
|
The 2005 No Sweat was a “sweaty” affair as crystal blue clear skies and lots of warm air greeted this years participants. Of course this also meant that the wind conditions were “challenging” (I’m being kind here). On the first day, it appeared as though in race #1 there was going to be plenty of wind. By the time everyone headed up-wind for the finish, glassy-like conditions prevailed so a lot of concentration and patience were needed. The reward for this was a nice lunch provided by the PYC kitchen. The first race after the break proved to be tricky. The top four Sunfish racers (Norton, McHenry, Reed & Katterheinrich) found a little wind that no one else did and ended up lapping almost everyone including quite a few Lasers on a shortened course. The second and last race of the day brought more of the same wind but with a couple of twists. It was the first race for Tyler Cathey who finally came to his senses and left the Michigan – Notre Dame football game at halftime to join in on the fun. He showed up just in time for the monster pinwheel and the first downwind mark that had everyone from both fleets approaching at once. Can you say “I need room” (though some people sure didn’t have the right to it!). This race seemed to take it out of most of the competitors as the race committee took a very unscientific poll and found everyone wanting to call it a day. Sunday greeted the competitors to very glassy conditions as the committee postponed the start for about 45 minutes. The conditions didn’t seem to bother the top sailors in either fleet. They seemed to handle the extreme shifts (one minute the left being favored and the next the right) with few problems. For some of us (the author included), the best laid plans seemed to go out the door at every turn. Steve Craft (Sunfish #78570) learned this in the last race as he started on port and appeared to have had the entire fleet only discover a few minutes later that he was very much on the wrong side of the course. At least this afforded him the opportunity to retire early and win the second most important race of the day: Getting in and eating lunch ( no award presented just a full stomach). Congratulations to Dan Norton in the Sunfish from Devils Lake YC and
Mike Moody in the Laser from the Lake Lansing YC for winning their respective
classes. Also a well deserved recognition goes out to PRO Bill O’Donnel
and his trusty assistant Brain Hawkins for not only an outstanding job
of briefing the competitors Saturday morning, but also for handling some
trying conditions and making the courses fair to for all the sailors.
|
![]() ![]() ![]() Located in Pinckney, Michigan 12 miles northwest of Ann Arbor: Maps & Hours Phone: 734.426.4155 E-Mail: sail@chartermi.net |