the 2006 Wayfarer Midwinters East
Lake Eustis SC, Tavares, FL * Feb. 3-5
blow-out Saturday - 1
 photos by Dave Moring, Mo Metcalf, Mike Anspach, Marc Bennett, Jim Heffernan and Uncle Al

By Saturday morning the front had come through with a vengeance - after early clouds, we got bright, cool sunshine with winds whistling through the rigging. Racing was first postponed (photo above), then cancelled pretty early in the day when the forecasts - which had been depressingly accurate so far - called for increasing winds until late afternoon. Many people went off to do other things but a few of us hung around the club.
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In the boat park: (l to r) Hans Gottschling, Michele Parish, Bastian Pfannkuche (red cap), Joe De Brincat, Uncle Al, Richard Johnson. Most of us were still hoping for a weather upgrade but ...
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... Hans had seen enough and began to pack it in - note the fine bottom cover!!
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By mid-afternoon, it was a bit warmer and the winds were a bit less fierce. Al mentioned to Marc that "a little run" might be in order: after all it was an onshore wind, we had a benign shore (no rocks, very few alligators), plus Scott and Dave were ready to give the rescue boat a bit of exercise. Encouraged by comments such as "Have you put your affairs in order?", "Whom should we contact?", etc. Marc and I put on the old jib and our worst spinnaker. If we were going to wipe out, we might as well not ruin our good sails!!
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Nick and Brian had had a ...
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... similar idea!
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Joe De Brincat (l) and Nick take a careful look at the conditions.
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Jim Heffernan and Nick
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Mary Abel and Tony Krauss
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Mo Metcalf has his camera on duty as Al and Marc set out. Having duly cleared the obstruction (Flying Scot) hanging off the dock, the SHADES team ...
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... is off ...
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... in a lull.
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As often happens, things look/feel worse on shore than they really are.  Of course, all this showing off that we can do it, will be for nought if we don't go all the way and ...
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... fly the spinnaker!
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Joe is there to record the whole thing.
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So far so good.
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Little did we know that Dave Moring was not only standing by with Scott Tillema in the rescue boat. He was also getting great pictures of a wonderful ride. Note how we're sitting well aft to keep the bow up.
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No smokes for Al on this sail! Note that today, even on Lake Eustis, the spray has been flying enough to soak ...
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... the lower part of the mainsail.
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There are still some strong gusts around and Al makes sure he sits well aft so that Marc's going forward to douse the chute does not bury the bow too much!
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A couple of reaches ...
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... back and forth in front of the docks
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A cautious but speedy ...
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... tack so as not to lose momentum ...
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... at one end ...
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... followed by a gybe at the other end of the dock, and ...
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... we've had enough.
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Of course, the whole effect will be spoiled if we screw up the landing. But Marc has it all under control.
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Sailing virtuoso that he is, Marc pushes out the boom, knowing the main will then act as a brake when ...
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... Al luffs up. Of course too much brake is no good, either, since then the boat won't coast up to the dock. Note how here, Marc has left us just enough speed to give Al good steerage way, while Al has left himself ample room to coast along the dock. Again, an empty dock makes it a lot easier!
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