, we launched the chute at the mark and before we knew it, it was time to jibe for the leeward mark. We overstood that mark as well, and found ourselves power reaching under spinnaker into the leeward mark at mock speed.  The spray was flying!  We beat the F-31 UC into the leeward mark.  We trimmed in for the beat, but found ourselves getting pinched out by the monohulls ahead, so we tacked away to find that our port side jib sheet had become untied.  Shit happens in a heavy breeze!  So we quickly tacked back.  I retied the sheet and went down below to pack the chute.  Jim and Kim tacked Big Storm two more times while I struggled to pack the new, crispy chute back into the bag.  It don't fit!!  OH NOooooooooo! 

Patrick Quinn's F-31 UC, Trippple Trouble was first into the 2nd windward mark followed by Big Storm, but I was still struggling with the chute down below.  The spinnaker was exploding out of the bag as I dragged it up on deck and hooked up for the launch.   Then it got hung up on the jib during the launch.  I dropped the jib and the chute went up. Trippple Trouble gained a good lead on us.  We steered directly for the leeward mark and the finish line.  I cranked the jib back up.....more power!   We were blasting into the finish at 19.5 knots when we stuffed the bows into a wave....whoa baby!  She recovered quickly and we were off once again.  Although we always push the boat hard when we race, this was our first ever major stuff while racing Big Storm!  The F-28 is one great platform! 

Trippple Trouble was the first multihull across the finish line at 11:27:35, beating the First Place PHRF A boat, JEB, across the line...now that's a good feeling!  Trippple Trouble had a corrected time of 1:04:27.2.   Big Storm also beat JEB across the line at 11:30:09, correcting out ahead of the Patrick Quinn's F-31 UC by some 4 minutes at 1:00:39.7. Both boats beat the very well sailed JEB on corrected time as well.  Brian Thorpe's Native Newick 38, Alacrity finished next at 11:42:41 and earned third place with a corrected time of 1:12:04.4.  Kim Tom's F-28R, Kerberos was next across the line at 12:00:15.  Unfortunately, they crossed on the wrong side of the Committee Boat and were scored DNF.  Richard Gracely and Kirsten Ambrose raced into the finish on their Elan 7.7, Runaway at 12:03:35 and corrected out fourth at 1:23:59.8.  Thanks to PC Yacht Club member, Gloria Denos, we have photographic evidence that Team Runaway successfully flew their chute during the downwind portion of the race.  Harold Alber's Battlecat was stuck at the dock, and was scored a DANK, because he had no crew for the first or second race. 

Race Two:  Letting no grass grow under their feet, the Race Committee reset the course to compensate for the 15 degree shift to the right, shortened it up a bit (6.28nm) and started the new start sequence at 12:05.  It was raining again and getting colder, too.  But, everyone's adrenalin was flowing in anticipation of another exciting race!  Many of the PHRF boats were reefed this time around, as was the Native Newick 38, Alacrity.  

On board Big Storm, we luffed up to weather of the RC boat and bided our time until the multihull start.  There appeared to be more wind in the middle of the course....make a note of that.  With 1 minute 20 seconds to go,  we turned Big T downwind  to set up for a starboard start.  At 20 seconds to the start, we luffed up to slow her down.  At 15 seconds, we bore off  for the line and with in 2 seconds we were blasting into the start line at full speed.  Pat Quinn's Trippple Trouble was about 4 boatlengths back and getting lifted inside of us as the wind continued to shift right.  Brian Thorpe had Alacrity honkin' as they crossed the start line in third.  Quinn was first to tack right.  We waited for the right shift and tacked to cover.  Big Storm was lifted up inside of the Mighty Quinn on port tack and we were cookin'!!!  Alacrity continued left.  Trippple Trouble tacked onto the starboard layline barely crossing us ahead.  We were forced to sheet out and dip their sterns. 

Trippple Trouble was the first multihull around the windward mark and set their chute.  Big Storm was second around and we set our chute without incident.  Team Alacrity rounded close behind and could be heard hootin' and hollerin' in sheer glee!   

Trippple Trouble banged the corner before they jibed for the leeward mark.  The crew ran into some problems at the leeward mark, which allowed Big Storm to gain on the F-31UC.  We also had a tighter mark rounding.  Trippple Trouble sailed all the way right on the second beat to weather.  From our perspective, they were getting lifted around the mark on port tack.   We took a short hitch left, then tacked back.  That extra tack didn't help us as much as we had hoped. 

Where as Trippple Trouble overstood the starboard layline and was reaching into the second windward mark, spray flying, we probably tacked a little bit early and found ourselves pointing into the mark, which is not nearly as much fun!  Trippple Trouble had a significant lead this time around..  

Trippple Trouble set their chute and jibed early on the last downwind leg.  Big Storm banged the right corner before we jibed and gained lots of ground on the faster F-31UC, but would it be enough?   

Trippple Trouble was the first multihull across the finish line at 1: 34:03. Big Storm crossed the line a scant minute behind the F-31UC at 1:35:11.  We saved our time in the last downwind leg and corrected out first at 56:24.9.  Patrick Quinn corrected out second at 1:00:37.2.  Brian Thorpe's Alacrity crossed the line third, well back of the fleet at1:45:49, and corrected out third at 1:06:06.4.  Kim Toms, F-28R, Kerberos, was fourth across the line at 2:04:01, but corrected out fifth at 1:27:07.1 behind the Elan 7.7, Runaway.   Richard Gracely and Kirsten Ambrose crossed the line at 2:04:41, and corrected out 10 minutes ahead of the F-28R at 1:17:26.2., to hang on to 4th place. 

