42 Marine

UP NEXT – Melges 32 Pre-Worlds and World Championships »

September 14, 2010

After a quick 36 hr stint at home and a few loads of laundry to wash away the remnants of the E Scow Nationals, the bags were repacked and it is off to San Francisco for the beginning of what will be a long 2 weeks in preparation for the Melges 32 World Championships.   The 32 Worlds will mark the end of a very busy 2010 season, and will also be the final regatta in the 2010 circuit for the Samba Pa Ti Melges 32 team that has been working hard for over a year to make a run at the 2010 World title.  With a quick look at the crew list for the Pre-Worlds and Worlds, it is very apparent that winning will not be an easy task and whichever team walks away with the title on Sept 25th will not only have had to sail extremely well, but will have to have some good luck on their side.

During a World Championship regardless of the class of boat, there is always a heightened sense of anticipation and excitement as the regattas and days tick down to the actual event.  Rumors swirl about what is fast, who is sailing on which boat, and who has the latest boathandling technique that make doing a gybe-set in 25 kts a cinch.  It is very easy to get caught up in all of the hype and the biggest challenge it remain focused on your boat, team and what it will take to sail well individually.  Not only is there good natured excitement on the dock, but there will no doubt be some very negative aspects that emerge from this World Championship.  There will be some measurement infractions, redress hearings and some hotly contested protests that emerge from the water as was seen during the 2009 Worlds when eventual Champions Bliksem won a hard fought protest with then 2nd place boat, Team 93.  Bliksem would go onto win the worlds, but had the protest been decided differently, they would have had a hard time taking the title.

But all of the above is what separates a World title from a National or big name event.  The Worlds is the ultimate pinnacle of the racing season which relegates even the best and most competitive regattas leading up to the event as simply “training”.  I have been asked by several of my non-sailing friends what it means to win a world championship.  My response is it elevates you to a level amongst sailors that is achieved by very few, much like winning a Super Bowl, World Series or Stanley Cup.  Sailing of course presents a different challenge since you are not competing against one playoff team at a time, but in the case of the 2010 worlds, 33 teams all at once loaded with the worlds best sailors.  The scary thing about this event is that if you find yourself in the back of the fleet, it will be just as challenging as the front of the fleet.

As for the Samba, we are feeling as good as we reasonably can with our settings and preparation, and the only thing left to do is…execute. Sailing clean tactically and boathandling wise will be a huge key to success and if we can manage to stay out of the fray on the starting line, near marks, and avoid any “majors”, we should be able to put ourselves in a good position headed into the last day.  Upon arrival later today (Tuesday) in SF, we will take care of weigh in and head out for a brief shakedown sail in preparation for the Pre-Worlds/Rolex Big Boat Series which begins on Thursday. Just like the Cal Cup a few weeks ago, teams will be pushing hard to sail well in this preliminary event, but will be careful not to tip their “hand” and give away any of their speed or boathandling techniques.

Stay tuned to 42marine.com for the inside scoop from racing at the Melges 32 Pre-Worlds and Worlds. The Pre-Worlds take place Sept. 16-19, with the World Championships Sept. 22-25.

Event info can be found here.  Event preview from UK based OffShore Rules here.

Does Hot Sauce Make Eating Your Words Taste Better? 2010 E Scow Nationals Wrap-Up »

September 13, 2010

In my preview post leading up to the 2010 E-Scow Nationals, I was so confident in the conditions that Little Egg Harbor had to offer that I decided to go out on a limb and make a few bold predictions.  Not only did I learn a few new things about this normally reliable venue, but I also learned that I will stay away from making predictions on future posts since I was basically wrong in every statement that I made regarding the type of regatta it would be, including which region the eventual winner would hail from.

Just to summarize, here are few of the predictions that I made leading up to the event, and the corresponding result:

“Steady, reliable breeze” – Wrong. The great seabreeze that Little Egg is known for never made an appearance as a strong front passed through on Thursday and left brisk temps that never allowed the land to heat up.  We were left with a dying NWestrly breeze on Day 1 that challenged sailors with huge velocity and degree changes and left a lot of “contenders” with huge scores on the results sheet after day 1. After the front passed on day 2, we were left with 8-10 mph easterly that left sailors mentally exhausted after 3 challenging races.

