What a difference a day makes. On Friday while stepping masts at the Sailing Center crew were in shorts and tee shirts with the sun out and the thermometer hitting 82 degrees. Saturday morning was still beautiful with predicted 70+ weather but the RC headed by PRO Sandy Grosvenor and the sailors were all watchful of a cold front due in later in the afternoon with possible thunderstorms. With 3 races slated for Saturday, Sandy sent the Etchells off on time at 1105 with a short break then the start of R1 for the Stars.
Having spoken to representatives of both fleets the afternoon before and keeping in mind that we expected the breeze to be in the high teens later in the day, a SI Amendment was posted adding triangle courses for the Stars while still giving the Etchells their preferred windward/leeward options. Course distance for each race was 1.2NM and the breeze direction was steady throughout the day. With an eye on the radar that still showed thunderstorms possible long after we’d get people ashore but with the front coming in quickly with predicted gusts over 20kts, the Etchells finished at the signal boat as planned and headed in with the course shortened for the Stars who now finished on their last upwind leg before heading home. Race Committee boats including a separate support boat that shadowed the fleets throughout the day, trailed the competitors back to shore to ensure everyone made it home safely. A big thanks to Jim Carkhuff who more often than not serves as a member of the Protest Committee and donned his RC hat and brought out his new Regulator as the support boat. Nothing beats a hot meal when you hit the dock wet and cold so the competitors were thrilled to find Chef’s amazing hot chili and ice cold beers waiting for them at the post-race social.
Sunday the breeze was down into the low teens at 0900 and the sea state was calmer, so the RC set out on time and set up approximately ½ mile SE of R2. The signal boat recorded a gust to 36kts at the masthead at the start of the Stars’ first race but throughout the day they recorded 18-20kts over most of the course with little to no variation in the Northwesterly breeze. The PRO set a course for the last race of the day with an upwind finish to get sailors closer to home and both fleets were back ashore by the time the Signal boat hit the dock at 1430.
Winning the overall Fall Etchells Regatta as well as being the recipient of the Skip Etchells Trophy, Ed Holt on Eduardo Especial. In 2nd place, Jose Fuentes/Caramba and in 3rd, visitors from the Boston area, Michael Jobin and crew on Privateer. Topping the Star Class and winning the Howard L. Lippincott Memorial Trophy, past Worlds’ winner John MacCausland on GM, Arthur Anosov on Star in 2nd and Ben Sternberg on Sputnik V in 3rd. The event brought back memories for John MacCausland who won his first Star class regatta in 1978 when the Lippincott Regatta was hosted by Riverton Yacht Club, so his name will once again be engraved on the perpetual trophy that hangs in the Sailing Center.