1st Annual S.U.N.K. Regatta

Including Marblehead, US one meter, Soling one meter, and V32 

The day was really exiting for most. The first team relay event on Saturday was a big success. All had fun and plenty of hot dogs and sauerkraut. We had four team captains Green Scott Farthing, Red Mark Mason, Gold Don Frakes, Blue Curt Nehring

IRVINE,CA.---Mason Park, Saturday July 14, 2007----Orange County Model Sailing Club hosts the 1st Annual S.U.N.K. (Sailors Under No Kontrol) Team Relay Race & Weenie Roast.  Four teams, sixteen skippers, randomly-selected before the race began, would later end up battling their way through several difficult heats. The teams, each consisting of a V32, Soling 1 Meter, USOM & Marblehead were identified by colors like blue, red, green & gold, tagging their boats with matching colored ribbons at the top of their masts. 

As the day progressed, it was amazing how many race wins would be determined by just a couple of inches. Since team strategy was behind which lap each boat would sail, it wasn't unusual to see a V32 leading the final leg with a Marblehead in chase. This is exactly what happened in the last lap of the last race. 

Up to this point, Team Red & Team Blue were tied-up. Pete Kruse (Team Red) was already in the water, quickly approaching the 2nd mark with his V32. I needed to make a run for Pete with the Team Blue Marblehead but still hadn't been given the o.k. to launch my boat. I was really beginning to feel the pressure because it was looking less likely that I'd have a chance to catch him. A tough place to be, but it could have been worse if my team mates hadn't done some serious sailing to put me in a position where Pete could be challenged. 

Luckily for me, between the 2nd & 3rd marks, Pete appeared to be struggling with some bad air which gave me the opportunity to close the gap very rapidly. At the last mark, Pete's V32 had about a fifteen foot advantage on me, made a clean turn around the buoy & eventually grabbed a healthy starboard tack. When I finally made the mark a few moments later, I had some decent speed so I decided to stay on line & drive the boat as close to shore as possible before tacking. I've seen Pete & Mark Mason win a bunch of races using this same strategy. 

In retrospect however, I probably should have tacked onto his course, covered his air & made his V32 bob around in the lake like a toy rubber ducky in a bathtub!! But I couldn't do it...he's such a nice guy. ---Anyway, in the end, my decision came back to bite me when Pete's superior sailing skill & tactics took out my Marblehead by a foot, easily assuring a S.U.N.K. victory & cheers ashore for Team Red. A V32 beating a Marblehead?!? Now that's racing! 

This was just one story, but all of the heats had much of the same stuff....lots of excitement & team spirit....a little bit of stress & racing nerves....and tons of FUN! Afterwards, I overheard one of the skippers saying, "This is the first time I've ever had people cheering for me when I was sailing in a race!" Another skipper said "We've got to this again!"---And we definitely will. 

Talks are already in the works to schedule another S.U.N.K. event next quarter. After all, don't we want a chance at payback? And what about those important bragging rights?!?---Thanks to all of the skippers that participated & really did some of their best sailing when their teams needed it the most.  

And also a hearty thanks to our favorite Commodore Don Frakes for his enthusiasm in the water & on the BBQ. And a well-deserved "Danke!" to Pete & Dagmar Kruse for once again running around town to gather-up the goodies that helped make this one of our more memorable & 'delicious' events. Those Hoffy dogs rocked! 

Thanks again everybody for making this special regatta a real blast! I hope you had as much fun as I did.---See ya next weekend at the pond!! 

TEAM BLUE  Jules, Jerry, Bob M. & Curt N. TEAM RED  Pete, Chris, David & Mark M.  TEAM GREEN  Terry, Bob Mc., Paul & Scott   TEAM GOLD Don, Mark H., Fred & Don Frakes

Congratulations to the top finishers.

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