Lake Eustis report

The racing was awesome, although only three f16s showed up. Terry Back, Pete Pollard and Myself. I arrived Saturday morning and had the boat rigged in around 30 to 45mins, thanks in part to Pete for giving me a hand to rig.

I was initially going to sail sloop rigged but seeing how the wind was very light, my crew decided not to go out with me. Therefore, I sailed uni. All three F16s were unrigged.

We were placed with the low Portsmouth fleet. Our starts were with three A cats, a few Nacras a hobie 21 with a massive spinnaker.

Our first race we saw probably five knots of wind with occasional gusts to seven. The A cats were all trapped, the rest of the fleet were going in and out with the gust. The F16s were occasionally first (Terry) to the A mark along with the As. I was usually third or fourth out of the fleet; only A cats were in front of me. Then on the down, wind leg Terry and me would leave the A cats behind.

In our second race, The wind picked up maybe a knot or two. We were on our downwind leg and Terry was probably 25 yards in front of me, when I noticed him flip. I should have known better to be prepared and I flipped maybe 10 yards in front of him. I assume it was the same gust that hit us both. Later I heard Pete flipped in the same spot as well. We were all over at the same time. I needed help to bring my boat back up due to the wind blowing directly onto my mainsail and I was unable to bring her back up. I tried every trick in the book without any luck. I was over for maybe 20 minutes. I finally threw the towel in and requested help from the chase boat.

Overall, we had maybe five or six races. All were TONS of fun. I had good starts, which I am very happy about. The fleet was a great mix of A, Nacras, F16s and Hobie 21 (properly named FATCAT). Terry and me were very close on every race, except one massive lift that he got on port tack. He was the first boat to A mark on that one race. I caught up and reeled him in on the downwind. From this race, I learned that Terry is faster upwind and I was gaining my ground back on the downwind legs. I have a lot to learn from him for upwind speed. We also noticed that Pete’s mast was raked to far aft. I mentioned it to Terry and we helped him rake his mast forward. Pete definitely has the weight to power up the rig. Once his mast was raked further forward he mentioned something about some weather helm. I am sure once he gets all these little items settled out he will be another F16 to watch out for.

Lake Eustis race is surely a race NOT to miss. I will be back next year. THUMBS UP FOR THE RC and LAKE EUSTIS SAILING CLUB!!!!!!

hopefully Petey and Terry will chime in with their stories.
<img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I was somewhere in the middle of the fleet on race one. The wind shifted a lot! With each shift I would loose postitions and regain them with the following shift. It was the first time I had worked the spinnaker with any real efficiency. I almost caught two of the A cats and was well ahead of the H21. No idea where the rest of the fleet was.

As most of you know, lake sailing can be very tricky and I had problems most of the day when approaching the weather mark. There was one spot that seemed troublesome for the fleet as a whole and I had more trouble than most. I blew a number of tacks in the same spot!

When I went over in the second race, I broke one of the bridles that support the spin pole. I was unable to repair it on the water and opted to sail crippled. When the wind dropped off some I could use the spin on starboard tack, but not on port. I tried it once and almost broke the pole! Needless to say, with my troubles at A mark and no spin, I was dfl the rest of the day!

I bent the boom when I went over but suffered no injury. Better a bent boom than a broken rib! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Back on shore, I put the boat on the cat tracks and pulled it up a concrete ramp. An old friend who still sails H16 was very impressed at how easily that was accomplished!

All things considered, it was a great week end, an excellent learning experience and the only regret the broken bridle.

I'm really looking forward to the Lake Jackson clinic!

Congratulaions on the racing, wish I could have been there instead of stuck in Atlanta but I just got word today that I will indeed be off and at home for the Lake Jackson clinic, all are welcome, can't wait to see you guys there. I should be home Friday-Monday so maybe we can get together Friday night at the deck bar next to the Sunset Motel, or on my beach if you want to sail over. I'll supply the first case of Corona's and limes. What say ye?

Im showing up thursday around noonish give or take. So I am game for anything.

I should be pulling in about the same time. Any iced tea with those limes?

Tim, how do we find your place from the water?

Its to the right, under some antennas, next to a brown house. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I am directly across the lake from the Sunset Motel. The guy next to me, on your right as you come across the lake, has a large white boat house right on the water (nearly falling into the water) which is easily visible from across the lake, and a HUGE house and dock. There is a HUGE tree in my front yard, that if you look along the tree line from the middle of the lake, you can see it sticking up above all the other trees. I will also have a Hobie 14 and Prindle 16 parked on my beach, no other beach has two cats on it, I think there is only one Hobie 16 on a beach way to the west, but I'm on the north shore of the lake. I will be home Thursday night as well and will be out sailing if there is wind, I'll find you. It's a small lake so if there are any sailboats out, we will see each other. As far as Iced tea, I can get some of that too. See you then, pray for wind. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

Here are the results. All three of us sailed using the Standard SLOOP 2-up F16 rating of 65.2
http://www.teamloewen.com/
We were green start portsmouth.

Thanks to TBack for the link and heads up.

Hi Tim
Just doing a bit of Stealth spying via Google Earth. Is this your house? If so I'm extremely envious. Robi etc GPS co-ordinates 27degrees 30'27.02" N 81degrees 27'26.66" W Have a great time.

Thats amazing!

Looks as though Timbo could use a little lawn maintenance <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

<img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> You still gonna drink the man's beer?

ouch! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Robi
Another zoomed out image showing the location of the Motel in connection to Tims Pad which is at the top left hand side I presume.

