The Woodlawn Racing Team was back in action November 3rd, 2006 at the CMYC IOM 1-Day Regatta in Pasadena, TX!  The following write-up was written by Brig North of Dallas, TX and was proudly borrowed by the Pirates of Woodlawn.

"IOM activity in these United States was pretty good this weekend, between the California Governor's Cup and the First Annual ClearPoint Model YC one day event, 37 IOMs were sailing, with 25 in Cali and 12 in Houston. Not bad!

The Texas event was well attended. We had 12 boats hit the line, including old and new friends. Chris Macaluso of Houston has a beautiful Little Wing he sailed (he normally sails a Victoria and was sailing his first IOM event -- welcome Chris!) and John Muchow of Houston joined us as well -- Welcome John!! That made for four folks from Houston, including Phil Runquist and Mark Cooper, three from San Antonio including Ray Seta, Eric Gregory and Mark Hogan, and five from Dallas including Mike Hughes, David Eldridge, Martin Van Wolfswinkel (no, I am not making that up), Chris Cafiero, and Brig North.

Our host, Mark Cooper assembled a great race committee consisting of Phil Geren and Chuck Porth, ably assisted by young Tyler. The wind was very shifty and puffy from the least favorable direction, due east. This meant the boats were sailed away from us, and we had a lot of downwind finishes. Very, very trying conditions, but everyone had their time in the sun!! That made it a lot more fun for everyone.

The sailing was good as we got 26 races in between 10:15 am and 4 pm, this being a one day event. We ate great Chick Fil A sandwiches for lunch. And we were treated to one of the most surreal occurrences I have ever witnessed in my 30 plus years of sailing. In Texas, if you are talking about surreal events, it means one person is at the center, the curiously named Martin Van Wolfswinkel, or Wolfie as he is affectionately known.

Let me say Wolfie was born with the gift of gab. Okay, I am being charitable, the guy talks constantly!! Well, a woman with 10 children all between the ages of five and 12 came up to our event which was being held in a public park and inquired as to what was transpiring. Wolfie, being Wolfie, told her he was boat 81 and he was sure he could do better with a cheering section. At that point, ten kids and their chaperon began chanting Wolfie's sail no. "81" for the next 20 minutes! We are not talking quietly, we are talking loudly. It was a page right out of the movie "Nacho Libre", with Martin being the Jack Black of the water. It was so overwhelming, even our RD, Phil Geren, was heard to be chanting "81" while the races were going on!! In deference to the cheerers, he often gave the sail numbers of the finishers in Spanish. Wild to say the least....

One good gag was pulled on Mike Hughes, who was driving 250 miles from Dallas to Houston on Saturday morning. The freeway he was traveling had been blocked by a chemical spill, making Mike very late. Before we even began sailing, he frantically called David Eldridge asking about the races. Well, David figured this might occur, and he and Cooper (!) hatched a plan for such a call. When David's caller ID showed Hughes was calling, Cooper turned on the starting tape and Eldridge tells Hughes he has already missed three races and the fourth was about to start, so he had to go. Shortly thereafter we saw Mike's van hauling a** around the corner in the parking lot with him jumping out and running with his boat. Of course, David was rolling on the ground....

One other Mike Hughes tale. Mike recently joined another Dallas RC club, and the moderator welcomed him as "Mike Hughes". Anyone who knows Mike knows he is not a tall guy, so I took the liberty of telling everyone that Mike was now using the Adult Video name of "Mike Huge", and we appropriately ribbed him about it. Ironically, when the trophies were handed out at the end of the series, Mike came in third place. Mark Cooper explained that the engraver messed up and made the first place trophy, an 8" glass trophy, the third place trophy, and the third place trophy, a 4" etched glass piece, was etched with first place. So fittingly, "Mike Huge" got the 8" award!

Mark Cooper will post the results later as some ties had to be broken, but suffice it to say we all had a blast. Thanks Mark!! It's great to see Texas IOMs picking up steam!!

The Pirates of Woodlawn in San Antonio will be having a one day regatta on December 9. They put on one whale of a regatta, so make it if you can!! Their hospitality is second to none!!

Finally, the 2007 edition of the Blow Out will be the second weekend in March!!"

Here are the final Race Standings:
 

Click On The Thumbnail Photos Below for Larger Views: