[LG-list] race damage

[Rodge Voss]

Single-Handed Race on Sunday.
Nice first leg of the race Cut Loose. You were first around Canoe followed by the 2 J/22s. We saw a couple of lightning strikes over Diamond Point going upwind and then halfway downwind all hell broke loose. Those gusts must have been over 35 and the lake turned to all white caps! I thought at that point to gybe and head back in before it got worse, but it was already worse!
Double Trouble informed me he was heading back home before the start with the impending storm. He was the smart one. After the weather mark I went up to my foredeck of Spirit considering putting up my spinnaker to catch those in front, and then heard Jako luffing his sails. I looked back just in time to see him rounding up and the Laser pitch-pole over in the gusts of wind ripping down the lake, so I jumped back onto the tiller and pointed my bow square down. I saw Cut Loose round up and I thought he was going to take out Catchin' Js. I saw Joy round-up and then luffing hard with no steerage, heading for Long Island. 
I couldn't point my boat down to Hogback after my gybe and ended up missing the turn. I finally got the rudder to grab and got it going downwind on a plane! I had a rooster tail in the back and the waves were blasting off my bow. I was almost to Cotton Point when I tucked along the west shore long enough to get my genoa down and head back to the club under main. My genoa window was shattered but all else was okay with me.
Tarrant hauled-out at the club to see the damage to his boat. The bottom of the keel was pretty bad. He wasn't able to steer away or tack so he ended up into the rocks at Long Island. The keel was grinding away on the rocks as he took a bow line and tied it to one of the docks. He was in the water holding it off until Jon Brodie came over and pulled him out. Whomever called Yankee or if Brodie was on-watch over us, Tarrant told me to thank you for the rescue.
Once back at the club, we found out all of these details and learned Joy was the only boat to finish the shortened course. It was a case of survival in those winds and just keeping the boats on their feet and us from flipping overboard. With the sight of lightning strikes early in the race the RC should have abandoned the race in my opinion. After the cell passed it calmed down nicely and it never did rain. Nevertheless it was a race that will go down in the history books and one we will talk about more I'm sure.
 
Rodge
 
rodgervoss at yahoo.com   Cell: (518) 788-0697 
Website:  www.DCSprofessionalinspections.com(518) 869-9411  11 Venezio Ave. Albany, NY  12203



----- Original Message ----
From: JOHN DICKINSON <jdcd1 at verizon.net>
To: rodger Voss <rodgervoss at yahoo.com>
Sent: Monday, August 11, 2008 7:07:47 AM
Subject: race damage


What a rush!  Did you hear how bad John's boat was damaged? I felt I should of helped him but had my hands were full. By the time I got Cut Loose to bed he was motoring into the bay. 
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