The Lost Buoy

Katie, John, and Randy enjoy some good breeze on the first leg.

Full Moon crew Randy “Variety Pack” Olsen, Art “Water Boy” Teller, Chuck “Boom Boom” Weldy, Katie “Detroit Brownies” Freels, Daniel “Head Banger” Mengedoht, and skipper John “Skippy” Mengedoht had an excellent front row start for the Duck Dodge this week, tacking to port at the horn with a clear lane toward Gasworks. Unfortunately, the boat then felt a bit sluggish with a J24 and rival Zephyr (San Juan 28) rolling by to windward. A strategic series of tacks toward the Aurora buoy paid off to put Full Moon back in front of those two. Then it became apparent that the buoy was missing!

Chuck and Daniel like where we are. That is Selchie to the far left.

Since this has never happened before (not!), most boats, including Full Moon, simply picked a spot roughly where the buoy is normally to be found and made their turn. Once around the invisible buoy, the mighty Equalizer was quickly launched to good effect and Full Moon headed south toward the AGC buoy in seventh place only about 200 yards behind the lead boats.

Cap'n John catches flies while Daniel keeps the jib nicely trimmed.

Approaching the AGC buoy, which was actually there, the wind died down substantially and Full Moon coasted around the buoy to close within only 50 yards of always-speedy Scat. Then the wind began to fill back in from the north and the front-runners pulled back ahead to a more substantial lead, though Full Moon also put some distance on the boats behind.

The wind goes light near the AGC buoy. There are a LOT of boats behind us!

Full Moon again felt a bit slow upwind on port tack (time to check the bottom for slime?), allowing Selchie and a speedy trimaran to get by before rounding the Freeway buoy. However, as with the first leg, Full Moon improved on the leg to the Aurora buoy location and passed both boats before blasting off again with the Equalizer.

Rounding the AGC buoy, Full Moon was just ahead of the J27 Summer Babe. The J-boat had to work for it but got by just at the Freeway buoy before making the U-turn toward the finish line. In the end, Full Moon was an excellent eighth place, ahead of Selchie and all the normal rivals save Runner, which had a great start and a terrific race. Next up: Prom Night!

Reality Check

Daniel hangs on to the jib sheet as Eileen supervises and Dad eyes the competition.

Tammy pulls in the sheet after another nice tack.

Art enjoys his post-launch handiwork as the Mighty Isis flies downwind.

Rounding the Freeway buoy before the dash to the finish line.

Full Moon crew Art “Matzo” Teller, Doug “Clouds” Schoemaker, Tammy “Twister” Cross, Eileen “Cookies” McHugh, Daniel “Stuffer” Mengedoht, and skipper John “Ray Charles” Mengedoht went for a conservative starboard tack start for Egyptian Night but got caught up in traffic and took a while to find a clear lane to windward. Sailing nearly to Gasworks paid off fairly well before tacking west toward the Aurora buoy, which was set pretty far north and close to moored barges and ships. Fellow-Mooner Michael Medina hovered near the buoy in a kayak and told us we were in 11^th place, having already passed several boats, including Penelope from the first start.

A quick launch of the Mighty Isis (aka the Equalizer) and a move toward the center of the lake got Full Moon past the Olson 25 Iolar and a light blue Capri 25 plus Rachel from the first start. Unfortunately, the Ranger 26 Runner went even further toward the east and found enough more breeze to slide by to leeward before rounding the AGC buoy.

Heading back upwind and then around the Freeway buoy, Full Moon was evenly matched with Runner and the Capri. The Aurora buoy was now in a nearly windless hole with light wind touching down randomly. Runner managed to get past, as did the black Redline (not sure if that is the boat name?) but, once around, Full Moon sat parked with the Capri on one side and Runner on the other, spinnakers drooping. Finally the wind began to fill in from the northeast and Full Moon got by Runner, the Capri, and even the 40’ Bolero on the long reach to the AGC buoy.

Returning upwind, Full Moon held off Runner and the Capri but the Buchan 37 Distance got by in the freshening breeze. Near the Freeway buoy, Full Moon was on starboard tack with the Capri approaching on port. As the Capri ducked behind, Full Moon tacked for a textbook “slam dunk” and, after one more tack, rounded just in front of the Capri. Both boats launched spinnakers for the reach to the finish but Full Moon stayed directly in front to take 8^th place – an excellent finish given the poor start and strong competition.

Red, White and Bronze!

Kate and Jeremy enjoying the sunshine.

Chuck demonstrates being "ship-faced."

The Equalizer just after launch.
Daniel likes going fast as dad steers with his knees.

Daniel prepares to receive the coveted vinyl sticker.

Cap'n John prepares to add to the duck collection on the boom.

With wind out of the NW and the starting line set more or less due east-west, Full Moon crew Michael “Hot Dog” Medina, Chuck “Ship-Faced” Weldy, Kate “Nicknamer” Austin, Jeremy “Justified” Jones, Daniel “Coke Abuse” Mengedoht, and skipper John “The Enabler” Mengedoht opted to try a port tack start at the heavily favored west (Committee Boat) end of the line. Unfortunately, a number of other boats had the same idea, with predictable carnage as the mass of port tackers met the line of starboard tack boats with right of way. Full Moon somehow managed to emerge unscathed and near the front of the fleet, though not exactly according to plan...

The J30 Slingshot powered out ahead of Full Moon, as did a white Thunderbird, but Full Moon did very well on the next tack to the west, nailing the approach to the Aurora buoy and passing several boats including the white T-bird and always-speedy Selchie. With a quick launch of the mighty Equalizer spinnaker, Full Moon took off on a hot reach southward, putting substantial distance on boats behind and reeling in Slingshot before rounding the AGC buoy. Heading back north to complete the first lap, Full Moon was up to sixth place, just behind relative giant Bolero and a dark blue Olson 25.

Some well-timed tacks approaching the Freeway buoy saw both Bolero and the Olson drop behind and suddenly Full Moon was fourth and not far behind the J-27 Summer Babe in third. A crowded rounding of the Aurora buoy caused Summer Babe to lose ground and Full Moon managed to round inside and into third!

The Equalizer did its thing on another smoking reach to the AGC buoy, which was another crowded rounding as the lead second start boats started passing some first starters as well as lapping some slow third start boats. Full Moon got by first-starters Penelope (C&C 99) and a heavily loaded Heart Attack (J-80) on the long upwind leg back to the Freeway buoy, then threaded through tight traffic at the buoy before launching the Equalizer one last time for the reach to the finish. Summer Babe and Slingshot were not too far behind but couldn’t catch Full Moon as she scored the Bronze Duck for an astounding third place finish, our first duck in second start in a long long time. Huzzah!!!