Bits And Pieces
Never under-estimate how many trips to the local hardware store, home improvement center, hobby shop or crafts store will be necessary to completely finish your latest sailboat project.
Is there anything more cheerful and yet equally frustrating than watching a group of ducks moving smoothly and silently PAST your hard in-irons sailcraft? It almost makes you want to try throwing a big handful of breadcrumbs out ahead of your hull-hey, stranger things have happened you know...
We need a good emoji showing the figure of a typical TV station weather person holding his/her hands over their heads to clearly indicate the possible weather conditions for your upcoming day at the pond will be clearly "variable" at best...
If you tend to make a list to ensure that you take everything "important" to the lake, you might want to do it via your trusty cell phone. Why? Because along with such items as your boat, transmitter, lunch, medications, cooler and the whole-grain, all-veggie sandwich you're SO carefully packed for you, you won't forget the two-pack of cheese crackers and double-stuffed cookies you need to stash in your vehicle-just in case..., After repeated attempts with a good PC, a graphics cutter and even the skilled help of your favorite art-school graduate nephew, your very best job to create a custom set of hull graphics still only makes your sailcraft look like something from the Island of Misfit Toys...
Do you ever notice how quiet everyone becomes when the entire pack of speeding race hulls are about to attempt to cleanly round a mark? Overall, some or most of the competitors will be likely thinking: A. "Please, let me be able to see my boat., B. Please, don't let me miss the bouy, and C. Please don't let me cuss out loud (too much) as there's a whole pack of Cub Scouts standing directly behind me"...
You're unable to remember your 10-year-old email address, much less most of your online passwords; however, you're fully capable of quoting the entire Du-Bro, Sullivan, etc. hardware listing either on your computer or at your local hobby shop (if you're lucky enough to have one).
Always be prepared to match your sailing footwear to your lake's potential waterfowl numbers, especially if your location is along any large goose species yearly migration lanes. A good pair of shrimper's boots is always a good option; but, in really extreme situations, I'd recommend also taking some extra-strong Lysol spray and a heavy-duty garbage bag-just in case your shoes become "fouled." (sorry)
Never let yourself really believe that YOUR hull stand arrangement can handle any possible wind gust-it won't...
Under no circumstances should you ever let yourself think that the "used" sail or rudder servo you put back in your spare's box will ever be reliable enough to install back in your hull. Outwardly it may appear quite capable of controlling the sails or rudder; however, since it was underwater "just a bit" when your hatch cover seal failed, it's more likely that not long after you-switch-on the vessel's control system, a small cloud of dark blue smoke will arise from the "used" servo.
Don't ever be afraid to try something "unique" to help improve your hull's on water performance levels. Let's say you're interested in knowing more about how your sails react under all kinds of wind conditions. Now imagine you're SO walking into the living room to find you've pushed all of the furniture against the walls, placed your cradled hull in the middle of the now open space and have surrounded it with several high-powered electric fans, just to check out how the air is moving around the sails. Nothing unusual there, right? RIGHT?
Coming just shy of the one-year anniversary of the passing of hurricane Helene through the Carolinas, the Greenville Model Yacht Club hosted the second leg of the 2025 Seawind Carolina Classic on the now much-calmer waters of Lake Cooley Park. This event was also the AMYA Region 3 Seawind Championship; so, a two-day schedule of R/C sailboat racing was on tap for the skippers from around the Carolinas. Racing the long-established Kyosho SeaWind R/C yacht, a total of four different American Model Yacht Association- sanctioned clubs all had members signed-up at the event.
As for the assembled competitors themselves, many had already scored valuable points at the early-April first round of the inaugural Carolina Classic held in Pineville and hosted by the Queen City MYC. Amongst this group of sailors, you could find those with countless hours of piloting a SeaWind hull; while others, only had limited experience (sailing or racing) and were looking forward to competing in their first-ever model regatta.
Now a brief overview of the Kyosho SeaWind yacht should be mentioned. This ABS-plastic hulled sail craft has been around for over 25 years, and besides being a good-running boat, it also looks great running down the lake. Many of the regatta's competitors had very sharp-looking Seawinds on the water, both to look at and to make it easier to keep track of scoring purposes. It's not that unusual to end up sailing the wrong boat; so, having a distinctive paint/graphics design on your vessel greatly cuts-down on problems; especially, when you're racing in up to a dozen yachts only inches apart out on the racecourse.
Come early Saturday morning, the race layout was positioned by Bill Thompson, the club's excellent course director, and co-race chairman Mike Ouellette conducted the sipper's meeting. On a down note, co-chairman and former GMYC Commodore Ron Rash was unable to be at the regatta due to an illness and a couple of days in the hospital; however, at the time of the writing of this piece, Ron's doing better-great news. With excellent winds present on Lake Cooley, a total of 28 one and two-lap heat races were recorded on the first day, and all of the competitors had ample opportunities to stop, tune their sails, check for any water inside their hulls and to recover any impaired yacht out on the water. The GMYC provided a quick lunch on the first day; plus, there was always plenty of water and soda available for everyone at lakeside.
Why so many races on Saturday you say? Easy. The entire club had been closely monitoring the weekend's weather forecast and overall, Sunday's outlook called for winds TOPPING-OUT at 2 MPH-ugh. That was the reason for the 28-heat race first day; so, the decision was made to shorten-up the course and attempt to compete a few more heats on Sunday to compete the regatta. Three slow races later, the SeaWinds came out of Lake Cooley Sunday morning and the results were totaled up.
After running at the front for a good portion of both days, both Mike Saindon and Steve Helander would only be separated by a handful of points in the final tally; however, Mike claimed 1st place for the Carolina Classic at Cooley. The top five skippers would each receive hand-crafted wood plaques, and the regatta was completed by Noon Sunday.
The Greenville Model Yacht Club would like to thank everybody who participated at this Mid-September model yacht regatta, Without the assistance of everyone from the club to the competitors themselves, this two-day event wouldn't have been possible. The Queen City MYC, the Greensboro MYC and the Naples MYC clubs all lended a hand, as did the incredible Lake Cooley Park staff as well. Without the help of Darian Pridham, Outdoor Recreation Coordinator of Lake Cooley Park, the Greenville Model Yacht Club wouldn't be able to put on our events, and we all thank Darian and her crew for all their support.
THANKS!