“Drag racing and boatspeed conditions” – Wrong.  While it was still important to have good speed, the Nationals was all about getting off the line cleanly, closing your eyes and hoping you were headed in the right direction.  What looked like a certain thing in the pre-start often resulted in many of the top teams stranded on a side and scratching their heads.  With the big velocity and direction changes on Day 1, it was not uncommon be leading the race by a mile, fully hiking, vang on and sailing fast with the entire fleet in your mainsail window one minute, and the next minute have a 30 degree header, everyone on the low side, and 30 boats getting ahead on the other side of the course.

“Strong thighs and strong hiking straps” – Wrong. The only time this statement could have been true was if a team decided to go out and practice on Thursday prior to the event when it was blowing 25-30.  Otherwise the hiking straps were used sparingly on Day 1, and could have been removed on Day 2.

“Great Social Activities” – Ok, I got one thing correct.  The post race kegs and soft pretzels, the parties, food and everything on-land were top notch and is reason enough to return to Little Egg in 5 years.

“The ILYA has won the NCESA National Championship for 16 straight years.”  – Wrong. Several teams from the ECESA, WMYA and “At-Large” areas would make pushes for the title, but a team from the ECESA would claim the title for the first time since 1994.

So after seemingly to put a jinx on the entire event, from here on out, I will save the predictions for someone else.  As for the report from the M-42, we found ourselves surviving the first day with results of 14, 2 and in fifth place overall. Jason Sutherland would be the clubhouse leader after the Day 1 with a 5, 5.  This made sense since Jason’s home lake of Grand Lake, CO and its high mountains can cause some seriously crazy conditions similar to what the first 2 races provided and it looked like Jason and his team were the only ones to make sense of it.  After looking at the results sheet, it appeared that many top teams would have a hard time recovering from finishes in the 20s or 30s, but Day 2 would have plenty of action.

As we we headed out for race 3, our goal for the day was to keep our 14th as our “throwout” race assuming we could get enough races in.  Well, that disappeared pretty quickly when we found our selves OCS in the first race, and when we attempted to reround the boat end of the line after being in the middle bucking current the entire way, it was almost as if time stood still on our boat, while the rest of the fleet blasted off towards the windward mark.  Once around the committee boat, the leaders sail numbers were not visible and we knew we were in for a long race.  The only consolation is that our good friends on the M-3 were also OCS and it provided at least a little bit of levity to have some share the pain of battling it out in the back of the pack. We battled hard to get back to a 36th, but it was no doubt a tough start to Day 2. All was not lost however as a few of the leaders from Day 1 we close to us in this race.  Jason Sutherland (GL-31), Peter Hurley (MA-11) and Jeff Bonnani (LE-73) were also going to have to use a new high sore as their throwout.  Meanwhile, after a harsh first day, Brian Porter on his team on I-49 returned to form and took the bullet in race 3.

We managed to eek out two keeper finishes in races 4 and 5, and when we returned to LEHYC, it was anyones guess as to who was winning the event.  Porter smoked everyone on Day 2 with a 1, 1, 5, but his 29, and 20 on the first day would be hard to battle back from. Bobby Koar and his team also had a great day 2 with a 15, 2, 1, but their 48th in race 2 would keep them out of the lead.  Once the results were posted, it would be Peter Hurley on MA-11 who would lead with 54 pts and five boats right on his tail including Art Brereton who was tied for the lead and the only boat in the top ten to post all top 20 finishes. if one more race was to be completed however, the throwout would kick-in and the leaders would find themselves replaced by Bobby Koar and his team who would get to rid themselves of a 48 and have a small lead over Hurley, Porter, Rogers and Barkow.

