Launching at the Lake Geneva Yacht Club Today.....

[Vectordirector]

Great true story:  The Admiral and I both have the day off and the weather is forecast to be clear, mid 70's, winds 10-15.  Perfect day to go sailing!  I look at the race schedule and see that the E-Scows are scheduled to race beginning at 9:30 am.  I figure if we arrive around then that the launch area will be clear and we can get the boat in without waiting.  So we leave the house around 8:30 and arrive at the lake, hook the boat up to the Jeep Wrangler and tow it over to the launch ramp.  The ramp is empty and I notice an older gentleman videotaping the race boats while sitting in the tailgate of a SUV that has "Melges Boats"  painted on the door.  I think nothing of it as the majority of the boats here are Melges and the factory is 5 minutes down the road.  Melges pickups, vans, and  SUV's are a dime a dozen at the yacht club.  As I start to back the boat down the ramp, I have a little trouble lining it up, the ramp is narrow and the jeep doesn't turn very well.  The older gentleman comes over and helps guide me on the ramp.  I get out to unhook the boat from the trailer and he introduces himself, shaking my hand.  (Bear in mind this is our third time launching here as we only joined a couple of weeks ago and haven't really met anyone other than the club manager). "Hi, I'm Buddy Melges". I about fell over and passed out.  My wife insisted on a picture and Buddy was as kind as could be as she took one with her phone. i thanked him and we carried on with launching with his assistance in guiding my wife down the ramp while I pulled the boat off the trailer.  I parked the trailer, started the outboard and off we went for a great 3 hours of sailing. The wind picked up to about 15 gusting to 25 so we called it a day, had a great lunch at the club and went home.  The first member we meet and it is  Buddy Melges, unfreaking believeable!

Vectordirector