Question

The #13 Quiz asked, at its peak, how many Long Distance Races were scheduled for the Lake and what were their names? 

Answer

In the 1976 Helmsman, GEORGE TRUSK reported:

“Two new events were added to the CYC lake Racing Calendar in 1975:  the Lake Washington Long Distance Series and the Leschi Invitational Regatta.  In response to the request of the larger boats and the PHRF Fleet in particular, two new 18 plus mile races were initiated. ….The North Point Race is included to form a three-race series….The winner earns the newly-deeded PHRF Lake Long Distance Trophy.  To WYNNE KAMPE goes the credit for getting things organized and arranging for the donation of the permanent trophy.  First winner was FRANK FRANCISCO in his new Thunderbird, Rooster.”

So there were three Lake Long Distance races:  in addition to the long-standing North Point race (first ran in 1946) there were the Nelson Point Race (up to Juanita Bay and also around the red nun buoy at the entrance of the Ship Canal) and the South Point Race (which over the years had a variety of courses but in later years went south under the East Channel Bridge between Mercer Island and the East Side to a buoy a mile or south of the bridge).

While there were several good responses, the first and most complete was from AL JOHNSON who correctly identified the three races and added this bit about one South Point race:

"On one South point race, we discovered that there was a mud pinnacle in the middle of the east channel, in the vicinity of Newport Shores.  The chart showed that the water depth there was 3', but there was plenty of water (30 or 50 feet) on either side of it.  We had rounded the south mark and were having a marvelous spinnaker run in a 10-knot southerly, when we saw a Hobbie 33 take a pretty violent wipe out for no apparent reason a few hundred yards in front of us.  We were on guard for renegade puffs as we approached the area where the Hobbie wiped out, but we were shocked when we suddenly stuffed into a soft bottom, and did the same thing as the Hobbie! 

“It didn’t damage anything, and when we laid over on our side we must have dragged sideways through the muck into deeper water on the other side of the pinnacle.  Who knew?”

CARL BUCHAN added a comment about the dinghies their own Lake long distance races: “Both the OK Dinghy fleet and the Juniors (in the club C-Larks when I did it) had races around Mercer Island, starting and finishing at Leschi. My impression was that they had been doing it for a while. I did both the OK and Junior versions in the early 70’s. No provisions to tow if the wind did not cooperate, but we started early and always made it back before dark. “

A free drink at the CYC bar for AL JOHNSON [Phantom (Tartan Ten) / Pegasus (Soverel 33) / Charlotte (Quest 30] and guest!