Commodore's Corner - October 2010

The 23rd Annual Endless Summer Sailboard Classic has come and gone and the cooler temperatures are beginning to grace us in the evenings, thank goodness. Gotta love the 50/80 split!!

The Endless Summer was a great success thanks to our Sponsors, Registrants and those who helped get everything in order! Thanks to Wright and his entourage for making sure the beach was equipped with a tent, chairs, stage, lighting, terlits and an “Endless” supply of beer flowing from the Beer Truck! Adam always does a fine job of checking for those armbands and making sure your cup stays full of that fine beverage.

Rick and Judy once again cooked up wings on Friday night and boy were they good. The Rum tasting was awesome – thanks to all who donated a bottle (or 8) so we could plaster our palates! Now Rick, what’s the name of that rum that starts with a “Z” – can’t remember but it was really good!

Thank you Linda Downey for keeping us fed and “caffeined up” on Saturday and Sunday mornings! I know it isn’t easy getting up so early to get breakfast and coffee set up on the beach! It was great and much appreciated!

Donaldo’s Café was operating at maximum capacity Saturday and Sunday serving up some of the finest gumbo you can stick a spoon in – oh and those grilled Scottie Dogs too! YUM! Speaking of Gumbo, Leah Chapin did a fine job of hosting the Gumbo contest this year. And the winners: 1st Judy Knerr; 2nd Elizabeth Denmark; 3rd Ann Getman and with honorable mention “Nigel and his Hissing Cats”. I really don’t know how the judges could come to a decision – all of the Gumbo was soooo yum, yum, yummy!! Thanks Don (and Sharman), Scott and Leah and those who pitched in and helped make sure the food orders were filled quickly and for keeping Donaldo’s packed the entire weekend!

Ann Getman did a great job with registration both Friday night and Saturday morning. Sandy Layne was there to lend a hand and I’m sure Ann appreciated that! Thanks to both of you.

The course marks were inflated and strategically placed on the sparkling waters of Shell Point by Perry Morris and John Gilbert. And, as usual, what a fine job they did setting the course. There were a total of 5 races run on Saturday (with minimal wind) with racing being “called” on Sunday. Good thing because it was slick as glass Sunday morning. Thanks to Race Captain Mark Voigt and to Lee Chapin, Stan Derzypolski, John Gilbert and Perry Morris for making sure we had a great course and enough chase boats on the water!

Tina “The Goddess of C Fleet Management” Mazanek ran the Novice fleet races from the beach on Saturday. Read her article for the blow-by-blow! Overall results:
1. Windom “Welcome to Sport Fleet” Graves (just kidding)
2. Eberhard Roeder
3. Leni Sinke
4. Blake Ehler
5. Claire Andrews
6. Dolly Moody
7. Amy Crowson and Nora Loyd

It is great to have you all on the water!!!!

Friday Night Suppah was pretty darn good. The fish, chicken and hushpuppies were nice and hot - right off the Wharf on Wheels truck. Thanks to Perry Morris for the suggestion and for getting things set up to make it happen. Andy, Merrilee, Lizzie and Leah were there to help dish up the food. Door prizes appeared to be plentiful and everyone walked away from suppah with a prize and a belly full ‘o food! Then back to the beach we went to enjoy tunes by DJBobbyG – thanks Bob, you kept us movin!

It can’t be said enough that this event would not be a success if it wasn’t for all the people who help with whatever needs to be done and then stick around to break it all down. It seems that almost everyone does just a little something to make it all happen smoothly. You all made this easier than I thought it would be – and I can’t thank you enough.

Thanks to everyone who came down to support the 23rd Annual Endless Summer Sailboard Classic!!

"La Commodora"

2010 Endless Summer Sailboard Classic-C Fleet Rules!

We started the races from shore each with a six minute flag sequence. The race course was to round the orange buoy just on the other side of the channel. It was initially a reach mark, but shortly turned into an upwind reach mark. We moved the start line for more of a reach than an upwind leg and then had to change the mark to a channel marker (ugh-was not the first choice, but I had their word that they would stay clear of the dreaded channel marker sail magnets out there!).

Windom and Blake had more time on the water than the others, but had never been introduced to the racing sequence or starts. Our youngest racer, Leni had taken lessons from us last year with her family. One of Leni’s strengths turned out to be her ability to swim her rig with more power than she got from the light or blocked wind. C Fleeters generally don’t know how to pump the rig and swimming was just faster, especially with the current running through the channel near shore. Eberhard was holding his own finishing in the middle of the fleet. Claire showed tremendous perseverance and finished most of the races-making a wise decision to take the ride in when the wind left. Dolly, who said she learned to windsurf “years ago”, did great off the starts and she too made the wise decisions to take the ride in when Chris and Terry (and Whindom) offered a taxi to shore. We missed our past commodore Amy and future board member Nora (just wait!) who registered, but could not make the races.

Thanks to all of our sponsors especially grand prize sponsor, Frank Bastos and his wife Marie of Hobby Town USA, who helped with the timer and flags. Thanks big time to Chris Graves, Terry and Windom who became the C Fleet rescue crew. Also thank you to Kevin Smith who was either perched on shore or in a boat all day with his camera.

And much gratitude to all who helped build our equipment storage trailer (whether it was through sweat equity or just keeping your dues paid), AND the folks who made it to the beach to be a part of the windsurfing instruction our club offers. We again have a place to store our training equipment, making it WAY easier to conduct the teaching program. As a result of both, we were able to provide both equipment and instruction all summer for our students and for four of the six racers on the water in one of the funnest events we’ve ever had.

Thank you Donna McMahon, our commodore and event chair for the
2010 Endless Summer Sailboard Race Classic -great job Donna!

Overall Results

1. Windom Graves
2. Eberhard Roeder
3. Leni Sinke
4. Blake Ehler
5. Claire Andrews
6. Dolly Moody
7. Amy Crowson and Nora Loyd

Random Thoughts on the Atlanta Fall Classic