John "Moose" Lunenschloss

By Don Sanford

MYC lost one our longest-term members last Friday, June 14, 2013 when John "Moose" Lunenschloss passed away.

"Moose" was a big guy who most recently raced one of the biggest boats on the lake. Indecision was not the biggest in terms of length overall, but certainly biggest in terms of displacement. John grew up on Prospect Place on the south shore of the lake. Moose was an iceboater and I think he might have raced C Boats in those days though I can't say that with any certainty. I know that his name appears on several of our M 20 trophies during the 1960s.

Others who've been around for longer than I have are sure to have a recollection worthy of note about Moose. One of those stories comes from Steve Lewis who recalls a certain all-fleet handicap race that began with an all-fleet start. Steve skippered a Laser back then and happened to be on starboard when he spotted Indecision, a Morgan Out Island 28 barreling down towards him on port. "He was almost twice as long as I was and with a displacement of two or three tons, he had plenty of momentum. But I decided to take a chance and hail starboard! Just as I thought it a collision was imminent, Moose spun the wheel and called down from the rail several feet above me; Hold your course sonny, acknowledging my position as the right-of-way boat. A true gentleman of the sea."

Indecision hasn't been on the starting line since 1987 but we will always have the Indecision trophy, presented to the most improved keelboat skipper, to remind us of this fine sailor who has crossed the bar to the regatta in the sky.