US12 Sailing on July 7

An interesting mix with good though shifting winds, hot temperatures, and a wonderful day to be outside.
We managed to complete twelve races and saw close racing and places changing right up to the finish line. There were a number of missed buoys, dead spots, and other unfortunate circumstances, but the sailors rose to the occasion. Don Cundy, showing great athletic form, ran after a woman who left her keys on the bench. It’s probable that her two young children distracted her, but Don leaped to the rescue and ran down the path to return them. We assumed he regularly ran marathons until he came back and told us that was the farthest he’d run in five years! We still were impressed.

On the course, Tim Wright won the day with nine firsts. Don Cundy came in second with a consistent outing that included two firsts and three second-place finishes. In a tie for third, John Simms and Paul McBride each made multiple finishes in the top three. Anthony Quinn edged out Jim Opie for fifth place by two tenths of a point, saving his best for last with a triumphant win in Race 12. Jim had three third-place finishes. Bruce Wilhelm sailed to seventh place but continued to show his determination to learn and improve, having a fourth-place finish in Race 6. Paul Wallace was battling an elusive electrical gremlin that made steering difficult. Although he sat out five races trying to track down the problem, he still managed a fifth place in Race 8. Not bad for a boat with a mind of its own.

The sailing is getting more competitive, and scores are harder to come by. The racers’ starts keep getting better and better, and the last boat across the line is not that far behind the first boat across. The sailing is in close quarters, and tactics are starting to make more of an impact. The sailors are in mid-season form, and we anticipate even closer competition for the rest of the season. Thanks to our race director, Don Cundy, and our scorekeeper, B. B. Wright, for all they do to make the racing move along and happen seamlessly. See you next week down at Back Bay!