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CRBA fall sailboat racing series gets under way
  
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By BOBBY HUGHES
On Saturday, September 6, Cape Royale Boating Association sailors gathered on southwest Lake Livingston for the first day of their 2008 Fall Sailboat Racing Series.
With reasonable winds most of the time, the sailors were able to conduct two two-mile races during the early afternoon.
The sailors followed a start-windward-leeward-finish course, beginning and ending at the center of the CRBA Olympic Circle during each race.
In the first race, the northeast buoy of the CRBA Olympic Circle was the windward mark and the southwest buoy was the leeward mark. The wind became more northerly during the first race, so the northwest and the southeast buoys respectively were used as windward and leeward marks in the second race.
Eight sailboats participated in the first race and six in the second race. Boats included:
• A 26-foot S2 7.9 “Doodad,” skippered by Howard Lincoln with Lou Von Woglom and Chuck Frank crewing;
• A 26-foot S2 7.9, S2 7.9, skippered by CRBA Commodore Paul Hoffman with Tina Hoffman and Dave and Kate Garcia crewing;
• A 25-foot S2 7.3 “Easy Going,” skippered by Peter Hegedus with David and Mary Green crewing;
• A 25-foot Cal 25II, “Driftwood,” skippered by Dennis Brown with Robert Brown, Dan Johnson, and Sara and Jenny Price crewing;
• A 25-foot MacGregor, skippered by Bobby Hughes with Dale Long and Robert Appelbaum crewing;
• A 24-foot J24, “Little Monster,” skippered by Del Williams with David Craft and Tim Howell crewing;
• A 19-foot Starwind 190, “Song of Grace,” skippered by Brent Clifton with Debbie Clifton crewing; and
• A 17-foot Thistle, skippered by Jim Kincaid with Beth Kincaid crewing.
Although the Thistle sailed during the first race, it wasn’t actually in the competition. Thistles compete among themselves in a one-design fleet, but only the Kincaid Thistle showed for this day of racing. Neither the Thistle nor the Cal 25II stayed for the second race.
After the customary morning skippers meeting, the sailors boarded their boats and headed for the center of the Olympic Circle. With light winds around 2-4 miles per hour, the first race got under way just after noon. The winds remained very light through the first half of the race and then became more northerly at about 4-6 mph.
Song of Grace was rated slowest boat by the handicapping system, based on wind speed and course length. It was therefore allowed to start both races immediately after the start signal. All other boats were delayed from about five-and-a-half minutes to a little over 14 minutes based on their handicap ratings.
Shortly after race one began, the MacGregor overtook Song of Grace and assumed the early lead until it approached the windward mark, where it was overtaken by the Thistle, which maintained the lead for the remainder of the race.
Shortly after the MacGregor rounded the first mark, it was also overtaken by the two S2 7.9s and the J24. Although the Thistle was first to finish the race, Doodad took the lead of the handicap fleet during the second leg and was still ahead after rounding the leeward mark and heading for the finish line.
Unfortunately, its keel then snagged a “trotline,” which brought it to a total standstill. While its crew struggled to untangle their boat from the fishing lines, they were overtaken and passed by both the Hoffman S2 7.9 and the Williams J24. The Hoffman S2 7.9 went on to finish first in the handicap fleet. The Williams J24 was second, and the Lincoln Doodad was able to salvage third place. The MacGregor finished fourth, Easy Going was fifth, Song of Grace was sixth and Driftwood seventh.
The boats started the second race with the new northwest-southeast course in the same order as the first race, but without the Thistle or Driftwood participating. The wind for the second race was in the 4-6 mph range, a little better than in the first race. It remained fairly consistent through much of the race. Again the MacGregor overtook and passed Song of Grace before reaching the windward mark. Its crew chose not to launch a spinnaker during the downwind leg and was soon overtaken and by both S2 7.9s and the J24, all of which did launch their spinnakers.
After the three leading boats rounded the downwind mark and headed back upwind to the finish line, the wind became a little less stable, but never failed completely.
Eventually, the Lincoln S2 7.9 finished first, the Hoffman S2 7.9 second, and the Williams J24 third. The Hughes MacGregor was fourth, followed by the Hegedus S2 7.3 in fifth place and the Clifton Starwind 190 in sixth.
Although wind conditions were not ideal during this first day of the CRBA Fall Sailboat Racing Series, they were improved over winds experienced during the Summer Series.
In all, it was a most enjoyable afternoon, so the sailors are now looking forward to more great racing in the weeks to come.
Want to JOIN CRBA?
