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2008 Grand Rapids Spring Shakedown 2008 Scowabunga Regatta 2008 North Americans 2008 Midwinters 2008 Zenda University 2008 George Washington's Birthday Regatta 2007 Southeast Regional Championship 2007 Halloween Regatta 2007 MC Fall Championship 2007 WMYA Championship 2007 Nationals 2007 Orlando Webb Regatta 2007 North Americans 2007 Black Tie Regatta 2007 Charleston Regatta 2007 Midwinters 2007 George Washington's Birthday Regatta >> Read also: 2006 Regatta Reports | 2005 Reports | 2004 Reports | 2003 Reports | 2002 Reports MC Scow Sails MC Scow News MC Tuning Guide Contact MC ScowExperts Order MC Scow Sails 2008 GRAND RAPIDS MC SPRING SHAKEDOWN REGATTA North Sails 1,2,3,4,5! Report by Jamie Kimball The fleet assembled Saturday morning for a 10:30AM start.  It was clear to all that the teams assembled were some of the best GRYC had seen in years.  In the early '90s the GRYC Shakedown was one of the largest events on the circuit- the premier spring MC event.  In recent years, however, turnout has waned, but this year it was obvious the regatta was beginning to trend back to its glory days-- make sure it's on your schedule next year!  While there were not the 50+ boats on the line like in years past, the 27 teams on the water were certain that some epic battles would ensue over the next two days.  Reeds Lake in Grand Rapids, MI has always been a mainstay of the MC fleet as GRYC has continually fostered a large (some years it has been the nation's largest) MC fleet.  The lake is one of the smallest lakes on the circuit, and the high bluffs on the north and south sides of the lake lend some interesting wind patterns to the courses.  Despite the lack of water, GRYC now has its first A scow team who are undoubtedly busily preparing for the Michigan hosted A Scow One Design National Championship to be held at the Crystal Lake YC in June (Crystal Lake is about 30 times the size of Reeds Lake for the A scow sailors reading this). The teams gathered were all well seasoned.  The irrepressible Spring Lake YC sailors were present and excited for the first regatta on their summer circuits.  Of particular note was an addition in the Junior division, Connor Davis.  Connor was sailing his newly purchased MC 2314.  It is great seeing the younger sailors moving into the MC.  The fleet sailed two races Saturday morning in building breeze.  Winds peeked over 20 mph in race two, as several teams went for a few unexpected swims in the chilly waters.  Jamie Kimball would go on to win both races.  Ted Keller and Rob Kimball also put together two solid finishes setting them in second and third respectively.  After witnessing several impressive wipeouts that morning, the PRO elected to abandon racing that afternoon.  Racing resumed Sunday morning in similar conditions seen the day before.  Jamie Kimball would win race 1 of the day.  Kimball arrived at the first windward mark in a solid puff and was able to extend out to a solid lead around the offset.  By race two, the wind had increased and was now well above velocities seen the day before.  The brother and sister team of Andy and Suzi Molesta would lead most of this race, with Joe Rotonda hot on his heels.  Up the last beat, these two became well occupied with each other as they broke for the right side of the course.  Kimball was able to sneak left, and passed them at the finish to win the fourth and final race of the regatta.  North Sails had yet another impressive performance.  The North Sails ZMAX and ZAP designs have dominated the MC circuit so far this year.  This past weekend was no exception.  The North Sails ZMAX won every race, and was used by all of the top finishers.  Not only is the ZMAX dominate in light/medium wind- it depowers nicely in the heavier wind conditions and is extremely fast off the breeze.  When looking for new MC sails, look no further than North Sails. 2008 MC Spring Shakedown TOP FIVE 1. Jamie Kimball 2. Rob Kimball 3. Joe Rotonda 4. Brett Hatton 5. Andy Molesta N/S For more information on our fast sails, contact our MC experts. To order MC sails online and have it delivered to your door, click here.   MC Scow Sails MC Scow News MC Tuning Guide Contact MC ScowExperts Order MC Scow Sails 2008 MC SCOW SCOWABUNGA REGATTA North Sails Powered 1st and 2nd! Report by Jeff Annis This was my first Scowabunga.  They told me how great the view from the porch is, how pretty the Tennessee mountains are, and how good the food is, but I just could not get it on my schedule due to conflicts.  This year was different.  My first Scowabunga.  Steve Sherman donated nice door prizes and everybody got to pick, starting with the last place finisher.  Nice job Steve.  Go to www.optistuff.com or call 800-784-6478 to see and discuss what they might have for you.  Hiking sticks, giant face countdown timers, watches, clothing, pfd's, and many other things are of interest. The racing was great and challenging for 16 teams.  We had boats from Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, and Michigan.  The wind came right down the river, one of their steadier directions they said.  From the center of the wind direction, it could to fifteen to twenty degrees to the left or the right.  To make it more interesting, there was a right side shoreline effect that had to be taken into consideration.  