Pelican Bay Marina: Just make that plain "dummy".

[DimitriMilovich]

There are two kinds of wind dummies. One type are those eager and brave souls who fling themselves onto the water with whatever is at hand to rig in order to be OUT THERE SAILING, while the rest of us gleefully watch their slogging or wildly overpowered rag-dolling, thus making it possible to rig only once (or twice) before we go out.

The other kind of wind dummy is the one who shows up late at your favorite launch site, such as Saratoga Springs on a North day, casually sussing out the wind and various sail sizes that are out there, confident that he will rig only once now that the wind has settled down smooth and steady, unlike those unfortunate eager beavers such as Trip and Judy who must have jumped out of bed WEARING THEIR WETSUITS in order to get down here at 11:00 ON A SUNDAY MORNING, FER CHRISAKES, AND HAD TO RIG TWICE BECAUSE IT PICKED UP AND THEY HAD TO SAIL THEIR 5.5-6.0s FOR A COUPLE HOURS.

In contrast, our wind dummy is confident that he will be able to sail perfectly powered for the next 4-5 hours until the sun sets behind the Lake Mountains and he will make his last tack home long after everyone else has gone, fully planing into the shadows where his car and trailer sit, skipping over the water lit by the last glimmers of sun off his foaming wake and the reflection of his gleaming Cheshire cat grin produced by another ideal day hooked in and happy. Why would this clever wind-wise man of the fresh bodies of water, with decades of obvious right-on experience and good judgement be termed a "dummy" you ask?

Well... Although I made my fashionably tardy appearance at 3:30 to see a lake full of whitecaps and 6-8 "early birds" out on the water having a blast, and I rigged my 7.4 in fine time, no sooner had I stepped down onto the beach when I noticed I would be the only one on the water since everyone else had come in. Hmmm, they must not know how steady it's going to be and were anxious about what to rig next. I was right about one thing, it was steady all right, steady 10 mph. I came back after a couple of pathetic "freestyle" hula tacks on my short board.

All was not lost however! Jerry G. graciously let me take out his sweet fully rigged 8.8 Techno Formula board and within minutes I was in the straps heading out to sea and the planing destiny I was sure was mine. When it became yet steadier at 5 mph and seagulls began landing on my booms, chattering and picking seaweed out of my hair, I finally returned to a hearty derig and a beer-less car.

But as Craig has always said, if yer in the straps and yer heels are out of the water, IT'S A COUNTER! Right, Craig? It's a counter! Er, Craig, it counts, right? I mean I was planing for a minute, so it counts, ya? In the straps counts. You said. Craig, tell me it counts? A minute, heels out. I was plani...sigh...(choke, sob).

[Craig Goudie]

Buddy,

In my book that qualifies as a counter, but remember I am really cheap.
If you want the same moniker (CWW), you can count it too ;*)

-Craig

There are two kinds of wind dummies. One type are those eager and brave souls who fling themselves onto the water with whatever is at hand to rig in order to be OUT THERE SAILING, while the rest of us gleefully watch their slogging or wildly overpowered rag-dolling, thus making it possible to rig only once (or twice) before we go out.

The other kind of wind dummy is the one who shows up late at your favorite launch site, such as Saratoga Springs on a North day, casually sussing out the wind and various sail sizes that are out there, confident that he will rig only once now that the wind has settled down smooth and steady, unlike those unfortunate eager beavers such as Trip and Judy who must have jumped out of bed WEARING THEIR WETSUITS in order to get down here at 11:00 ON A SUNDAY MORNING, FER CHRISAKES, AND HAD TO RIG TWICE BECAUSE IT PICKED UP AND THEY HAD TO SAIL THEIR 5.5-6.0s FOR A COUPLE HOURS.

In contrast, our wind dummy is confident that he will be able to sail perfectly powered for the next 4-5 hours until the sun sets behind the Lake Mountains and he will make his last tack home long after everyone else has gone, fully planing into the shadows where his car and trailer sit, skipping over the water lit by the last glimmers of sun off his foaming wake and the reflection of his gleaming Cheshire cat grin produced by another ideal day hooked in and happy. Why would this clever wind-wise man of the fresh bodies of water, with decades of obvious right-on experience and good judgement be termed a "dummy" you ask?

Well... Although I made my fashionably tardy appearance at 3:30 to see a lake full of whitecaps and 6-8 "early birds" out on the water having a blast, and I rigged my 7.4 in fine time, no sooner had I stepped down onto the beach when I noticed I would be the only one on the water since everyone else had come in. Hmmm, they must not know how steady it's going to be and were anxious about what to rig next. I was right about one thing, it was steady all right, steady 10 mph. I came back after a couple of pathetic "freestyle" hula tacks on my short board.

All was not lost however! Jerry G. graciously let me take out his sweet fully rigged 8.8 Techno Formula board and within minutes I was in the straps heading out to sea and the planing destiny I was sure was mine. When it became yet steadier at 5 mph and seagulls began landing on my booms, chattering and picking seaweed out of my hair, I finally returned to a hearty derig and a beer-less car.

But as Craig has always said, if yer in the straps and yer heels are out of the water, IT'S A COUNTER! Right, Craig? It's a counter! Er, Craig, it counts, right? I mean I was planing for a minute, so it counts, ya? In the straps counts. You said. Craig, tell me it counts? A minute, heels out. I was plani...sigh...(choke, sob).