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.