The wind was blowing between 8 and 12 on Saturday, except for one windward leg that was 12 to 15.  On Sunday it was windier, and about from the same direction, just a little more from the left side on Sunday, but the shifts were the same.  The wind was 10 to 16 on Sunday.  There were three races on Saturday and two races on Sunday morning.  The courses were modified, windward-leeward's with 2 times around for the first four races and one time around on the last race.  We had 4 different race winners.  1-Jeff Annis  2-Kurt Stadele  3-Jeff Annis  4-Scott Cline  5-Jeff Meyers Rich Cyrul visited from Flint, Michigan and borrowed a boat from his brother, and has now ended up owning it and is taking it back to Flint to sail. Scott Cline borrowed a boat and sailed well, winning a race and finishing 5th.  He did this despite a sore back (lawn mower lifting incident) and little MC experience.  Lots of folks had crew due to the wind, but Steve Sherman, the smaller of the folks out there did not have crew, and still finished 6th in the regatta. What seemed to work sailing here is keeping the boat on the lifted tack more than the next guy.  Also, keeping an eye out for puffs and big shifts.  We had several capsizes both upwind and downwind. When it is so shifty and puffy, you better keep your eyes on the water and be ready.  Also, when  you are on the wrong side of a shift upwind, you have to decide to stay until it goes back, or take your medicine and check back in.  Downwind it made a big difference if you stayed in the puffs.  Lots of mistakes were made with boat handling around the gates and the windward mark.  Those magic minutes around the buoys is critical to good finishes.  Get used to going from the beat to the run and from the run to the beat with speed by working on it.  Practice and experience go a long way.  If your finishes are not so great right now, just stick with it and keep on trying and learning.    1st overall and 1st Master:  Jeff Annis 2nd overall: Kurt Stadele 3rd overall: Jeff Meyers 4th overall: Chris Cyrul 5th overall: Scott Cline 6th overall and 1st Grand Master: Steve Sherman 7th overall and 1st Mega Master: Frank Pontious 8th overall: Justin Annis 9th overall: Jim Gray 10th overall: Barry Klein 11th overall: Rick Cyrul 12th overall: Bill Humphrey 13th overall: David Varnell 14th overall: Scott Lee 15th overall: Scott Adams 16th overall: Guy Campbell I recommend this regatta to everyone.  There is a lot to like about Privateer Yacht Club.  Nearby hotels, good food, nice clean water, and a real feeling of hospitality there.  Make sure to join your MC Association, MCSCOW.org and US Sailing.  Please ask others to join us.  This is critical to the growth of our class. See you on the water.   MC Scow Sails MC Scow News MC Tuning Guide Contact MC ScowExperts Order MC Scow Sails 2008 MC SCOW NORTH AMERICANS ZMax mainsail wins every race ! Report by Andy Burdick MC North American Championship May 3-4, 2008 Pewaukee Yacht Club Big winds, cold temperatures, icy water was the forecast for this years MC North American Championship on Pewaukee Lake. Unfortunately, this kept some of the mainstream MC competitors from attending this years championship.  For the die-hards that did venture out the competitors we greeted with some excellent sailboat racing over two days.  The Pewaukee Yacht Club and PRO Russ Ackley put on a first class North American Championship. As the fleet left the dock on Saturday there was a mist in the air but as we approached the starting sequence the rain was gone and clouds with winds out of the SW-W at 8-12 were what we had to race in.  Perfect really!  Race one featured a port end favor starting line.  It was critical to be down at this end as 1. It was extremely favored.  2. It set you up for the left hand side of the course which was also very favored breeze wise and shift wise.  All the lifts were coming off the left.  Shift and new breeze – so, it was key to be there.  The gun went off and Andy Burdick got a nice jump right away as he port tacked the fleet.  The rest of the fleet slowly folded to port after the start and some of the boats got to the left of Burdick and that was good for them as the breeze kept coming in from the left.  As the first race progressed the breeze tended to go to the right as an approaching cold front was on the way.  As this race went on you needed to be in the middle of the course sailing the shifts – getting off to one edge was not productive at all.  Downwind this was the case too.  In the end Andy Burdick had a nice lead at the finish line gun.  Pete Toumanoff a Masters National Champion was second.  Inland Champion Dan Fink was third and Peter Dobbeck racing #955 was fourth.  The RC ran a second race right away as they were anticipating a change in weather for the afternoon. Our PRO Russ Ackley had a beat on the weather and knew that it would be key to get our next race in.  We had ideal conditions again as the breeze stayed in that 8-12 range, clouds but still no rain.  Race number 2 started and this time the right side was a bit better.  The line was square going into the start but there was better pressure on the right side of the starting line.  In the MC more pressure can mean 5-8 degrees more height as you sail upwind. That is a great amount.  Being in the pressure in any boat is important but in the MC upwind, it is critical.  You have to be lined up for the pressure.  