Saturday was the day for our clubs annual Fowl Weather race. This is a three race regatta that rewards the winner with a turkey, frozen not alive. West Sound Corinthian Yacht Club started this event in 1989. How do I know this? I was the race chairman during that time and I thought it would be a fun event to hold just before Thanksgiving Day. A previous club that I used to belong to held a similar race and I copied the idea.
The forecast for the day was somewhat grim. All week, the winds were predicted to be strong on Saturday, as high as 25-35 knots. But the final morning forecast had the maximum winds at 15-25 knots and very wet. When we arrived at the marina, the winds were non existent.
We went out onto the race course for the first race. We set a old light No.1 genoa. I had hoped that we would not need this sail. Our newer No.1 was at the sail loft getting repaired. We maneuvered around the starting area and got a good start with one boat ahead and below us. The first leg was a beat to buoy #2 near Ross Point. After two tacks, we rounded just behind but to weather of the lead boat. We set the spinnaker and rolled past the lead boat. As we neared the marina, the wind got lighter and we sailed tight angles to keep our speed up. We rounded buoy #4 and headed towards the finish and after two tacks crossed the line far enough ahead to correct on the boats behind.
For the second race, we changed to the Heavy No.1 genoa as the wind had built just as we finished the first race. The rain also started in earnest and continued for the rest of the day. We dueled with one boat along the breakwater for the start and both of us got a great start. We sailed mainly a close reach to buoy #2. The wind was very gusty and we floated the main a lot After rounding the mark, we set the heavy spinnaker and had a wild reach along Port Orchard and a run to Pt Herron. One boat behind us blew up their spinnaker. We rounded the Pt Herron mark in a close second and started the beat back to the finish. We saw winds up to 22 knots and again we floated the main to try to keep the heel angle under control. We finished close astern of the first place boat and since we owe them time, we placed second.
For the third race, we went smaller and heavier with the jib and put up the No. 3 jib. Again at the start, the boat that won the second race and us had a great duel with us winning the start. And again, the leg to the first mark was a lot of reaching and by working up in the gusts, we made the mark without tacking. We were set up to fly the spinnaker, but the wind was far enough ahead to make flying a spinnaker difficult. Furthermore, the boat behind us(that won the second race) did not put up a spinnaker either. We reached north to Radar Target "3", tacked around it and started the beat back through the start/finish line to Buoy #2 again. The wind was still gusty, but did not seem as bad. We rounded the mark and this time set the heavy spinnaker. We were having a great run, but the race was shortened as we sailed through the start/finish line. The boat behind again got first and we were second.
After the race, the results were tallied and we were first with five points(first and two seconds) and the second place boat had seven points(fifth and two firsts) even though they were first in the second and third races. Complete results can be found here: Fowl Weather Race Results 2012 when they are finalized.
Following the racing the competitors met on the party dock at the marina for a potluck and deep fried turkey.
I have raced a lot of Fowl Weather Races and other "turkey " races and brought home a lot of turkeys(the frozen kind). My mom often holds off buying a turkey until after this race to see if I will supply the turkey for dinner.
Thanks to the crew of Jim, Dave, Tim, Ranier and Michael for all the help and making everything happen.
The first race track is the red line. It was a short race to the south buoy #2, through the start/finish line north to buoy #4 and back to the finish.
The second race track is the blue line. It was a longer race that started toward the south, around buoy #2, north around buoy #4, to the Pt Herron light, around buoy #4 again and then to the finish,
The third race track is the green line. This race started toward the south around buoy #2, north through the start/finish line to Radar Target "3" and back to the start/finish line. This race was suppose to be two laps, but was finished on the second run.
Following a day of racing, everyone met on the guest dock party shelter for a potluck including deep fried turkey! Yum!
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