Editor's Note: After racing on Wednesday, LSC members toasted former member Jim Crain who passed away in Port Charlotte, Florida on August 29, 2005. They also shared some stories that showed how much they enjoyed sailing with him. Jim crewed for Dennis Dudley for several years when Dennis sailed a Lightning. In addition to the stories told Wednesday at Spags, Dennis adds these. We hope they spark fond memories of Jim by those members who knew him - and bring a smile to the faces of those who weren't that fortunate.
Jim had the habit of sitting on the boom on downwind legs. One day, the wind shifted on the downwind leg of a race and got behind the main - gybing the boat and tossing Jim from his perch on the boom, across the boat and into the water.
Once Jim was on race committee for a 4th of July club fun race. That year we had a race before lunch then we came into to eat and tap the beer keg. The race committee remained on the course. This seemed unusual because Jim liked his beer. After about an hour the committee was still on the water. Since It was a blazing hot day, we discussed this rather odd situation and then had another beer. Finally, some one decided to check on them. They had failed to check the gas level and had run out of fuel but were so emabarassed that they refused to make any motions of distress. So they sat and baked in the sun for an hour in the middle of the lake. Another time Jim, another of my former Lightning crew ( Ken Zielinski) and I bought a boat together as partners. (This is the 28 foot Pearson Triton that I still own.) We kept the boat in Bay City for the summer and took it up the Saginaw River for the winter where we stored it in the boat yard that we found it in originally. The plan was that Ken and I would take the boat up the river and Jim would drive from Bay City to the Saginaw boat yard to meet us. As we pulled out of the marina and into the river we noticed Jim was waving to us with both arms in a rapid manner. We remarked about this unusual display of affection. This was before cell phones. When we got to Bay City we were greeted by my wife who was not very happy. She had to drive from Mason to Bay City because Jim forgot to get the car keys before we left. He had walked to the local bar, called Mrs. Dudley, and then proceeded to drink several beers while he waited for us. Jim didn't drive home!
One time he met my friend Tom Day. We were on Day's boat in Tawas Bay. Jim lit up a cigar and proceeded to flick ashes on Day's boat! Jim like to test people.
A few years ago he was in a retirement center in Florida. I was paying his bills, etc. One day I got a call from the manager. He begged me to buy Jim his own TV. It seems that Jim had the habit of going up to the TV in the community room and switching it to whatever channel he wanted to watch. He would tell the other elderly residents that they didn't need to watch whatever they had been watching. They should watch his program!
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