SANFORD — When the Gods start bowling and putting on a light show it’s time to go inside.
In other words, if you hear thunder and see lightning, seek shelter.
The Lake Monroe Sailing Association (LMSA) was forced to abide by those ideas over the past week as inclement weather forced an early end to two different sailing events last week.
Not that the club shouldn’t be, but with the damage that lightning has done recently, Sanford’s Fireworks Display getting hit and set-off early, WESH Channel 2’s and the local National Weather Service radars both getting knocked out by lightning and several people around the country getting struck, the LMSA may have been a little more gun shy than normal.
Anyway, the monthly Members Club Race last Saturday (July 12) had to be shortened from three scheduled races to only one race and it was Jim White claiming the overall victory on Bad JuJu, which was also the Planing Boat winner, over Irish Juan under Mike Loughlin, the Displacement Boat winner, and the Rich Gailey guided Wicklow Way.
Then, the Wednesday Night Malibu Rum Vudu Race sponsored by Filomena's Pizzeria saw possibly its biggest turnout of the year as 11 boats and crews took to Lake Monroe.
But only three vessels were able to complete the course before a storm blew into the area with Rich Gailey and crew aboard Wicklow Way, who were also the Displacement Boat winner, easing past Andy Forrest and the crew of Show Me by a little over two minutes and Ray Laguna guiding UV to a third place finish, just under 4-minutes in arrears. Despite not finishing Will Faber on Hobie 16 was the Multihull Boat winner and Jim White took first place in Planing Boat on Bad JuJu.
The big group then made an early visit to Filomena's Pizzeria for an extended awards ceremony and social time.
Here are the results:
2025 LMSA Club Championship Series
July Race
Saturday, July 12, 2025
1. (Planing 1) Bad JuJu (Jim White), 0:07:51; 2. (Displacement 1) Irish Juan (Mike Loughlin), 0:08:03 (minus-0:00:11); 3. (Displacement 2) Wicklow Way (Rich Gailey), 0:09:28 (-0:01:33); 4. (Displacement 3) Castaway (Richard McFadyen), 0:10:54 (-0:02:47); 5. (Displacement 4) Shajaira (Bob Fellingham), 0:11:01(-0:02:52); 6. (Displacement 5) Ole Yeller (Max Perez), Did Not Start.
Wednesday Malibu Rum Vudu Race sponsored by Filomena's Pizzeria
Wednesday, July 16, 2025
1. (Displacement 1) Wicklow Way (Rich Gailey), 0:45:40; 2. (Displacement 2) Show Me (Andy Forrest), 0:47:51 (minus-0:02:11); 3. (Displacement 3) UV (Ray Laguna), 0:49:31 (-0:3:51); 4. (tie) (Displacement 4) Shajaira (Bob Fellingham), (Displacement 4) Fleur de Mer III (James Pompi), (Displacement 4) Kind of Blue (James Moran), (Multihull 1) Hobie 16 (Will Faber), (Planing 1) Bad JuJu (Jim White), (Displacement 4) Spider Pig (Imke Maring), (Displacement 4) Castaway (Richard McFadyen) and (Displacement 4) Black Jack Bill (Bill Holstein), Did Not Finish.
Upcoming:
* Today (Wednesday, July 23, 30) _ Malibu Rum Wednesday Night Race at 6 p.m. A beautiful sunset race, social at Filomena's with STICKERS and a BOOZE RAFFLE! If you are looking to crew, be down at the ramp by 6 p.m. If you are sailing, the starting window will be between 6:25 p.m.-and-6:30 p.m.
* Saturday, July 12 _ LMSA Members Club Race. Race #6 of the 2025 Members Club Race Series for the Hayden Trophy. Skippers meeting at 4 p.m.
* Sunday, June 27 _ Sine Metu Jameson Irish Whiskey Race. The start window is 2 p.m-to-2:05 p.m.
* Thursday, July 31 _ The July LMSA Membership Meeting will be held from 7 p.m.-to-8 p.m. at the LMSA Club House (531 North Palmetto Avenue).
For more information, visit _ www.flalmsa.org _ or call (321) 578-8364.
