Viper strike: Vipers get in a second race on Saturday

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082. Viper start for the second race on Saturday; only the Viper and multihull fleets were completed a second race. Friday and Sunday both had better winds, fortunately. (20100116 123458 BD Regatta Sat 082 Viper start 33 Blr 46 Her)


083. Viper 33 "Blur"

Gently sail your boat, merrily up the lake

87. Buccaneers 5220 Cassiopeia and 5230 Euphoria await a try at a third race on Saturday at Lake Pleasant, Arizona, during the 50th Anniversary Arizona Yacht Club Birthday Regatta, January 16-17, 2010. (20100116 132236 BD Regatta Sat 087a Buccs 20 Cass 30 Euphoria)


086. Wavelength 30 Alibi, with Bucc 1235 Dang Gina and Merit 25 67624 Dream On in background (20100116 132228 BD Regatta Sat 086a 31591 Alibi 1235 DH 67624 Dream)


085. Merit 25 Dream On (left), J/29 no. 82 Zonie (c), and Santana 20 275 Hot Flash (r) (20100116 132224 BD Regatta Sat 085a Zonie w DrO left w S20 275HFl r)

Alternative Velocities: Saturday afternoon at the Birthday Regatta

088. Fleets spread out and teased by a capful of fresh breeze, with Buccs 5239 Loaner (center) and 5220 Cassiopeia (right) in foreground. Or, would you believe a large thimbleful of breeze? (20100116 132238 BD Regatta Sat 088 tease 5239 Lonr 5220 Cass)


089. Catalina 22 Latis at the finish (20100116 132410 BD Regatta Sat 089 1553 Latis c22

Room for one more? Saturday afternoon at the Birthday Regatta

90. It's gonna get tight here boys (20100116 133632 BD Regatta Sat 090 Sat approach to pin)


91. Begin the squeeze: V640 Giggity, T22 Spirit, and Cat22 Scalar Spectrum at the finish (20100116 133638 BD Regatta Sat 091 T Squeeze closer)


092. Squeeze Play: Viper 26 squeaks though to finish while Tanzer 22 loses way (20100116 133650 BD Regatta Sat 092 T Squeeze)


93. Viper 640s 26 Giggity (center) and 46 Heroin (right) on Lake Pleasant, Arizona (20100116 133658 BD Regatta Sat 093 26 Gig 46 Her

Light air Saturday afternoon at the Birthday Regatta

094. Bucc 5218 Quack!Quack!! and boats wait for wind or the end of the racing day 20100116 141820 BD Regatta Sat 095


095. Evelyn 26 "Bitchen" (left) with Bucc 26, Wavelength 29 "Alibi", Santa 23 "Bandido" and other boats cool their heels (20100116 141826 BD Regatta Sat 095)


Slow Sailing
100. O'Day 25 Melissa Kay (bow on) and other boats glide serenely over the mirror surface (20100116 142202 BD Regatta Sat 100 M Kay a others glide serenely



101. Merit 25 1111 "Circuitous" (left), Viper 104 "Boomslang" (center), Catalina 22 (right) and more boats during Saturday afternoon's combat with wind and waves (20100116 142230 BD Regatta Sat 101 1111 Circuit Vipe 104 Cat a more

Wild Kitty Claws to the Race Two Finish at Saturday's Birthday Regatta

096. The Nacra catamaran Wild Kitty roars up to finish line... on gentle cat feet.
(20100116 141830 BD Regatta Sat 096 Wild Kitty to the fin)


098. (20100116 141842 BD Regatta Sat 098 cat Wild Kitty)

The Race that Wasn't

102. Buccs attempt to start a second race on Saturday. Only the Vipers and multihulls succeeded in completing a second race on Saturday afternoon. Fortunately, both Friday and Sunday had better winds. (20100116 144034 BD Regatta Sat 102 Bucc start)


103. (20100115 144044 BD Regatta 103 Bucc start slow)


104. Buccaneer no. 5215 Quack!! and fellow Buccs attempt a second race start on Saturday, but their valiant effort would be foiled by fickle, fading, and finally failed breezes. After several minutes of this nonsense, we sounded and signaled abandonment from the committee boat. And then there was much rejoicing among the sailors, who saw little or no hope for wind in the remaining hours of winter sun. (20100116 144038 BD Regatta Sat 104 5215 Quack and Buccs)