With a 9am Harbor Signal on Day 3, it looked the RC was eager to get off 3 races on the final day which was a welcome sign to a lot of the teams praying for a 6th race. As teams prepped their boats, dark skies loomed on western shore, and after a quick look at the radar, a nice line of T-storms and rain would be approaching the area.  After a 2 hr delay, the RC would make an attempt to get the boats on the race course, but a power outage would not allow for the cranes to operate and we once again would be in a holding pattern.  Once the power resumed, the call was made to get out on the water and attempt to get off at least one race.  With less than half of the 70 boat fleet making the effort to go out, the possibility of our team making a 7 pt comeback (with a throwout) was looking more and more bleak.  As we attempted to get out of the harbor, it was clear the passing storms had swallowed any ounce of breeze and we were left with a glassy racing area that would not change in time for the 1pm race limit.

The results would remain unchanged from Day 2 and Peter Hurley and his team on MA-11 would take the NCESA title.  Overall, a fun, crazy highly unpredictable event with plenty of lead changes and unexpected results.  Congrats to Peter and his team.  Results can be found here. Next year the NCESA heads to Torch Lake for its annual championship and while I have heard great things about this venue, I will be sure to keep my thoughts to myself.

A huge thank you goes out to Bob Donat and his team at LEHYC for an outstanding event.  I dont think I have seen a regatta Chairman work as hard as Bob did throughout the event.  And of course, a huge thank you to the team on the M-42 for a great season.  Chrisy, Tony and Lynn all made huge sacrifices to attend the events this year and it was a total blast.  You guys are the best!

UP NEXT – 2010 E Scow National Championships »

September 9, 2010

Every 5 years, the NCESA packs up and makes way to Little Egg Harbor, NJ for its annual National Championship.  For those who have been to Little Egg Harbor, it might be the best natural venue possible for racing E Scows in the country; with is wide open waters, steady and reliable seabreeze and great social activities, there is a reason the class puts this venue on the calender repeatedly.  What will be most welcoming is that the sailors can almost certainly count on being able to stretch their legs and put the webbing in their hiking straps to use.

When compared to this year’s variable and shifty E Scow ILYA Champs on Lake Geneva, the Nationals will be a full on drag race event, a true test of boatspeed as opposed to rolling the dice and hitting a shore.  When the seabreeze comes in Little Egg, the boats in the front are tacking 2-3 times in 15-18 mph winds on 1.5 miles beats which usually draws groans from crew members who are doing the equivalent of a 11-12 minute wall sit during the upwind beats.  During the 2005 Nationals when I had the opportunity with race with Vincent and Bri Porter, we decided to sail with 3 people and during one of the upwind legs on Day 2 with a fresh sea-breeze, our jib man Bri had a hard time taking the pain in his legs and quietly asked me to club him over the head so he could still be in the straps, but not be awake for the pain.  When racing E Scow in Little Egg, you will need good boatspeed to succeed, and some strong thighs as well.

Coming fresh off a victory at the ILYA Champs, our team of Chrisy Hughes, Tony and Lynn Jewett are hopeful we can do what Tom Burton did in 2009; secure victories at both the ILYA and NCESA Champs.  This is a rare feat with only a handful of sailors being able to pull this off and when you look at the names of who has done it, Melges, Porter, Burdick…you begin to understand why; with so many good sailors racing E Scows, you not only need to sail well to win one major championship, but you have to have a bit of good luck as well, and to do it twice in one year is exceptional.  2010 will be no different with the top talent in the ILYA and ECESA making the trek to Little Egg.  Brian Porter, Vincent Porter, Augie Barkow, and Chris Jewett as well as a handufl of sailors from the East will all try to inscribe their names on the classic 1950s Tiffany’s bowl awarded to the winners.  With over 70 boats pre-registered, whoever wins will have to display great speed and an ability to sail clean.

