Host and Race Committee Chairman Roger Compton and Dave Park set out the race course buoys for Saturday afternoon just in time for lots of rain and very little wind. Outbound in foul weather gear, Sarah K and Gull were greeted by the soggy crew of Wanderer inbound. Our Commodore, having experienced the weather firsthand on the 5 hour trip from the Western Shore, announced that “no one could race under these conditions” and that we should plan to hold the race on Sunday morning.
So Roger and Dave retrieved the buoys in the pouring rain and also notified the 3 Marshall Sanderlings, who had launched from trailers at the ramp on the other side of the community and were looking for the rest of the fleet, of the change of plans. After venting their frustration, the crews of the Marshall Cats (plus dogs - Biscuit and LuLu) came ashore at the Compton's pier or at an adjacent neighbor’s pier and tied up for the night.
Hosts Jill and Roger Compton provided a well-supplied bar and a warm, dry house that kept everyone happy through an equally well supplied pot luck dinner.
The trailer sailors went home for the night leaving their boats at the pier while the true cruisers enjoyed a preview of crisp fall nights with a clear sky sprinkled with stars that one could really see and pleasant sleeping conditions.
Sunday morning brought the clear skies and 10-to-12 knot breezes everyone was looking for. After Jill fed breakfast to the assembled sailors, Roger and Jill once again set out the inflated race marks for a twice around triangular course with an added windward-leeward sequence. The race started at 10:15 Sunday morning. The wind lightened steadily throughout the morning. The Sanderlings exulted in ideal conditions and finished 1,2. Gull ruined a pure trifecta by finishing 3 ahead of Dusty.
Results on corrected time:
1st Anna David & Kimberly Morrow Marshall Sanderling
2nd Bubbly Paul & Andrea Cammorato Marshall Sanderling
3rd Gull D. Bleil & J. Ohlmacher Mystic 20+
4th Dusty Butch and Denise Miller Marshall Sanderling
5th Wanderer M. Cruder & J. Brown Wittholz 25
6th Sarah K David Park Herreshoff America
This year the Washington Irving Tuttle Memorial perpetual trophy for best performance over the most events of the season went to Paul Cammorato. Bubbly took second in every race but the Shootout.
After the race everyone headed directly home expressing thanks for the extra work Roger and Jill put into the event to provide suitable sailing weather and a fun experience for all. (If Biscuit and LuLu expressed an opinion about the fun it was not recorded).
by David Bleil
