The Water Rats Spring WAR has eluded me for as long as I have been a Rat, and things were no different this year. Both days were shifty and gusty, with winds out of the north.
I started well with a bullet, but went backwards quickly in race number 2 and finished 7th. The form returned with a 2 and a 3, but then disaster struck. I got caught under the boom at the upper mark and crashed, but worse, I broke my hiking stick in the process. That put me in 10th that race and out of the two after that completely. I have to admit to some serious soul searching at that point, and I wondered if it was going to bother coming back for day 2. Go ahead, call me a sore loser.
I showed up Sunday morning with some new resolve to sail better, that clearly translated to a pretty sour look on my face. Allan Lathrop did his best to brighten me up in the morning, but I was determined to take a new attitude to the race course. It was as if I was practicing being a different kind of racer.
It didn't turn out too badly. Overall I won the second day with a 4, 1, 3, 2, 1. Because we ran so many races, we ended up with two drops, which also allowed me to drop both DNSs from day one. That was enough to put me into the bottles. (The top three get bottles of wine as prizes.) Nigel Heath did it right this year, taking four bullets to the win, while Richard Sewards took three bullets on his way to second place. Rounding out the top five: Jeff Fullerton 4th and Joe Van 5th.
I can't lie and tell you it was fun, but I am glad I hung in there for the second day. I had one situation on the second day that was a replica of the time the first day when I broke my stick. I pulled it out this time, and I credit my willingness to try out my new attitude. I am afraid it is not a pleasant attitude to deal with from my friend's points of view. I am a bit singular and a bit antisocial, but it helped me to concentrate when this threatened to go sideways. I'll have to try it again to see if there is something in it.
Rob Koci races in both the Laser Full-Rig and Laser Radial fleets around District 3. Currently, Rob is the District 3 secretary and maintains a frequently updated race diary on D3Laser.com. Rob's home port is St. James Town Sailing Club in Toronto, Ontario.
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