"Alibi" gets her Buccs in a row after Saturday's Birthday Regatta

105a. Alibi and the Drifters -- Alibi's crew meet boats looking to go where they're towed (20100116 145452 BD Regatta Sat 105a Alibi and drifters)


107a. Alibi crew view (20100116 145504 BD Regatta Sat 107a Alibi crew vu)


108a. Alibi with a Thistle on her stern (20100116 145510 BD Regatta Sat 108a Alibi w thistle on her stern)


112a. Alibi picks up some Buccs and change (20100116 145738 BD Regatta Sat 112a pickup some Buccs and change)


113a. Verticality: transoms and saguaros (20100116 152218 BD Regatta Sat 113a transoms)


114a. Transoms oblique; seven horsepower for seven boats (20100116 152224 BD Regatta Sat 114a buccs in a row

116a.
Alibi with her conga line (20100116 152244 BD Regatta Sat 116a Alibi conga line)



118a. Alibi gets all her Buccs in a Row (20100116 152316 BD Regatta Sat 118a Alibis Buccs in a row)

Friday Fracas I: Buccaneers and Friends at Lake Pleasant, Arizona

005. Close view of Bucc 5220 (20100115 113126 Friday Fracas 005 Bucc 5220 close)



007. Buccaneer and friends (20100115 113142 Friday Fracas 007 Bucc and friend)



008. Bucc 523 and Nacra cat (20100115 113146 Friday Fracas 008 Bucc 523 Blur and Prindle 3310)



11. Buccaneer 5220 Cassiopeia at the start of race two (20100115 124438 Friday Fracas 011 2nd Bucc start Bucc 5220 Cassiopeia and start r2)


Other pictures can be found on Picasaweb, including


004. Bucc 5220, Cassiopeia, and friends
004 Cassiopeia



009. Bucc 5231 Lazy Bones and 3 kitties -- Nacra catamarans in background
009. Lazy Bones


10. Buccaneers start race two during the Arizona Yacht Club "Friday Fracas" as Lake Pleasant, Arizona.
010. Bucc race two start Friday


More pictures to come soon.... but first we need to get ready for some sailing.
(Posted originally Jan. 16 but revised and resequenced)

Winter Sailing at Its Toughest: The Horrors of Lake Pleasant

The Arizona Yacht Club Birthday Regatta and fund-raiser for leukemia research today in Phoenix featured racing in 4 to 16 knots of wind, blue skies, sunshine, and 70-degree temperatures. This was Frostbiting as brutal as it can be only in southern Arizona.


012. Buccaneers start race two during the "Friday Fracas".
12. Buccs start Friday's second race

As the day progressed, it was agonizing to have to shed layers to cope with the brilliant desert sun. By the time some boats reached the marina and boat ramps, some crew members were forced to strip down to t-shirts and shorts.

Not everyone has the stamina and hardiness to hold up to these conditions. Some might rather sail during January in the more refreshing, sprightlier climates of Massachusetts or Florida or some such. But, for those who can withstand the searing rays and sunny blue skies, Arizona offered a sailing opportunity for the tough mariners who ventured bravely into the wind and waves of January.

Don't be fooled by the name "Lake Pleasant". It's much more than that.

Don't let anyone tell you that Arizona Frostbiting in January is easy. Not every skipper and crew can focus on sailing in gorgeous, shirt-sleeve weather. Not everyone can acclimate successfully to warm sun and blue skies in winter. It's rigorous in the extreme, but some sailors nonetheless find the fortitude, by reaching deep inside for the reservoir of human indomnitability, by calling forth the ultimate reserves of resilience and courage, to conquer the horrendous environment that would defy the merest human presence.

(originally posted Jan. 15, 2010, 10:41 pm but resequenced to put photo in order with other posts)

Buccaneers head upwind for the second race at the Friday Fracas

013. Buccaneers race up the course right after the gun for the second race (20100115 124448 Friday 013 Vipers and Buccs)


017. Buccaneer 5215 Quack!! heads upwind after the start of the second Buccaneer fleet race during the Friday Fracas at Lake Pleasant, Arizona (20100115 124522 AYC Friday Fracas 017 Bucc 5215 Quack)


Links to other photos:

