Monday, July 24, 2006

2006 Fireweed Regatta - July 29, 2006

Ahoy everyone. I wanted to send out some more information on this weekend's regatta. As a reminder, and winds willing, we will start the "Pirate Race" at 1200 sharp. Skippers meeting at 1130. Dinner is going to be one fantastic pot luck. Grill your own kabobs, wings catered by Steve & Sue, & even some wine for tasting. Bring your favorite dish to share.


Pirate Race

The first race is a scavenger race of sorts. Each Skipper will be provided a rare, and authentic (at least as authentic as pirates on Big Lake), pirate map identifying the location of 3 or 4 marks. The first one to get to all the marks, complete their map and make it back to the dock wins.

Each mark will contain a clue to help you complete your map. Once a boat fetches a mark (obtains the clue), it has to deploy and trail a visible buoy 50 ft behind their boat before proceeding to the next mark (this is where the 1-2 liter bottle painted a nice bright color comes in handy). This is also where the cunning and sculldugery comes into play. Your float is fair game for another boat to capture. Once captured you must provide the clue to the scurvy slime that wants to prosper from all your hard work! It also gives th slower more maneuverable boats a chance to out smart some of the slicker faster craft, aaarrrgg. Again, first one to complete their map and return (safely, cause thar by pirates in them waters...) to the dock wins.


Relay Race

The second race will be a relay race. Each team will have three boats (maybe more, or less, depending on the number of folks that make it). A course will be established and boats positioned at points across the lake. Each boat will run their leg and hand off a baton to the next boat before they can start their leg. The first team across the finish line wins. Just to keep things fair, I thought we would draw teams from a hat Saturday morning (no stacking the deck Chris, Tim & Tom).


Sharks and Minnows

The final race is like the famous pool game "sharks and minnows ". We will have a dual between the two previous race winners (I'm still mulling over the dual ideas, but it will be good!). The winner, or I perhaps the loser, will be the shark. All the other boats will be positioned on the same side of one of the two starting lines. When the gun goes off, the other boats (minnows) must reach the other starting line without getting hit by the shark, or one of its captives. By hit I am referring to water balloons, and yes you must hit the skipper, not just the boat. The winner is the last minnow to cross the line with out getting hit.

I could use some help picking up some biodegradable water balloons and filling them up Saturday before the race. If you have a spare pail you may want to bring it to hold your stash of water balloons.

Fingers crossed, we might have a nice sunny weekend to pull this off. Please don't hesitate to drop me a note with any questions. See yah Saturday!

Posted for Jay by Paul

Earlier Post:

The regatta will consist of three events(races). The scavenger hunt (aka the pirate race, arrrgg!), a relay race, and a sailing interpretation of "sharks and minnows".

For two of the races each boat will need a float (a brightly colored 1or 2 liter bottle) and 50 feet of light line (surveyors cord worked great). For the relay race we will need teams of 3 boats; one big boat and two smaller boats. We can form teams that morning, or start sending some email notes around. It is highly recommended that you bring some sort of squirt gun to defend yourself, things can get pretty wet on the race course! And, did I mention the pirate attire...(always fun but never required).

Charts (for the pirate race, arrrrrgg) and additional race information will be provided the morning of the race. Weather permitting I would like to kick off the first race at 1200. That means that all the scurvy swabs participating in the scavenger hunt race need to be available for the skippers eating at 1130 sharp, or be walking the plank!

We had a lot of fun with this race series last year and hope to have an even better time this year. I look forward to seeing everyone.

2 comments:

Cat Sailor Paul said...

Arrggh, you scurvy dogs! I’ll be bringin’ the Challenge Cup along for the victor of this Pirate fest. See you on the high seas!

Cat Sailor Paul said...

Challenge Cup

Try this link to view the fabled Challenge Cup. It should work now.

PW