Col. Peet  July 4th Trophy Race Return to OYC Race Page July 4, 7 2013

July 4, 8 2012
Once again we are plagued by light air.  Weds sarted out ok but the last races was very light.  Descision was to continue the regatta and finish it on Sunday.  Sunday's forecast was good with the wind building to 13 a little after noon.  They were only off by about 4 hours.  The one (race) we did have was a driftfest as someone said.  Sailing the width of the lake took over an hour, not exactly what we call a race.  oh, yea, the wind was great later that afternoon.

July 3, 4 2011

Light air again this year but I guess we expect that by now.  Sunday was quite light turning into a drifter during the last race.  Monday slightly better wind which allowed a longer gated course for the last race of the series.  Results showed you don't have to win races to be in the lead.  John Hogan was in the lead at the end of Sunday races without winning an individual race and the overall winner didn't win one on Monday.  

July 5, 2010

The wind co-operated for two days of light air but enough to keep moving and occasionally get fully powered up.  Short courses the width of the lake allowed for a few twice arounds and on Monday a couple gate courses twice around making for a fun change of pace.  Due to the forecasted light air we did not do the traditional long distance race this year.

July 5, 12 2009

This year was another that forced to finish the races on a second weekend.  The wind was non-existent Sun the 5th, peaking to a maybe 3-4.  Consnsus said continue to the next weekend in hopes of better wind.  The turnout was great with 10 sailors sailing.  Wind on the second weekend was much better staying a solid 10 for most of the day.  We did short buoy races and then a modified long distance format for the last race.  

July 4, 2008

This one was unique.  Fri the 4th was a very light day but did let us get off 3 races.  The 2nd day of a long distance race was the hard part to do.  It took 3 weekends to get one we could race.  So on the 27th of July we finished the '08 Col. Peet.  Getting the race off was the easy part.  After one lap we were ready to finish.  The wind was kind of spotty, one boat would be fully powered up and another a few hundred yards away was in the doldrums.  The scoring wasn't easy either, every position but the last, who only raced the last day, needed to be broken by tiebreaker rules.  I've included that at the bottom.

Jul1, 4 2007

It was another 2 day event this year with Sunday and Weds holiday.  Sunday turned out a bit cold and was about 15 from the north.  The weds. forecast wahs supposed to be lighter so we did the long distance on sunday.  The Lake bouy was moved a mile or so further down the lake so it made it a little longer than last year.  If the Scots finished one lap by 11:30 they'd go again.  Multihulls would do 2 or 4 laps.  We ended up with the shorter course and I think everyone was happy (and cold).   After a couple days rest and time for the black and blue marks to really show up we raced around the bouys Weds.  Forecast was possible thunder but held off so the short course allowed us to get 5 more races off in another good breeze, this time from the south.   Peter sailed short handed and Brad thought it would be fun switching crews a few more times.  

                                                                     *there wasn't enough room
                                                                              -Dereck MaKenzie 1st half of 1st race, Joanine Macholl 2nd half of 1st race
                                                                              -Weez 2nd and 3rd race
                                                                              -Dereck race 4,5,6 

JULY 2, 4  2006

We again did a 2 day event with a long distance race one day.  Despite a shaky forecast Sunday we decided to go with the sunshine with clearing skies and radar and start with a long distance race.   Because the forecasted big winds(which never developed until after we finished) a few skippers and crews were adjusted.  The lake buoy made setting the course easy and it was decided to have multihulls do 2 laps(~12.5 mi) and double the Flying Scot times.  Hotdogs/Hamburgers rounded out a great day.  

Tuesday was forecasted to be very light but turned out ok, about the same wind as Sunday.  We got off three round- the-buoys races to round off the series.  This allowed a throwout race to allow those who did not do the long distance race to be included.   

