Sailing Team Logbook 2006

Wednesday will be our alumni invitational at Saquatucket Harbor 2:30 PM.

Monday (05/22/06) Wow the last week of sailing in front of us we take on Naust High at Harwich Port. Nauset is a great spirit team, like ours, and a lot of fun to sail against. Still they gave us a tussle , however we had some really fine moments in the race with B.Boyle w/ Jesse, Pete Sawyer and Mary Wesp with and BMc with Gillian for the openers. Then in the fourth & Fifth race Tim Adams and Glenn Mallory changed Pete Sawyer and Brian with Jesse and Gillian who absolutely stomped to first place and we won the 5th heat with a rear trap by Tim at the weather mark holding back two Warriors and Capt.Jesse crossed the finish line in first!. Matt Haas nailed down the pole position at the weather mark twice while I watched. Rough Riders lose but graciously. Pete Sawyer complained the course sailed a bit lop sided do to persistant shift caused by the Snow Inn buildings.Also there are 89 good photos of our team against Chatham at Eric Adler's Shutterfly page.

Thursday (05/18/05) The Rough Riders go to DY

Wednesday (05/17/05) Harwich won the first heat with fast sailing by Pete Sawyer and crew Mary Wesp and BMc with Gillian Smith but good seamanship from Chatham to keep capsizes at a minimum as the wind jumped up from 25 to 35 mph gusts carried the day. Most impressive was an upwind trap by Chatham's Sims McGrath and crew near the finishline that controled Sawyer and allowed teammate Steve Hammond to sneak past into first place in the third heat. A capsize by Tim Adams with Glenn Mallory sealed the Rough Riders fate in the fourth race. Final score Chatham 3, Harwich 1. Eric Adler was onboard COMMANDER and wrote a news story about the two teams.

Saturday (05/06/06) Just got back on line today after a major internet glitch. A lot has happened this month and team is sailing well. Though we are more than halfway through the season we are hoping for improved results on the end.

Friday (04/13/06) New sails have arrived and need to be numbered and logoed. Jesse Hewitt has developed our new sailing ensign for the mains.

Thursday (04/13/06) We race at Home against solid D-Y with pretty much 1,2,4 finishes. It is obvious our boat speed is not bad but our Vanderbilt starts from most of the team have a lot to be desired. Pete Sawyer makes several attempts at mixing it up at the starting line but over earlies are foiling us.

Tuesday (04/11/06) Sandwich comes to Harwich with a 23 sailor student roster. Now easily the largest well equipped team we have every seen. Its good we have COMMANDER to carry all these extras. The Sandwich stars do well against our six in a sweep, but often, that's the way team racing goes. Sandwich has an amazing parent fund raising thing that enabled the team to buy boats, sails, matching life jackets, sweatshirts, fleeces and dry-suits for the entire 40+ member varsity and JV. However, lets review the plusses of Harwich. Neat diversified team members, A great little school, interesting coaches, a great team website and, when you think about it, how much time does a Rough rider on our team get to sail vs. being on a team like Sandwich? The answer, 100%.

Monday (04/10/06) Coach Dickson puts together a good team race practice, pitting Pete Sawyer & Kristen Walther, Tim Adams & Glenn Mallory, Jesse Hewitt & Pat Blute against Mary Wesp & , Brian McVikar & Gillian Smith, Coach Leach (solo). Pete's team suceeds but numerous starts prove that we can do it! What a nice sunny day! Also the the improvements in reorganizing the sailiong shed are helping. Coach Dickson says the new sails should be here anytime soon. We race Sandwich at Saquatucket tomorrow. The sickness that has been going around has been an issue so far but we are healing. Josh, Pete, BMc AND Coach Leach are clear, now Gillian is hanging her head. Mary is ordering the sailing sweatshirts. Good choice!