Burdick again rounded the top mark first followed by Al Haeger from Lake Beulah.  Rick Wilftert from Okauchee Lake followed in third.  As the race progressed these boats would remain in line but mostly because they focused on the right hand side of the race course. The breeze had now swung 30 degrees to the right as the front approached. The top sailors in this race recognized this and it paid off.  Just after Burdick finished the race a rain and wind squall hit the lake with gusts over 20mph.  The breeze really swung right then!  The fleet handled the wind without a problem and all finished.  Everyone sailed in for lunch at the PYC. The breeze stayed up so the RC called off the racing which was a very smart move. The rain officially arrived and the wind was over 20.  The forecast for Sunday was 60 degrees, sun and winds out of the SW at 10-20. With 2 races in the bank why not wait for some better weather!  The PYC hosted a great party on Saturday night. Pasta with Pete which is a big hit at this yacht club.  Thanks PYC and the Pete’s for making this event happen! What was fast on Day 1:  The key to the racing in this 8-12 wind range was what I call transition speed.  When the wind was on you had vang on hard and the Cunningham snug.  But that was in the streaks. When the breeze left you had to transition to the “powered up mode”.  The good scow sailors keep there boat on a constant angle of heel all the time – they never over heel and the boat never goes pancake flat. They know how to transition their boats.  When do you do this?  First, you have to have your head out of the boat and you have to be aware of the breeze coming at you.  When you have your vang and Cunningham on you need to ease these up on the backside of the puff.  So, before the puff leaves you want the Cunningham totally off and the vang eased or off completely.  The boat will obviously power up, maybe even heel a little more (so now you really need to hike hard…..). As you leave the puff you are now set up for the next step – a lighter velocity zone.  Easing the main slightly so the mast gets straighter and the sail fuller helps too.  This coupled with a foot mode for speed allows you to go through the lighter velocity.  You are now fully powered up.    As you see the next line of velocity approach you begin to work hard for depower mode.  First – hike out well in advance of the velocity.  Get your vang on so you can ease the main if the boat begins to overheel and then as the puff hits pull Cunningham if you need it.  Doing this upwind was the key on Saturday.  There was never enough wind for the traveler to drop and the outhaul needs to be firm so that there is a shelf in the sail along the boom.  Anticipation and transitions were the key in day 1. Sunday was sunny and perfect!  We waited for the wind to arrive but it was worth the wait!  A nice SW to W wind developed on this beautiful sunny morning with a velocity range of 8-14.  Ideal MC racing conditions.  One race was the plan – a lengthy 3+ race course.  Shifty was the condition so staying on top of the wind and where it was coming from next was the key.  All the same boat speed transitions applied today but “head out of the boat” was the real key.  Big velocity lines would stream down the lake so you had to race to that position. Whatever the angle was you had to take (sail the lifted tack).  Andy Burdick kept his steak of race wins alive winning the third and final race. Dan Fink was second and Dave Abbot sailed a nice race for third. Results: 1 Andy Burdick 1 1 1 3   2 Peter Toumanoff 2 6 5 13   3 Dan Fink 3 9 2 14   4 Peter Dobbeck 4 4 6 14   5 Dave Abbott 9 5 3 17   6 Eric Oppen 6 7 4 17   7 Al Haeger 7 2 12 21   8 Rick Wilfert 10 3 9 22   9 Deb Ziegler 5 12/DNF 8 25   10 Steve Rotier 8 8 11 27   11 Tom Calvy 12 11 10 33   12 Mike Hamer 11 10 13 34   13 Paul Moran 13/DNF 16/DNS 7 36   14 Sarah Seeboth 16/DNS 16/DNS 14 46   15 Ron Curio 16/DNS 16/DNS 16/DNS 48   Thank you Greg Riemer and his wife for organizing the MC North Americans.  Thanks to the RC team of Russ Ackley and Larry Krause.  Perfect job!   Carl Spencer is the commodore of the PYC and he handed out the many awards.  Thank you PYC for a fantastic Championship!   MC Scow Sails MC Scow News MC Tuning Guide Contact MC ScowExperts Order MC Scow Sails 2008 MC SCOW MIDWINTERS North Sails 1,2,3!!! Report by Jamie Kimball DAY 3 Champion Decided on Final Day A 9:30 AM start was scheduled on the final day in a forecasted SSW 10-15 mph breeze, building to 20-25 mph.  When the fleet set sail, the wind was light making it difficult to decide whether or not to put a crew on board.  Several teams chose to take crew, while some of the bigger skippers braved Lake Eustis in the windier conditions. Once again the RC started race 1 right on time.  After several general recalls, the PRO decided to go with the Z flag (20%), which got the fleet to hang back a little bit.  Unfortunately several boats couldn’t resist to press the line and were OCS.  One of these was regatta leader Eric Oppen.  Jeff Annis would win this start and have a nice punch off the leeward portion of the starting line.  Jeff is fast in these windy conditions.  He focuses on putting his bow down and really making the boat go through the water.  A good start enables him to do this.  Jeff led at the first windward mark with David Moring and Jamie Kimball following behind.  