2006 Finale

The Fourth District Fall Finale celebrated its 50th anniversary with warm memories and heartbreaking finishes.  Fifty years ago, the Lake Springfield fleet hosted the first Finale in late September; it was to mark the end of the sailing season.  37 boats showed up.

 Ironically, Illinois River’s J. Holt Thomas is now the last event of the season.  In the 90’s,  Lake Carlyle feebly tried to host an event entitled the “Final Finale”.  Mama Karma took care of that nose-thumbing and for reasons that are apparent on its face, the Final Finale fell on its face.  In your face, Lake Carlyle!  I’m just kidding Lake Carlyle… as if anyone from Lake Carlyle is reading this crud. 

Past Finale Champions include World Champions Harry Nye, Bert Williams, Buddy Melges, Joe Londrigan, Worlds runner-up and four-time Silver star winner Peter Wright, North American Champ Tom Adams, and Bronze Medalist Bill Parks. 

Some familiar faces appeared for the 2006 event-- some sailed in the first Finale fifty years ago.  Gene McCarthy surprised us all and directly refuted the internet rumors of his demise.  Tut and Barb Greening were also present and shared stories of the first event with Gene.  Bill Parks sailed in the second event after he heard reports of the first Finale.  He won the second Finale in 1957 as a bachelor.  After loading up the beautiful trophy with booze, he tossed it in the closet for the rest of the year… kids.

 Betsy mistakenly read the previous sentence by adding the word “wife” after trophy.  Try it, it reads much funnier.

Due to a variety of conflicts, only ten boats sailed this year; six were past champions (Jack Rickard ’79, ’81, ’85, ’90, ’93, ’95;  Peter Wright ’70, ’72, ‘’75, ’89;  Bill Parks ’57, ’80, ’82;   Gene McCarthy ’87, ’94;  Gay ’03, ’05; and Tom Londrigan, Jr. ’86, ’04) 24 past titles were at this year’s event not including the various crew champions; Pat Brewer, Glenn McCarthy, Phil Peterson, Gil Cole, Chris Wallner, and Tom Londrigan, Sr.  Mark Lewis was a crew Champion as well but he has long since retired.  Au revoir, Monsieur Lewis… we shall not see your kind again.  The Wysockey name is splattered across the trophy but only Tom and Simone came this year, the others are busy repopulating suburban Cook County.

Race 1

 The weather on Saturday was beautiful.  It was sunny, 80 degrees, and winds were from the south at 15-18 knots.  The RC posted a five legged windward/leeward course but had trouble keeping the anchor.  When the line was set, the pin was 10 degrees favored but the wind was coming from the right side of the course.  Chris Wallner and I could not make up our mind so we decided to take the 10 degree bonus and start at the pin.  It turned out to be a consolation prize. 

 Rick Brethorst and Bob Carson protected the right side and rounded in first followed by McCarthy/McCarthy, Gay/Brewer, Parks/Wise close behind.  We played the left with Wright/Rundle and were in fifth and sixth respectively.  Downwind no positions changed.  We all sailed close to the rhumbline.  Rick Brethorst sailed most of the races on the right side of the course; he was determined not to leave the right side exposed.  As a result, of the three races, he led at the last leeward mark in two and was second in the other.  He finished the regatta fourth overall with a second, a fourth, and a third.  He was bleeding boats on the last leg.  The last leg of every race was his undoing.  But why? 

 Ken Cole sailed stars for nearly fifty years, he was unflappable, King Cool.  He also liked sailing to the edge of the right side, the left side, or any side contrary to the rest of the fleet.  He often took sides or as he called them, “get well tacks.”  He could round the first mark in first or last.  Regardless of the result of his jousting at windmills, he always enjoyed himself and often proclaimed, “if you live by the sword then you will die by the sword.”   

At the last mark of the first race, Rick was leading and we were in second.  Conventional wisdom will tell you that it is time to cover.  But Saturday’s winds weren’t conventional.  Although the wind seemed to come from the right, it was still an oscillating breeze.  If you cover in puffy and oscillating breeze then you end up sailing the race of the boat you are covering.  The covered boat tacks on puffs and lifts and the lead boat must sail a header while waiting for the other boat to tack.  The lead will diminish quickly under those ground rules.  Hindsight is pretty clear for me a week after the event and I am sure I would have tried to cover as well.  But, after trying to cover for ¾ of the leg, Rick tacked to protect the right.  One more taste of the sword, one more lick on the lollipop. 

 We were lucky and came back with a left shift.  Did the right dry up for Rick? 

