TELL TALES (Dec. 2, 2009)

SCHEDULE:

Dec. 5 – Winter Series, race 3 and Christmas Boat Parade

Dec. 12 – Jim Pique Memorial Regatta (all day)

Dec. 19 – Winter Series, race 4

Dec. 26 – Optional sailing (1000 to 1500)

Jan. 2 – Optional sailing (1000 to 1500)

Jan. 9 – Winter Series, race 5 (hs, SP4, St. Petersburg)

REGATTA RESULTS:

1. Once again, our Ernest Green Fleet did very well (probably the best we have done in years) by placing four sailors in the top ten in Tampa’s annual Thanksgiving Regatta. Nick Hernandez placed second; Louisa Nordstrom finished fourth; Bogan Whitehead took fifth, and his older brother, Truett, came in sixth. Alexis Jenkins was 14^th out of 47 registered skippers. Courtney Purcell was 26^th and Sara Frajerman was 30^th. Unfortunately, the Davis Island Yacht Club’s website results did not list where the other sailors came from and it is impossible to compute how we did as a group in comparison with other organizations.

2. Green Fleeters had six races and skippers were allowed to eliminate their worst race. However, DIYC officials did not award plaques to the top sailors although they did in other classes. Officials gave medallions to all competitors. USODA  prefers not to recognize leading Green Fleet skippers so that no little personas are injured. Interestingly, the medallions were 2004 tributes to Bobbie C. Davis who served as DIYC commodore on three separate occasions. Ironically, Jabbo Gordon used to crew for Mr. Davis back in the 1960’s.

3. In the 36-boat Red, White and Blue Fleet, Lucas Galarza came in 26th, and Garrett Lawlor finished 28^th. Stefan Johnson (no club affiliation listed) was 33^rd. Those three were 13^th, 15^th and 18^th respectively in the 19-boat Blue Fleet, which is for 11 and 12-year-olds. Club officials allowed the RWB fleet to throw out a race although skippers had only three races. The sailing instructions specifically said, “When fewer than five races have been completed, a boat’s series score will be the total of her race scores.”

4. Cara Patete finished fourth and Carla Johnson (who was listed as being from DIYC) was sixth out of eight Laser 4.7’s who had six races and therefore, received a throw out. Tyler Thorpe took 10^th out of 19 registered Laser Radial sailors and Andrew Sosa was 15^th. This class had seven races and competitors eliminated their worst race.

BRAVO ZULU in Navy parlance means “well done” or “atta boy/girl”. That applies to all the parents, especially those from the Green Fleet, for their help at the Thanksgiving Regatta.

ANNUAL AWARDS

Reviewing the lists of previous winners, we noticed an interesting item. A couple of sailors have won the low-point trophy for two different fleets, but never all three. For example, Michelle Thomas won the RWB title once and the Portsmouth championship twice, but not the Green Fleet. Jackie and Charlotte Sims both won the RWB crown twice and the Portsmouth once, but not the Green. Fred Strammer won the Green Fleet and the Portsmouth, but not the RWB. Then we have Cara Patete who has won the Green Fleet and RWB titles.