08/26/00 2000 LEUKEMIA CUP
3 RACES 0 THROWOUTS
SCORING: IYRU5A-2 TIEBREAKER: Most 1sts, most 2nds, ...
NO HULL SKIPPER'S 08/26 TOTAL
NO NAME 1 2 3 PTS
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 74 Jack Colby NO SURRENDER 1 2 2 5
2 300 Nelson Weiderman KIMA 2 1 3 6
3 350 Bill Riggs RIGADOON 3 3 1 7
4 8 Wilson Pollock SEA SHADOW 4 4 4 12
5 189 Moore/Brodsky ILIAD DNC DNC DNC 21
5 334 Don Priestly WET PAINT DNC DNC DNC 21
Very tactical and close racing marked the day with freqent wind shifts and current
factoring in as three different boats each won a race. Racing was postponed
for about 30 minutes until the southerly filled in north of the Newport Bridge.
The Sail Newport Race Committee used all windward-leeward courses of about a
mile overall in length. The first was sailed in 6-8 knots and by the last race,
the breeze had picked up to 10-12 knots. In the first race SEA SHADOW and RIGADOON
caught the left shift and were first to the weather mark. But KIMA and NO SURRENDER
prevailed downwind. On the final beat it was KIMA ahead and forcing NS to the
left. But a left shift put NS inches ahead in the last port-starboard crossing
and she took the gun. In the second race KIMA ducked the starboard tackers at
the start to take a port tack to the middle of the Bay, while the other three
boats headed for a lift along the shore. KIMA rounded first by 4-5 boatlengths
followed by RIGADOON, NO SURRENDER, and SEA SHADOW. Coming downwind, NS split
to the middle and got more breeze there and got ahead. But KIMA drove them past
the starboard tack layline and broke the overlap as they rounded to port. This
time KIMA prevailed in the tacking duel to the finish. In the final race KIMA
tried their port start again, but this time the fleet followed them to the middle.
This time RIGADOON reached the weather mark first followed closely by KIMA,
NS, and SEA SHADOW. On the downwind leg, RIGADOON stayed ahead, but NS performed
a nifty simultaneous jibe on KIMA's air and passed them and had an inside overlap
at the leeward mark. Each yacht protected their position on the return to the
finish. It was the first outing of the season for SEA SHADOW and they put in
a very respectable showing.
08/20/00 2000 NBYA BARRINGTON REGATTA
4 RACES 0 THROWOUTS
SCORING: IYRU5A-2 TIEBREAKER: Most 1sts, most 2nds, ...
NO HULL SKIPPER'S 08/19 08/20 TOTAL
NO NAME 1 2 3 4 PTS
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 189 Moore/Brodsky ILIAD 1 1 1 1 4
2 300 Nelson Weiderman KIMA 2 2 2 2 8
3 334 Don Priestly WET PAINT 3 3 3 3 12
4 237 Glen Darden HOSS DNC DNC DNC DNC 32
4 332 Brendan Kelley CLOUD 9 DNC DNC DNC DNC 32
4 315 John Hourihan PFM 2 DNC DNC DNC DNC 32
4 350 Bill Riggs RIGADOON DNC DNC DNC DNC 32
Saturday's racing was light and variable and the RC had some trouble figuring
out where the wind was coming from. In the first race, the beat to the first
mark turned frustrating when after ILIAD rounded, the current became stronger
than the wind. It took WET PAINT five passes at the mark before she rounded
and by that time ILIAD and KIMA were rounding the leeward mark and setting their
kites for the last "windward" leg. ILIAD was untouchable in the light
going as she got off the line with speed and never looked back in either race.
On Sunday, the RC still had trouble with direction and distance, saying that
theweather mark was 1.75 nm, when it was more like .75. KIMA managed to get
to the weather mark first in one race, but other than that it was all ILIAD
with Geoff Moore steering the first race and David Brodsky steering the second,
as on the first day. On Sunday there was more breeze, but nothing to write home
about.
