Crow’s Nest 08/29/24

Labor Day weekend already…??? It can’t be….It seems as though the season had just begun and the excitement of 2024 was fresh in our hearts.  A’las the season has indeed dwindled down to one final weekend to engage in our favorite waterside activity with friends and family before the inevitable seasons of cold… On the bright side, while we won’t be racing, there’s plenty of time for recreation on and around the lake before the conditions turn too adverse.

Despite being the final weekend of the 2024 season, we have plenty of excitement!  The Labor Day Regatta, the danger of the Juno Cup, final submissions for the Blooper, the Awards Dinner and of course the Change of Watch.

Racing will of course be at the same time with two races planned Saturday for all fleets. Sunday morning has one race planned; no racing is planned for the E and C fleets Sunday afternoon.

The year end festivities will begin at 5:30 Sunday evening starting with a dinner catered by Cynthia Lewerke; 3 types of sliders with sides for $15/person; Commodore Casey Callanan will begin the Annual Meeting around 7:00 with the awards presentation and Changing of the Guard to follow. In addition to the racing awards in each fleet, other “special recognition awards” will be presented to deserving folks:

• Tom MacNider Memorial Trophy – CLYC’s Most Improved Sailor
• R Lyle Bergo Memorial Trophy – Top X Boat Regatta Performance
• Charlie Crane Memorial Trophy – Contributions to the CLYC
• Marie O’Brien Alcorn Memorial Trophy – Top Off Lake Performance
• The Loose Anchor Award – Contributions behind the scenes
• The Blooper Award – isn’t it obvious…?

The Clear Lake Mirror Reporter has published an article written by Andi Tisor with results and photos from multiple sources from around the area.  As we all know the regatta was a huge success for the Club; it was also a huge success for everyone around the area!  CL Reporter Article

I got word that Sandy and Kathleen Sondrol, our ILYA Championship photographers, have posted a bunch more photos from the regatta; many of those are of Clear Lake sailors. Please go check out his website:  www.sandysondrol.com

Last weekend, every fleet in the Club finally got a full schedule of races in!  Great breezes prevailed all day Saturday out of the SE, creating happy sailors and great racing.  Sunday was a touch funky but, heck, it was a decent breeze, comparatively speaking…The participating sailors in each fleet had a chance to make a move for their respective Championships; with that said, I won’t into much detail on those races as I don’t want to spoil the surprise in store for the Awards Banquet.  Of course I suppose you could cheat and go look at the scores online…  What I can say is that Brad Price in the E fleet and Finley Nyhus in the M15 fleet had very impressive weekends, making a final push toward the goal of a Championship.

Mark Tesar, Todd Tesar and Dan Allen ventured over to Lake Geneva, WI for the MC National Championship Regatta.  96 MC’s showed up for the event excited about racing on big water with good breeze.  The big bumpy water was still there, but the good breeze was “elusive” for many!  For the second year in a row, just 3 races were scored at the National Championship.

Those three races were sailed in very tough conditions; 6-13 mph winds if you were in the right place and the shifts were consistently inconsistent…Oh yeah, waves, waves got to be an issue at times!  Dan Allen was able to position himself in good spots throughout the event and finished with a 1,25, 7 scoreline and finished 5th overall, the top amateur in the fleet.

While the racing here in Clear Lake may be done for the year in just a few days, plenty of racing is still happening this Fall:

Brad Price and Team Goose will be heading to beautiful Crystal Lake, MI in a couple weeks to compete in the E Scow National Championship.  Thanks to a solid couple weeks, Dan Allen will be heading to Spring Lake, MI for the MC Blue Chip.  Many sailors will take a short break and hit the winter circuit in Florida; some in MC’s, others in M15’s… Who knows, with the new Melges Watersports Center and their lineup of events, maybe we’ll have E’s and C’s down in Florida this Winter!?  www.melgeswatersports.com

The Amble family has their X boat available:

For Sale:  1999 Melges X Boat, complete with Melges trailer, full deck cover, envelope cover, 2 whisker poles, floatation panel .  All rigging updated in 2019.   2022 Main and Jib (NS), 2015 Main and Jib (NS), 2009 Main (NS), 2008 Jib (NS). $5,000.

Sold Separately: 2024 X Boat Main and Jib (Quantum, new/unused) $1,000 for set

Contact Ryan Amble 515-988-8634

Before we start looking toward the off sailing season, let’s enjoy one last weekend of friendship and competition here at the lake. See you this weekend!  Until then friends…

Stay in the Clear Air,

Dan Allen
MC 2811 – Relentless
dsallen@cltel.net
www.clyciowa.com
www.clycss.com