While most boats are individually doing there best to take home a National Title, there is also an underlying competition between boats in the ILYA (Inland Lake Yachting Association) and ECESA (East Coast E-Scow Association) and who has the tougher fleet annually.  While there is certainly great talent in both regions, in the past 25 years the ILYA has claimed the National E Sc0w title 23 times, and 16 straight.  With the Nationals taking place at an ECESA venue, and some very good talent evolving in their region over the last few years, it is very possible a boat from the East could make a strong challenge for the title this year…but we will do our best to keep the trophy in the ILYA.

After we unload the triple deck E Boat trailer towed graciously by Jeff Solum on M-12, our plan will be to get the E Scows rigged, tuned and prepped for racing.  We will be sure not to work too late into the evening however since we have a date with flat screen TV for the Vikings/Saints game at 7:30.  Racing begins at 10:30 am on Friday morning and with 3 races planned each day, the biggest challenge will be to ditch the great social activities early and get a solid nights sleep.

Stay posted to 42marine.com for daily updates from the 2010 NCESA National Championships.

In Need of a Cooler Dive after Day 2 of M20 Nationals »

August 28, 2010

During my Bachelor’s party a few years ago in Northern Minnesota, prior to an evening of revelry, a few us decided to challenge each other to who could last the longest doing a cooler dive.  A cooler dive is when you submerge your head into a cooler filled with ice and water… not an easy task by any-means.  After 3 hard races in 8-10 kts with leftover lump, confused Lake Michigan seas and 20-30 degree shifts, I was not sure if my hat was too tight, or if I was just thinking too hard, but the idea of doing a cooler dive for a minute sounded much less painful.

Day 2 started very similar to how Day 1 ended, with Michael Kiss winning another race.  For those that could break away in the front pack, life was good, but if you fund yourself in the middle of the pack, it was a challenge to find clear air and lanes making it difficult to make any gains.  Race 2 saw a dying breeze and halfway up the first beat, the breeze shifted 40 degrees to the right, leaving those on the left side hung out to dry, us being one of them.  After looking great on the left side, we found ourselves looking at a large amount of starboard tackers and having to battle back to a 10th place.  With 1.2 mile beats in a dying breeze, Race 5 fried a lot of brain cells on a lot of boats.  Michael Kiss would again go on to take the victory.

The final race of the day, the course was set to a very manageable .75 miles and this race would be all about boatspeed.  After a tough start, George did a great job of battling back and we managed to use our boatspeed, find clean lanes and round the top mark in first.  After a quick gybe-set however, we coughed up a few boats at the bottom mark and found ourselves rounding the right gate, going left in what would be a right handed program.  We did our best to get back right, but with the majority of the fleet pegging the favored side, we would drop a few and finish 7th place.  Bora Gulari calling tactics for Chuck Holzman would finally break the string of bullets held by the team on Baccio who took a disappointing 2nd place.

Overall, a tough day with marginal results (11, 10, 7).  The good news is we have great boat speed, and if we can manage to take care of the basics tomorrow, we should be able to pop a top 5 finish for the regatta.  With only 9 points separated between us and 2nd place, it should be a competitive 2 races.

Full results can be found here.

Perfect Conditions on Day 1 of Melges 20 Nationals »

August 27, 2010

Day 1 of the Melges 20 Nationals kicked off with a SE breeze at 13-18 kts, 4-5 ft waves and perfectly sunny skies.  For the 20 boats racing,  the conditions could not have been more perfect with some awesome downwind surfing and great, tight racing.

The fleet gathered in the starting area just outside the entrance to Macatawa Bay, and for the out-of-towners who were wondering about what type of current could be found on Lake Michigan, it did not take long to figure it out after looking at the boat and pin end of the starting which were facing downwind and pulling on their anchor lines.  After several general recalls and postponements, the fleet finally got underway for race 1 under a Z flag start after an hour of messing around.

Michael Kiss with his son and tactician Chris Rast dominated the day with 3 bullets and showed that they learned a few new speed and boathandling tricks from their travels to Lake Garda earlier this summer.  Michael is also a Macatawa Bay local and he seemed right at home in the big waves and breeze.  In 2nd overall, John Adenhorst with Scott Nixon posted 3 3rd places and battled from the back of the fleet in race 2 for an impressive finish.  And all the way from Great Britain, Simon Strauss is in 3rd place after a solid, consistent first 3 races.

