2004 Tulip Time Tune Up

Reported by Tom Londrigan Jr.

Gull Lake’s annual Tulip Tune-up regatta is my favorite event of the year.  It is a beautiful lake and the Gull Lake sailors bend over backwards to take care of the visiting sailors.  This year 28 boats were on the starting line despite absences from 4^th District regulars like: Bill Allen, Ross Adams, Hyde Perce, Susie Pegel, Bill Parks, Steve Rubinkam, Chris Neilson, Larry Brethorst, Al Covington, Mark Lewis, Bob Teitge, Mile Wysockey, and others.  Of course, it is their loss, but maybe this weekend they may have saved a little money.  The sailing was fun and we had plenty of wind but competitors lost seven masts, untold poles, and other breakdowns too numerous to mention. 

Thunderstorms were predicted for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  They moved in fast and exited fast.  On Friday the weather looked fine, Rick Brethorst and I grabbed my mast and dropped in the boat.  The sirens went off and we ran to the clubhouse without putting on the stays and we still didn’t make it before the storm hit.  A half hour later, we were back rigging. 

 Joe Londrigan showed up sailing Rick Brethorst’s new acquisition, Folli # 8111, Magnus Lilejedahl was in the car with him.  John MacCausland arrived as well and it looked like a two-boat race.  A couple hours later, we raced a practice race.  Joe and Magnus were too busy modifying Rick’s new boat to make it out, Pat Londrigan and Ashley Boeyen won the race and proudly strolled around the parking lot brandishing their newfound sense of false hope.  Per usual, we had beers, went to the Bayview Restaurant with all the sailors and Gull Lake hosts, and at that point, we were all in first.  Consistent with the last line of Gone with the Wind, “Tomorrow is another day.”

 Thunderstorms be damned, we lined up on time.  This was the first regatta for my new/used boat Folli #7763, its progress is detailed in the Used Boats articles on this site.  I was worried about performance and with adverse conditions; I was also worried about how my changes and modifications would hold up.  Race one was underway under hiking conditions.  Rob Maine/Dar Barkaukas led at the first mark.  During the race, the wind was building.  John MacCausland/Rick Burgess and Joe Londrigan/Magnus Lilejedahl passed to take first and second with Rob/Dar in third and Todd Gay/John Klerk in fourth and Tom VanderMolen/Dave Jackson in fifth.

 The wind was still building during the start of the second race.  At the first mark, it was Rob/Dar again.  Wind still building.  Brian Cramer exhibited the strength of the building wind with a perfectly executed pirouette (some say death roll, but that is such a “glass half empty approach,” how about “fun roll”).  Cramer continued on undamaged.  Dr. Art Riley tried to stop his boom from jibing with his forehead.  He spent a few hours with his medical colleagues discussing the best technique for putting in 25 stitches across his brow.  The crash boat thought that Riley’s cockpit looked like an axe murder just occurred (again, a little bit of the glass half empty perspective).  Greg Smith’s crew, the always pleasant and smiling TC Belco, fell out the boat but grabbed Greg’s arm.  After a few seconds, Greg was slipping out the boat too so he whispered, “sorry TC” and released him to the lake.  This dampened TC’s demeanor a bit but he was soon picked up and a few beers later, TC was right as rain.

 Joe and Magnus took the race with former sailing partner Jon VanderMolen/Steve Ticknor coming on in second.  Jon/Steve have been working hard lately and it obviousy has paid off.  Rob/Dar finished third, Todd Gay/John Klerk another fourth and MacCausland/Burgess fifth.  Rob/Dar seemed to be under the impression that this was more than a two-boat race, the gall of these two!  Rob wins one District Championship and he thinks he is entitled to continue winning… a bit self-absorbed don’t you think. 

 Wind still building between races and I had to retire as my upper backstay broke and the jib tack broke a couple minutes later, no snickering, it could have been worse… and it was.  The third race brought some carnage.  Approaching the leeward mark with Joe and Magnus in the lead, the wind dropped down for a visit.  From land it looked like blowing on a house of cards.  Boats rounded up to windward, boats “fun rolled”, others overshot the leeward mark, poles were littered about the lake, and five boats broke their masts.  Jack Rickard’s boat was de-skippered.  When the rescue boat asked his young crew where Jack went, he properly responded, “I don’t know.”  Ah youth, he has learned at a young age that honesty is the best policy.  Tick Ticknor, on a spectator boat, jumped into the water and sailed the ghost ship back into the harbor.  Rick Rundle, crewing for another youth, 16 year-old Dan Wright spotted Jack after he was in the water for 20 minutes and they fished him out.  Wright and Rundle accepted redress of average points for an extraordinary action.  Tick Ticknor received average spectating points.  Jack Rickard is pleased as punch to be in mortal debt to Rick Rundle.  Jack, a bottle of Red Breast Irish Whiskey and I’m sure Rick will call it even… while you’re at it, get two, I like the stuff too.

 Rick Brethorst/Mike Eggen held their lane during the puff but tried to exercise rights on five boats at the leeward mark.  Rights that Rick did not enjoy. Apparently, he was coming on the mark like a lit cigarette but he did not know how to… PUT THAT CIGARETTE OUT!  He retired.  For your recognition of your unadulterated lack of control and blatant fouling, this Bud is for you Rick.

 Rick’s clearing of the boats at the leeward mark allowed another stargear.net team (Joe and Magnus) to coast to victory; teamwork and sacrifice.  Rob/Dar were second, MacCausland/Burgess third, McCarthy/McCarthy fourth, and Pat Londrigan/Ashley Boeyen in fifth.  Only fourteen boats finished. 

 We all enjoyed repairing the boats and watching the digital tape of the race thanks to Tom Babel.  Sleep was sound and tomorrow was another day.  Sunday’s race started in hiking conditions and the wind was building; sound familiar?  Rob/Dar refused to give up and won the race with myself/Chris Wallner in second just nipping out my brother Joe and Magnus.  Joe inquired about teamwork and sacrifice and pointed to the example Rick Brethorst set the day before.   I was clear.  We were brothers first.  Teammates second, so he could go screw himself.  Rob and Dar were now one point from the lead. 

 John MacCausland finished the regatta strong as the wind continued to build and won the last race to finish second overall.  On the final leeward leg, another big gust toppled two masts, ejected a few poles, passed out a few fun rolls, etc… This time five or six boats called for their check and scooted off the racecourse.  Joe and Magnus made finishing second in the race and first in the regatta look easy, McCarthy/McCarthy took another swig from the fountain of youth to finish third in the race, Chris Wallner and I were fourth, and Schaefer/Peterson were finally aroused to take fifth.  Thank you Gull Lake Star Fleet for another wonderful weekend.  Now, all that is left is the weeping and the wailing… oh, and the shouting.