015. Buccs work upwind
015. Buccaneers head upwind (20100115 124502 Friday Fracas 015 Vipers and Buccs)


016. Bucc race start
016. Buccaneer race two start at the Friday Fracas (20100115 124508 Vipes Buccs Friday Fracas 016)

Vipers coiled up and hissing at the Friday Fracas

019. Vipers in foreground with other boats such as Bonne chance, in background at left during the Friday Fracas at Lake Pleasant, Arizona, January 15, 2010 (20100115 124600 Friday Fracas 019 Vipers and BC)


Vipers 33 Blur and 26 Giggity
At left, Vipers 33 Blur, 26 Giggity, and other boats on the course (20100115 124546 Friday Fracas 018 Vipers 33 26 and more)


Vipers close to committee boat
020. Vipers moving along the line (20100115 124610 Friday Fracas 020 Vipers)



021. Two boats running downwind; Viper in foreground in front of Catalina 22 (20100115 124616 Friday Fracas 021 2 boats across)


"Blur" followed by "Bonne chance" Viper no. 33 Blur, with Merit 22 Bonne Chance astern (20100115 124628 Friday Fracas 022 Viper33 Blur and Bonne Chance)


Cockpit and crew closeup
023. Viper crew concentrating on the start (20100115 124646 Friday Fracas 023 Vipe)

Viper ScoreMethod=One design (Finish position) Overall Results
Sail Boat Skipper Total R1 R2 R3
1 33 Blur Davis,Phillip 5 1 2 2
2 34 Snake Eyes Van Heel,Glenn 9 5 DNS 3 1
3 26 Giggity Miller,Robert 11 5 DNS 1 5 DNS
4 104 BoomSlang Harper,Drew 12 2 5 DNS 5 DNS

Viper strike! Friday Fracas race two start, with bite (cont.)

024. Transom view of Open 5.70 no. 277, Semiaquatic During the Friday Fracas, a brace of Open 5.70s started and raced with the Vipers (20100115 124704 Friday Fracas 024 5x70 277)


025. Open 5.70s no. 277 (left) and 275 (right) (20100115 124708 Friday Fracas 025 5x70s 277 and 275)


027. Viper 26 (20100115 124810 Friday Fracas 027 Viper 26)



28. Merit 25 no. 67238, Sea Dreams, and Viper (Merit 67238 Sea Dream and Vipe)



29. Viper 26, Blur, with Catalina 22 no. 15654, Scalar Spectrum, at left (20100115 124832 Friday Fracas 029 Viper 26 and 15654)



030. Close view of Open 5.70 no. 277
(20100115 124858 Friday Fracas 030 5x70 277 close)



031. Open 5.70 no. 275
(20100115 124926 Friday Fracas 031 5x70 275)


033. Viper 26 between two Open 5.70s (20100115 124942 Friday Fracas 033 Vipe 26 two 5x70s)



033. Viper 33, Blur, powers up toward an Open 5.70 (20100115 125006 Friday Fracas 035 Viper 33 f of 5x70)



034. (20100115 124950 Friday Fracas 034 5x70 275 and Vipe 26)

Merit/PHRF Spin Start, Friday Fracas Race Two

Bowman on Circuitous before the start of race two of the Friday Fracas (20100115 125440 Friday Fracas 037 M25 1111 Circuitous close bowman)


Circuitous, Merit 25 no. 111 heads up the lake after the start of the second race of the Friday Fracas at Lake Pleasant (20100115 125448 Friday Fracas 038 M25 1111 Circuitous)


The Merit 25 Sea Dreams circles into position for the start (20100115 125458 Friday Fracas 039 M25 67238 Sea Dreams close)

Sea Dreams, Merit 25 no. 67238 heads upwind at the start of the second race for the two Merit 25s, Merit 22, and J/24 (20100115 125524 Friday Fracas 041 M25 67238 Sea Dreams)

Bonne chance, Merit 22
(5534 Friday Fracas 042 M22 540 Bonne Chance)

"Melissa Kay" and Buccaneers at the Friday Fracas

O'Day 25 Melissa Kay bow-on in foreground with southbound Buccaneers in the background to the east at Lake Pleasant, Arizona during race two of the Arizona Yacht Club's Friday Fracas (20100115 125652 Friday Fracas 045 ODay 25 1223 Melissa Kay and Buccs w spinnakers)


(20100115 125702 Friday Fracas 046 ODay 25 223x Melissa Kay and Buccs)