On our team, “A Little Wicked”, owner George Gamble did a great job of keeping the boat moving and staying clean in all 3 races.  Our goals for the day were to have good, clean starts and sail fast and let the rest of the racing take care of itself.  We managed to pull off 2 great starts and our boat always felt fast which resulted in a 4, 8, 2 and 1 pt out of 3rd.  There were not a ton a shifts to be played so having good boatspeed and staying out of trouble was key to having decent results.

The forecast for tomorrow is for a less breeze out of the same direction and with the swell left over from today, we should see some interesting conditions.  Results can and photos can be found here.  Stay posted for Day 2…

Cal Cup Concludes…Onto the Worlds »

August 23, 2010

The M32 Cal Cup concluded with 2 races on Sunday and a less than stellar performance from the Samba team.  We managed to sneak away with the win, but it was very well understood that if we have a showing like we did in the last 2 races, we will be nowhere near the podium when the races count in a few weeks.

With 1 or 2 teams headed into the dock after the finish of the first race to catch flights, the mood on the racecourse was slightly more relaxed than the prior two days.  Leenabarca maintained their great speed from the end of day 2 and managed to win the final day with a 1,3. Star returned showed top form as well with a 5,1 and sent a message to the fleet that they will be ready to rock and roll when the worlds begin.

A good event overall, but we will be looking forward to the pre-worlds when more of the class rules are in effect, like restrictions on coach boats.  Since the Cal Cup was a non sanctioned class event, there was no sail declarations, weigh-in or coach boat restrictions.  There were times when coach boats would be driving up behind us while racing within 2-3 boatlengths, snapping photos and getting a good look at our settings, than blasting off to the next boat to do the same thing.  Very distracting and frustrating to have these flies buzzing around the track and getting in our way.

At the end of the final day, the fleet headed over to the San Francisco Yacht Club for some famous Mai Tais and good banter.  It is amazing how when we would return to the dock at the St. Francis YC, it would be about 60 degrees and overcast, and once you get to the San Fran YC across the bay, it is 80, perfectly sunny and in a gorgeous setting. Guess it pays to be on the right side of town!

Final results here, pictures here.  Headed home this evening, than off to the Melges 20 Nationals in Holland, Michigan on Thursday.

Day 2 of Exhibition Racing at Cal Cup »

August 21, 2010

6 Races have been completed at the Melges 32 California Cup, and if Day 1 was known for its collisions and carnage, Day 2 was similarly exciting, but for its close racing, not expensive repair jobs. The skies again cleared over SF bay around the same time as yesterday, and just like the first day, once the breeze started to fill, it was a right handed program both upwind and downwind and for the boats that could call good laylines from the far corner of the racecourse and pull off a good gybe set at the top mark, they often were the ones to do well. The fleet was much more tightly packed today and it is clear that with one day of racing on the Bay, everyone is improving and upping their games.

Several teams showed moments of brilliance today which we can only assume will be more consistent as we get closer to the worlds and each of these teams get better.  Full Throttle won the first race of the day by nailing a great gybe set at the top mark and blasting off to a massive lead by the end of the 2nd downwind.  On the Samba, we were able to hold off a strong push from current World Champions Bliksem for an entire race and pull off the win in race 2. And in the final race of the day, the team aboard Leenabarca showed some awesome speed and took a convincing win in the final race of the day.

Heading into the final day tomorrow, we have a 9 pt lead over Bliksem with 2 races remaining and we will do our best to hold off a charge from several challenging teams.  While we are excited about doing well in this event and sailing hard against great competition, the California Cup is basically like a pre-season football game in the NFL…it doesnt mean much until the real season starts.  The challenge for tomorrow and the next few weeks will be to remain hungry and push ourselves and the boat to the limit to ensure there are no questions left unanswered when the worlds begin.

Full results here.  It is off to bed for another sound night of sleep, and a morning with several advil and caffeine.