08/06/00 2000 BUZZARDS BAY REGATTA
5 RACES 1 THROWOUTS
SCORING: IYRU5A-2 TIEBREAKER: Most 1sts, most 2nds, ...
NO HULL SKIPPER'S 08/04 08/05 08/06 TOTAL
NO NAME 1 2 3 4 5 PTS
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 50 Damian Emery ECLIPSE 1 1 1 1 [4] 4
2 315 John Hourihan PFM 2 2 3 [9] 2 3 10
3 300 Nelson Weiderman KIMA 4 4 [5] 4 1 13
4 189 Geoff Moore ILIAD 7 2 3 [8] 2 14
5 102 Ernie Hardy JAGUAR 6 8 2 6 [10] 22
6 177 Ed Dailey SAOIRSE 8 5 4 [11] 5 22
7 354 Bill Purdy 40 WHACKS [12] 6 7 3 9 25
8 240 Marv Pozefsky PEEKABOO 3 9 6 [10] 8 26
9 317 John Eielson NORDIC EXPRESS 5 7 11 [12] 7 30
10 334 Don Priestly WET PAINT 9 [11] 10 9 6 34
11 27 John Toole VORTICITY 10 10 [12] 5 11 36
12 37 Peter Cashman BELL'ONDA 11 [12] 8 7 12 38
This was a great regatta sandwiched between two horrible delivery days (thick
fog going out and heavy wind, seas, and adverse current for those from Narragansett
Bay and Long Island. The first two days were light air and Damian showed his
extraordinary light air skills winning by impressive margins in each race. On
Sunday, however, the wind came in and it was a different story. Nelson Weiderman
and Geoff Moore were 1-2 at every mark of the double sausage course and were
rarely more than a few boatlengths apart. With the four Buzzards boats four
LIS boats, three Narragansett boats, and one from Boston, this Regatta is sure
to attract more boats in future years. Put it on your 2001 schedule!
NEW YORK YACHT CLUB
RACE WEEK AT NEWPORT 2000
J/105 GREEN CLASS D
JULY 20-23 2000
Date: Jul 23, 2000
Time: 1:53pm (c)NEW YORK YACHT CLUB
**************************************************************************************************************
Yacht Race Scoring Systems |RACE 1|RACE 2|RACE 3|RACE 4|RACE 5|RACE 6|RACE 7|RACE 8||
|------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------|| TOTALS THRU
|Finish|Finish|Finish|Finish|Finish|Finish|Finish|Finish|| RACE NO. 7
SAIL | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- ||--------------
SKIPPER, ETC. NO |Points|Points|Points|Points|Points|Points|Points|Points|| POINTS| POS
-------------------- ------- |------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------||-------|----
NO SURRENDER | 5 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 1 | -- || |
JACK COLBY 74 | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- || 22.75 | 1
| 5 | | 4 | 6 | 3 | 4 | .75 | -- || |
-------------------- ------- |------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------||--------------
MASQUERADE | 1 | 0 | 1 | PEN | 8 | 3 | 4 | -- || |
TOM COATES 17 | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- || 24.5 | 2
| .75 | | .75 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 4 | -- || |
-------------------- ------- |------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------||--------------
PLUM CRAZY | 4 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 | -- || |
ANDREW SKIBO 83263 | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- || 24.75 | 3
OCEAN CITY | 4 | | 9 | 3 | .75 | 2 | 6 | -- || |
-------------------- ------- |------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------||--------------
HOSS | 2 | 0 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 3 | -- || |
DARDEN/HILLARD/WILLI 237 | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- || 26 | 4
| 2 | | 10 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 3 | -- || |
-------------------- ------- |------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------||--------------
ECLIPSE | 7 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 5 | -- || |
DAMIAN EMERY 50 | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- || 35 | 5
MT SINAI | 7 | | 7 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 5 | -- || |
-------------------- ------- |------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------||--------------
ILIAD | 8 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 13 | -- || |
G MOORE/D BRODSKY 189 | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- || 42 | 6
NEW YORK | 8 | | 2 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 13 | -- || |
-------------------- ------- |------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------||--------------
KIMA | 3 | 0 | 5 | 15 | 12 | 6 | 7 | -- || |
NELSON WEIDERMAN 300 | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- || 48 | 7
WICKFORD | 3 | | 5 | 15 | 12 | 6 | 7 | -- || |
-------------------- ------- |------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------||--------------
RIGADOON | 14 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 15 | 9 | -- || |
BILL RIGGS 44105 | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- || 54.75 | 8
EAST GREENWICH | 14 | | 11 | .75 | 5 | 15 | 9 | -- || |
-------------------- ------- |------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------||--------------
PFM2 | 13 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 2 | -- || |
JOHN HOURIHAN 315 | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- || 55 | 9
AMERICAN | 13 | | 6 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 2 | -- || |
-------------------- ------- |------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------||--------------
WET LEOPARD | 6 | 0 | 13 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 14 | -- || |
