My Cal 25 MOB tale

Once upon a time.... Back in the early 70's, can't remember when exactly, I got my first Cal 25 in 1970, "TORO" hull # 57, we were racing the Point Fermin Race, one of my favorites, after rounding the weather mark, the Pt. Fermin bouy, we set the chute and were haulin'. We started just outside Alamitos Bay, Long Beach Yacht Club and beat up to Pt. Fermin. I had on board my two teen age crew and a good friend Art Claar, an accomplished sailor who also had a Cal 25, but no crew. Art is in his 90's now, but still sails one day a week. I was in my 30's and Art was 60+, a great guy, tool and die maker at Douglas, plus played the trumpet in the Long Beach Municipal Band. Any way, Art is a little guy, weighed maybe 100 pounds soaking wet. The wind was piping up as it almost always does in the afternoon in L.A./ L.B. area, maybe 15 - 20 knots. As was our custom, after rounding the weather mark, I called, "Beers around", since we had 8 or 9 miles almost dead down wind and as usual ;-), "TORO" was leading the pack. Well Art had the spinnaker sheet, I was on the helm and the kids were handling the main and afterguy. We took a good roll and Art got launched off the starboard rail, still hanging onto the spinnaker sheet. He was maybe 10 - 15' behind, we were almost surfing with the big chute, so Art was planing. I immediately told the boys to drop the chute. Art screamed, "NO, keep racing". Well the two strapping teenagers started hand over handing Art back, but they still had a load. I parked the tiller amidships aft and steered with my butt, then grabbed each of the boys belts, while they pulled Art in the cutout transom on the Cal 25. He was wet, but we never lost our position in the fleet. Could have been a disaster, but we were young, strong and dumb. Now when I sail my Cal 25, "Bravura" hull # 737, I wear a PFD and a harness if it's over 15 knots. YEAH! CAL 25's FOREVER Tom Vandiver, Cal 46, "SATORI" hull #3, Cal 25, "BRAVURA" hull # 737 Homeported in Pensacola, FL Do you Yahoo!? Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta. http://new.mail.yahoo.com