At the leeward mark Kimball and Annis would round 1st and 2nd.  The second beat got tricky.  The breeze dropped a bit and the boats with crew struggled.  It was really important to stay in the pressure and sail the lifted tack.  Surge Vanderhorst made the best out of a right hand shift and was able to pass the top 3.  Surge sailed smart downwind keeping himself between the mark and the boats behind.  By now the breeze was back up.  Surge would lengthen his lead on the final beat and win this race moving him into second overall with 1 race to go.  The win d was now increasing for the final race of the regatta.  The PRO chose to go with the Z flag initially to get race 2 off wit out any glitches.  Once again a few boats were caught cheating.  Steve Powers of Okoboji, IA hit the start with speed and led up the first beat.  Steve and his daughter Kira were a tough combination in the windier conditions.  It can be really fast to have a crew in windy and wavy conditions. At the first windward mark, Jamie Kimball led with the Powers close behind.  Downwind the MC can be tricky as its bow has a tendency to stick into the waves.  Sailing by the lee is fast.  If your bow looks like it’s going to submerge, you need to either head the boat up or down to prevent submersion.  Heeling the boat to windward also helps.  The breeze was now on strong and steady.  There were not as many shifts in this race, so it really paid to limit you tacks and jibes.  The leaders were only tacking three-four times upwind, and jibing once-twice downwind.  With these steady conditions, Kimball was able to keep the fleet in his window and win this race.  Vanderhorst sailed a great final beat to finish second and to seal his 2nd overall position. A quick panel discussion was held before the awards to discuss how the top five sailors of the day handled the windy conditions.  Among this group were Jamie Kimball, Surge Vanderhorst, Dan Fink, John Lovin, and Steve Powers.  Here are some of the key points discussed. Having a crew available is valuable. Upwind, bring your board up a bit to help depower and free helm. Drop traveler. Focus on footing, especially in waves. Limit tacks as much as possible. The Lake Eustis Yacht Club put on yet another spectacular event.  Over the years they have made regatta management into a science and it really shows.  Regatta chair, June Howells put in all of her effort to make this regatta top notch.  Thank you June!! TOP 10 OVERALL Jamie Kimball Surge Vanderhorst David Moring Eric Oppen Dan Fink David Moorhouse Lenny Krawcheck Jeff Annis Jon Pomerleau Drew Mize Top Master- George Scarborough, 13th overall Top Grandmaster- Lenny Krawcheck, 7th overall Top Megamaster- Jack Kern, 11th overall (partial North inventory) Top Woman- Kelli Farrar, 14th overall For more information on our fast sails, contact our MC experts. To order MC sails online and have it delivered to your door, click here. DAY 2 Sailors Tied for Lead after Three After several postponements and general recalls, Eric Oppen from Delafield, WI hit the line on port tack with speed and led up the first beat in a light to medium breeze.  Oppen was able to lead the starboard tack boats out to the left side where most of the pressure was.  As soon as he had a good angle, Eric flopped back to port in great pressure.  At the windward mark Eric had a large lead, with Jamie Kimball, Lenny Krawcheck, Richard Kinnie, and Jeff Surles in hot pursuit.  Eric was sailing smart and on his game.  He always seemed to have the best angle and best pressure.  This combination made him too tough to pass.  Eric would lead at every mark and eventually win this race, making it his second bullet of the regatta!!   Lenny Krawcheck and Jeff Surles sailed great races finishing in second and third respectively.   As race 1 ended the fleet sailed in to the club in a light drizzle where a hot lunch was waiting for the cold and wet sailors.  Lunch was brief, as the fleet was eager to get back out on the water in a building breeze.  Race 2 started in 8-12 mph of wind.  Finally, hiking conditions!!  The race committee was efficient, starting the fleet on time with the course set.  Jeff Annis hit the line perfectly near the leeward end and initially led the fleet out to the left.  Dan Fink was able to get a good punch off the middle of the line and also looked good.  As the fleet sailed up the first beat the breeze was building, and most were hiking hard and using their controls to depower the boat.  Up the left side, Kimball and Annis were able to set up in a nice starboard tack lane and put the fleet in their windows.  A welcomed view!  These two led at the first windward mark.  Kimball was able to separate himself from the pack, and sail to a nice lead.  Behind, Annis was fighting hard with several boats.  Surge Vanderhorst and Dan Fink were now in the mix.  At the finish it was Kimball taking the gun followed by Vanderhorst, and Dan Fink.  With three races down, and one day to go there is a tie for first between Jamie Kimball and Eric Oppen.  Each with 7 points. Top Ten: Eric Oppen Jamie Kimball Surge Vanderhorst Lenny Krawcheck David Moring Spencer Wiberley David Moorhouse Jeff Surles Dan Fink Bob Miller Once again a panel discussion met for the fleet after today’s racing.  Today’s panel included Dan Fink, Jeff Annis, Surge Vanderhorst, Jamie Kimball, and Eric Oppen.  