Wednesday activity

I arrived Wed about 4:00 PM and was a bit surprised to see about a dozen boats setting up for the event. It was a perfect day for it –light breeze and overcast, so it wasn’t too hot. Coming from Madison where we’ve had flood conditions for the past month, and great breeding conditions for the mosquitoes, it was absolutely wonderful that there weren’t any in Chautauqua.

 

I stayed until about 7:30, and the last boat to arrive was Andy Burdick, I-45. For all you the people who have not been to a Championships because you feel you aren’t quite ready to display your skills on the National scene, let me say you have nothing to worry about. Andy has been  to a lot, I mean a LOT of big regattas. Some would say he is a real professional.  : )    So, he is stepping his mast and gets it up and has Coye Harriett, his crew, ready to connect the forestay – only to discover they forgot to attach the forestay to the mast before stepping it. This is just to let you know, it happens to the best of them, and Andy is clearly one of the best.

 

There were 65 pre-registered boats but several are showing up that weren’t. We could have 70 boats if all the pre-registered boats show up. Three from the ILYA region I heard about are Burdick (I-45), Brian Porter (I-0, or will it be I-49), and Tim O’Keefe (D-55). At least I hope Tim shows up or the Lake Delevan fleet will be noticeably absent from this 50^th anniversary National Championships – the first to allow asymmetrical spinnakers.

 

I noticed the Melges truck brought a lot of new sail – several people were helping Andy unload them to the second floor loft of the club house. I believe that is where they will be doing the sail measuring today. The Quantum people will probably be doing the same thing today.

 

There was a little excitement and lots of advise being provided to a double deck trailer rig what could not get the top boat off because the crane wasn’t high enough. The decided to put a lots of people around it and try to lift it off, but wisely aborted that attempt as it rocked precariously above the helpers heads. In the end they made a shorter bridle for the boat and were able to use the crane after all.  

 

I never got into the club house so I can’t report on the E-scow bar on the second floor. I am sure there will be several people by the end of the day that can give you an up close and personal story about the bar! When they are sufficiently primed and ready to talk – I will try to post a few “interview” questions for a later blog.

 

The Chautauqua people have done a fantastic job of preparing for this event and it shows immediately on arrival. Even being a day early, we were all greeted on arrival. The club grounds were marked for boat/trailer spaces. The club house, recently remodeled, was inviting and ready for us. It is going to a great 50^th Anniversary E-Scow Championship regatta.

 

  --Lon