Oh I know every one thinks that dinghy racing is just for kids. Let me tell you a thing or two about dinghy racing. I have never laughed so hard as I have when I have been racing out there on Thursday evening. Last year several exciting things happened. I had borrowed a Hobie 16 from a friend to race. The first day the racing went well and we returned to the dock and pulled the boat out. I had managed to lose a vital small connector piece that was essential to lowering the mast. I went over to Jim Findley’s Hobie 16 to borrow his. My crew went to take the jib down and in the process, he unhooked the fore stay. The resulting crash told me that I did not have to borrow the connector piece as the mast was now down.
A couple of weeks later we launched and headed out to race. We decided to tack. As the main filled on the port side, the mast fell over. It took 15-20 min. to find a pin to replace the one that went AWOL on the starboard chain plate.
Now if you do not think that this is how to have fun let me describe the incident that happened the next week. I am not making this up. If you do not believe that this really happened then you need to talk to Eric Egge. He will back me up on this, as he was the only person to see this incident.
Eric and I had had a good evening of racing and headed back to the dock first because we had finished first. I had been out on the trapeze and had on a harness that allowed me to defy death and gravity and keep the boat from tipping over. As we came up to the dock we were trucking along pretty good and Eric asked me how we were going to stop the cat at the dock. I told him “no problem”. I took the docking line and said that I would step off onto the dock and snub the line to one of those big cleats that are on the dock.
Weeeellll as I stepped off the boat a gust of wind accelerated the boat as only a multihull can accelerate. At that moment, I had one foot on the dock and one on the boat. This of course did not last long. I fell on to the dock edge. Well, it just so happened that as I fell I landed on one of those big cleats. The thigh strap of my harness hooked the cleat. So picture this: here I am lying in the water on my back next to the dock hanging on a cleat by a strap around my leg. I still had the docking line in my hand so I did what any true sailor would do, I hung on with both hands. I stopped the boat just like I always meant to. New picture: still lying in the water, hooked to the cleat but now with both arms extended over my head holding the Hobie from blowing up the ramp. I laughed for hours and then the pain started and I cried for hours.
But wait there is more fun to be had. The next time that I went out with Eric the wind was really blowing and I was out on the wire and we were screaming along. All of a sudden, the forestay came undone. Down went the mast. Into the water went yours truly.
So this year I have decided to slow down a bit and get on a stately monohull. It just so happens that Jim Findley bought a Laser 2 and asked me if I was interested in crewing with him in the dinghy races. We decided to go for a practice sail. We rigged the boat and launched it. I tied it to a cleat. While Jim put the truck and trailer in the parking lot, I decided to get on the boat and get it ready for sailing. The bow was to the dock so I stepped onto the boat and walked towards the mast. When I got to the mast I actually debated whether to swing outside the shroud or to duck under it. I decided to go under and inside the shroud. As it turned out it didn’t matter which way I went. As soon as I stepped on the gunwale the boat turned into an angry bucking bronco. A half-second later I was in the water sputtering at my own stupidity. Jim came back to find me fishing things out of the water. I lost two bottles of Fish Tale IPA too.
These are just a few of the fun things that can happen at the Thursday dinghy races. So don’t miss the fun. Come out and join the dinghy racing.
Rod Tharp
who may be bruised but is still laughing