Here are several of the points discussed. Drop your traveler to depower (Jeff Annis even does this). Push yourself to work your hardest up the first beat. Build speed to point. Foot for speed to go through waves. Don’t get discouraged when you’re struggling. Think about the big picture to notice an opportunity to establish lanes. Don’t try to make too much happen.  Homeruns rarely work. Most often it is better to under trim than over trim. Ease your mainsheet for power through bigger chop/waves. Most important- HAVE FUN!!!! For more information on our fast sails, contact our MC experts. To order MC sails online and have it delivered to your door, click here.   DAY 1 The MC Midwinters is an annual staple on the MC regatta circuit.  71 sailors made the trek to Lake Eustis to battle it out and ultimately decide this years’ champion.  The forecast for today’s racing was light.  After a postponement early on, sailors came to shore for a quick lunch and watch the wind do a 180.  The lake filled with a nice 2-8mph wind.  Just enough to get the fleet back on the water.  The breeze was light, but consistent so Chief PRO Sandy Sundberg started race 1.  The start was won by Scott Harestad from Spring Lake, Mi.  Scott was able tack immediately after the gun, and was punched off the line.  Several sailors followed Scott’s lead including Spencer Wibelre, Eric Oppen, Steve Powers, and Dave Moring.  These sailors were sailing in nice lanes and steady pressure.  Staying in the wind was key!! At the windward mark, it was Spencer Wibelre taking the lead.  Spencer decided to jibe around the offset, and the majority of the leaders followed.  Eric Oppen and Jamie Kimball held on starboard jibe and sailed out to the right.  The fleet was now split.  It soon became apparent the breeze was fading for the boats that jibed around the offset.  These leaders also had to sail through the fleets’ dirty air as they rounded the windward mark.  The boats that extended benefited from clear air and a building breeze.  At the leeward mark Jamie Kimball, Spencer Wibelre, and Steve Powers rounded very close together.  Eric Oppen and Dave Moring were also fighting hard to keep it close.   As the fleet sailed up the second windward leg, the leaders were able to get some separation.  Kimball, Oppen, and Moring were now fighting it out for the lead.   The leaders struggled to stay in the pressure.  Hard sailing!!  On the second run Kimball chose to jibe around the offset, while Oppen and Moring extended.  The fleet converged at the leeward mark.  Most of the fleet chose the right side.  Oppen was forced to tack left.  As it turned out, this was to his benefit.  Oppen, and now Steve Sherman, hooked into a nice port tack lift and were now in the lead.  Kimball struggled to get left finishing in second behind Race 1 winner Eric Oppen. TOP 10 Eric Oppen Jamie Kimball Steve Sherman David Moring Spencer Wibelre Tim Fredman Surge Vanderhorst Ed Durant Jeff Surles Steve Powers      A post racing panel discussion met to answer the fleets’ questions and discuss strategies.  Here are just a few of the topics that were discussed, and some of the keys to success in no particular order.  Maintaining constant angle of heel. Having a clear lane off the start. Staying in the pressure!! Sailing hot and fast downwind. Maximum heel to leeward downwind. Leading to the next shift. Establishing a lane downwind and upwind. Clear air is key. Having patience. Trusting your instincts. These are just of the few points discussed on the panel discussion.  Tonight’s’ party is hosted at the world renowned Oyster Troff.  Plenty of food and refreshments for all!!  Stay tuned for more highlights to come!  For more information on our fast sails, contact our MC experts. To order MC sails online and have it delivered to your door, click here.   MC Scow Sails MC Scow News MC Tuning Guide Contact MC ScowExperts Order MC Scow Sails 2008 ZENDA UNIVERSITY KELLI FARRAR IS FIRST WOMAN TO WIN ZENDA U!!!! Report by Andy Burdick Coming into the 2 day intructional clinic in Eusits, Florida, Kelli Farrar trecked all the way from Okoboji, Iowa with the hopes of fine tuning her sailing skills. At the conclusion of the clinic yesterday, Kelli had won the overall regatta after 14 races and became the first woman to do so in the history of Zenda U. Kelli was a great example of the tenacity and intensity that it takes to win a regatta. Day 2 brought more light air which allowed for more in depth chalk talks and briefing sessions. Once the breeze set in, 8 races were completed, one of which featured a downwind start which resulted in a very crowded leeward mark rounding! At the conlcusion of Zenda U, all of the students had a chance to shower, put on their Zenda U hats and shirts and enjoyed a great graduation ceremony complete with a DJ, great food, and lots of a beer. The 2008 edition of Zenda U was well attended and it was very exciting to see all of the sailors improve over the 2 day course. If you are interested in improving your skills and completing your personal goals, sign up for Zenda U 2009, it is an event not to be missed. Top Five overall, Zenda U 2008 1). Kelli Farrar 2). Steve Powers 3). Fred Slack 4). Geoff Moehl 5). David Moorhouse Most Improved - Rick Williams Most Enthusiastic - Phil Ecklund For more information on our fast sails, contact our MC experts. To order MC sails online and have it delivered to your door, click here.