“Days of Thunder” on Day 1 of Melges 32 Cal Cup »

August 20, 2010

If Tom Cruise were to make a sequel to his popular movie “Days of Thunder”, being a driver of a Melges 32 in San Francisco Bay would be a good place to start…that is of course, if Nicole Kidman could have a supporting role. By the end of the first day at the California Cup, several boats collided, struck masts, and even stuck their bow sprits in places where they don’t belong. This resulted in damage and bruised egos, but by the end of the day, the breeze was fully pumping and there were awesome rides to be had downwind.  Speed, carnage, and nice wipe-outs at what is a tune-up regatta for the Worlds less than a month away…it will be interesting to see what happens when the fleet size doubles and the sailors get even riskier with their calls in just a few weeks.

Although the Cal Cup is being treated as a tuning/training event for most teams, it did not take long for the blood to get pumping as the pressure and intensity of the Worlds is always lingering in the background.  With the overcast skies taking longer to clear over SF Bay than normal, the first race got off with an 11:30 am start and shifting condition at 9-13 mph.  We did a good job of starting clean near the pin end and used our speed to punch out on the front row.  A few boats tacked immediately to the right corner which seemed risky at the time, but as we got closer to the top of the course, the move would pay off.  The Samba was fortunate to make it back from the left side and tacked back onto the starboard layline  in what looked like was going to be in 3rd place behind Warpath and Argo.  As we got closer to the mark, Argo approached on the port tack layline, attempted a tight duck on Warpath, misjudged it badly and collided with the stern quarter of Warpath at a high rate of speed causing both boats to get tangled with masts basically intertwined, and allowed us to do a slight luff to get around the carnage, around the mark, and off onto the downwind. From there we were able to stay hooked up in the pressure in a slightly building breeze and maintain a nice lead through the finish.  Warpath would need to retire from the race due to damage suffered to the boat and sails, but would be able to sail the remainder of the day, but Argo would call it quits as they had another collision with Leenabarca later in the same race and would need to go to the dock and inspect for damages.

Race 2 saw similar conditions but with what looked a breeze that was trying to fill but just didn’t have any gusto behind it.  A challenging aspect about racing on the bay is not always setting up for the conditions that you are currently seeing, but what you anticipate on seeing.  As the gun sounded, a few boats again tacked immediately at the boat and sprinted out to the right side.  We did a good job of starting closer to the boat, but again in conservative fashion getting to the right when the opportunity presented itself and managed to round the windward mark in 3rd place.  As the skies started to clear in Sausalito, the breeze was really starting to build on the right side, and for the boats that could pull off a nice gybe set, immediate gains were made.

At the first bottom mark, I wondered to myself who turned the fan on at the Golden Gate Bridge as the breeze had gone from 9-12 on the first beat to 17-20 on the next upwind.  When the skies clear in SF, its time for breeze on, and it was now a drag race to the right side of the course to get into the pressure first. With the ebb tide starting as well, once we got to the right side our goal was to call an early layline, below and ahead of race leaders Bliksem and Yasha Samurai, but we found ourselves hipped up and being overstood as we approached the mark.  After watching several boats come up and around us, we set our kite and managed to pick off one boat the last downwind.  A disappointing 5th place, but a good lesson learned regarding the laylines for future regattas.

The last race of the day, the skies had cleared for the most part and the breeze was now settled in at 18-21 kts with the ebb tide in full effect.  As the majority of the fleet stacked up at the boat end to get to the right side, we inched closer to the pack, but again stayed conservative and focused on a clean start and tacking to the right once a lane developed.  With all 13 boats on port tack within 30 seconds of the starting gun, it was a full drag race to the right corner and a real test of boat speed.  Morgan and John did a great job of keeping the boat moving at all times and Stu found some good shifts at the top of the course to get us around the mark with a healthy lead. After a clean set and gybe, we blasted off to the leeward mark at 19-20kts of boatspeed.  The final 3 legs would be a repeat of the first 2 with it essentially being a drag race to the right side of the course and who could get there first.  We managed to hang on for a race win and a 4 pt lead headed into day 2 of the Cal Cup.

