Page 4 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 79

4 Issue #79 June 2019

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Stormont Yacht Club Spring Race Series

reach beam to the finish line.” McKenzie described the winning instrumental in the dugout for what
By Christine Ouellet There was a kind of chaos that boat, Rosalita, as “a big quick but was to become McCoy’s East Bay.
light boat, with a six-foot keel,
affected many boats trying to get Chaput indicates that the
across the starting line. For my which points beautifully. She countdown prior to giving the

undays are for racing at part, said Mackenzie, “When I “out-points” like crazy, by 15 – 20 “start” order consists of a colour flag
SStormont Yacht Club. Early crossed the start line, I went from degrees. Such a deep keel gives the raising system: ten minutes prior,
in the morning, two or three big port (left side) to starboard (right skipper an advantage in the wind a yellow flag is hoisted and taken
yellow triangular buoys are set up side), which caused the boat to lose and wave combination. When I down four minutes later. Then a blue
on Lake St. Lawrence to mark the speed and momentum as the sail compare my boat to Rosalita’s deep flag is hoisted and taken down four
sailboat race course. hung up instead of crossing over. I
lost precious seconds there. There
On May 19, it was the first race
was a lot of tacking (changing
of the Spring Series. The results direction) and we had the same
were: Rosalita (Suffels) came problem with the sail when we
in first under 59 minutes, then
rounded the mark. This is a new
Walkabout (McQuinn & Tessier),
jib sail we just installed; it is stiffer
Sealestial (Rodrigues), Cloud Nine
and heavier, more difficult to bring
(McKenzie, Melchin, Williams), across and it does not behave like
Beetoven (Petrie, Riddel, Ouellet),
the old one. When tacking, the sail
Jenna’s Journey (Guay)
has to fold over, it has to catch the
Doug McKenzie, skipper of a wind, let the pressure build up and
Tanzer 22 named Cloud Nine, let the wind push it over. You don’t
said “We had an East wind of 10 haul it over. You have to hold it, let
– 20 knots (about 18 – 36 km/h), pressure build up, let the wind push
which is unusual for us to have a it over. You have to feel the pressure
start upwind. A lots of tacking, big of the wind against the sail. There
chopped waves, but after rounding could even be someone standing
up the mark, it was “wing-on- on the deck, grab the sail when it Photo by Mike Guay
wing”, straight downwind all the swings over and bring it back while
way to the next mark. And then on the other guy pulls the halyard.”
draft, it means that I have to go minutes later. The final sign is the
further than her when rounding the red flag which is accompanied with
mark, she crosses over way before a strong horn blow. Throughout the
anybody else.” race, the Committee keeps track
of the maneuvers of the boats and
Meanwhile, from the Fort
Stormont building, the race compliance with the racing rules,
record the timing, and blow the
committee composed of Betty
horn when a boat crosses the finish
Chaput, Marjorie McCoy, and
line. Given that we have boats of
Myrna Earle supervise the running
of the race, from the start to the different size, there is a handicap
system in place to compensate for
finish and keep the time. The three
various boat and sail sizes, draft,
ladies have been involved in racing
propeller characteristics etc...
from the beginning, some forty
years ago. Initially they raced with It went well, said McKenzie,
GP14, and Albacore. At the time, considering it was the first race of
the biggest boat in the club was the season and everybody lacks
twenty seven feet! Interestingly, practice. It was a very good course,
McCoy’s Bay was name in memory no mishaps, no rain, strong wind;
of Marjorie’s husband after he we all had a good time. It was a
Photo by Mike Guay
passed away. Bernard McCoy was good learning experience.