2006 World PDRacer Sailboat Championship Race - Loaner Boats
By Doug Day (retired) #1 "DUB"
John Wright built 2 spare loaner boats for us to use.
He has a heavy schedule with family events, but thru sheer determination was able to make time to build the boats.
We had planned to start setting up the boats at 9am for the first competition to use them, and at 8:56am he drove the final screw into the boat.
Now that is messabout style !!!
Set off in the first loaner boat to give it a test sail and set the leeward mark.
Phil Keck brought this huge monster of a sail, he just taped it together and crossed his fingers.
The wind was around 15 mph and rose to 19 a little later on with higher gusts.
I brought a similar sail made from tyvek and both of us discussed whether we would be using them or one of the loaner sails.
Phil went out for a quick test sail and the leech of his sail was very loose.
I think John came up with the idea of adding some battens to help support it.
If you look half way between the yellow of Phil's life jacket, and the dog, you can see a rubbage pile in the grassy area, off in the distance.
Phil found a broom stick which he broke into 3 pieces for battens.
A little duct tape and they were pressed into service.
Raising the flat at Iwo Jima....
Before Phil could climb in and take off,
The high winds violently flogged his sail and the batten sticks popped off.
You can see them in the water floating away.
At this point Phil decided to go with the loaner 59 sqft sail, and so did I.