Back at the PCYC Dock, the multihull sailors laid out their sails to dry and compared notes over a shared pitcher of Bloody Mary's. Doug Gouty told us that he recorded wind strengths of 22-26 knots during the first race, giving them an apparent windspeed of 38 knots, while racing.   According to PRO Doug Young,  the wind shifted 15 degrees in the first race and another 20 degrees in the second race.  The multihull sailors grabbed a big table at PCYC and chowed down on the traditional Chicken BBQ dinner....finger licking good!  Many wet wipes and ice cream sandwiches later, we retired to the yacht club lounge for more cocktails and sea tails.  

Race Three:  The weather on Sunday was much different.  NOAA was calling for west winds 10-20 knots and 2 foot waves.  What we found was southwest winds, 5-10 knots.  Unlike Saturday morning, it took us about 30 minutes to get to the starting line, and we were motor sailing.  The RC set a long weather leg in anticipation of a good solid breeze, but it wasn't here yet!. 

On board Big Storm, we were a bit early for our start, so we parked at the RC Boat.  Harold Alber STL 30, Battlecat was positioned just below us.  They bore off for the leeward end and crossed the line early.  We bore off a bit early, starting at midline, allowing Alacrity to start in the prime position, right next to the Committee boat.  Trippple Trouble was next to start at the RC and the first to tack right.  In the lighter breeze, Alacrity was pointing like crazy. They also tacked right.  We probably hung on to starboard tack a little longer than we should have, seeking more breeze near shore and a better wind angle. When we did tack, the crew was relegated to the low side.  Battlecat tacked to weather.  Apparently, they were not going back to restart.  Runaway tacked to leeward. 

Sailing along on port tack at 5 knots, we caught a large knock in the oscillating breeze.  Alacrity, meanwhile, was getting lifted on starboard, of course, and crossed us ahead.  They found more breeze.  Our skipper, Jim Frederick was trying to cover Harold Alber on his STL 30, Battlecat, by out pointing them. Caught in a header...it should be easy to do.  

Patrick Quinn banged the right corner and crossed us well ahead, but had to throw in two more tacks to make the mark.  Trippple Trouble was the first multihull around the windward mark at 11:00am.  Alacrity short tacked at the mark and rounded some 6 minutes later.  Big Storm rounded 2 minutes behind Alacrity and set the "Whomper" for the downwind leg.   Battlecat turned the corner and was flying his chute behind us.  Trippple Trouble jibed in the middle of the course, then sailed the left side of the course, jibing a few times more in less than 5 knots breeze before reaching the leeward mark, and more, better breeze well ahead of the multihull fleet.  Alacrity was moving well, they were second to jibe left. Big Storm was third to jibe left.  The boys on Kerberos rounded the windward mark and jibed immediately.  Runaway rounded behind them.  

Big Storm came into the leeward mark some 18 minutes behind the Mighty Quinn!  We approached the mark on starboard tack, and jibed, for a portside drop.  We found some more breeze there and dropped the chute in the skipper's face.  We came up to weather on port tack.  Alacrity and Battlecat rounded "L" right behind us.  Sailing in a 20 degree header, Alacrity was getting sucked in behind us.  But we still need a miracle to save our time on Trippple Trouble so far ahead.   

The miracle came in the form of a huge hole which magically appeared between the F-31UC and the second windward mark.   Trippple Trouble sat in that hole, spinning on their centerboard,  for 43 minutes while the crew on Big Storm tried desperately to close the gap.    

At 12:55pm, Trippple Trouble rounded the windward mark, picked up a windline, which lead from the mark sailed right in clear air, catching the PHRF boats that had started ahead of them.  Meanwhile, we struggled on Big Storm to get through the hole in better shape than the fleet before us.  We finally rounded the mark at 1:13pm, exactly 18 minutes behind the F-31UC.   We had gained nothing!  Alacrity rounded the mark 2 minutes behind us.  

Looking ahead, we could see that the entire fleet had sailed into yet another hole.  Creeping along at 2.5 knots, we jibed, very smartly, so we thought, before the breeze ran out, and left Trippple Trouble and JEB sitting in the hole.  

The Race Committee could see that Race Three had turned into a crap shoot and wisely abandoned the race due to unfair racing conditions.  This was unfortunate for Team Trippple Trouble.  They sailed a very smart race and deserved to win.   

PCYC had a nice hot lunch waiting for us upon our return.  That and a pitcher of Bloody Mary's was the order for the day.  

Trophies:  Shortly after lunch, Port Clinton Yacht Club awarded their distinctive Snowflurries Flags and Glass Trophy Mugs, three deep in every class.  Jim Frederick and Team Big Storm, with Deb Schaefer and Kim Smith crewing were the winners of the day with two bullets for the series.  Patrick Quinn and Team Trippple Trouble, with David White and Dennis Karr took Second Place Overall. . Brian Thorpe and Team   Alacrity, with Dianne Thorpe and BR Gill, were awarded a Third Place flag .  What's a trophy, if you can't drink out of it.....we put those trophy mugs to immediate use! 

Gary Hall Championship Series - Standings After the Snow Flurries Regatta 

Harold Alber's Battlecat was the only Multihull to get in all 5 races required to qualify for the 2006 Gary Hall Series and for the meantime, was is sitting in First Place the low score of 10 for his Best 4 Races.  But, Pat Quinn's Trippple Trouble was nipping at his heals with a low score of 13 and Richard Gracely is right behind him with a low score of 15.  They were the only two multihulls which could offer a challenge, but they still needed to race a 5th race.  The winner of the Gary Hall Series Championship Flag would be determined at the Fall-Bay Regatta and awarded there!!   

Gloria Denos really captured the race action on Saturday and Sunday with excellent photos of the starts and finishes.  Be sure to thank her!

Thanks to a Winter Snow Storm, I was able to sit down and finish this article in time for this very special day!