January 29th is the Three Bridge Fiasco, the first of the Roadmaster Series and an event that the Moores always seem to do well at. Perhaps it is the sheer volume of Moores on the line that assures us a good showing or perhaps it’s that the boat is well suited to a shorthanded race where anything will happen! The Moore is such a sweet little beast that and in many way this race typifies just how much fun a simple boat can be. I still remember that year when Lowly Worm pulled it out! All you need is a partnership, a total of four hands, and you are ready to go. I don’t care much about what my role… just that I’m there.
Gruntled has been in partnership for many years now and I couldn’t do it any other way. Some years I have a lighter load and can get to more of the boat prep and organizing and other years I just have to lean on my partner. This next year I’m gonna lean on Bart and Becky, my partners, and we are gonna make life as hard as we can for Billy and Min, the new kids on the block, and their new shiny black thing! I sent Bart and Becky’s kids off to boarding school, I forced Becky to resign as PTA prez, and Bart took a job at Starbucks so now he can be free on the weekends and this partnership is ready to go! We are excited for all of the fun and camping that awaits us in 2011 and I’m excited to be the prez of such a great gaggle.
This next year there are few new things in store for us. We are requiring a cast of three for the Delta Ditch as this seems like a great way to involve more of your regular crew while also removing the decision of should it be two or should it be three? Three midgets will be fine and I hear that kids will make a strong showing as a result of this decision. Sending a little Moore crack down those tiny veins will get em hooked and this has to be good for the fleet!
Another new thing is that the Nationals are going to be in Cascade Locks – the gentle part of the Gorge. The venue is a wide spot in the Colombia River just about 10 miles east of Hood River. The Sailing is wonderful, chop is low, water is warm and FRESH and there is camping right on a grassy lawn between the water and the tracks. The Moths and dinghys all use Cascade Locks and it is a great venue. Special thanks to everyone up there for traveling down to see us so many times, now it’s our turn. Remember that the Double Damned downhill race is the weekend after Nationals. Now go print out that schedule and stick it the fridge door.
The partnership thing works even if you are not an owner… just pick on a boat that you want to sail, be helpful and available and you may just find that in a few years that you have cinched that Verutti cedar box or that DeWitt Roadmaster trophy with your new boat partner.
This next year let’s try and use the Yahoo Groups thing more… if you have plans, ideas, gripes, a new design for swag, a ride to Huntington to offer, an old #1 etc then let’s hear about it. See you on the city front in January... I’ll be going counter clockwise.
Simon