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MC Scow Sails MC Scow News MC Tuning Guide Contact MC ScowExperts Order MC Scow Sails

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(L to R): Robert Cole, Kurt Stadele, David Moring, George Scarborough, Jeff Annis

36 MC Scows attended the 100 boat Halloween Regatta this year. There were M-17's, C's, and E's there as well. And, as usual there were PHRF, Sunfish Jr, Sunfish Sr., and several dozen Optimists were sailing. No Pessimist was allowed into the grounds. Who needs that at a regatta?

On the water, there were 3 races, and 3 different race winners. As usual, none of the race winners won the regatta. George Scarborough won with 2,2,3 finishes. Not only did he sail the most consistently, he was rarely out of place on the starting line or on the racecourse. He sailed very smart and very fast. The winds were 3 to 8 mph from the north, northwest for all three races. The race committee did a great job of getting the course set.

Race winners were David Moring, race 3, Robert Cole in race 1, and Jack Kern in race 2.

• Top Mega Master was Jack Kern.
• Top Grand Master was Lenny Krawcheck.
• Top Master was George Scarborough

As top Master, George won the Lenny Krawcheck Trophy as the official "Older Golder" Champion.

The Halloween Regatta attracted boats from Eustis, Florida, Dallas, Texas and Lake Geneva, Wisconsin and New York State. Missing the regatta were about 6 of our best buddies from only 3 hours away. The Halloween Regatta was great as usual.

See you on the water.

Jeff Annis

Top 10:

Pl	Skipper		Div	Club/ST	Sail	R 1	R 2	R 3	Total
1	Scarborough	George	M	CYC/SC	1838	2	2	3	7
2	Moring	David		LESC/FL	2188	4	3	1	8
3	Stadele	Kurt		LLSC/GA	2067	3	4	6	13
4	Cole	Robert	M	KYC/NY	2350	1	7	7	15
5	Annis	Jeff	M	ASC/GA	2400	11	5	2	18
6	Kern	Jack	MM	RCYC/TX	1763	8	1	12	21
7	Mossman	Guy	M	CYC/SC	2401	13	6	4	23
8	Krawcheck	Lenny	GM	CYC/SC	2407	12	8	9	29
9	Houck	John	GM	LESC/FL	2097	5	20	8	33
10	Neidig	Mike	GM	KSC/SC	2352	9	12	17	38

For complete results please review mcscow.org

For more information on North's oustanding speedy sails, contact our MC experts.

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Forty scows made it to Culver, IN this past weekend for the MYC Fall Championship.  Twenty-five C scows and fifteen MC scows battled it out Saturday and Sunday in difficult conditions. 

The forecast called for a light easterly breeze Saturday morning.  Unfortunately, the breeze was even lighter than expected, as it went completely flat towards the end.  Frank Davenport, with crew Anne Porter, jumped out to an early lead with John Becker hot on his heels.  These boats led the charge most of the race until the wind completely died.  Towards the end Joe Schaub made a strong push in the dieing breeze passing both Davenport and Becker to take race one.   

Due to lack of wind, the MC fleet was unable to finish their race in the allotted time.  Saturday’s racing was later cancelled. 

Sunday’s conditions were much more favorable, as the breeze blew 5-15mph from the North.  Ideal sailing conditions on Lake Maxinkuckee!  On this day the MC fleet fared much better getting two solid races off to decide this years’ champion.  Mike Greeson from Lake Beulah took both races in convincing fashion.  Mike spends the majority of his time sailing with Kent Haeger on the C scow, and is regarded as one of the best crews out there. 

MC SCOW TOP FIVE

1. Mike Greeson
2. John Hans
3. Jack Sanderson
4. Phil Weiler
5. Ron Curio

The C fleet also had two races Sunday to decide the overall winner.  Frank Davenport, John Becker, and Jamie Kimball led at the top mark in race one.  These three would exchange leads several times throughout the race.  Becker would go on to win this race with Kimball finishing second.  In race two the fleet would separate.  Kimball led the charge on the left, while Becker led on the right.  At the top mark, Kimball led Becker close behind in second.  Brian Brickler and Joe Schaub rounded out third and fourth respectively.  These four boats would eventually separate from the rest of the pack for an exciting finish.  Several lead changes occurred up the last beat.  Ultimately Kimball took the final race, followed by Schaub, Brickler, and Becker respectively. 
 
C SCOW TOP FIVE

1. Jamie Kimball
2. John Becker
3. Joe Schaub
4. Frank Davenport
5. Brian Brickler

Thank you to everyone at the Maxinkuckee Yacht Club for putting on an awesome event! 

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DAY 1

Thursday kicked off the first day of competition. Six fleets, including E scows, MC scows, C scows, Melges 17s, Butterflies, and lasers had spectacular conditions. The White Lake Yacht Club is host to this year’s championship and has delivered everything one could ask for. 10-20 mph winds, 85 degrees of sunshine, great race committee, and much more!

E scows were the first heat of the day. Tom Munroe led the fleet at every mark in the light westerly winds with his new North asymmetrical spinnaker. The 15 boat fleet is mixed with asymmetrical and symmetrical rigs, which makes it interesting downhill.

MC scows and lasers took to the waters after the morning E scow race. The thermal off of Lake Michigan had now kicked in, and the wind increased to over 10 mph. Great racing! Brien Fox from the Spring Lake Yacht Club jumped out in front to take race 1 of the regatta.

In the afternoon, C scows, Melges 17s, and Butterflies raced in even more breeze. By this time the winds had increased to 10-18 mph. Over 50 Butterflies are competing for this years’ championship! Racing separately, the C scows and Melges 17s had some exciting racing. Sailing with his North I-1, Cam McNeil showed the fleet how it’s done taking two bullets. Brien and Deb McMurray won both races in the Melges 17 fleet as well.

The championship has only just begun with three more days of racing. For complete results visit WMYA.ORG.

DAY 2

The thermal off of Lake Michigan kicked in early, and all six fleets had races in a nice NW breeze.

In the morning Butterflies, Melges 17s, and C scows took to the water. Fifty-four Butterfly youth sailors took to the waters in a light NW breeze. Sam Gill continued to show his superiority in the junior division posting a 2-1. Sam now has a thirteen point lead over Jack McKeough in second. Eric Rivard, also sailing MC scows, leads the open division by ten points with a 2-2-1. Beav Moore is in second with fifteen points.

