2007 Gull Lake Tulip Time Tune-Up

Report by Tom Londrigan Jr.

GULL LAKE, MICHIGAN -- Tulip Time in Michigan is always the weekend between Mother’s Day and Memorial Day.  On Memorial Day, we honor the death of soldiers who sacrificed their lives so that we may live in freedom.  On Mother’s Day, we honor the life of another soldier, our mother, and the sacrifices she made so that we may live and sail in peace and harmony.  Tulip Time is sandwiched in between these two celebrations, so... we must sail.  Of course, we would sail and compete for no particular reason.  So where am I going with this?  That, my friend, is for you to decide.

 Last time I sailed was in November.  Since then I had surgery on my right hip.  I was concerned that sailing a Star would never be the same.   I worked hard in rehab. Tulip Tune-Up Time was the test.  So I packed the boat and I packed the car.  All I needed was a quality crew (Matt Pedersen), a good boat, a bottle of Irish Whiskey, some Vicodin, and a box of Hot Pockets; win or lose I would be feelin’ good and you may have already deduced, feelin’ good makes me feel good. 

32 boats raced this year.  The field included the two Olympic medalists, a World Champion and a North American Champion, a member of the US Sailing team, the old and the young, the big and the small, and the Ukrainians and Canadians.  Mike Wolf (Canadian) and Arthur Anosov (Ukrainian) buried their country’s age-old feud and met on the racecourse, brothers in arms.  Not once did Arthur Anosov threaten to disembowel Mike Wolf nor did Mike preach about socialized medicine.  It must have been the tulips and the aroma of Teflon that soothed their souls.  More likely it was the unheard-of hospitality that the Gull lake fleet oozed out over everyone.  Good Lord, they thought of everything.  Housing was provided to all that asked, and Matt Pedersen had a little elderly man follow him around all day tending to his whims... nicest place

 Gene McCarthy sailed and celebrated his 105^th birthday.  Way to go Gene.   In fact due to his advancing age, we all agreed to let Gene sail the course without regard to the buoys.  He did quite well.  Charlie Barnes, although not quite as old, sailed in his 53^rd Tulip Time; a real achievement.  But, Charlie was still required to sail around the buoys properly; maybe next year Charlie.

We did miss some of our favorite Star sailors.  Tommy VanderMolen was recovering from a serious infection.  We were all happy to see him on the mend.   Pat Londrigan would have showed but he had a previous engagement tweaking his myspace.com site with Mark Strube and immersing himself in a can of body spray.  Good luck with that buddy.

 Race one was sailed in warm breezes from the west, puffing to 18 knots but steady at 12 knots.  The Race Committee was solid throughout; the pin favored by five degrees every time.  A little OCD if you ask me.  On the first start we were off.  I fought with the fleet and finished seventh.  Andy Lovell of New Orleans commanded the race with Joe Londrigan and Mike Wolfs close behind.  Gene and Glenn McCarthy sailed their own course to third, Todd Gay and Pat Brewer were a solid fourth and Rick Merriman and Brian Terhaar were fifth.  Race two was deja vu all over again.  Lovell and Liljedahl with Londrigan and Wolfs close behind.  Jon VanderMolen and Steve Ticknor made us look foolish at the jib mark and finished third and Matt Pedersen and I limped in for fourth.  Where was the Vicodin?  Where was the Irish Whiskey?  Ooooh, I think those hot pockets are backing up.

 I was thinking about a little intestinal relief but hung on for the third race.  Jim VanderMolen and Jon Klerk rounded the first mark and Matt and I were close behind, feeling a bit bloated, with Greg Smith and TC Belco overlapped to windward and Joe Londrigan and Mike Wolfs close behind.  Greg and TC kept pushing to windward and we vowed not repeat the mistake of the last jib mark so we jibed away, jibed back gave up a boat length but kept our overlap.  After the leeward mark, Jim VanderMolen and Jon Klerk decided to keep an eye Joe and Mike and we hit two shifts just right.  We sailed the remainder of the race with a large lead.  I forgot about the whiskey and hot pockets.  I forgot about my hip.  This was certainly the best remedy any doctor could have prescribed.

 Joe and Mike were second, again.  Jim and Jon were third, Greg and TC were fourth, and Andy and Magnus fifth.  This put Joe and Mike only one point in front of Andy and Magnus, no discards. 

 Sunday was light and goofy; a bit like Siegfried and Roy after three wine coolers.  Still, Joe Londrigan and Mike Wolfs found a way to take a nice lead.  They have a kinship with white tigers and their manly trainers   However, Jack Rickard and Sam Eadie remained patient and whittled their lead down and then took it for their own.  At the leeward mark, Jack did not realize that it was a gate and rounded incorrectly.  Jack is a gentleman and realized his mistake.  He doubled back and rounded the buoy properly.  His score suffered but it was the right thing to do. 

 Joe and Mike won and took the regatta.  It was Joe’s eighth Tulip victory.  When you win the Tulip, you receive wooden shoes.  Joe’s house is full of wooden shoes and tulips.  See, the Siegfried and Roy reference isn’t that far off.  By the way he enjoys listening to Sade as well.  I think I may have said too much.

 Great thanks to Jon VanderMolen and his fleet mates.  I will remain steadfast that they are the best hosts of Star regattas.