Close Cover!

Tammy enjoys a brief bit of sun.

Daniel bundles up while Dad enjoys the nice breeze.

The Olson is coming!

The final Goosebump race fittingly offered a good breeze and cool temperatures but no rain. Full Moon crew Randy “Dry Buns” Olsen, Michael “Wet Pack” Medina, Tammy “Wrapped Up” Cross, Chuck “The Road” Weldy, Daniel “Hangin’ On” Mengedoht, and skipper John “Stayin’ Alive” Mengedoht lined up for a decent starboard tack start near the Committee Boat but a large pack of boats barged in from the right and Full Moon bailed out to leeward to avoid collisions. A good part of the first leg was then a quest for clear air, though Full Moon did manage to pass a few boats.

After a short reach to the Cove buoy, the mighty Equalizer was launched to good effect to get past a few more. The takedown was a bit messy to round the Freeway buoy but it didn’t cause any loss of speed, other than a spinnaker sheet dragging through the water for awhile. The leg to the Aurora buoy was nearly close-hauled and then it was time to head south to complete the first lap.

Rounding the AGC buoy, the Ranger 26 Runner was not far ahead and, while they had launched their spinnaker for this leg, Full Moon gained under genoa and actually caught up at the Cove buoy. Runner had some challenges with their jibe and Full Moon was able to get out ahead once the Equalizer was launched. Since the Equalizer was originally made for a Ranger 26, the boats were pretty evenly matched on the run/reach to the Freeway buoy.

Despite a little shrimping on the takedown, Full Moon maintained the lead on Runner on the leg to the Aurora buoy but an Olson 30 also joined the hunt. Full Moon would have a tough time holding off both boats to the finish! Full Moon tacked right at the buoy, Runner delayed her tack, and the Olson tacked just to windward of Full Moon’s line. With Full Moon on a good course for the line, Runner’s delayed tack cost them some critical distance but the Olson was soon nipping at Full Moon’s transom. However, Full Moon was able to point just high enough to keep the Olson in dirty air and, try as they might, they could not gain any further. Amazingly, Full Moon even made some gains in the puffs on the speedy 30 footer. In the end, Full Moon was eighth, tying our best finish for the series.

Full Moon ended up placing an excellent sixth overall in the Goosebump series while our good friends on The Black Knight took first. Way to go, Black Knight!

No Rain, Big Gains

The boys are ready for action!

Keeping most of the blue boats behind.

The Race Committee called for two full laps of Lake Union for Goosebump Race No. 5, which looked a bit much as the wind faded at the start. Full Moon crew Art “Push” Teller, Michael “Pull” Medina, Tammy “Bonus?” Cross, Reilly “The Hood” Hearne, Daniel “Minor Injury” Mengedoht, and skipper John “Giant Jib” Mengedoht got a second-row start and struggled for awhile trying to get a clear lane to the AGC buoy. This resulted in temporarily being back in 25^th place, though that wouldn’t last long.

Once around the AGC buoy, the question was whether to hoist the spinnaker for the short run to the Cove buoy. In the end, the Equalizer went up - but just in time to gybe at the buoy. Unfortunately, the quick gybe went awry and a few boats got past while the nylon mess was sorted on the bow. Once up and flying, though, Full Moon returned the favor, making good speed on the close reach to the Freeway buoy.

On the leg to the Aurora buoy, many boats were forced to tack away from Gasworks but Full Moon somehow held a straight line, passing a few more boats. Approaching the buoy, Full Moon was pinned by a blue San Juan 24 until the San Juan finally tacked. It didn’t take long for Full Moon to pass them, though!

Heading back south along the Westlake shore, it became clear that the race was being finished after only one lap. How is it that Full Moon once again missed the course change?!? No matter, falling off onto a reach to the finish only made for more speed. In the end, Full Moon was about 15^th out of around 30 boats, a pretty good comeback. Meanwhile, the threatened rain held off and the hot buttered rums flowed from the magic thermos, fueled by The Kraken. Good stuff! 

Superbowl Driftathon

Rocketing across the start line...

That duck is definitely gaining on The Black Knight.

Michael and Marcelle battle the freezing temperatures.

Marcelle, Sara, and John in dramatic sailing action.

"Low Rider" captures "Cozy" Daniel with the shoe's eye view.

Goosebump Race No. 3 on Superbowl Sunday finally offered up some glorious sunshine but, by the 1:00 start time, the lake was glassy smooth with no tangible signs of wind. Full Moon crew Michael “Low Rider” Medina, Marcelle “Nose Dive” Lynde, Sara “Anchor Aweigh” Skinner, Chuck “Prepared” Weldy, Daniel “Cozy” Mengedoht, and skipper John “Full Batten” Mengedoht positioned the boat pointing more or less toward the AGC buoy and slowly drifted across the start line in company with the entire fleet. In a feat not likely to be repeated any time soon, Full Moon somehow managed to float past The Black Knight for a little while until TBK’s taller mast and sails grabbed a little more “breeze” to pull back ahead.

After nearly 20 minutes, boats closest to the Westlake shore started to move, including a blue T-bird, Dash 34, and a couple of J24s, though there still was no evidence of wind to be seen on the water. With Full Moon too far from the mysterious Westlake breeze, we had to settle for oozing past the boom-box-blasting, techno-beat-loving T-bird Poco Mas and very slowly following The Black Knight to the first buoy.

Staying to the right after rounding to avoid the oncoming traffic allowed room for Poco Mas to sneak inside so Full Moon had to ooze past the white T-bird for a second time. Then, as traffic got a bit thicker, it was necessary to squeeze between the oncoming boats, right of way being tough to apply when boats are barely moving.

After just clearing Distance’s anchor (thanks, Sara!), Full Moon “tacked” toward some breeze slowly filling in from the north. The boats which had received the Westlake boost were, by this time, already in the stronger wind and long gone but Full Moon persevered to hold off one San Juan 24 and to try and pass Orca, which was dead ahead.

Orca swung a little wide around the Freeway buoy and Full Moon soon was in striking distance. The close reach to the finish was exhilarating after all the painful drifting and Full Moon slowly pulled above and past Orca to score what appeared to be a “lucky thirteenth” out of some thirty boats. As it turns out, though, three boats in the Westlake group were over the starting line early – so upgrade that to “terrific tenth!”