Bill Wiggins was able to battle back from an over-early start to win the third Melges 17 race. Bill and his wife Angie did a superb job playing the shifts to the front of the fleet. The leader is yet to be decided. Brien McMurray leads overall with eight points edging out Coye Harrett with nine. Finishing second today, Rob Terry sailed a great race putting himself in third overall with ten points.

In the seventeen boat C scow fleet, Cam McNeil remains the leader with a four point lead over Chris Craig and Tom Keenan with ten points respectively. Sailing with his North I-1 mainsail, Cam has posted a 1-1-4. Rob Kimball was today’s race winner, also sailing with a North Sails I-1 main. That puts Rob in fourth, just three points out of second.

E scows were the second heat of the day racing in the heaviest winds. Sailing his new 2007 E scow, Rob Terry won the second race in dominant fashion. That puts Rob in second place just one point behind Doug McNeil with five. Don Nelson leads the symmetrical E scows with two bullets. There are eight asymmetrical E scows and seven symmetrical E scows racing on the same course. Racing is tight, and there are still two days left to decide this years’ champion.

MC scows and lasers sailed two races today in the afternoon. Chris Eggert won the day in his brand new 2007 MC scow. Racing with a new North ZMAX, Chris managed to post a 2-2 in the tricky wind conditions. Chris is just four points out of the lead in the fifty boat fleet. Today’s race winners were Dan Fink and Cam McNeil. Our race winner yesterday, Brien Fox, posted a 6-5 to put himself in second overall. Jamie Kimball leads the MC scows with nine points after three races. Charlie Knape leads the laser fleet with several race wins. Charlie looks to defend his title from the year before.

DAY 3

The clouds moved in overnight, which made it difficult for the thermal off of Lake Michigan kick up some nice breeze as it has for the past two days of racing.

In the morning C scows, Melges 17s, and Butterflies took to the waters in a tricky Southeast breeze. Bill and Angie Wiggins once again showed the Melges 17 fleet how it was done as they sailed to their second race win. Bill and Angie are just one of the husband and wife teams racing in this new exciting class. Also racing together are Brien and Deb McMurray who are currently leading the regatta. Today they posted a second to put them further in the lead. The McMurrays now have a two point lead over Coye Harrett in second, and a four point lead over Rob Terry in third.

Racing was tight today in the C scow division. Cam McNeil ultimately prevailed as the race winner launching him further into the lead. Cam now has a five point lead over Chris Craig in second place overall. There is a three way tie for third including Rob Kimball, JP Mull, and Tom Keenan all with seventeen points.

Connor Davis from the Spring Lake Yacht Club won the junior Butterfly race in convincing fashion. Davis is in second overall behind Sam Gill. Gill now has an eleven point lead over Davis. Jack McKeough, close friend and competitor, is in third in the junior division with twenty-three points.

Due to lack of wind, the MC scows’ race was abandoned today. However, the lasers were able to get a light air race in, which was ultimately won by Charlie Knape from the Grand Rapids Yacht Club. Charlie leads the regatta by four points over Curt Miller in second.

Currently the E scows are racing in a very light westerly. The first race of the day has come to conclusion with Rob Terry taking the win once again. Rob was able to make a few clever downwind moves to put him in the lead. Close behind was Brett Hatton from Spring Lake. Don Nelson from the White Lake Yacht Club won the symmetrical division with a downwind finish. There was a second race scheduled for today, but racing has been canceled for the day due to lack of wind.

For complete results visit WMYA.ORG.

FINAL DAY

A light southeast breeze, heavy cloud cover, and a misty drizzle greeted the Western Michigan sailors Sunday Morning. The lead was still up for grabs in several fleets.

MC scows and Lasers were the first to hit the lake. Going into the day Jamie Kimball held a four point lead over Brien Fox. Kimball was able to manage a second in the race to win overall. Brien Fox and Chris Eggert tied for second and third, with Fox wining the tie-breaker. North Sails dominated the MC fleet taking the top five spots, masters’ division, junior division, grand masters’ division, and womens’ division. The victory list continues!

MC Scow Leader Board

1. Jamie Kimball
2. Brien Fox N
3. Chris Eggert
4. Cam McNeil
5. Kyle Verplank

Junior- Coye Harrett
Master- Bob Milne
Grand Master- Gary Verplank

Melges 17s, C scows, and Butterflies sailed second on this day. On the Melges 17 course, Brian McMurray held a two point lead over Coye Harrett going into today. Brian and his wife were able to close out the regatta victory with their third race win of the regatta. Melges 17 teams are gearing up for the Nationals that will be held in a few weeks on Crystal Lake.

Melges 17 Leader Board

1. Brian McMurray
2. Coye Harrett
3. Rob Terry
4. Matt Ripkey
5. Bill Wiggins

Cam McNeil was able to win the C scow Championship with yet another race win. In a variety of wind conditions, Cam won four of the five races with his North I-1 mainsail. Chris Craig sailed consistently to place second just ahead of Rob Kimball.

