1998 RCC Frostbite Series

The Rochester Canoe Club finished up their 1998 Frostbite Series on November 22. The series consisted of 34 races, sailed on Sundays over a five week period. 21 different Sunfishers participated, 19 of which qualified for overall series. We had 6 juniors sail with us, and 4 father/son combinations. One day, there was 3 generations of Sunfish Sailors on the line at once. Congratulations to Mike Fortner for holding off Judy(wish she would go to women's NA's)Gesner to win the Championship.

A typical Sunday of frostbiting starts with Joe Kaukeinen getting at the club around 11:00 am, putting the crashboat in the water and going out to set the marks. Racers start arriving around noon and we sail out to the course after our fearless race committee (Phyllis Kaukeinen, Patty Tomkins, and Joan Stewart) show up. They sit in an old 14' leaky aluminum fishing boat for 3 cold hours! We love you Race Committee! We usually run various short courses for variety, fun, and extra practice. After racing, there is hot chocolate and now BEER (thanks to Keith Stewart and Rich Connolly) to be had as we discuss the days racing.

This is at least the 20th year for Sunfish Frostbiting at RCC on Irondequoit Bay. During that time we have sailed in the snow and had snowball fights on the race course. This year the weather was very mild, we even had many days in the 50's and one Sunday in the 60's.

The Rochester Canoe Club will be hosting the Sunfish Pan American Game Trials next July 9, 10, and 11th. Check out the Notice of Race on the Sunfish Homepage.

DONE BY DOUG KAUKEINEN