This has nothing to do with Lake Eutis but heres another Google image of the Cat Park at Mumbles U.K. My Stealth is the last Cat on the right. (No ones pinched it!!)

Could this be that house?

I agree with Robi and Pete that Wildcat is a well run race. The weather forecast was calling for light winds all weekend. I setup on Friday, and only sailed 30 minutes due to light winds (had to paddle back to shore). Needless-to-say I wasn't optimistic on Saturday as again the morning breeze was non-existant. I was figuring on a light wind floater--I even considered not bringing a harness or sailing shoes.

As we sailed out to the course we could see a couple of boats that left early occassionally fly a hull...and ended up getting in 5 races in light to medium winds with gusts and lulls. Trapping and tramping often on the same leg.

Although starting in Portsmouth low fleet, my tactic(s) were to sail against the other F16(s) -- Pete and Robi. Robi and I had good duels in each race ... often sailing within centimeters of each other. "Should I luff you hard like in Tacticat?" "You can, but I'm not moving ... you'll have to hit me". We were civil to each other and no penalty turns were incurred.

The F16's did well against the A-Cats ... and I had once misfortune as I sailed downwind under spi', port-tack; Robi just back and windward of me (dueling for position). When all of a sudden an A-Cat came across the course on starboard-tack sailing much higher than us. I didn't see him at all and made evasive manuevers to avoid a collision. Resulting in a capsize and, when righted, noticed that my main bolt rope was not secure in the luff track. I retired to the shore to lower and raise my main. Making it back out for the next race(s).

So, some observations:

* Bring all your gear. Never know how the wind will change during the day.
* Keep a lookout on multi-class starts as different boats will sail different lines.
* F16 sized up reasonable to A-Cats and others (in this wind condition).
* When sailing portsmouth you've got to sail HARD all the way -- Start-->Finish. as you have to give time to other boats and are uncertain on how the corrected time will impact you.
* Fearless Frank (Nacra 52 sailing uni) gets an unfair advantage with only a 0.99 impact on his portsmouth when adding a spin'. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

F16 pictars! by Roy Laughlin. Story and photos can be seen at http://www.floridamultihullsailor.com/web/wildcat2006_web/story_template_p1.htm



[img]http://www.floridamultihullsailor.com/web/wildcat2006_web/fol02/IMG_9688.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.floridamultihullsailor.com/web/wildcat2006_web/fol03/IMG_9787_1.jpg[/img][img]http://www.floridamultihullsailor.com/web/wildcat2006_web/fol03/IMG_9797.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.floridamultihullsailor.com/web/wildcat2006_web/fol03/IMG_9800.jpg[/img][img]http://www.floridamultihullsailor.com/web/wildcat2006_web/fol03/IMG_9826.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.floridamultihullsailor.com/web/wildcat2006_web/fol04/IMG_0093.jpg[/img][img]http://www.floridamultihullsailor.com/web/wildcat2006_web/fol04/IMG_0073.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.floridamultihullsailor.com/web/wildcat2006_web/fol05/IMG_9985.jpg[/img]
Tback 1st
[img]http://www.floridamultihullsailor.com/web/wildcat2006_web/Faces/IMG_0157.jpg[/img]
Me 2nd
[img]http://www.floridamultihullsailor.com/web/wildcat2006_web/Faces/IMG_0156.jpg[/img]
TikiPete 3rd
[img]http://www.floridamultihullsailor.com/web/wildcat2006_web/Faces/IMG_0154.jpg[/img]

Just to clarify: My trophy is for 3rd place in a three boat fleet! I think everyone who sailed got a trophy.

Terry and Robi did very well in our combined handicap fleet.

Lets support Roy by buying some pics !

The guy makes excellent pics and often finds the F16's among a large fleet of boats. Lets make his efforts worthwhile.

For more info go too :

http://www.floridamultihullsailor.com/web/ordering_information/how2order.htm

Wouter

Yep I totally agree Wouter. I already placed my order for a few.

Mark, very good work, that is indeed my house, looks like it was taken last year or maybe even the fall of 2004, but definately after the 3 hurricanes of 2004 wiped out my dock, and filled the lake way up (thus no sandy beach, it's under water in that picture). I have just this summer rebuilt the dock ($10,000 out of pockett, non-insured) and the beach is now white sand again, the lake is down a good 5 feet from when that picture was taken.

The second house picture is not my direct neighbor but another new home about a half mile east. When that picture was taken my next door neighbor had not yet built his monster dock. He spent over $50,000 on his new dock and over a $Million on his home, he is a retired developer-home builder and really shot his wad when he rebuilt the place, it makes my home look like a garage next to his! I'm trying to get him interested in racing cats... <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

And any time you guys want to pull the weeds off my beach, or mow the lawn, or trim the trees, while I'm away at work, sailing in Dublin with Dermot or Zandvoort with Wouter or the Bodensee with Andi, you just come on over and have at it. My wife will give you my beer! Then you can jump in the pool to cool off. (see it over there on the left of the picture under the screen cage?)

Pete:

Trophy is trophy. Way to go. Even if last, you got out there. Remember you have a new boat and sweet boat and it just takes time on the water.

Good Sailing,

Doug

Will trade lawn work for beach storage! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Timbo, I think you just won a boat!

and Pete will get more time on the boat! This is the most important thing to improvement!

Pete, I thought I had made that offer already. I would like nothing more than to look out and see 10 Blades parked on my beach with a regatta every weekend! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />