A Great Time Down in Crab Country
By Dave Brawner
Seventeen skippers made a good decision to take part in the Cambridge
Model Yacht Club's annual regatta and crab feast. The pond is just off
the banks of the Choptank River on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Our RD
for the weekend was "General" Jim Coll who runs a regatta with the same
authority of Frank Angel. Also, his knowledge of the wind patterns of
the pond is amazing. It was advisable to listen to what he was saying.
Our eventual champion almost didn't race. As Mark Rinehart was
setting up his boat, he came to point where you get the transmitter which
was about the time he realized that is was sitting in the back of his car
which was parked at Bob Kjellberg's house an hour and a half away.
Hmmm... He thought he had his excuse to sit this one out and help Jim
run the races. Bob Kjellberg came prepared with an extra transmitter
that got Mark going again. It should be noted that Mark used that
transmitter while shutting Bob out of the starting line not once, but twice.
The pond is skinny and runs perpendicular to the river bank/beach.
The interesting part is the large tree at what is usually the windward end
of the pond. It casts a shadow around 90% of the area around the
windward mark. The key was to find the 10% with air. Many of us
will be in therapy for years getting over that. Everyone got caught in
that hole generally followed with the statement "there was air here a minute
ago".
Our course on Saturday was a box with a mid-course start. Sometimes we went to
the right and sometimes went to the left. It would be safe to say that
the starting line was a bit tighter than what we are used to. That
could come from Jim's Victoria background. With that said, the starts
were some of the cleanest I have seen at a regatta. Jim knows his
stuff.
I am trying to remember some of the details from Saturday's racing but
it's just a blur. Maybe I am trying to forget how many times we had to
work through that hole at the windward mark. Let's move onto something
more fun...the crab feast. Scott Todd and Sara had all of us over for
crabs on Saturday night. It just doesn't get any better than sitting
around with the other skippers, the spouses and kids picking crabs, drinking beer and telling lies. Eating crabs on
the Eastern Shore is sort of like playing a pick up softball game at Fenway
Park. This is crab country and we amongst the pros. Scott's
family has been catching crabs for generations and Joe Brooks family has
been processing them just as long. Scott and Sara, thank you for
having us over. We can sail anywhere but a night like
that can only happen in Cambridge.
Sailing on Sunday started with the three tops boats within 5 points.
Danny Thomas had the lead followed by Mark Rinehart and myself. Ivor
Walton, who sat just off the pace in fourth, started with two bullets on
Sunday to tighten the race. Mark found his groove later in the morning
and just didn't slow down while the rest of us spent time in the hole.
The "bus people", Doug Wotring, Pete & Matt Houghton, had a race where
they all port tacked the fleet at the start and sailed away. While they were
eventually caught, it was beautiful while it lasted. Matt had one
other move of note late in the day. He headed left with a group of
boats who eventually tacked away to come back to the middle of the pond.
Matt pushed that side a few inches too far and was swallowed up by the rocky
bank with a resonating clunk.
Tom Causin of Ashburn MYC fame has officially been sucked into racing
EC12's with us. He showed his skills quite often with his patented
move along the right bank to the starboard lay line just outside the trees
wind shadow.
Scott Todd had problems with breakdowns throughout the weekend including
one I hadn't heard off before. Somehow a wire from his receiver got
eaten by his winch. A spare boat was quickly delivered by Jack
Rosemere. The other locals, Joe Brooks, Babe Wroten and Dave Brohawn
sailed one day each.
Thanks to all who helped put this regatta together. We had a great
time. And yes Scott, we'll be back next year.
Pictures by Matt Houghton
1. Mark Rinehart 52 points
2. Dave Brawner 63 points
3. Danny Thomas 66 points
4. Ivor Walton 80 points
5. Al Sellers 106 points
6. Tom Causin 141 points
7. Matt Houghton 157 points
8. Bob Kjellberg 163 points
9. Hal Slentz-Whalen 172 points
10. Tony Bollers 182 points
11. Doug Wotring 219 points
12. Chuck Aiken 223 points
13. Scott Todd 227 points
14. Pete Houghton 230 points
15. Dave Brohawn (only sailed Saturday)
16. Joe Brooks (only sailed Sunday)
17. Babe Wroten (only sailed Saturday)
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