JULY 2005

July fourth winds are mystical.  Forecast was 7mph starting at 10:00 and going to 8 max for the day.  Didn't look very promising for a long distance race Sunday.  Like magic at 10:00 you could see the wind line coming down the lake but it was more like 15 mph!  The (4) Flying Scots took off a little after 10:00, I followed 30 minutes later on the lone multihull.  No cruisers again this year.  The course this year was to the new Lake Buoy in the center of the lake.  We'd go twice around if the wind permitted.  Wind was from the south so it was a upwind battle all the way to the buoy.  Peter was first to the buoy and back to the turn-around buoy... and kept on going for a second lap.  Gotta love it.  Another spinnaker run downwind!!  I had a ball, hitting 18.0 mph sometime in one of those runs.  The total race was 23.9 miles (sailed distance) for me.  As determined prior to the races, the long distance race counted double.

The format this year was a 2 day event with round-the-buoys racing on the 2nd day.  It was still a good breeze with 2 foot chop when we set the marks on Monday.  A little lighter than the day before but still a great breeze, we were blessed.  Plan was to start no race after 12:00 but we still got 3 races in. 

JULY 2004

We had great winds directly from the south this year which provided some excitement and some big waves.  The mark was set 7.04 miles down the lake.  One-designs (Flying Scots) started at 9:50 followed by the multihulls at 10:10.  Bob Sloan once again went out in the close to 20 mph winds singlehanded and without a trapeze.  (Next year I bet he uses one.)

July 4th 2003

Once again it was a scorcher.  A single mark was set 6.05 miles down the lake for a long distance race once again.  Winds weren't what we expected from the forecast but were good enough to make it a fun day.  The wind was up and down and all around with some spinnaker action and a very little trapeze.  For a two hour race the corrected times were closer than you might expect.  A good time for all.  Trophies were awarded and capped off with hotdogs and hamburgers by Chef Ralph.

July 4th 2002

The day was another scorcher after a week of 90 degrees but the wind were cooperating, at least for some of the classes.  A little longer course was set in the DEEP water beyond the Boy Scout camp(we need longer anchor lines) with a gate in the middle to make things interesting.  Good to see some the regulars come back after a late start this year. 

July 4 2001 The forecast looked good and the discussions Tues night during the fireworks was optimistic. Forecast was 10-20 from the south moving around to the west. Rain maybe later in the day. Finally after 3 weeks of getting skunked on race day were going to have a good one. Wednesday morning's forecast was the same. Marks were set with a gate in the middle of the lake sailors had to go through on each leg. The return mark was just north of the Boy Scout camp. The wind was lightening up as soon as the marks were set but the start got off right on time at 10:30. Forecasted winds or the shift never materialized but the race was a success. Nine boats competed in what averaged about a 2 hour race. Boats ranged from Bob Cotter’s Laser to Russ Kincaid’ 19 foot wide Tri along with the entire fleet of Flying Scots.  Whether you’re into racing or not, this is a fun way to gather some friends and spend 2 hours on the water.

This year's race was a change of pace and a step back in time from what they tell me.  As long as I've been a member this race has always been a round the buoys course set over one or sometimes two days.  This year we decided to make it a single long distance race.  I understand this was known as a long distance race many years ago.  We'll leave it up to the racers whether this again becomes the tradition.

The course was set early, down the lake near Long Point, ok maybe a little farther down.  The wind somehow did not remember we had a race today.   It was very light but did build [slightly] just before the race.  Jim got out to a quick lead in a patch of air on the west shore that never reached the other boats.   After an agonizing hour or so......the air started to fill in SLIGHTLY from the north allowing the pack of boats to start to gain on the leaders.  The west shore seemed to be favored (the rest of the lake was a mirror) with Russ and Jan Kincaid leading the pack trying to catch Jim who rounded the mark 16 minutes ahead of Russ.   About 16 and a half minute later Russ was inching up on Jim and never stopped, finishing 7 minutes ahead on actual time.  Of the 9 boats that started, 6 suffered through to the finish.  I never heard a single negative comment.  I guess a day on the water is better than any day on shore!