CONGRATULATIONS to Mark Golison, the 2024 Region 8 Dragonflite95 Champion! Racing was extremely close with 2 of the top 5 positions being decided via tie-breaks. Thanks to our Race Committee Members who worked so hard to host this regatta and congratulations to our Corinthian Award Winner, Henry Johnson!
Video courtesy of Steve Ross & Kerim Baran:
CARNAGE! Both on the Water and Off! Between damaged/malfunctioning boats and damaged infrastructure, we lost a number of ODOMs as well as a downed skipper (due to the collapsed concrete culvert in the control area: Get healed up, Paul!) Despite this, the conditions were beautiful with sunny skies, mild temperatures and good westerly winds. Chris Staiger RD’d the ODOM Fleet with Results below:
Following the ODOMs, the winds moved a bit southerly and became a little more shifty but didn’t slacken much. Gil Jansky RD’d the Soling 50 Fleet where racing was tight and lead changes were common. Overall, great day for Racing (and Gremlins…)
REMINDER: The Dragonflite95 Region 8 Championships are only TWO WEEKS AWAY!!! Get your Entries in! (see below)
Light southerly winds greeted the IOM fleet as Point racing began today. RD Ben Reeve utilized several course options from Medium to Long to mix things up until the winds filled and moved more westerly.
Thanks to Kerim Baran for the Drone Footage!
DF95’s were next. Winds filled to over 7 knots and moved near true West by the time the DF95’s turn came. Again, RD Ben Reeve called Medium, Long and ‘Reverse Short’ (Yes: downwind start to a leeward gate…) courses resulting in tight racing with many lead changes.
Good turnout despite the weather. Thanks to Race Director Steve Delva.
IOM and DF95 skippers finished the 2021 sailing season with a perfect fall day on our Mission Bay Model Yacht Pond. It looked like a good group of sailors considering the many commitments we navigate this close to the holidays. Thank You to all participants and volunteers that made this event possible.
I trust all Argonauts had a wonderful Thanksgiving.. We certainly have been experiencing exceptional fall weather!
This report comes as a lump sum-up of all activities for November, so lets dive right in. WE have elected new club officers, initiated annual registration with updated forms, called out to ALL Santa Barbara skippers for participation in 2022 sailing schedule and lots of sailing scores.
This looks like a great team for the Argonauts, for 2022, as we anticipate another fun year of pond activities. Our officers are important for our clubs direction and intentions but also need constructive support and input from all club members. Don’t be shy if you have a good idea that builds a stronger organization.
This is also the time of year for recruiting and sustaining membership. If you have friends interested in RC hobbies, related to our unique pond, please reach out to them. If you are already a member now is the time to refresh your dues. Ben Reeve, our new Purser, will be happy to take care of this matter. The updated membership and dues must be mailed or directly provided to Ben pond-side. If you would like to pay via PayPal please send Ben an email purser@sandiegoargonauts.com
Thanks to Bob Williams and Ben Reeve this was a fun event. Ben Reeve was the RD and documented the event with this brief:
Today was exceptionally fun day. Fifteen skippers showed up to race in unforgiving light winds from 3-6mph. Consistency was the name of game as it is most days. We attempted to get 12 races in, but after the 7th race we took a break to hope the wind would come back up. We were able to get another race in and then the skippers voted to call it a day. Which was a good idea as within minutes of that decision the pond went to a glassy smooth finish. Before I get to the finish order a big shout out to Bob Williams for doing a lot of work today to assist me, and another shout out to Kerim Baran for assisting us with the boat clean up and put away.
As premonitions of ghosting conditions for the Argonauts ODOM Halloween Regatta haunted anxious pond skippers, the sorcerers of wind cast a gloomy spell and weird circumstances of breathless conditions.. None the less, seven courageous skippers challenged the odds with radio, craft and wireless determination in an effort to outwit the demons of the pond!
WOW.. where did that come from?
Indeed, we were all challenged with extraordinary sailing conditions.
Thanks to Ken Campbell, who shared critical ODOM measurements and tuning advice, our skippers gathered greater insight to our boat rigging and tuning. Our support team: Ben Reeve, Pat Nevitt and Steve Ross. These guys made it happen! Open the shed, launch our trusty committee boat, set the marks, RC the racing, score the races, present trophies, pull the marks, clean the boat and hardware, lock her up! A huge round of appreciation for their efforts and service!
Our optimistic team had hoped for a twelve race regatta. Wind started out in the hopeful category and we actually managed to complete two long races in 6-8mph. Wind deteriorated as the day progressed and the medium course became the norm. By early afternoon we were sailing short and modified short (shorter weather leg) courses in wind speeds of 0-5mph. A drifter!
Despite the difficult sailing our top notch skippers managed to thrive and drive in the light winds. Congratulations to First Place winner Gerry Wold. Second Place Kerim Baran and Third Place Kim Robbins.
Ben Reeve has a clean green ODOM ready for racing action. He made the first start, but unfortunately due to electronic failure had to drop out. Our fleet looks forward to his future participation. Thank Ben for contributing the photos on the post.
Fellow tyrants. .. Don’t be silent.. Man your brooms and costumes. This Saturday is the ODOM HALLOWEEN REGATTA! The perfect seasonal opportunity that will either trick or treat your fellow pond pirates. Be prepared for abundant fun, without the bottle of rum!!
11:00AM- Ken Campbell will share his secrets about boat setup, tell tails, sail trim and other spooky strategy. South wind and fog could keep things creepy and interesting.
12:00AM- 5 MINUTE WARNING
In some neighborhoods green leaves are turning to amber and pumpkins baked into pies. With the shorter days ahead we look forward to trick and treaters at our doorstep.
I am certain, most will agree we are “lucky puppies” to live in San Diego where we can play outdoors year round. In October offshore breezes are frequent callers to our pond and teeshirts will soon be replaced with sweatshirts. A little light rain we will weather. But snow and ice are only imagined here.. So we sail on with a smile!
Thank You to Ken Campbell for informative rules clinics, diligent monthly scoring and accumulated 2021 scores. Thank You Ben Reeve for many RD duties that make racing on our pond fun. Helpful hands are always appreciated!
IOM and DF95 skippers enjoyed good breezes for our waning summer month of September. Lucky we are to have year round sailing on our pond! A special thank you to all participants and volunteers that contribute to the Argonauts success.