With another 11:30 start planned for tomorrow, conditions should shape up to be similar and with a building breeze whenever the fog starts to thin out.  As of 9:30 PT, the results had not yet been posted, but a link can be found here when the are.  Our best guess at the top 3 is this:

1). Samba Pa Ti – 7 pts – 2). Pegasus Racing – 11pts 3). Bliksem – 11pts.

UP NEXT – M32 Cal Cup »

August 18, 2010

The Melges 32 fleet has packed up and moved on from the light and variable conditions in the Midwest, and has based itself in San Francisco, CA for the first annual Melges 32 Cal Cup.  Not only will this event be a highly talented and competitive regatta, but it also signifies the final stage of preparation for most teams before the Melges 32 Pre-Worlds and Worlds in late September. While the goal will certainly be to win this event, teams will be careful not to show their “hand” so they do not give anything away before the Worlds. While not every team that is competing in the worlds will be here at the Cal Cup, most will, and the crew list for the Worlds is available to find out who is sailing on which boat.

The Samba team gathered on Wednesday morning at the St. Francis Yacht Club for the first of 2 practice sessions before racing begins on Friday.  With typical San Francisco Bay conditions of 15-20 and sunny skies, we were all reminded of what a great venue this is for racing Melges 32s and why San Francisco is amongst the favorite places to sail for people who have had the opportunity to race here.

Tomorrow will bring another grueling day of practice as we hope to make out boathandling as smooth as possible in the breeze.  While tactics and speed are obviously important, clean boathandling in breeze is a huge part to doing well in the Melges 32 class and by the end of the weekend, we hope to have our dance steps fully refined as we head into the worlds.

Here is the Samba Team line-up for the weekend : Helm – John Kilroy Jr, Tactics – Stu Bannatyne, Main Trim – Morgan Reeser, Spin/Jib Trim – Sam Rogers, Pit – Justin Smart, Mast – Eric Dorman, Float – Kimberly Arnston, Bow – Alan “Buddha” Nakanishi.

Stay tuned to 42marine.com for the inside scoop from racing, and to melges32.com for photos and race reports.

E Scow ILYA Champs Wrap Up »

August 15, 2010

The first part of the annual ILYA “Big Inland” was completed over 3 days and 4 light, hot and bumpy races.  The first day of racing for the E Scows was cancelled due to no wind and with the heat index climbing into the low 100’s, many of the competitors took to taking a dip in the lake every 15-20 minutes to keep the core body temp into the normal ranges. And with the outside bar at LGYC luring many of the sailors throughout most of the day, it was a welcome relief when the final call was made at 4pm so the beer could really start flowing.

The forecast for day 2 was not much better as the heat was expected into the high 90s and figured to stifle any breeze. Thankfully when the competitors awoke, there was a nice 8-12 sw breeze on the lake and it was now up to PRO Russ Ackley to insure the racing got off in time before the breeze fizzled out.  After a 30 degree right shift and a general recall on the first attempt, the line was reset and got off cleanly.  I-49, I-2 and M-42 would get off the pin-end cleanly and work the left side of the course that looked great for most of the beat, but once the top boats approached the windward mark, the race would effectively restart with a another massive right shift which brought the back of the fleet to the front.  For those who got stuck on the top left of the course, it was a long painful trek to the top mark.  V-27 would lead the first top mark with many “contenders” and past champions deep in the fleet.

As the race progressed, the breeze settled a little bit, but there was still big variations in velocity and plenty of shifts.  By the last bottom mark, M-42 would take the lead followed tightly by M-1 Rob Evans and GL-11, Mark Unicume. Evans and M42 would split halfway up the beat with Evans going left, and Rogers going right with the left winning out just by a touch allowing Evans to take the race lead.