For more information on CRBA and its forthcoming events, visit the CRBA website at http://www.crba-livingston.com/ or contact CRBA Commodore Paul Hoffman. Paul can be reached at commodore@crba-livingston.com or 713-819-5060.
With reasonable winds most of the time, the sailors were able to conduct two two-mile races during the early afternoon.
The sailors followed a start-windward-leeward-finish course, beginning and ending at the center of the CRBA Olympic Circle during each race.
In the first race, the northeast buoy of the CRBA Olympic Circle was the windward mark and the southwest buoy was the leeward mark. The wind became more northerly during the first race, so the northwest and the southeast buoys respectively were used as windward and leeward marks in the second race.
Eight sailboats participated in the first race and six in the second race. Boats included:
• A 26-foot S2 7.9 “Doodad,” skippered by Howard Lincoln with Lou Von Woglom and Chuck Frank crewing;
• A 26-foot S2 7.9, S2 7.9, skippered by CRBA Commodore Paul Hoffman with Tina Hoffman and Dave and Kate Garcia crewing;
• A 25-foot S2 7.3 “Easy Going,” skippered by Peter Hegedus with David and Mary Green crewing;
• A 25-foot Cal 25II, “Driftwood,” skippered by Dennis Brown with Robert Brown, Dan Johnson, and Sara and Jenny Price crewing;
• A 25-foot MacGregor, skippered by Bobby Hughes with Dale Long and Robert Appelbaum crewing;
• A 24-foot J24, “Little Monster,” skippered by Del Williams with David Craft and Tim Howell crewing;
• A 19-foot Starwind 190, “Song of Grace,” skippered by Brent Clifton with Debbie Clifton crewing; and
• A 17-foot Thistle, skippered by Jim Kincaid with Beth Kincaid crewing.
Although the Thistle sailed during the first race, it wasn’t actually in the competition. Thistles compete among themselves in a one-design fleet, but only the Kincaid Thistle showed for this day of racing. Neither the Thistle nor the Cal 25II stayed for the second race.
After the customary morning skippers meeting, the sailors boarded their boats and headed for the center of the Olympic Circle. With light winds around 2-4 miles per hour, the first race got under way just after noon. The winds remained very light through the first half of the race and then became more northerly at about 4-6 mph.
Song of Grace was rated slowest boat by the handicapping system, based on wind speed and course length. It was therefore allowed to start both races immediately after the start signal. All other boats were delayed from about five-and-a-half minutes to a little over 14 minutes based on their handicap ratings.
Shortly after race one began, the MacGregor overtook Song of Grace and assumed the early lead until it approached the windward mark, where it was overtaken by the Thistle, which maintained the lead for the remainder of the race.
Shortly after the MacGregor rounded the first mark, it was also overtaken by the two S2 7.9s and the J24. Although the Thistle was first to finish the race, Doodad took the lead of the handicap fleet during the second leg and was still ahead after rounding the leeward mark and heading for the finish line.
Unfortunately, its keel then snagged a “trotline,” which brought it to a total standstill. While its crew struggled to untangle their boat from the fishing lines, they were overtaken and passed by both the Hoffman S2 7.9 and the Williams J24. The Hoffman S2 7.9 went on to finish first in the handicap fleet. The Williams J24 was second, and the Lincoln Doodad was able to salvage third place. The MacGregor finished fourth, Easy Going was fifth, Song of Grace was sixth and Driftwood seventh.
The boats started the second race with the new northwest-southeast course in the same order as the first race, but without the Thistle or Driftwood participating. The wind for the second race was in the 4-6 mph range, a little better than in the first race. It remained fairly consistent through much of the race. Again the MacGregor overtook and passed Song of Grace before reaching the windward mark. Its crew chose not to launch a spinnaker during the downwind leg and was soon overtaken and by both S2 7.9s and the J24, all of which did launch their spinnakers.
After the three leading boats rounded the downwind mark and headed back upwind to the finish line, the wind became a little less stable, but never failed completely.
Eventually, the Lincoln S2 7.9 finished first, the Hoffman S2 7.9 second, and the Williams J24 third. The Hughes MacGregor was fourth, followed by the Hegedus S2 7.3 in fifth place and the Clifton Starwind 190 in sixth.
Although wind conditions were not ideal during this first day of the CRBA Fall Sailboat Racing Series, they were improved over winds experienced during the Summer Series.
In all, it was a most enjoyable afternoon, so the sailors are now looking forward to more great racing in the weeks to come.
Want to JOIN CRBA?
For more information on CRBA and its forthcoming events, visit the CRBA website at http://www.crba-livingston.com/ or contact CRBA Commodore Paul Hoffman. Paul can be reached at commodore@crba-livingston.com or 713-819-5060.
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