Fwd: Re: History

[john baker]

Oh my gosh! This is a great story. Thanks Chris Ford for sharing.

 

Constantine told a story about the first time he connected with the cat sailing group. It happened to be on this very same day. His story is told from the perspective of one of the guys huddled on top of the hill. So, when I asked you if you ever sailed with Kevin on a Tornado to Gunpowder, I already knew the answer. It was a trap. Constantine made me promise to share your reply to the group.

 

Your story is better than Constantine's

---------- Original Message ----------

From: Chris Ford <cford...@gmail.com>

To: John Baker <johnmor...@comcast.net>

Date: 11/23/2025 9:19 PM EST

Subject: Re: History

 

 

Why yes. 

 

Funny you should bring this up.

 

I learned two important lessons that day.  The second lesson was to never cut off a hospital admissions bracelet and leave it on the counter before going out to a show in the evening.

 

But first the sailing.  

 

The plan was to sail from the Baltimore County Sailing Center (where I was working) to Gunpowder Park for a Hobie/Open Class regatta.  About 10 miles or so each way.  And we needed to bring wheels, so just tie them upside down on the hulls forward of the beam.

 

Okay, all is good.  Did I mention it was windy?  Like one of those days when the water is blown out of the bay and the bottom is dry all the way to the T pier at WRSC.  Well, the water was blown out of this area, too.  So wheeling the boat to the water was 75' more of an ordeal than usual.  And the dang boat kept trying to rise up and fly away.  That was the first lesson (for me).  NEVER GO SAILING WHEN THE BOAT IS TRYING TO FLY ON DRY LAND.  But I hadn't fully learned that lesson yet.  So we went sailing.

 

Kevin is a good sized guy--very fit, maybe 6'3" or more and solid muscle.  So we could hold the boat down ok going upwind, which was the general course heading to Gunpowder.  Still exciting, mind you, but do-able, kind of.  Kevin was great!

 

When we got to Gunpowder, we expected to see the normal 50 boats on the beach ready to go.  Instead we found a few guys huddled on top of the hill on the porch in front of the bathhouse with boats on trailers in the parking lot.

 

Of course, the assembled crowd told us we were nuts and that there would be no sailing that day.  Something with boats trying to fly on dry land.  So sadly, we decided to sail back home, down-wind.  With a set of beach wheels on the hulls in front of the forward beam.  Okay.

 

I don't remember exactly where or when, but we flipped in dramatic fashion out in the middle of nowhere.  I'd done that before on a Tornado and it's truly a pain because the boat's so wide, but as it was blowing really hard, one (two actually) can bring it back up.  The only immediate problem was Kevin's feet were tangled up in the lines up the mast someplace.  So while his feet were drying off in the breeze, his head was under water (not breathing air).  As Kevin was significantly bigger than me, there was no short-term solution like holding his upper body up.  I had to get his feet untangled from rigging on a capsized Tornado in which the mast is 5 or 6' above the lower hull.  And quick.

 

Somehow (thanks be to God) I got his foot free and his head back in the air.  I really don't know how that was accomplished.  We got the boat righted and commenced to breathe as we turned downwind.  Sometime after this, I noticed that one of my fingers wasn't pointed the right way and realized I needed to get to a hospital at some point.

 

We got to the beach and put the boat away.  I don't remember the conversation, but it may have been pretty limited.  Near death experience and all that.

 

I went to an ER and they straightened out my finger and I went home.  There was a show happening that evening and I wanted to go, so I did.  But before leaving, I cut off the little plastic hospital bracelet and left it somewhere in the house.

 

For Betsy to find when she got home.  Boy, was she mad!  This being before the advent of cell phones (for me at least), I hadn't left information about the day's adventure, thinking an in-person explanation would be better.  It wasn't.  Hence the second lesson.

 

So, yes, I did sail to a cancelled regatta with Kevin and adventures occurred.

 

Best & thanks for asking,

Chris

On Sun, Nov 23, 2025 at 5:58 PM John Baker <johnmor...@comcast.net> wrote:

Did you ever sail a Tornado with Kevin Cook to a park north of Baltimore in late March?
Sent from my iPhone

[C Seremetis]

Thanks for sharing, John and Chris!

I correctly remembered your broken (dislocated?) finger, but I thought you guys flipped on the way up to Gunpowder and turned back.

Did you know that while you and Kevin were sailing back (and flipped), the rest of us grilled burgers and hotdogs in the park?

Constantine 

Sent from my phone

On Nov 23, 2025, at 21:43, 'john baker' via West River Catamaran Racing Association <WR...@googlegroups.com> wrote:



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[Chris Ford]

one should always expect the Sheriff to set a trap.

RIP H. Rap Brown

--

[Jahn Tihansky]

As a side note, Chris (not Constantine) has been an instrumental role model for me in my Chesapeake cat adventures.

His story clears up a few things..

Jahn Shaffer Tihansky

Professional Mariner, Sailing Coach & Adventurer

website: jahntihansky.com

Mobile +1 410-320-1710

Email jahn.t...@gmail.com

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/WRCRA/CAEmi3SYtiNZeZspVvxG%3DWuCN2qao2z0JAYNWSXipYn2EVDmaoA%40mail.gmail.com.

[Patrick Stadt]

…..and I use JT as my barometer for going out….if he goes out, I take 10kts off the wind speed and base my decision on the resultant velocity.

So I guess Chris is also my role model, once removed!

Thanks gents!

Pat

On Nov 24, 2025, at 08:17, Jahn Tihansky <jahn.t...@gmail.com> wrote:



To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/WRCRA/CACKfmjjT_V6iiTWpB5rGak3onArc5C%3Dah%3DgCBhx%3DbZeZhB6XcQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[cpi...@gmail.com]

I remember one rainy fall day with wind from the north Jahn was the only cat about to launch. I don’t remember who..someone…helped him keep the feather weight A cat from actually flying away by sitting on the trampoline.

Jahn did launch and sailed away upwind under perfect control. I think the sail may have been buzzing it was so flat.

Sent from my iPhone

On Nov 24, 2025, at 8:26 AM, 'Patrick Stadt' via West River Catamaran Racing Association <WR...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

…..and I use JT as my barometer for going out….if he goes out, I take 10kts off the wind speed and base my decision on the resultant velocity.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/WRCRA/51DBB753-746A-4C1B-8A43-E230A44E2BFE%40me.com.

[Patrick Stadt]

Jahn has the details on the rest of the story…..

Pat

On Nov 24, 2025, at 09:44, cpi...@gmail.com wrote:

I remember one rainy fall day with wind from the north Jahn was the only cat about to launch. I don’t remember who..someone…helped him keep the feather weight A cat from actually flying away by sitting on the trampoline.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/WRCRA/8E8A3A21-BBF1-494B-915B-96D0BCBC95A8%40gmail.com.

[Jahn Tihansky]

Yes, he does..  and he'll keep them to himself.. 

As the late Jimmy Buffett once said,  "You had to be There"...

Jahn Shaffer Tihansky

Professional Mariner, Sailing Coach & Adventurer

website: jahntihansky.com

Mobile +1 410-320-1710

Email jahn.t...@gmail.com

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/WRCRA/88B72181-F2AE-4FF2-B2EB-97727899E51D%40me.com.