Friday (04/07/06) Saw an amazing play tonight with plenty of sailing team members past and present. "Fiddler on the Roof" starring John Wittenstein, Matt Brown, Brian Boyle, Kristen Walther,and behind the scenes Jesse Hewitt. Nice to know our sailors are so diversified. Nice job guys it was terrific! TEL

Thursday (04/06/06) Our first race of the season against a top notch team, Dartmouth High School. Teamed from race one were for Harwich were Mary Wesp with Jess Hewitt, Bmc with Gillian Smith and Tim Adams with Glen Mallory with Brian Boyle rotating. For Dartmouth skippers Lydia Armstron, Luke Hubert and Alex Kavanaugh. Though Harwich at times seemed out manned (Dartmouth brought 21 sailors) and out gunned (Dartmouth momentum from some powerful club talent) we held our head up and showed we could close the competition. Coach Dickson later said our race was encouraging. While we need to learn how to control our opponent from the start our boat speed is not bad.

Monday (4/3/06) Good practice today with five boats and both Coaches. Tim & Gillian, Mary & Glenn, Brian & Jesse, BMc & Kristen, John D & Matt Brown. Brisk southeast breeze makes for a lively seesion. Tim & Gillian put some good moves on the fleet in first heat tacking for clear air and going from last to second in fleet race. The duo showed good boat speed and pointed very well without stuffing the boat. Everyone needs to work on leeward mark roundings and thinking about how soon to tack afterr the leeward mark. Kristen also got to sail with Mr. Dickson and Mr. Leach and is developing her crew skills nicely. Remember everyone trim your sails for speed and do not over sheet. A well shaped mainsail and jib are fast in all but the heaviest breezes. One bad habit the whole team needs to work on is getting and staying close to the starting line. It is all but impossible to a good start when you are more than 100' off the line. Learn to operate in traffic will only pay dividends when the real competition arrives. TEL

Thursday (3/30/06) Late decision at school to hold practice with Mr. Leach. Three boat teams and light southeasteasterly combine with the warmest afternoon yet. We decide to tray a long distrance sail to Bell '3' about one mile off Harwich Port. Tim & Glenn, Mary & Gillian, Pete & Kristin. Wind dies out with Tim & Glenn nearest the bell buoy about a football field away. We tow all in. Very nice afternoon on the water!

Wednesday (3/29/06) We rehab the the float dock so boats ride better in the cradles. Four boat practice after in the outer harbor pits four on four with coach leach. Pete,Mary,Tim, Brian, Jesse driving, Pat, Kristen, Glenn, Gillian crewing.

Tuesday (3/28/06) More practice four boats on the water. Time to start taking racing seriously!

Monday (3/27/06) Finally sunny warm day to practice four boats on the water.

Tuesday (3/21/06) Team busts it out completes setting up six boats, Jesse, Mary, Brian, Josh, BMc, Gillian, Glenn, Peter, Tim dress and gets on the water at 40°F and 6 knots. Now we need practice-Practice-PRACTICE! Oh yes, where is the rest of the team?

Friday (3/17/06) St. Patricks Day. Mr. Leach manages to get few masts stepped. No practice.

Thursday (3/16/06) John D. calls. No practice.

Wednesday (3/15/06) Big push to deliver and launch eight boats and set up the team float at Saquatucket Harbor. Cocoa all around as new team gets excited about prospects of sailing. Next mission will be to step masts and detail boats.

Tuesday (3/14/06) Coach Leach launches the motorboat begins rollig boats over in yard for delivery to harbor. Begin updating website and team 2006 log.

Monday (3/13/06) Some more fiberglass work repairs resume.

Friday (3/11/06) Team gathers to work on boats at our "boathouse" at the Bank Street workshop. Hulls are bleached and look pretty good. Three boats brought indoors for fiberglass repair to gunwales.

Thursday (3/10/06) First team meeting at Mr. Dicksons classroom shows a good turnout of seniors, juniors , several sophomores and freshmen. Head count at 17. We make plans for prepping boats; deposits on drysuits; and practice schedule discussed. Jesse Hewitt assumes captaincy.