Sail News for June 16, 2010 - by David Cook

Hi VMSS Sailors and Southern Islands IOM Sailors, copy Bob Wells, Lana and PVR,

For those who don't have the time or the desire to read my long-winded update, sailing at Beaver Lake will be at 1030 to 1 considering the beach will be busier with swimmer and whoever else. I won't be there but Barry and Adrian plan on it.

A long time no communicate, life has been busy and fun...did the Westerns on Saltspring and been spending many, many and many hours on my prototype IOM hull, design name HAMNF BECK DOG, boat name T&F for Therapy & Friendships. Its current status is the foredeck in on, access ports cut, foredeck/hull joiner glassed in, keel & bulb faired and to weight, no. 1 rig built, deck fittings stripped off and 5 coats of primer on, sanded between coats, wild graphics decided and tested. Launch date won't be too far down the road! Thanks to everyone who has helped out! You'll be getting an invite to its launching which will be in early July at Beaver Lake.

The Westerns in short were AWESOME despite not doing terribly well but I learnt lots...charge your batteries the day before regardless what the voltage reads, do a little preventive maintenance on the boat you plan on sailing before instead of at the event, you really can sail an IOM fast upwind in flat water with the slot only 52mm separating the booms creating a bubble or backwinding on the main which isn't a bad thing, testing out Bob Well's trick rig tension gauge and learning my rig was way too slack, rig tension on shrouds should be between 8 and 9 lbs and backstay between 4 and 5 lbs., wear sunscreen, buy more beer to share with fellow competitors when hosting a dock party and most of all, be thankful for all the hard work the Saltspring IOM fleet did in hosting the event. Great racing, lots of races, met lots of great Americans, savored Roger's fabtabulous BBQ salmon, chicken, ham and many awesome salads to boot.

The VMSS Handicap Series results are here showing Barry is top dog after 3 events, using 1 discard, followed by Dave Seager and my long-time arch rival Ron Ingalls. The next event will be in September.

For upcoming events, I'll be hosting a casual but tons of fun, staggered start handicap regatta which includes camping and BBQ on the September long weekend on Sep. 4 & 5 if anyone is interested in making the 3 hour drive up island to Robinson Lake in Black creek, which is half ways between Courtenay and Campbell River. Let me know if you'd like to come. The more the merrier!

If all goes to plan, Jan and I are both planning on making the trip back East to Kingston to represent the West at the IOM Canadian Nationals. Let's give our Easterners a good showing to reciprocate all the times they've come out west! Dates are Sep. 10-12.

VMSS will be hosting a 1 1/2 day IOM regatta on Oct. 2 &3 with more details to follow. We have big shoes to fill after the Westerns!

Remember 1030 till 1 this Sunday at Beaver Lake.

Smooth Sailing & Cheers

David Cook