2013 NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

[KB [us5219]]

10 AM - There will be a skippers meeting at the Original Launch Site (south side of Lake City) during which time there will be a REQUIRED CHECK-IN with the regatta scoring team. 

There are two new sheets of ice available for racing.  Both can be sailed to from the original launch site.

The new North Launch area is about a 1.2 miles north of the Willows Condos.  Drive PAST the sign for the Hok-Si-La Campground then take the next right.

INSTRUCTIONS AS TO WHICH COURSE WILL BE USED WILL BE AT THE 10AM SKIPPERS MEETING

SUNSET TIME: 5:16 PM

ANNUAL MEETING WILL IN THE EVENING FOLLOWING THE FIRST DAY OF RACING.  LOCATION TO BE ANNOUNCED.

[KB [us5219]]

Due to extreme cold and 20+ knot winds, Racing Thursday was postponed to Friday.  The Launch area was moved 2.3 miles north to where a new plate of ice was scouted by US44 and US4691.  The ice has less snow, and can accomodate over a 1.2 mile course.
Sailors were given the option of packing and relocating, or sailing up to the new location.  About a dozen took the challenge of sailing upwind to the new site.  All made it safe, though it is told that one certain boat from Rhode Island took to jumping a heave as opposed to walking across.  No damage was reported, though we suspect certain undergarments may have needed changing afterward.
Sailors were cautioned about the risks of frostbite, and having exposed skin, and were encouraged to review their clothing and gear and be prepared for sailing in very cold conditions on Friday.
Friday weather is forecasted to be very cold, but lighter winds.
Saturday (our final day for sailing) is to be near-tropical 20 degrees and light wind.
There are about 64 sailors remaining in Lake City for the North American Championships.

[T Thieler US 5224]

I'd like it known that I am the sailor from RI that Mr. Baker is referring to.  As much as I'd like to say it was Chad or Oliver I have to take my lumps here....  Sit back and enjoy a cautionary tale.

The three of us delayed sailing north in order to make a run to the store for face masks and mittens.  All we found was the lousiest sub shop on Earth.  This put us behind the main group that sailed up.  Bad idea, we should have gone with the gang.  Safety in numbers.   And I'm supposed to be a professional boat captain for crying out loud.   We had to laugh when we made it back to the pits and ours were the only three boats left!  That's us, Moe, Larry, and Curly....

And yes, I did sail over the ridge but in my defense I never even saw the goddamn thing-  goggles fogged up, snow blowing, very distracted by the rapidly crystallizing parts of my body.   I was also trying to keep an eye out for Chad and Oliver.  I was taking point then-  another bad idea-  why the hell wasn't I behind Oliver?  He's young and therefore a fast healer.  Chad is a father of two-  wouldn't be right to put him in the lead....  He has little iceboaters to raise plus he does most of the driving when we travel.

Good news is I wasn't going fast enough to do too much damage-  I was only tip-toe-ing along.  That said when I bumped over the ridge I stopped and lifted my goggles.  Turns out I missed a 3 foot tall vertical block of ice by about 2 feet.  I NEVER EVEN SAW IT.   Just beyond that was a big stone jetty right in my path-  I'd have plowed right into that.  Blind luck, literally.

THAT is when I ruined my undergarments-  my sexiest leopard-print thermals are toast.  I did take a moment to thank the cosmos or whatever higher power for steering me around the hazards;  I actually removed my mitts and rubbed my St. Christopher that I wear around my neck at all times.  I'm not a religious man per se but a good luck charm is a good luck charm.   I reckon the same cosmic power that steered me around the hazards might be the same one that steered me into a hay loft in Maryland in 1998 that just happened to have an old DN gathering dust in the corner....  That's where it all started for me....

ANYWAY-  we got away with it, learned (or should I say re-learned) a few lessons, and will proceed humbly and with caution in the future. 

Thanks for reading-  this missive brought to you by the incredibly strong coffee they stock this place with!

Think Ice!   MR T

[RANDY ROGOSKI]

John Dennis had three bullets to win a light-air three-race regatta on Lake Pepin.

Complete results are at Ron Sherry's Web site:

http://iceboatracing.com/2013/na/northamericanprelims.pdf