Old Man Winter made a early appearance and huffed and puffed and tried to blow the clubhouse down but we were up to the challenge.  It took all 21 boats and their crews that registered,(in defiance of the forecast) including a massive contingent of 8 boats from the Edgewater Yacht Club, courtesy of Dave and Sue Michos, plus the much appreciated and welcomed assistance on the race committee boat by Denny Dieball all the way down from Toledo, Ohio to stave off the blustery winds that assailed the fleet on Saturday.   Temperatures barely climbed out of the forties and the wind....well the wind was literally 6 to 25++knots and shifty.  You know, hiking and hanging on for all your worth and then the jib backs in a 25++gust from who knows where.  Oh yes and some sleet and rain to boot.  Well, no one would want to miss out on such conditions so all the way from North Carolina came Tom Grace and Paula Pacheco, camping no less, as did about 4 other brave crews, and not to be out done, Joy Shipman drives all the way from R.I. to sail with my sister Barb Joudrey. And perhaps as the last straw, all weekend we had to endure the constant quips and dumb jokes from Class President Brent Barhehenn.

So the stage was set and after a wonderful hot ham lunch the fleet began filing out onto the lake.  It was a little slow going as the hoist and docks were fairly crowded with 21 Jets trying to get launched.  Made all the more crowded by all the boats that had left the dock first; then coming back in with broken this and that and a few changes of heart.  Thirteen boats answered the call for the first race, but only after three capsizes before the sequence could begin.  Two more had to give up the chase before the finish.  But in the end the fleet held up well and the racing was exciting.  At the finish Brent squeezed out the win, Carol calmed me down enough to finish next and then Dave Michos with a guest, Jonathan Feu, filling in for Sue who was still getting home from her outing in the National Womens Championships in Hawaii.(Congratulations Sue!)  In fourth, back in a Jet for the first time in 25+ years was past Jet builder Tim Parker and his son Seth.  Clearly he still knows how to sail a Jet well.  And in fifth, proving it is not the boat with the biggest crew that can do well in such testing conditions was Paul Joudrey and Angie, "I do too weigh 100 lb." Bond.

Race two and .....the wind picked up.  More capsizing, halyards breaking, Tim and Seth were...."on a plane when the real puff caught up with us..."  Sheared off the tiller at the rudder head.  Brent manages another win however rumor has it that the only reason he didn't retire and retreat in the face of these typical Mohican conditions was his crew Bridget Ireland called him a "girly man" and suggested that only those who try and finish a race they start can have any chili at dinner and vote in the contest.  Adam Dunki-Jacobs with Ben Stock just plain liked the conditions and led for most of the race.

That...was it for Saturdays racing. 

There was some time to make repairs and rest up before the Chili dinner and we took advantage of the assembled board members to have an ad hock meeting.  Good positive discussions on several class related issues.  Watch for a details in the Jet Blast or website.  Chili.  This is a competitive bunch.  Our guests were supposed to test each batch and vote on the one they liked the best, but noooo.  Dave Michos and Mike Vining had to bring their own chili and take a shot at the prize.  To no avail however as Mohican=s own and defending champ from last year Heather Fizzgibbon won again.  The only real loser would be my sister Barb who sat next to Brent as he made good on earning the right to have a whole bowl of each entry, muttering something every time he came back to his seat about .."opps, was that me!  Sorry, just making  room for another taste"....Then in typical bonehead fashion he forgot to vote...

Sunday and the weather finally met it=s match....the He Man Breakfast.  In they came from the thirty degree cold to face the ultimate test.  10 year old Mike Gemperline showed 'em how it's done with three manhole cover sized griddle cakes and still looking for more.  The kitchen crew of MZ and Carol would have been overwhelmed but for the first rate assistance of Chad Clark at the counter and grill.  Thank you Chad.