JIM SORENSEN 307 | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- || 56 | 10
| 6 | | 13 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 14 | -- || |
-------------------- ------- |------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------||--------------
AVALANCHE | 10 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 11 | 1 | DNF | -- || |
CRAIG ALBRECHT 43810 | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- || 62.75 | 11
PWYC | 10 | | 3 | 12 | 11 | .75 | 26 | -- || |
-------------------- ------- |------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------||--------------
ODYSSEY | 9 | 0 | RDG | 9 | 10 | 10 | 16 | -- || |
DIMITRIS SPENTZOS 50554 | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- || 65 | 12
MT SINAI | 9 | | 11 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 16 | -- || |
-------------------- ------- |------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------||--------------
CYAN | 12 | 0 | RDG | 11 | 18 | 11 | 8 | -- || |
BILL BALDWIN 239 | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- || 72 | 13
NYC | 12 | | 12 | 11 | 18 | 11 | 8 | -- || |
-------------------- ------- |------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------||--------------
WET PAINT | 11 | 0 | 8 | 16 | DSQ | 13 | 10 | -- || |
DON PRIESTLY 51012 | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- || 84 | 14
US SAILING | 11 | | 8 | 16 | 26 | 13 | 10 | -- || |
-------------------- ------- |------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------||--------------
IF ONLY | 20 | 0 | RDG | 13 | 17 | 16 | 12 | -- || |
H HOWALT/E SISK 165 | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- || 94 | 15
NEW YORK | 20 | | 16 | 13 | 17 | 16 | 12 | -- || |
-------------------- ------- |------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------||--------------
CLOUD 9 | 16 | 0 | DNF | 14 | 13 | 12 | 18 | -- || |
BRENDAN KELLEY 332 | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- || 99 | 16
NEW YORK | 16 | | 26 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 18 | -- || |
-------------------- ------- |------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------||--------------
PEEKABOO | 18 | 0 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 14 | 19 | -- || |
MARVIN POZEFSKY 240 | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- || 99 | 17
FAYERWEATHER | 18 | | 17 | 17 | 14 | 14 | 19 | -- || |
-------------------- ------- |------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------||--------------
T-SQUARED | 19 | 0 | 14 | 18 | 16 | 19 | 15 | -- || |
CHUCK TOWNSEND 43819 | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- || 101 | 18
NEW YORK | 19 | | 14 | 18 | 16 | 19 | 15 | -- || |
-------------------- ------- |------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------||--------------
SKIPPERDEE | 21 | 0 | 12 | 19 | 15 | DNF | 11 | -- || |
DAVID GREENHOUSE 50848 | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- || 104 | 19
AMERICAN | 21 | | 12 | 19 | 15 | 26 | 11 | -- || |
-------------------- ------- |------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------||--------------
VIKING | 23 | 0 | 16 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 20 | -- || |
MICHAEL W LINDBERG 51402 | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- || 122 | 20
CEDAR POINT | 23 | | 16 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 20 | -- || |
-------------------- ------- |------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------||--------------
STRANGE BREW | 24 | 0 | 15 | 21 | 20 | 22 | 21 | -- || |
HOWARD SHERMAN 175 | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- || 123 | 21
RIVERSIDE | 24 | | 15 | 21 | 20 | 22 | 21 | -- || |
-------------------- ------- |------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------||--------------
40 WHACKS | 25 | 0 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 21 | 17 | -- || |
BILL PURDY 354 | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- || 123 | 22
MEGANSETT | 25 | | 18 | 20 | 22 | 21 | 17 | -- || |
-------------------- ------- |------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------||--------------
VALE | 22 | 0 | DNS | DNC | 19 | 18 | 22 | -- || |
VICTOR BELL 247 | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- || 133 | 23
JAMESTOWN | 22 | | 26 | 26 | 19 | 18 | 22 | -- || |
-------------------- ------- |------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------||--------------
THE CAT CAME BACK | 15 | 0 | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | -- || |
LINC MOSSAP 256 | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- || 145 | 24
JAMESTOWN | 15 | | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | -- || |
-------------------- ------- |------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------||--------------
ALL RIGHT | 17 | 0 | DNF | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | -- || |
KENNETH MCLEAN 43937 | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- || 147 | 25
MRMSA | 17 | | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | -- || |
-------------------- ------- |------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------||--------------
For commentary on this regatta, see the National
Site Results.
