On Sat, 30 May 2009 03:40:46 +0000, Larry wrote:

(We carry a starter's gun to shoot off as we cross what WAS the finish line
before they took up the bouys and the bar closed at 3AM. We take a picture
of the dark, vacant yacht club dock...just in case there's a protest.)

Carry a short barrel 12 ga shotgun. You should own one of those, in
which case a starter gun is a needless expense. I used to start scow
races with one, and sometimes people couldn't hear it but could see
the puff of black powder smoke. There was also the flag for that
reason. You use live ammo, with small shot, with a gas operated gun.
Or load your own smokeless blanks, which they don't sell. Live ammo is
safe enough, you shoot straight up, and the shot is barely moving when
it comes down.

We had races with a scow, the Iowa schooner, Rebels, Sunfish, and a
Demon. No handicap. No cancellation for a high winds, the reason the
schooner won the season championship. It could go to weather in 50
mph winds with topsails and a tiny jib, and it was the only boat that
could shorten sail. It had lead ballast, I forget how much. It was a
reworked 16 foot wood fishing boat with a rope start half horse
Evinrude for get home power. Eventually we had a fleet of six M-16
scows, and a Sunfish class as well. Free beer available from the
commitee boat at any time. I started every single race single handed
and drank a ton of beer while I did it. Those were the days.

Casady