By DOUGLAS W. MOTLEY
Senior Writer
What better way to spend a sunny and breezy spring day at the south shore of Lake Gregory than by launching your remote-controlled (RC) sailboat and competing against a dozen or so like-minded members of the Lake Gregory Yacht Club in the Southern California Yachting Association’s annual mid-winter regatta. Never mind that winter has already passed but, doggone it, winter this year was a bit too harsh for boating.
Fleet Captain Henry Johnson explains the rules and what happens next. (Photos by Douglas W. Motley)
According to longtime Crestline resident Rick Dinon, the club’s former commodore and current staff commander of the Southern California Yachting Association, RC sailing yachts have remotely controlled sails and rudders that allow you to catch the wind, just like you would on a full-size sailboat. Dinon said the kits, which start at about $400, can be purchased online.
Though there are various racing models available, said Dinon, the Dragon Flite 95 is popular among local skippers. “The DF 95 is the most popular racing model in the world; there are about 10,000 of them. But basically, all the boats are the same – it’s the skill of the owner that is important.”
Following a 10 a.m. skipper’s briefing, with hot coffee and pastries, the regatta kicked off at 10:30 a.m. when Fleet Captain Henry Johnson performed a 60-second countdown. At the sound of a whistle, the first round of eight races began as the miniature yachts began sailing around two sets of buoys.
Complicating the race was the wind, which was blowing intensely from both ends of the lake. This caused many of the yachts to list from one side to the other, which resulted in some minor collisions. However, the race was still on, and all the boats made it safely back to the shore after about 15 to 20 minutes.
When all was said and done, there had been a total of eight races, after which there was a 3 p.m. awards luncheon at the nearby Crest Forest senior center. After a hearty lunch, Dinon presented awards, in the following order: 4th place, Don Shirley; 3rd place, Joe Legg; 2nd place, Gary Roszyk; 1st place, Larry Grant.
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