07/16/00 2000 NBYA RIYC REGATTA
3 RACES 0 THROWOUTS
SCORING: IYRU5A-2 TIEBREAKER: Most 1sts, most 2nds, ...
NO HULL SKIPPER'S 07/15 07/16 TOTAL
NO NAME 1 2 3 PTS
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 237 Glen Darden HOSS 2 1 DNC 11
2 300 Nelson Weiderman KIMA 1 2 DNS 11
3 189 Moore/Brodsky ILIAD DNC DNC DNC 24
3 334 Don Priestly WET PAINT DNC DNC DNC 24
3 332 Brendan Kelley CLOUD 9 DNC DNC DNC 24
3 315 John Hourihan PFM 2 DNC DNC DNC 24
3 350 Bill Riggs RIGADOON DNC DNC DNC 24
Glen Darden and Nelson Weiderman match raced in 25-30 knots of breeze on Saturday on a windward leeward course set off of Ohio Ledge. Nelson won the first race by a little over a boatlength showing superior upwind speed under reef. Glen passed him downwind, but couldn't hold on in the beat to the finish. In the second race, Nelson shook out the reef, but Glen and his crew demonstrated superior crew work in getting the chute up and down in the heavy conditions. Sunday the breeze turned light and there was no J/105 competition. Results posted in the Senior News section of the NBYA site.
07/09/00 2000 NEWPORT CREAMERY REGATTA
3 RACES 0 THROWOUTS
SCORING: IYRU5A-2 TIEBREAKER: Most 1sts, most 2nds, ...
NO HULL SKIPPER'S 07/08 --- 07/09 --- TOTAL
NO NAME 1 2 3 4 5 PTS
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 90 Andy Skibo PLUM CRAZY 2 4 1 1 1 9
2 239 Billy Baldwin CYAN 4 1 2 2 4 13
3 300 Nelson Weiderman KIMA 1 2 4 7 2 16
4 189 David Brodsky ILIAD 5 6 8 3 7 29
5 315 John Hourihan PFM 2 3 5 3 6 14DSQ 31
6 307 Jim Sorensen WET LEOPARD 8 8 5 4 6 31
7 334 Don Priestly WET PAINT 12 9 7 8 3 39
8 332 Brendan Kelley CLOUD 9 13 7 11 5 5 41
9 240 Marv Pozefsky PEEKABOO 7 10 6 10 10 43
10 317 John Eielson NORDIC EXPRESS 6 12 9 11 11 49
11 247 Vic Bell VALE 10 11 12 9 8 50
12 19 Leila Jenkins T SQUARED 9 3 13 12 14RET 51
13 27 John Toole VORTICITY 11 13 10 14OCS 9 57
There were near perfect conditions for the Newport Creamery Regatta with a moderate shifty northerly the first day and a solid southwesterly the second day. The J/105's were the first starters in a circle that included J/80's, Etchells, and J/24's. The Race Committee managed to get two races in the first day and three the second. They managed this by running short once-around windward-leeward courses and starting the J/24 fleet under the "black flag" rule (if you're over in the last one minute it's an automatic DSQ). One sidenote is that our fearless J/105 owner and JBoats President, Jeff Johnstone, avoided the black flag and won the 46-boat J/24 Regatta.
