Sailing: Jack Lane blows away the Sunfish competition

The Menantic Yacht Club (MYC) held its fourth series of Sunfish races last Sunday at the usual 2 p.m. in West Neck harbor (WNH). The wind was a bit squirrelly, shifting up to 90 degrees, but it was blowing between 3 and 8 knots, which made for a great day of sailing.

The Race Committee held five races. Last week there was mass confusion when the committee ran a “W” course using the pin end of the start line as the leeward mark. The first race this week was that same course with no confusion. The next three races were the normal triangle. The last race was the triangle plus windward with a leeward finish.

This week we had a chase boat manned by Rita Gates and her friend Ed. They were on their 24 Grady White and moved the reaching and leeward marks several times between races because of the shifting winds. Rita is a longtime member of the MYC. My question to her is, since it only takes one person to man the chase boat, why weren’t you sailing on your almost new Sunfish?!

There were 15 boats with a total of 18 sailors. Again this week, John Woodward Jr. (12 years old) shared a boat with Oscar Champigneulle (11 years old), Cole Colby shared a boat with Nate Dombrowski and John Colby shared a boat with daughter Marnie. Marnie took the tiller in three of the races, with John instructing.

In last week’s Reporter column, I made several challenges, including one to the Lane family: Jack, his younger brother Chris and mother Bobbie. Jack answered and was well rewarded. When I first saw Jack on the water before Sunday’s races, he commented to me that he wasn’t sure if he remembered how to handle a Sunfish. By the end of the first race, there was zero doubt about that.

Congratulations, Jack on your five first-place finishes. No other sailor was even close. The next four finishers, Charlie Modica and younger brother John were dueling it out along with Richard Smith and Chip Luddecke. John arrived late to the first race but still managed to finish fifth overall.

There were a number of very close finishes among those of us in the middle of the pack. There were also several collisions and close calls. I was struck on my stern by John and Oscar approaching the windward mark. I was on port tack. They tacked to starboard, yelled starboard and simultaneously hit me because they did not leave enough room to complete their tack. Charlie saw the whole episode, told me I was in the right but I did not protest the youngsters so they didn’t have to do a penalty turn.

The true mettle of a racer is not slowing down to pick up a favorite hat that has blown off your head. That was true of Penny Pilkington on Sunday when her straw hat blew off. Fortunately for her, Michael Becker, her other half, gave up a few places to retrieve it for her, proving once again that chivalry lives on at the MYC.

There were two newcomers this week. One was Eileen Vetri, who finally succumbed to my weeks of challenging her to sail with us.

With a little practice, Eileen will give her sister Mary Vetri a run to the finish.

The other newcomer was Chip Luddecke, who made the comment at the end of racing that he sails with the “real” club on the other side of the Island. I immediately enlightened Chip to make no mistake about it, the MYC is indeed a real sailing club. We have a number of sailors who also belong to the Shelter Island Yacht Club. You are welcome back anytime, Chip. Shelter Island can support two real sailing clubs.

Welcome back, Cristina Morris. Last week she took fifth place in the Ladies Doughdish event at the Shelter Island Yacht Club.

Congratulations! However, that really is not an acceptable excuse for missing the Sunfish races, especially after winning the Most Improved trophy last year!

Many thanks to the Race Committee consisting of Commodore and Sallie Bethge, their friend Gwynn Wardell, Betsy Colby and Dave Olsen. I understand that Dave will be back to sailing next week and that he can’t wait to get back on the water. The committee performed in their usual superb fashion. The committee strongly recommends that all sailors wear a life vest.

We are a very real and congenial club open to all, with no dues, no fees and no clubhouse. The sailing is great, we have tremendous fun, and we often have after race barbeques. All sailors, novice to expert, are welcome. Meet the fleet at 2 p.m. every Sunday through Labor Day in West Neck Harbor. Commodore Bethge has several Sunfish available on a first-to –reserve basis. Call him at 749-1297 or Bob Harris at 749-0524 at least one day prior to racing. See you on the water.

MYC Results
1.     Jack Lane     5 1sts 5
2.     Charlie Modica     15
3.     Richard Smith     19
4.     Chip Luddecke     23
5.     John Modica     26
6.     Bob Harris     29
7.     John Woodward &Oscar Champigneulle     32
8.     Penny Pilkington     34
9.     Cristina Morris     42
10.     Cole Colby & Nate Dombrowski     55
11.     Michael Becker     59
12.     Jasper Edie     64
13.     Mary Vetri     68
14.     Melanie Coronetz     72
15.     John & Marnie Colby     73