C Scow Leader Board

1. Cam McNeil (N/S)
2. Chris Craig
3. Rob Kimball (N/S)
4. Tom Keenan
5. J.P. Mull

Sam Gill sailed to an impressive victory in the Butterfly Junior fleet. Sam posted a 1-2-1-2-1 to win by twenty-nine points! Sam won the coveted Chuck Harrett Memorial Trophy for the most outstanding performance at the Western Michigan Championship. Eric Rivard won the Butterfly open division in convincing fashion. Eric was consistent placing sixteen points ahead of second place.

In the afternoon E scows sailed their fourth and final race. Tom Klaban was able to catch a nice shift up the first beat and never looked back. Klaban went on to a convincing race win. Don Nelson won every race in the seven boat symmetrical E scow fleet. This is Nelson’s second WMYA victory in a row. Rob Terry placed second on this day to close out the win in the asymmetrical fleet.

E Scow Leader Board

Symmetrical
1. Don Nelson
2. Frank Veit (N/S)
3. Brien Fox (N/S)

Asymmetrical
1. Rob Terry (N/S)
2. Doug McNeil (N/S)
3. Pete Price (N/S)

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MC Nationals- Torch Lake, Mi

A grand total of 92 boats made it to Torch Lake to battle for this year’s championship. Regatta Chair, Alan Hickman, and his army of volunteers put on a flawless event on one of the most amazing lakes in the world. Chip Mann and his PRO team gave the fleet 6 great races to ultimately decide this year’s national champion. Sailors came from 12 states including Michigan, Wisconsin, Florida, Iowa, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Georgia, Ohio, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas.

With 90+ boats the racing was tight and competitive! Ideal sailing conditions with winds ranging from 10-18 mph allowed the PRO was to set long windward-leeward 2+ courses. Torch Lake is 20 miles long and roughly 2 ½ miles wide with slight changes in wind direction and velocity. With little changes in the wind, it was extremely important to have a clear lane off the start and be heading the right direction. By having clear air, you were able to limit your tacks upwind. With steady winds, the majority of the leaders probably tacked around 5 times per leg.

With stiff competition, no skipper could muster up all top ten finishes in each of the six races, and five different skippers won races.

Jon Pomerleau and his son from Crystal Lake, Mi pegged the start in race one and jumped out to an early lead. Pomerleau and a few others were able to extend off the line and lead out to the favored left side of the course. With a strong push late in the race, Andy Molesta was able to take line honors in race one. Pomerleau ended up second sailing a great race, with Jamie Kimball following behind in third.

In race two, the newly wed E. Hood and Sue showed the fleet they still have what it takes to be a winning team. This team had a great start and won the left side up the first leg. Hood lead Jamie Kimball, Jerry Gill, and Steve Avery around most of the race. Kimball, sailing alone, was able to make his move downwind and pass Hood to take the victory in race two.

In race three, Jeff Annis and Todd Bosgraaf jumped out to a big lead. Just like race one and two, the leaders came from the left side of the course. Annis was able to hold off Bosgraaf to take this win. Brien Fox of Spring Lake was able to make a strong push to finish second. The third race was the final race of the day to cap off an awesome day of sailing!

Friday the fleet remained on shore until after lunch due to light winds. Shortly after lunch the breeze jumped up to 10-15 mph from the Northwest. On this day the winds were more North than the first day of racing. With the wind direction further North, it seemed to make it possible for some boats to make gains by going right. However, Bob Currier showed the fleet how to get it done by going hard left. Currier jumped out to a nice lead and held the fleet off to take the race win. Great job Bob!

The wind increased for race five and a large majority of skippers put on crew Friday afternoon. Eric Hood and Ted Keller must have learned something from Currier earlier and went hard left. By the windward mark, they had a nice jump on the competitors behind. Downwind Kimball was able to make some gains to close in on Keller and Hood. Upwind these three traded tacks as they worked out to the left side. Kimball was able to pass Keller on the last leg to take race five and conclude the second day of racing.

Saturday the fleet sailed the sixth and final race in a dying Southeast breeze. Jerry Gill, Mike Risewick, and Rob Terry got out to an early lead on the right side of the course. Gill was eventually able to put some distance on these two and take the final race of this year’s nationals. Congratulations Jerry!

Race Winners:

Race 1- Andy Molesta
Race 2- Jamie Kimball
Race 3- Jeff Annis
Race 4- Bob Currier
Race 5-Jamie Kimball
Race 6- Jerry Gill

2007 MC National Championship Top Ten:

1. Jamie Kimball
2. Zach Clayton
3. Ted Keller
4. Bob Currier
5. Dan Fink
6. Steve Avery
7. Cam McNeil
8. Eric Hood
9. Rob Kimball
10. Joe Rotonda

More North Sails Winners...

1st Master: Bob Currier
1st Grand Master: Steve Avery
1st Mega Master: Paul Eggert
1st Woman: Brie Hatton
1st JR. Ben McNeil

For complete results please review mcscow.org

For more information on North's oustanding speedy sails, contact our MC experts.

MC Scow Sails MC Scow News MC Tuning Guide Contact MC ScowExperts Order MC Scow Sails

MC Scow Sails MC Scow News MC Tuning Guide Contact MC ScowExperts Order MC Scow Sails

MC Scow Sails MC Scow News MC Tuning Guide Contact MC ScowExperts Order MC Scow Sails