I agree with Heidi. But to entice you and others a bit more, here are some
details.
First, both days (Oct 24 and 25) are spinnaker races, though you can always
sail without (especially if you have kids on board). Saturday we have three
buoy races with inflatables, normally pretty close to RYC on the Southampton
course. These count for the Spinnaker series, which is pretty light this
year since we did Nationals instead of the Encinal Opener and hardly anybody
raced in the Plastic Classic (and nobody in the Season Closer). You can
count on good committee work from RYC; winds will be what they are, no
guarantees at that time of year. We generally get 5-8 boats for Saturday
Pumpkin, which is about as many spinnakered Tunas as you are likely to see
in one place all year, with the possible exception of Vallejo Opener.
Sunday is an unabashedly fun race. First, it's a reverse start so we always
start (close to) first in little wind, and get passed by the faster boats
who get to sail when the wind has filled in. Second, it's one of those
"around Angel Island and Alcatraz, in either direction" races, not as
hilarious as the aptly named Three Bridge Fiasco, but interesting
nonetheless, at least for boats that have a chance to win the thing.
And then there's the pumpkins. Friday night little kids get to carve them
(pumpkins are provided, cutting tools are not) and the pumpkins are judged
by an authoritative-looking panel who somehow manage to come up with a "most
something" prize for every one. Then on Sunday a big RIB gets filled up with
a new batch of specially-marked pumpkins and takes off to drop them in the
water to get picked up by participants.
I have noticed that the RIB tends to drop them about a hundred yards in
front of boats that have conspicuous kids or folks in costume on board, but
maybe that's just coincidence... In any case, if you do bring kids, *under
no circumstances attempt to win the race*. You are there to ensure the kids
have a good time, and that means scooping up one or (oh bliss) two pumpkins
for them to trade in for more prizes. Being near the front of the fleet
makes it much less likely that the RIB driver will see your little ones.
Don't ask me how I know.
One of the nice things about the GP Pursuit is that besides prizes for 1st
through 10th (which are pretty much out of reach under normal conditions),
there are also fun prizes for 23rd, 47th etc - and also the ever-popular DFL
bowl (or whatever it is). But the pursuit race does not count for our
spinnaker series.
There's also free beer both days, great appetizers on Sunday, a rockin party
Saturday night... a grand time.
So go ahead and sign up at
http://www.richmondyc.org/Cal2/EventShow.asp?event_id=140748&event_batch=1
already!
Jan Grygier, PhD
hydrophilos at earthlink.nethttp://home.earthlink.net/~hydrophilos/spigot.html
-----Original Message-----
From: tuna-bounces at myfleet.org [mailto:tuna-bounces at myfleet.org] On Behalf
Of Heidi Schmidt
Sent: Tuesday, September 29, 2009 5:41 PM
To: ListSatanna 22; tmc664 at comcast.net
Subject: Re: [Santana 22] Great Pumpkin RYC
It's great fun. Do it.
Heidi
#419
--- On Tue, 9/29/09, tmc664 at comcast.net <tmc664 at comcast.net> wrote:
> From: tmc664 at comcast.net <tmc664 at comcast.net>
> Subject: [Santana 22] Great Pumpkin RYC
> To: "Satanna 22, List" <tuna at myfleet.org>
> Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2009, 4:42 PM
> #yiv419099299 p
> {margin:0;}
> I'm thinking of entering my new to me S22 in the Great Pumpkin. I've
> searched the archives and RYC doesn't have the SIs up yet so I know
> nothing about this race. I'd appreciate any info from those who have
> done this race before.
> Thx
> Tom
> #802 Spitfire
> -----Inline Attachment Follows-----
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