On Saturday, the wind shifts ruled the day and luck played a big part. In the first race, a big lefty came into play just as the fleet was starting. Nelson Weiderman on KIMA ducked the entire fleet to go right while most of the fleet continued to the left. When the wind went right, there was enough separation to put the boats on the right ahead at the mark. Newcomer Vic Bell took the right path as well on VALE and rounded five boatlengths behind KIMA. Andy Skibo brought PLUM back from deep in the pack for a well-earned second with John Hourihan in PFM2 third. The second race was nearly a repeat of the first. This time KIMA was over early and returned to start last and went right. Again the breeze line arrived on the right side while most of the fleet were left parked on the left. KIMA rounded in first again, but Billy Baldwin's CYAN was right on her heels and managed a downwind pass. Again Andy came out of nowhere and caught the leaders, but a foul at the leeward mark cost them a 720 and two positions. Leila Jenkins brought T-SQUARED home third.
On Sunday, the breeze turned steady from the southwest and it was all PLUM CRAZY. PLUM didn't always get the best of starts, but they always managed to find a way to be in front at almost every mark. CYAN hung close in races 1 and 2 and KIMA challenged in race 3. Don Priestly found the heavy stuff more to his liking and finished strong with a third on WET PAINT in the last race. One oddity of the day occurred in the first race when the RC signalled boats over early, but then did not call anyone back on the radio or score anybody OCS. Seems like they may have had problems with their radio and were broadcasting the recalls on Channel 16 rather than 81. At least they were kind enough not to ruin anyone's day due to their problems.
197 FINAL RESULTS - J-105
06/04/00 2000 NEWPORT GOLD REGATTA 23:06:45
3 RACES 0 THROWOUTS
SCORING: IYRU5A-2 TIEBREAKER: Most 1sts, most 2nds, ...
NO ID SKIPPER'S 1 2 3 TOTAL
NO NAME 06/03 06/03 06/04 PTS
---------------------------------------------------------------------
1 337 JOHNSTONE 2.00 6.00 1.00 9.00
2 300 WEIDERMAN 4.00 1.00 6.00 11.00
3 51012 PRIESTLY 6.00 2.00 4.00 12.00
4 161 ROLFES 3.00 4.00 5.00 12.00
5 17 RATIANI 1.00 5.00 7.00 13.00
6 307 SORENSEN 7.00 7.00 2.00 16.00
7 74 COUGHLIN 5.00 3.00 8.00 16.00
8 332 KELLEY 11.00RET 11.00RET 3.00 26.00
10 43819 TOWNSEND 11.00DNC 11.00DNF 11.00DNC 33.00
11 189 MOORE/BRODSKI 11.00RET 11.00RET 11.00RET 33.00
Scores adjusted by the Fleet #14 ExecComm.
Over a spectacular weekend, with beautiful sunny skies and fresh breezes, the new owner of POLAR ECLIPSE bested a highly competitive field of Narragansett Bay (Fleet 14) J/105s. By winning the always tricky and shifty Round the Island (Conanicut) Race on Sunday, Jeff and his local team were able to surge to the top of the pack.
Saturday's races, due to the fresh northerly breeze, were held north of the Newport Bridge, east of Gould Island. There was a strong ebbing current for the first race, with a heading of 360 degees, with 1.5 mile weather legs. The strategy was to get left to Gould Island out of the strongest current and stay in the best velocity. A pile up at the pin, developed at the start, with the strong current pushing those involved into the pin. Two minutes after the start saw MASQUERADE winning the race to Gould followed by several others, NO SURRENDER and WET LEOPARD. Around the first weather mark, MASQUERADE was followed by rookie owner, Tom Rolfes on SIDEWINDER. Gusts into the 20 kt. range made for great spinnaker runs, trying to maximize time in the current downwind and avoiding the plentiful upwind boats. Mike Ratiani, driving MASQUERADE, did an excellent job of protecting his lead for the 4 legs and held on to get the gun. He was followed by Jeff J. and then Rolfes. Nelson Weiderman with KIMA was showing improved boatspeed in taking the fourth spot.