After a 3 hour break between races 1 and 2 for storms that never developed, Race 2 got underway with a 8-10 SE breeze and a very skewed starting line and windward mark.  For those who could pick up on it and execute, starting at the pin, and getting to Cedar Point which was 200 yards away was key.  M42 was able to get a clean start at the pin, tack across the fleet and establish themselves in the front, but it was Jeff Solum on M-12 who went the furthest left, found a nice vein of pressure and rounded in first.  Mark roundings would be a huge part of this race since many of the boats would arrive together and those who could set, and get away quickly would make huge gains on the other boats who were stuck together, suffocating the dying breeze. M12 and M42 were able to set and extend nicely, heading all the way over to the North Shore and gybing once they reached the piers off of Cedar Point.

Just as the top mark proved to be a place for huge gains and losses, the bottom mark was even more pronounced.  Those who could carry their kites late, maintain speed, and round cleanly were able to break free from the pack in the dying breeze.  Augie Barkow on V-37 was able to pick off 10-12 boats at the last leeward mark by carrying his kite until he was around the mark, maintain his speed and sail cleanly away, while the boats around him were basically glued to the water and preventing each others sails from filling.  For the race win, M42 was able to get around M12 and hold on for the bullet.  The RC was hoping for another race, but the threat of storms caused nixed that.  3 races would be needed to constitute an official regatta and with the forecast once again looking bleak, it was not looking good to have an E ILYA winner in 2010.  M42 carried a small overnight lead over M-87 Derek Packard and V-37 Augie Barkow.

Just as Day 2 outlived the forecast, Day 3 provided a nice surprise for competitors as a West breeze at 8-10 had filled over the morning hours.  For those who have been to Lake Geneva, it is a boating hotspot, especially on the weekends when the temps are in the 90s.  Not only were 55 E Scows sprawled across the lake fighting for every ounce of breeze, but the competitors would also have to deal with massive amounts of power boat chop from the locals who did their best to make the racing as difficult as possible.  Race 3 got underway with the sides of the course proving to be the places to be, and the middle of the course being like a slow, painful death.  The boats on each side of the course waiting until the last possible minute to tack back to the mark, and once they did, the leaders on each side were basically bow to bow as they each prayed for some sort of angle change to get them to the mark in decent position.  Just as things looked dire on the right, a nice little lift came down the course and allowed M42, TO-101 and V-37 to get across the boats on the left side.

It would be a battle to who could get to the right throughout the race, and as M42 did their best to stay near V37 to protect the regatta lead in the middle of the course, M-77, Kevin Jewett would extend to the right corner on the last upwind, catch a massive right hander and fly into the finish line to take the bullet.  M42 would just barely get back across a few other boats who came in from the right to take 2nd place while V-37 dropped to 9th.

Headed into the last race, the breeze seemed like it wanted to freshen to the low teens, but just couldn’t settle in.  We decided to take our 4th crew for the last race since we are one of the lighter teams, but as the gun sounded, the breeze lightened and we would be heavier than what would be ideal.  After a terrible start, several leebows, ducks and close calls, we finally got to the right, and were able to break into the front group in 10th place.  With Augie Barkow and his team on V-37 leading the race however, we would need to get no worse than the high teens to hang onto the regatta victory.

Augie established a nice lead, and once the race settled in, our team on the M42 did a great job of hanging tough and battling out of some very challenging situations to solidify our position in the top 5.  As we approached the line on the last beat, the excitement started to build as we realized our goals of winning this years ILYA E Scow Champs were about to be complete.  As we crossed the line, hugs and high fives were exchanged as our team of Tony Jewett, Chrisy Hughes and Lynn Jewett were crowned champs.  It was a very challenging weekend of races and our team did a great job of keeping the boat moving at all times and sailing clean throughout the series.

The next E Scow “Major” is the E Scow National Championships, September 9-12 in Little Egg Harbor, NJ. The Nationals always serves as a battle of East vs West since it it the first time the West coast fleets match up with the very competitive East Coast fleets.

ILYA Results here

Photos and Video here

The A Scows begin their racing on Sunday afternoon, finishing on Tuesday, and the C Scow cap the long with with racing Thursday to Sunday.