Multi-hull Madness Indeed 

The annual Lake Fenton Multi-hull Madness Regatta is the unofficial kickoff of the catamaran racing season…at least for some of us. The rest of the sailors have yet to awaken from hibernation. 

This being the first year I have taken part in this regatta, I didn’t quite know what to expect. However, I lived on Lake Fenton for several years and there was one thing I did know, that lake could still have ice on it! Well, fortunately, the spring thaw had arrived on time this year, and the water was open. 

Well, one of my favorite Jimmy Buffett lyrics is…”There’s a fine line between Saturday night and Sunday morning.” The same can be said about water. At 32 Degrees, it’s frozen; at 33 degrees, it’s not. Obviously, it was probably a bit warmer than that, however, as I sipped a cold beer after day 1 of racing, it felt like a cup of coffee in my hands. 

That led to the statement…”Nothing warms you up after sailing in 40 Degree water, like a 60 degree beer.” While the water was cold, the weather was actually beautiful, especially on Saturday. It is so much easier to enjoy yourself when the sun is shining! The wind was perfect as well…strong enough to give you some speed, but not so hard that it added a significant wind chill. 

This is a real laid-back event, hosted by the Lake Fenton Sailing Club. The lake is kind of odd-shaped, so the courses they set are fairly odd as well. However, the idea here is to shake out the cobwebs that winter has left in your sails and in your mind. For us, as a brand new fleet, it gave our members a chance to get out and sail with each other.  

Saturday’s highlight came when Jim Vander Jagt, crewing for John on his Tiger, was literally thrown off the boat during a tack. John had given him a heads-up as they headed down wind with the spinnaker flying, but the momentum caught Jim by surprise. 

One second Jim was there, the next, he was gone. John looked around and found Jim dragging behind the boat, with a death grip on the spinnaker sheet! John told Jim to let go and he would come back and get him. Jim was reluctant at first, but eventually gave in. Sure enough, John jibed then headed back into the wind. A tack later, he was picking Jim up.  

While a wetsuit and windshirt provided enough warmth while on the boat, once you’re soaked with that water, you’re cold…period. They went straight to the beach and began the thawing out process. They always have a roaring fire inside the sailing club, so that was a sight for cold thighs! 

The rest of the weekend was pretty uneventful. Matt Bounds, Paul Krutty, Mark Colby and John all sailed on Sunday as well. I passed up the Sunday sail for my daughter’s soccer game. One of those life choices…made easier due to the fact that she was my crew for the event! 

I look forward to next years event just because it is what it is. Yes, the water is cold. But it has that certain something that is appealing. Plus, you can discover that you have misplaced some parts over the winter and you still have time to get them for the following week – the regatta at Cass Lake. Bring on the global warming!