Of course Thorsten and Ulli made all kinds of silly mistakes. So we were sailing alright, just not
as fast as I could. Darn I hope they learn fast.
Some weekends later they actually improved a little bit.
Just a bit, but no more real stupid stunts anyhow. And sure enough they enter us in a
regatta.
Geez kids you probably even don't know to what marker to sail next, and even if you know
that, you probably have no idea to sail towards that marker. I felt a little embarrassed with
my novice crew, but somehow they crossed the start line and were off to the first marker.
Trouble Doll, my neighbor in the marina, was flying away so were Miss Behavin and EVERYBODY ELSE.
But we kind of stayed in sight of the other boats and my crew seemed to have fun sailing behind
the field trying to catch up. Maybe that's the reason they actually knew where to go next.
Anyhow all the boats were long finished and we were still to round the last marker and back to
the finish line when I could see that somebody picked our marker up and proceeded to go back to
the marina. I heard that Thorsten and Ulli were a little disappointed about a DNF but they
decided to round the marker anyhow, even if that said marker was on the bow of Miss Behavin
steaming at us in the direction to the marina. All of the sudden I could hear the race committee
boat apologizing for the error and at the same time Miss Behavin made a hard turn and her
machines at full throttle headed back towards the place where they picked up the marker before.
Geez, I thought.
We made it around the marker and back to the finish line in time, and finished the race dead last.
Later I saw Toni running around with a red head apologizing profoundly to Thorsten and Ulli who
at this moment thought that it was just a honest mistake and didn't feel bad at all.
Still that regatta sailing was kind of fun and one of these days my crew will learn to actually
sail a little faster, because I am sure I can.
Later in the summer it got really hot in the middle of Illinois. Now I understood why some boats
were humming all day long. Air conditioners were working. But not on this boat, my friends,
I might be a little warm, but a heavy air conditioner? That would make me slow and heavy.
My teak deck was insulating pretty good against the heat anyhow.
We participated in lots of races and actually got a little better over time. My skipper and smutje
didn't make all those silly mistakes anymore, well, they certainly had their share of hiccups,
but I have to admit, sometimes they get a whole leg of a regatta pretty good. Unfortunately there
is more than just one leg, so they still goof up a couple of times each race.
The best part of a regatta is the start.
Adrenaline pure!
Even if the wind is not blowing all too much.
No kidding, it's a blast to be in so close proximity of the other boats.
During one start somebody was so close they actually touched us, nothing happened, just the
clamp on the gas grill was a little bent out of the way. What fun that was, we actually
made it across the line first, just to be overtaken by all the fast ships moments later. But
for a brief moment EVERYBODY was behind me. I think I like that.
Some races are held with good winds, but the ones in summer were plagued with NO wind.
One race took 5 plus hours to finish. That's the races when my crew gets on their throats,
its tough when you sit in the middle of the lake and you can't get to the next mark. Maybe a
bigger sail would help a bit. (That's what Thorsten keeps saying anyhow)
We did place 3rd overall in the summer series. Now I really feel like a racer!
Even Trouble Doll the 34 foot C&C next to me was impressed.
We also won the second place in the Hearn's regatta. That's a women's regatta where Ulrike was on
the helm. To make things even more humiliating, the husbands have to dress up as women.
I cannot describe the look on the face of the angler we passed rather closely in the canal,
which leads from the marina to the open lake. My owner was all decked out with very large
"personal flotation devices" and a fitting pink sun hat. During that race my skipper Ulli tried
over and over to sail me dead straight into the wind. Sometimes the shortest distance between two
marks is not a straight line!
Thorsten was not allowed to "help" , he was just whining a whole lot. But nevertheless
we made second place.
Certainly we had lots of fun.
I sometimes feel bad about the many boats which never seem to leave the marina. These poor
sisters are just there and hardly ever get out to sail. I feel bad for them, as there are quite
some beautiful boats which I never see on the lake. I also would like to see more boats to
compete in the races. I hear some loud voices from the many parties on the hill, how fast the
skippers and their boats are, if they only would choose to race with us.
I am ready to race you, so are the other "racers", bring it on!
Stop talking and join us out there. Most regatta sailors are courteous and give way, even if
they have the right to keep on going.
I started to hate the sun a bit during the long summer, good that Thorsten and Ulli are always
putting up the full boat cover during the week. My wood doesn't like the sun.
The cockpit wasn't in the best of shapes and showed wear and little nicks here and there.
Nothing too bad, but I am a proud ship, so little things like that drive me nuts.
Thorsten had to fly to Germany on a business trip. He had one afternoon off, so he actually visited
the BICKER Werft and talked to Mr Bicker. Sure enough he learned a few little tricks to make me
sail faster. He was really impressed about the new BIGA boats. They actually make a 32 footer which
is to die for. Also he was telling everybody about all the teak and mahogany which was neatly sorted and
ready to be made into the famous Biga boats.
Then it became colder and colder and the summer was gone. I saw many boats getting out of the
water and left all by themselves in those crates on the parking lot. Good for me that I have a
trailer and can go home to Olney. There I have the pleasure to be during the cold winter in a heated
warehouse.
What a luxury, indeed. And soon Ulli and Thorsten brought more and more tools out
there and before I knew it all the old varnish of the cockpit was gone. To be replaced by new shiny layers.
Five coats of lovingly applied expensive varnish and my cockpit looks better than new
again. Thanks Ulli for a fantastic job.
And I got a new front hatch. The old one was broken and fixed with duct tape. That's a
definite no no for me! Thorsten got a new hatch on the Annapolis show, were he and Ulli spent a
few wonderful days. I bet the two looked at all them brand new BIG boats there.
I heard them saying, that they like me after all, because I got character and I have so much
beautiful wood instead of looking like a dentist office (whatever that means?)
Back to the new hatch, sure enough my old hatch wasn't bad when it was new, but that's a couple
of decades ago. Somehow the new hatch was bigger than the old one and I heard my master saying
all kinds of nasty words, which I will not repeat. Seems that the old hatch had a small square
ridge to compensate for my beautiful round lines. This ridge didn't fit the new window.
Thorsten spend hours and hours sanding but finally it looks pretty nice.
I have seen all those nice lines leading back to the cockpit on many boats, now I have some too.
Lets see how much easier it is to raise the main, also the topping lift is now fully functional
as well as the boom vang. Our business connection "Provelo" has now a wholesale account at
SAILNET, the favorite supplier of all those goodies.
And to make things real neat inside the V berth Thorsten has finished all the wooden spars and
the ceiling and nicely varnished the whole area as well. Now you can crawl all the way towards
the bow and all the wood looks finished. Also a radio was added to complement the cozy
interior. Electric lines are sorted much better as well. Still it's a mess to me, as I lived so
many years without having any electricity what so ever.
I also got a new name. Although the old one was not bad, it was much nicer in Germany. Here in the
USA the old name doesnt really fit to a fast and slender boat like me. My new name is TIBURON. Tiburon
means shark in Spanish. Ulli and Thorsten really like sharks and they have encountered numerous ones
while diving in Cozumel. Now the fear should come up in my competitors, when I approach the starting line.
Enough of this nice play ! Next year we will race showing our teeth ( shark's teeth that is )
