Cooling summer sailing thoughts

Here are half a dozen or so random sailing thoughts caused by the recent unrelenting heat and humidity.

--Want to know how you can get in on the Charlestono Oean Racing Association harbor racing on Wednesday evenings? Go to the organization's website, www.charlestonoceanracing.org, and on the home page there is a feature called "Top 10 Ways to Find a Ride on a CORA Boat." Pay special attention to item #9.

--Over the past two years, I have written about the adventures of the Accidental Sailors, those of us who race the boat Outside The Lines in D Fleet in CORA. We aren't hard to spot -- our sail number is AS 07, which stands for Accidental Sailors and the year the boat was purchased.

I'm happy to report that we are in our third year of racing in the Wednesday night Summer Series, and our crew is as cohesive and fun-loving as ever. Owners Shannon Runquist and Alicia Gregory, who we crew members call the Racing Syndicate, have graciously taken care of all the surprises of boat ownership (remember that b-o-a-t stands for "break out another thousand") and have even kept me on as skipper.

That wasn't easy to do after our first three races this summer when we just couldn't make the boat go. Then we discovered last week that our bottom was fouled, got things straightened out with the diving service, and this past week, with our clean bottom, got back to our competitive ways and placed second in our fleet. It's amazing how much your mood improves when your bottom is clean. Sailing is so much like life.

--We have a Facebook group now, named Team Outside the Lines.

--While you're on the CORA home page, enjoy the onboard video of the modern naval warfare between two local sailboats, Celedon and Tohidu.

Sailors do know how to have fun!

--"He who is staring at the sea is already sailing a little."-- Paul Carvel

--Overheard during a yacht club happy hour somewhere at a club far away from here: "If (that sailor) was half as good as he thinks he is, he wouldn't still be sailing here!"

--The 2010 Collegiate Sailing National Championships will air on ESPNU today at 8 p.m.

I won't spoil it for those who don't know the results, so watch and see how our hometown national powerhouse team from the College of Charleston does. I will give away this: Cougars sailor Allie Blecher, of Fullerton, Calif., was named collegiate female sailor of the year.

The show covering the racing in Madison, Wis., will re-air on Saturday, July 31 (2 p.m.), Sunday, August 1 (1:30 p.m.) and Friday, August 13 (9 p.m.).

Results

Charleston Ocean Racing Association Summer Series I, Race 6, sailed July 7 in Charleston Harbor. (Winning boat name, type, owner) A Fleet: Dauntless, Beneteau 47.7, Don Terwilliger; B Fleet: Orange Crush, J/24, David Anderson; C Fleet: Kindred Spirit, Newport 41, David McSweeney; D Fleet: Knot Twins, Pearson 30, David Smith; N Fleet: Wrinkles, Olson 30, Harry Jones

Coming up

WEDNESDAY: CORA Summer Series II, Race I, harbor, 6 p.m.

JULY 17-18: Charleston Yacht Club Open Regatta

Reach Will Haynie at willh@thepickledish.com