 I yelled for Rick to “hold his course” while I ducked.  He laughed at my antiquated use of the rules.  An Alberto Gonzalez memo had clearly determined this phrase to be “quaint” and of no application to our current rules.   Rick tacked after he crossed our bow but we edged out to leeward and ahead.  Rick had to tack away.  Moments later, we sailed to the finish line on that right velocity that Rick was hunting for earlier.  But, both Rick and I learned a good rule of thumb for this type of crossing. 

 First, if the port boat is ducking at full speed, forget the slam dunk tack.  If you tack too soon you most likely will foul the ducking boat, remember a tacking boat is no longer privileged and if the port tack boat must continue to keep clear then the tacking boat has fouled the port tack boat.  If you tack too late, then the port tack boat will squeeze out in front anyway. 

 Second, make up your mind early which side to protect.  Rick wanted to protect the right then he should have tacked earlier in a lee bow position and then crossed back in the expected new wind. If he wanted to protect the left then he could have continued on Starboard.  Either way, the slam dunk tack should be avoided.   Therefore, when covering and you see the port boat crack its sheets, you should abandon the cover and decide which side to protect.

 Race 2

 This time Chris and I decided to protect the right at the start.  Peter Wright and Rick Brethorst started at the pin and crossed the fleet nicely.  They exploited the best of both.  They took advantage of the 10 degree favored pin and an early left shift and barreled over to the right.  They made it look easy. Chris and I sailed some of the worst legs I care to imagine, out of phase, out of wind, and out of touch.  Rick Brethorst and Bob Carson were leading again (live by the sword) but Peter Wright and Rick Rundle played the opposite side downwind (left) and took a nice lead past Rick who was on the right again (die by the sword).  Up the next leg, Peter played the shifts and expanded on his lead.  By the final mark, Peter was comfortably ahead.  Rick was second, the McCarthys were third, Gay and Brewer were fourth and we were fifth. 

 Todd Gay did a nice job moving quickly into second so Rick steamed off to the right again.   Todd lined up to protect second and did a nice job covering us up the leg.  We were no threat.  However, within a hundred yards of the finish he pealed off to the right.  Rick was working that sword over pretty good and Todd didn’t want him to squirt past.  Ironically, a left shift popped up and we stumbled into a second place.  Todd held third and Rick slipped to fourth.  Um, did someone say die by the sword?

 Race 3

 By this time, all of our swords were sore.  I really don’t recall the start other than Rick was leading after making sweet love to his sword on the right side again.  I guess I learned my lesson, so on the second beat I followed Mike Pick and Gil Cole to the right side.  Mike Pick is one of our favorite new sailors, he is getting better every year and to see him take the lead was a pleasure.  Chris and I cheered him on despite the dirty air he kept dishing up for us.  We overstood and reached into the mark overlapped with Pick and Brethorst.  Hey, maybe the right side is the way to go; maybe Rick is on to something here. 

 The rest of the fleet was close but downwind Rick Brethorst and Peter Wright skated away, Todd Gay and Pat Brewer were third and we were fourth at the last mark.  Since Rick and Peter appeared to be committed to a little sword fight on the right.  We went left with Todd Gay.  It seemed that we passed the guys on the right fairly easily (died by the sword) so I continued on port until we could tack on top of them.  Todd was following.  However, Todd pealed off for one more bite from the middle of the course.  It paid dividends.  Todd and Pat Brewer coasted to victory and we barely held off the boys on the right. 

 Mike Pick didn’t hold on though.  Fredo, you broke my heart.  Taking the lead is the start Mike, now its time to finish the job and we are all there rooting for you buddy.

 Saturday night, Carol and Tom Londrigan, Sr. hosted a nice party and Bill Parks sang song after song on the piano until Rick Rundle started marching up the stairs honking on what appeared to be a mini-trumpet and then, abruptly…the music stopped.  The joy was over there would be no more fun, the lights flickered which is the traditional signal that dinner was ready at the yacht club and we all silently filed out. 

 Sunday brought no wind, thunderstorms, and no racing.  Rick Brethorst sheathed his sword, Rundle’s delicately placed his trumpet back into its velvet case, and the boats were slowly disassembled.  The silence was only broken by the intermittent giggles of Bill Parks and his wife Joan, echoing from a dark corner of the parking lot. 

 Hopefully, next weekend’s regatta in Peoria will spark back the life and vitality evident at the start of the 50^th Fall Finale.  If I go to a quiet room and close my eyes then I can picture the sights and smells of the Illinois River.  Oh yes, I can hear Rundle belt out “reveille” on his trumpet, the rustle of sails hoisting, the cool squish of my boat being lowered into mud, and the peaceful swish of clothes cascading to the floor.

Note:  During the awards ceremony, Jack Rickard quickly pointed out that Gene McCarthy was setting precedent for receiving an award for finishing in the middle of the fleet.  Well played, Jack.