2020 Fall Overboard Regatta

November 14, 2020

Triangle Model Yacht Club’s Fall Overboard Regatta for RC Lasers was blessed with a glorious fall weather, including warm sunshine, blue skies and good sailing winds. This was a welcome development for skippers who had just endured a week of cold gray rain. The water level in Lake Crabtree was high – “plenty of lake” – and so were spirits. 13 RC Lasers were on the start line for the first race, skippers observing the Covid-19 mask requirements.

The wind started out light NE but quickly built to 12 mph around 10:00, dropping to 3-5 mph where it remained until going light mid-afternoon. The wind gradually clocked around to E and then SE, as predicted. There were a few nosedives and pirouettes but most stuck with their A sails all day; the water was flat and this helped.

The race committee placed a range of windward marks so all that was necessary to rotate the course as the wind shifted was to designate new marks. An offset was used at the windward mark, and the leeward mark was a gate. Races started at the leeward end of the course, providing long windward legs, and finished in the middle.

This event was the AMYA RC Laser Region 3 Championship, and the Triangle Model Yacht Club season championship. The fleet included experienced championship sailors, club racers, and a few sailing their first race in an RC Laser. After lunch a couple of races were shortened to one lap due to light air. 12 races were completed, all but two being two full laps, and final scores included two throw-outs (one per six races). A few skippers had boat trouble or personal commitments requiring them to leave early.

The club thanks regatta chairman and RD Rick Ferguson, ably assisted with scoring by Jason Troy. Additional assistance was provided by Larry Nunnery (lunch), Skip Allen and Tony Corkell (coolers, ice and drinks). Thank you all!

Regatta Committee & Valuable Assistants: Rick Ferguson, RD and regatta chairman; Jason Troy, scorer; Larry Nunnery, lunch; Skip Allen and Tony Corkell, drinks.

Final positions after throw-outs:

RESULTS
Place Skipper Points
1 Tom Rummage 20
2 Skip Allen 25
3 Michael Roberson 30
4 Neil Saunders 39
5 Chris Bock 45
6 André Koetz 60
7 Tony Corkell 65
8 Herb Roy 67
9 Cothran Harris 88
10 Brian Bennett 95
11 Sam Harris 105
12 Paul Rawlins 126
13 Jerry Thompson 132