Prior to the start of the second race the RC initially set the weather mark 15 degrees left at 345 degrees, but then the wind went back right and they opted to replace it at the original 360 degrees, set the distance shorter at 1.0 mile and gave the fleet 6 legs. This presented the fleet not only with putting a premium on sailhandling, but seeking clear air on a congested racecourse at the top of the list. The ebbing current by the start of the second race had greatly diminished also, so strategies changed. After the start the fleet had split evenly into 5 on the left and 4 on the right, each side looking better at different stages of the first leg. Eventually those on the port tack layline prevailed by the smallest amount. MASQUERADE led the way followed by KIMA, SIDEWINDER and the rest of the pack. At the first leeward mark, MASQUERADE took the inside on starboard going wing-on-wing to protect their advantage, but KIMA had a better takedown and accelerated past. Nelson and his crew did an excellent job of defending throughout the race and were first to pick up the velocity righty that started to show up on the second weather leg. Don Priestley on WET PAINT was the biggest gainer on this second leg, jumping into the fray with the other leaders. KIMA still held the lead going up the third weather leg, followed by POLAR ECLIPSE, MASQUERADE, SIDEWINDER. The interesting development on the third weather leg, was that while Nelson went to protect the right, ECLIPSE & MASQUERADE went hard left to the Gould Island shoreline, expecting a shift to the left, as current was no longer a factor on the course. At the top mark, it was evident that the right side was the place to be, as the velocity puffs were working down the course from that side, as KIMA, WET PAINT, NO SURRENDER, SIDEWINDER rounded in order and held their places to the finish. The point tallies at the end of the first day had Nelson holding a slim lead and the rest of the fleet only separated by the smallest of margins, it was still anybody's regatta.
Sunday's race around the island,started in a light SW breeze out to Beavertail Lighthouse and then a starboard rounding, set kites, and up west passage of Narr. Bay. The boat end was heavily favored and the ability to get right after the start and out into the ebbing current was the strategy card to play. Interestingly enough the J/105s were the second start in a 8 division sequence, so the thought of being rolled by the bigger and faster boats also played some part in the distance race thinking. Out at the first turning mark, MASQUERADE, POLAR ECLIPSE, WET PAINT, all made nice moves, with several of the leaders opting to set and then jibe immediately back into shore to avoid the current. The long run down west passage divided the fleet into those thinking the western shore of the island would pay and those that opted to cross the Bay and seek better breeze and current relief from the western edge of the Bay. The moment of truth would come halway down the run at the Jamestown bridge, where all boats had to pass through the middle span only. The biggest gains were made by those that were behind and went to the western edge of the Bay and caught the leaders, ILIAD, CLOUD NINE and WET LEOPARD benefiting. WL from DFL at Beavertail to 4 or 5th at the bridge. WET PAINT had stuck closely to POLAR ECLIPSE the entire run both working into the island shoreline numerous times. The action north of the bridge saw the leaders grouped, simultaneously jibing (gybing) into and out of the shallows. NO SURRENDER snagged some rocks but clawed off and again proved the resilience of the J/105s and their crews. Then the stampede of Farr 40s and PHRF 1 & 2 boats came plying through the fleet making for some exciting and at times harrowing crosses and exchanges. The reach across the north end of the island was mostly trying to maintain clear air in amongst the mixed fleets, followed by a nice weather leg, courteous of the filling sea breeze, up past Gould Island, under the Newport bridge and the finish off of Rose Island.
The final tally showed Jeff Johnstone with a total of 9 points, followed by Nelson Weiderman's 11 , and Don Priestley and Tom Rolfes tied with 12. Block Island is next on the agenda for the fleet, see you there!
