THE HIGHLANDER Volume LV, No. 4, October 2009 Photo by Skip Dieball Making the cover this issue are Jacqueline and Ernie Dieball, two of the major instigators for the Highlander Class holding the 2009 nationals at North Cape Yacht Club. The con- sensus among competitors and shore crew alike was that they couldn‟t have directed us to a more hospitable location. The racing was well run, intense, and held in varying conditions to challenge a range of skills. HCIA takes the 2010 championship to Lake Pymatuning, PA. The Highlander Page 2 October ‟09 The Highlander Official Publication of The Highlander Class International Association President’s Corner President Becoming your HCIA Class Presi- was not going Dan Hopkins dent brings to mind Miss Piggy's mus- to learn this 170 E. 204 ing on "assuming the awesome power stuff alone. Euclid, Ohio 44123 of command." Of course, in my view, My Mom 216 531-6140 there is nothing to command in the knew a guy [email protected] Highlander Class. I feel like at best I with a High- can continue and enhance our tradi- lander at Edge- Commodore Jamey Carey tions, and will really be counting on water, Bronis Sabina, Ohio everyone's help and support. Vidugerous, 937 725-1757 [email protected] Serving on the HCIA board in re- and I joined Pres Norris Bourdow Vice President cent years, it has been a pleasure to be there the follow- Dan Hopkins John Bauer close to outgoing president, Jamey ing Spring. New Philadelphia, Ohio Carey's spirit and enthusiasm. We are What a great group Fleet 14 had; Secretary Erin Spengeman all certainly grateful for the service of three national champs, Busbey, Southam, Louisville, KY the Mojo team. Hopefully the eco- Wood, and then two guys who had been Treasurer nomic distress in the Wilmington area third. To finish fifth in a club race was an Sue Bauer Westerville, OH does nothing to dampen this formidable accomplishment. After the racing guys Chief Measurer team's progress. would just sit down and talk boating till Mark Redmond When Jamey called me I was more Annapolis, MD we dropped. Great stuff. O: 703 933-6725 H: 410 991-1660 than a little surprised when he asked if Oh, on the fleet captain thing men- [email protected] I would consider this office. I‟d guess tioned earlier, I proposed windward/ Secretary-Treasurer he didn‟t know what happened when I leeward courses with a leeward gate, and Bryan Hollingsworth became fleet captain at Edgewater also a separate finish line. It freaked 410 Holiday Road (more later). them out. They groused that sailboat Lexington, KY 40502 However, being retired I really courses were triangles. I am quite glad to Ph/fax 859 269-3130 wanted to waste more time on hobbies. be at Berlin now. Knowing how much the board mem- Mbl 859-806-5908 On the 2009 HCIA Nationals scene, bers have contributed in time and talent North Cape Yacht Club treated us like [email protected] over many years, I would feel very we were respected, long time members. I 2009 National Champions selfish not to at least try. mean everyone, in the marina and club, Skip Dieball, Skipper Laurie Dieball, Crew For a little background regarding was quite accommodating. Andy Nixon, Crew my Highlander experience, I bought The sailing was just out of my range, Directors my first boat from Ray McLeod as a kit but really quite fun. I enjoyed the re- Dick Doyne („09-11) in '74, #797, for $3,300. I had it com- marks of our new champ, Skip Dieball. Mirek Posedel pleted enough to put it in the water by He basically asked us to encourage the Cleveland, OH („08-10) late Fall. rest of the class to come to these events. Mike Shayeson („09-11) I sailed it twice with a fellow who Cincinnati, OH If we don't use and enjoy these facilities sailed Lightings and everything went Ed Spengeman („08-10) they will be taken over by other factions. Louisville, KY smoothly. A neighbor of mine, a large He‟s right, we really must increase (Associates) Irish guy, wanted to sail with me. We activity at all levels, to ensure the pros- Bill Price („09) Springfield, OH had no actual experience between us. perity of one-design sailing into the fu- We left from Neff Road, Cleve- ture, it is not guaranteed. Editor - Mike Feldhaus land‟s eastside public launch ramp, I guess this was the first time in a 7109 Green Spring Drive with a south wind headed north. We while we have had what I‟d consider pros Louisville, Ky 40241 planed out of the break wall, and it was in our regatta. Ernie Dieball was so pro- H 502 228-8725 O: 502 495-5113 so cool until I realized we had to turn fessional that he did the dishes with his Off (fax) 502 495-5114 around to get back. wife Jaqueline, while we ate. I would like [email protected] I asked him to pull the jib down. He to see all the winners of races do the Builder: Allen Boat Company Inc. crawled onto the deck. He froze there dishes at Nationals. 370 Babcock Street when he felt the spray hit him in the And I‟d like to close with a tip of my [email protected] Buffalo, NY 14206 716 842-0800 face, experiencing the death grip on the hat to Tyler Andrews, the first boat to toe rails. finish that was not skippered by a sail Highlander Web Page: When I pushed the tiller, the rudder maker. But we welcome one and all, and www.sailhighlander.org came right out of the water and we we encourage all of you, at every level, Webmaster: Fanny Timmer rolled into the lake: at least the guy to do what you can to encourage more [email protected] could bail water. A small fishing boat boat owners to sail and race at home, and towed us back. I was now aware that I on the road. The Highlander October „09 Page 3 to get three more races off, all of which had nice breeze. Bauer Bests Cowan Crowd While the final results show that we won the regatta, we were not the fastest By John Bauer on to the idea of not leading early in or most consistent boat on the water this I had the privilege of sailing with my the start. Well, it seemed like that any- weekend. Bruce Busbey sailed better and parents at the Mad Plaid this year. As we how. more consistent than anyone out there. were driving to the regatta we were talk- By the first windward mark we had He would have won the regatta had ing about past winners of this event and made certain that all the boats in the circumstances outside of his control not about the odd circumstances and condi- fleet had safely rounded and were on forced a crew change upon him. Bruce tions in which many of them have won. their way to the jibe mark before we decided to retire from the last three races Often these „unusual conditions‟ were rounded. Once we rounded the wind- of the series where his crew had changed the result of days that had little to no ward mark it was time for our little on Sunday. This is only one reason from wind and the racing went on anyway; Mad Plaid puff. a very long list that Bruce was awarded where a boat would go from first to last This little zephyr was kind enough the sportsmanship award for the week- and back to first again within a single leg to take us to the jibe mark and on to the end. of the race. This year‟s Mad Plaid leeward mark, all while passing the As we were driving home we were proved to be just like that. entire fleet. This little puff stayed with once again talking about how the Mad Saturday morning, we woke to an us long enough to carry us to the finish Plaid regatta is won under odd circum- almost no existent breeze. But we went for a win. stances and conditions, only this time all out anyhow, hoping that the air would Of course Saturday evening the of that “oddness” resulted the first place somehow build and we would be able to Cowan group put on an exceptional Mad Plaid honors going to, “us.” get in a couple of races. party as they do every year. Bud An- At the time of the first start it was nenburg‟s special apparent that we were not going to get „drink of choice‟ the wind that we were hoping for. In- and the pulled stead, this was going to be one of those pork dinner were Mad Plaids with odd conditions like we just two of the were talking about on the Friday night highlights of the drive to the Cowan Lake. evening. If nothing The wind would come and go, but else, I would go to when it came it was spotty. It was this regatta for enough to move just a few boats of the these two reasons fleet at a time. alone. In the first race we were fortunate to When Sunday have the breeze early in the race to have came around after a nice lead. However, that proved not to a great Saturday be the best place for the finish, when evening, it looked everyone from behind now had the puff like we were going and we didn‟t.