The current standings for District 15 has been posted here.  We also got a note from Forest on his adventures at the Canadian Laser Master Championship regatta.

Texans in Canada … or ….. My ‘Sperience at the Canadian Laser Masters

As many of you know, I’ve been here in Montreal since the end of April ….. more aero-industry misadventures! Actually it’s been great as a quick internet search before the first trip here revealed that…

• a) there are a bunch of sailing-yacht clubs 15 minutes (on the St. Lawrence) from the Bombardier offices I’d be working at
• b) the Canadian Laser Masters were gonna be at Beaconsfield YC June 14,15 and 16
• c) the ILCA-NA district 2 guy Philippe Dormoy would charter me his practice boat… a 96 Atlanta Olympics hull….. better than my own btw
• d) the eventual event winner Rob Koci would put on a weekend Laser training camp 2 weeks before ! This, I had to do.

So after a bit of encouragement from Mandy, schedule scheming, my boss wondering when I’d actually be at work and doing some odd hours to get the tasks-projects kept on schedule I got a lot of sailing in. The season up here is pretty short being late May till early Sept …. a bit longer for the keel boats (did those too)….. and long summer evenings …… they sail Tuesday-Thursday nites and weekends too. Then they go skiing in Oct.

Anyhow, Rob Koci’s Laser seminar-camp was a great way to tune up as it had light-medium air Saturday and snortin’ (18-20+) Sunday. He helped me improve my roll tacks and positioning-movement on the boat. In the higher winds we did a lot of starts and downwind work where I kinda think I improved my wave catching-surfing, as well as getting used to the 1.5 to 2 kt current. I also learned to check my blades for weeds etc. Didn’t go over once ….saved that for the regatta! ….good thing the water was around 60 deg F! Rob’s a great coach.

When talking with many of the Laser-local and others I found out that Doug Peckover was coming up for the event too as he grew up in the Montreal area. All I could think was … great another guy that’s sure to beat up me ! The locals thought it was pretty cool that a couple folks came all the way from Texas to sail with them. A fact not known to me till this event, the Montreal island was the birthplace of the Laser! Bruce Kirby and Ian Bruce set up the first Laser production line less than 3 miles from the Beaconsfield club.

Traveling to sailing events typically results in seeing familiar faces and this was no exception. A guy named Len Guenther and I caught up on our common Flying Scot experience. Turns out he and I raced one another at the Scot NA’s at Carlyle last summer. His crew was John Deutch another Laser District guy.

The cartoon above captures my regatta experience pretty closely ….. well except for the start thing…. I was never any where near over early!

The first day of the Canadian Laser Masters I was able to bug outta work early Friday morning to make the skippers meeting and first gun. Friday’s wind was light and shifty at 4-6 kts and of 39 boats I finished the first race in the 20’s ….but ahead of Doug (you know that’s goofy!) and 12th in the second race. The 3rd race was mercifully abandoned ….. I was DFL-ish at the time ! Some pretty ugly shifts that day!

Saturday was forecast to build to the low 20’s …and it did ! I was hopeful to be able to hike hard and hang in there ….. but I got over it. I consistently let myself get buried or run over at the start and wound up tacking out to try and get clear which drove me to the side I didn’t want to be on. Where were Kelly’s words of “ be nose-out in the mid line sag” when I needed them ?!?! Live and learn. The courses were long and against the current (remember that current thing ?) such that 25 minutes on the beat was not unusual. The courses were all 2 laps windward leeward and after 4 races I was more tired from a day of sailing than I’ve ever been. I did finally go over once in the 4th race ….. oh look at the grass on my blades ….. greeaaat ! Got righted quicker than ever and never really noticed the cold water!

So along comes Sunday and I’m buried in the 20’s but having a great time doing it. Then it began to rain ….. and they still raced. Nothing like putting yer boat away in the rain …. excuse me cold rain. A big wait between the first and second race Sunday left me shivering for the first time in long time…even with hikers, a couple layers, a spray top and PFD. Those of us in the fleet bottom half came in before the last race to pack up, get to the beer sooner and watch the champs race in the driving rain. Doug sure gave Rob K a run for his money finishing second. All the top guys were grand (or great grand) masters in their late 50’s + !!!

I sure learned a lot and had a great time. Beaconsfield YC put on a great event and fed us well …. lobstah Saturday nite! Check out the website…here’s the link, pics are great … www.byc.qc.ca/eng/ BTW .. if you haven’t been sailing Wednesday nites much…. Here’s another cartoon ….. enjoy!