July 13: Tough Night for Team Tinky (258)
The July 13 race for Team Tinky brings to mind the immortal words of Charles Dickens, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us…”
THE BEST OF TIMES
It’s been a good summer for Tinky. We entered Wednesday with a 3-1 for the Summer Series, and felt things had been coming together for us. Wednesday looked like a beautiful day, with a gorgeous afternoon and evening ahead for a sail. We boarded the boat with full hearts and a full Yeti. A great crew of Brad Read, Tony Reaper and Alie Toppa aboard. We slipped off the mooring and enjoyed a lovely sail out to the area north of the bridge. On the way we discussed the forecast, told jokes, drank beer, caught up on family stuff, had a friendly competition for “best footwear”, and noted the importance of July 13th as National French Fry Day. Seemed like a good omen for us.
Ominously, we noticed the current really ripping and Alie talked about the tide and the super moon.
At about 1700 we started our customary pre-race routine, looking at our set-up and sorting things out. At about 1730 we stared at the line and the race course for a bit and firmed up our plan. Brad, Alie and Tony did most of the talking and we seemed to have a clear consensus… mid-line, clean start, hold starboard all the way left, or as long as possible. We were ready. Brad closed our discussion by saying, “You know, I think tonight is going to involve a lot of luck.”
THE WORST OF TIMES
Our plan went out the window as the gun went off. We had a bad start, got pushed from below, couldn’t build speed or hold our lane, and got flushed within the first two minutes. We bailed, ducked a bunch of boats, and started looking to the left and the right. Well, the left looked kind of good. And the right looked kind of good. “We had everything before us.”
So we stayed in the middle, which turned out to be the Dead Sea. “We had nothing before us.” While I stared at the comatose jib and flailed away on the tiller, it got deafeningly quiet on the boat (which is never good with our team). I finally couldn’t take it anymore so I decided to rubberneck a bit. I saw boats way left, hugely lifted going right at the mark. I saw boats way right, also hugely lifted and going at the mark. We were alone, parked in the middle, going nowhere good.
We finally got into breeze and limped our way to the top turn, second to last, and then I almost hit the mark in the current sweep.
Pretty much rock bottom on 258.
THINGS IMPROVE, A LITTLE
At this moment, the only thing to do is to play “let’s see if we can pass some boats.” Alie flew the kite, and has an unsinkable attitude. Brad and Tony are also never-say-die guys so we just tried to keep the boat moving and have some fun getting out of the back of the bus. We had a good downwind leg and a good second beat, arriving at the top mark, mid-fleet, port tack, and right on the transom of friendly rival 156. The current was really ripping and we saw a bunch of boats piling up at the mark. We stayed with 156 and over stood by what seemed like a tenth of a mile, and then tacked with them. We immediately got swept down on the mark at frightening speed. 156 made it, we did not. Cost us a bunch of boats. We finally got around, picked up boats downwind, and picked up a couple more on the beat to the finish. Final verdict…14th, way behind 160, 11, and 181. Great job by those guys on a very tough night for us.
Towing time for Team Tinky
HAPPY ENDING
Immediately after finishing, we dropped the jib (which we are handling tenderly for the Nationals) and then realized that with main only we would reach our mooring about an hour after dark. Just then, as if by magic, Nancy and Tricia Hilton appeared in the Hilton’s brawny RIB and we joined a tow line of 217 and 156. On the way in, we drained the YETI, told jokes, made fun of our performance, and admired the gorgeous evening on the Bay. We went through all the stages of grief, ending with observing, “We are in the most beautiful place on earth right now.” Tony told great stories about Infinity and John Thompson and the Golden Age of big boat sailing, Brad admired 74 and Bill Shore for eschewing a tow and sailing all the way in (“Love it…old school”) while also defending the merits of Bud Light, Alie described the beauty of moonlight surfing while getting excited about high tide and the super moon. I just took it all in.
We ended up having a wonderful dinner at ILYC with the fleet, sitting with the 217 team. We paid homage to Robin and the 160 gang, had chowder and chicken tacos (excellent!), and generally basked in the beauty of the evening.
Then, it was a lovely RIB ride with Nancy in the moonlight on a flat calm harbor to head home. For yet another Wednesday night, sailing with Shields Fleet 9 was absolutely the greatest thing on earth to be doing with good friends.
—Clay Deutsch, Tinky 258
June 8 Race Report from 226 Ultimate Pressure III
143 Folly, the green machine, on the breeze
Another beautiful night out on Narragansett bay. Wind was Southerly. Current was ripping upwind. It was a long trek down to the course and hard to stay under the line. In the first race, we fought for a lane near the pin end and were fortunate that the boats on top of us were also identified as OCS. The upwind current was best in the middle of the course and then slightly right of centerline, once the fleet passed under the bridge. In our region, there were big moves on the first downwind by playing long starboard into a slow lefty and perhaps some current relief on course left. Meredith kept her hand steady on the helm of 226 and guided us to a 3rd place finish.
The final leg of Race 1 was a fetch to the finish
Race two seemed promising, but the wind did not entirely cooperate. The strong ebb combined with the “U” flag, made a short race for some. The rest of us slogged through a single lap windward leeward. The first upwind had streaky wind and a strong ebb current. The winners played middle left for best puffs and current. Boats were tacking more than usual to keep up with wind streaks and best current position. On the first upwind, we briefly crossed into slack water on the middle right and then got out of there before we lost our shirt. At the windward mark, we exited on starboard in good pressure, but the big gain was for those who gybed right away. They caught the beginning of the flood phase on the course right and also a little drainage flow off the land as the wind vacated the middle of the course. We had to watch as the whole fleet sailed around us on port gybe. Ouch!
There was great turnout in Shields numbers and well managed races by the RC. Thanks Fleet 9.
—Stu McNay
Fleet 9 Tribute (June 15): Earle “Stubby” Stubbs
Earle Copeland “Stubby” Stubbs raced as a member of Newport’s Fleet 9 for 42 years
Fleet 9 Members:
On the evening of Wednesday, June 15th, we have planned a tribute to Earle “Stubby” Stubbs, owner and skipper of Lisa #59 since 1980.
First, at 4:45pm, we’d like all Shields in the Brenton Cove area to begin a parade to the racecourse past Ida Lewis Yacht Club commenced by the firing of a cannon signal from the race committee. We hope this will include 33, 74, 107, 181, 143, 217, 201, 253, 258, 166, 160, 156 and any others who can make it.
Second, after racing that night, Ida Lewis will set up a cash bar and serve up chowder and sandwiches as we gather on the wide part of the dock below the ramp. This will be a casual post-race social event for fleet members and all are encouraged to attend. Once we’ve all arrived, we’ll have a short program to pay tribute to our long-time friend and occasionally feisty competitor, beginning with recollections of Stubby from members of his long-time crew. Others are invited to step up to share a brief story as well.
We hope crews in the Point and Jamestown will join us by RIB or car. The Race Committee has agreed finish racing at a reasonable hour so with luck we all can assemble sometime between 7:30 and 8:15.
John Burnham, Fleet Captain
June 8 Race Report from 226 Ultimate Pressure III
143 Folly, the green machine, on the breeze [...]
Fleet 9 Tribute (June 15): Earle “Stubby” Stubbs
Earle Copeland "Stubby" Stubbs raced as a member of [...]
June 1 Race Report from 156 Bomba Charger
Shields Fleet 9 gets underway on Wednesday night [...]