This is a pretty funny story.., David and Goliath sort of thing.

At the Spring Fever, I was sailing my pseudo F-14 (Wave with a Hooter). There was no wind.., just glassy water. Then a tiny bit of wind came from the south. So, the RC quickly set the marks to that wind. But, I noticed by the time they had set the marks the wind had already shifted to the southwest.
I never strayed more than 10 boat lengths from the RC Boat and could not believe they started the sequence and the smaller boats (Mystere 4.3, H14 Turbo, and F14) were the first group.
When the 5 minute signal went off I immediately headed for the stern of the RC Boat, knowing the wind had already gone right and the RC end was heavily favored.
In that 5-minute period I just made it past the start line, jibed, unfurled my Hooter, sheeted in and was 8 seconds late for the start, but the only one there.
The course was once around and a close reach to the weather mark, broad reach to the leeward mark and close reach to the finish.
I beat all the boats in my group. But the funniest thing is the wind completely died after my finish. After an hour there were still fleets of boats trying to get to the A Mark.

The funny overall result of this terrible race is that this lowly little Wave (F14) beat every boat at the regatta on a boat-for-boat basis.., including I-20, H20, F18s, etc. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Of course the reason was that each class starting after the first group had less and less wind, and the F18s and I20s had less than anyone.

Still a pretty crazy story, eh?

Yeah--that is pretty good! Rick is pretty tough to beat with that little boat! If it is the race I'm thinking about, we were supposed to get HUGE wind that day, so Pat in the other F14 left the Hooter on shore and went 14 Turbo. Rick was first over the line, followed by Pat, a Mystere and then me. I picked off the Mystere pretty quickly, then cought up to Pat at the A mark. I did a bad rounding (probably because I was bragging on my tacking the day before) and Pat stayed out in front. I started walking on Rick and Pat, but couldn't catch Rick. I cought Pat at the C mark and rounded him poorly again (which he wouldn't let me forget). I couldn't catch Rick to the finish line, but I cought up to Pat within a few boat lengths. It was actually a pretty fun race in light wind!

We sat around for hours while the poor F18s floated around the c mark. It was just brutal and I felt so bad for them. The wind completely died right at our finish.

Now, if I can only work on keeping the boat upright! Rick was giving me a hard time about not using the Hooter upwind the next day when we actually got some wind. I, of course, just HAD to let it out to catch up to him and the other F14. I slipped off the tramp and it was all over. I had to get assistance to get the boat righted and I lost my tiller extension in the capsize.

Poor Chris turtled his F14, so it wasn't a good showing for us in that race...but we were FLYING!

Hi Dan,
I didn't give you a hard time.., I just looked back at asked, "Don't you guys use your Hooters upwind?" <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Actually you both had better boat speed than I did.., gotta work on that.
Any chance we could get the F14s to come to Bay Week at Put-in-Bay, Ohio in August? There will be a fleet of Mystere 4.3s there and Mary and I with Waves (actually we will have 5 Waves)

That was a good race...all the F14's kept ahead, but I think we could put that one down to having clear air even though it was light. We did hold our own in the Friday race too !!

It was great meeting you both at this race, and I would like to try to make more during this season.

Pat