2004 FUN RACE

INDEX - Work Committee - Action shots - BBQ - Sponsors & Awards - Race Results - Conversation. 

This is the 23rd consecutive year of the AOSA Fun Race and was sponsored again by Alley Cat Brewing. It's largely due to Jaye & Jim's efforts that this event works so well. In fact the race started late as Jim had to make one last trip to Drayton Valley to pick up some donations from a sponsor. What a dedicated guy. 

Date: Saturday July 26th Noonish at EYC.
Start: 13:30ish off EYC dock.
Bring your own steak barbeque to follow (6:00ish), salad, potatoes and beer provided. 
Awards presentation after BBQ.
 For donation of prizes please contact Jim Spalding at 483-8378 (hm), S.V. Rhumbo Ch.16.

NOTE: Please read "Thoughts for Next Year." at the end. 
THE EVER WATCHFUL 2004 WORK COMMITTEE (sitting on a gold mine!).

    
ACTION SHOTS ON THE WATER.

The race was shortened this year due to the lack of wind and the fleet was turned around at the Coal Point buoy. The thought being, "Better to kibitz on shore with an Alley-Cat beer in hand than sweat it out on a long, slow, course on the water." Several boats actually rounded the marker and "cleaned" the bottom of their keel on the sand. Way to go guys. All tolled there were 21 boats participating with many new crews this year. 

Love that loon on Keith Matwichuk's spinnaker. Very fitting for Wabamun Lake.

 

 

 

Ray Kowerchuk is new to Wabamun this year.  Last year he sailed on Lake Diefenbaker. 

 

 

 

Phil and I trimming the sails for maximum shade. Hey we had fun.

Another new boat for the Fun Race this year. Deadly combination these two Bobs. One with a beard and the other without one! 

     

Another new boat for the Fun Race. Pesky bunch that just wouldn't get out of our way. It didn't matter how many times we called for room at the mark! 

Remember the rule that states NOT to use a cardinal buoy for a race marker? Well a couple of crews decided to challenge that rule. One of them comes from unforgiving waters with a very hard bottom and so he should know better. The other one is somewhat instrumental in replacing this buoy. 
I don't want to mention any names but, "The Off is on again," was announced many times on the VHF. You have to give this crew credit though, they careened her and sailed off the sand in pretty quick time. I can't remember the name of the other skipper who tried this trick earlier.  Someone told me he owns half of a blue SJ24. The sneaky fellow also sailed her off the sand, before I had my camera ready. 
THE BARBEQUE and AWARDS.
 

AWARDS & SPONSORS, (without whom this race could not run).

It should be noted that when Jay handed out the multiple prizes to each boat, one prize was for each crew member. This was done to reduce the presentation time. As you can see from the load of prizes in her arms, some of the crews were big this year!

  1. Alley Cat Brewing - Neil Herbst for a keg of his wonderful bubbly stuff. Everyone looks forward to a mug of this stuff at the end of the race. It goes down sooo easy on the dock at the end of the race. 

  2. Swanson's Picker Service of Drayton Valley - Elmer Swanson. (780 542-3217).

  3. North Sails - Dave Miller.

  4. Driving Force - John Blimke.

  5. Premay Equipment - Duncan Cook.

  6. Canadian Leak Detection - Jeff Armstrong.

  7. Pacific Yachting.

  8. Atco Gas Blue Flame Kitchen - Barb Barnes.

  9. Boat Craft - Don.

  10. Company Coming Cook Books - James Bryl.

  11. Running Room - Mike Mandzatt.

  12. Westaim - Doug Murray.

  13. Micheline Pelland.

  14. TransAlta - Keith Matwichuk.
RACE RESULTS & TRIVIA CONTEST. 

 Dinghy Class - Not run this year.

Trivia Contest - (open to all).

  1. Bob Brunelle
  2. Dana Herrich
  3. Bob Schimmel

Class A Cruiser - over 24'

  1. Dana, (SJ 7.7 - Runaway)
  2. Dan Meade, (J 24 - The Off)
  3. Dan Smith, (SJ 24 - Current Ratio)

Class B Cruiser - under 24'

  1. Terry Lind, (Mac 26 - Abacadabra)
  2. Wayne's Bugiak, (Tanzer 7.5, LOA - Wayne's World)
  3. Mike Schneider, (Tanzer 22 - Lucie)
THOUGHTS for NEXT YEAR. 
The AOSA Fun Race is the best attended cruiser race on the lake. It is extremely successful due to a very energetic organizing committee that has fine tuned this event to what it is today. However, the committee feels that more can be done with all the energy in the sailing community and we are therefore contemplating a new direction. One that will give something back to society.  For example, a fund raiser that will see each boat raising money for a charity of their cause or for all boats to work towards a common charity. I'm sure there are many other worthwhile projects. We should be able to take advantage of existing corporate funding of which I'm told there is no shortage. Discussions are still in the preliminary stage and we welcome any input.  Jim Spalding & Bob Schimmel. 

See you next year.