June 15th, 2023
Race Clinic - June 8 & 9
Following last year’s successful clinic and request for another one, we were able to convince Ken Marshack to bring his expertise and experience in multiple classes to our Event. Ken has an exceptional race record and we were very fortunate he was available to do this. With 14 boat teams registered, Ken drew a large crowd and he was concerned that he would not be able to devote enough time to everyone coaching them on the water. Unfortunately that proved to be an unnecessary concern as the wind was very light on Thursday and non-existent on Friday.
On Thursday morning Ken Dove into tactics, which Immediately veered off into the racing rules as we had plenty of questions. We essentially spent all morning on just those two subjects. In the early afternoon, Ken spent time demonstrating helming and tacking techniques ‘on the dry’ and boat setups. Later in the afternoon wind finally started to develop and we took our boats out on the water for practice starts and short laps. Ken tried to spend some time with each boat on the lap, to review sail trim and practice tacks and gybes. By the time we got back to shore to get ready For the EYC Thursday night race The wind picked up for a brief moment and those who saw that coming stayed out and were able to fly a hull, trap out and get a feel of what it should have been.
The club race ended up in a floating parade, no wind whatsoever. We did get a start and drifted to the top mark, where the race was shortened and we were told to head to shore and get a burger. Friday morning we did a review of the video Ken took from our sailing and dove again in tactics and rules. Wind never developed, no use to get on the water. In the afternoon Ken was available to help sailors with their boat setup. Especially Jason took good advantage of that (as well as the other two a-cat sailors), having the top a-cat sailor tuning his boat. Overall, everyone learned a lot from the clinic (more on that later in the regatta report…) and the feedback was very positive. It was also just good fun talking ‘sailing’ all day.
Regatta - June 10 & 11
The wind forecast was good for the weekend, a welcome change from race clinic Days. And it materialized! Registration was up from last year, with 26 boats racing. A great turn out and thank you to everyone making the trip to EYC. We were able to split the fleet in three starts, hobie 16 one design with 10 boats, the larry cox division, a mixed fleet under handicap, with 12 boats and the Wētā one design with 4 boats.
Saturday’s conditions were fantastic. Even though the RC boat never recorded winds over 15 mph, we on the water were convinced that we had bigger gusts. The talk post-racing was from 20-25 mph gusts and I heard even up to 30 mph. Whatever it was, It was too much for the few that either capsized or pitchpoled in one of those gusts. In the end everyone was quite satisfied with the sailing on Saturday. We got one 2-lap race and two 3-lap races in and were back on shore well in time for a beer before dinner. Some would have liked to have had a 4th race, but quite a few thought they were done for the day after the three. It was hard work out there.
With the NNE wind, the hill on the NW shore played a role in shifts and gusts and it seems the right side of the course was favorite...most of the time. Timing was important, as some were able to work their way up the left side and do quite well. Sunday was a matter of being in the right place at the right time. The wind was very fluky, light to nothing and then gusty, on different locations on the course. Very difficult to predict and so luck played a significant role. Again, the more steady wind appeared to be in the ne corner of the lake, on the right side of the course. But then in the H-16 Class, Alex, with newly recruited skipper/crew Ken Marshack, apparently worked their way up on the very left side of the course and surprised everyone in race 5 & 6.
Despite the warnings, counting laps and sailing the proper course to begin with, remains a challenge for some. PRO Richard commented he had never presided over a regatta with so many DNFS… and I heard rumors of some heated debates on the number of laps sailed from two fleets, but in the end these were amicably settled. Knowledge of racing rules also remains a challenge. Our PRO Richard witnessed multiple infractions around his race committee boat, when the boats on the pin end controlling the fleet, pushing the fleet up to the RC boat where skippers thought they had rights they did not have. Ken Marshack quickly inquired whether those skippers had attended the clinic….. these situations were addressed in detail during the clinic, so either pay attention or just attend!
The Hobie 16 fleet had great competition. Rich Ameson did Very well on Saturday with three firsts, but on Sunday was slow finding his form. However, it was good enough to secure 1st place. The Sunday races had rankings all over the place in the fleet, showing the challenging conditions to know where to be on the course. Don/Susan Kaster were very consistent midway through the regatta and that earned them a deserved 2nd place. The most consistent were aaron/Allison Harris, who scored 3rd And 4th finishes in every race, except for the second race where they flipped the boat. That became their throw-out and secured 3rd place as a result.
In the Larry Cox division, the competition was quite close. The corrected times of the top half of the fleet were often within minutes from each other. No one was dominating and the top three ended up close, with Roeland winning the tie breaker on first place over J Rosenbach due to his win in the last race. Lonnie Byers came in third, sailing consistently, his throw-out being a 4th place. Compared to Roeland’s throw-out being a 5th place and j's throw-out being a 6th place. Special kudos to Jason Vasquez who was trying out his a-cat for the first time In the testing conditions. He persevered despite his capsize in race 3 and made it around the course in the other 5 races.
In the Wētā fleet, our local sailor Dale Werkema took a win in the first race, but after that Marc was in the groove. I noticed that at times dale was close on Marc’s transom, but it wasn’t enough. Marc took 5 race wins that secured 1st place with 5 points, Dale ended in 2nd place with 9 points. Joe and Nick traded 3rd and 4th places in races, with Joe getting in front of Dale in race 6 taking a second. That put him over Nick overall and ended in 3rd place. Our EYC Wētā fleet should start training together to be prepared to give Marc some serious challenge next year.
The Jerry Valesky Team Trophy was won by the green/yellow team consisting of Dan/Lauren (LC-Division), Elliott (LC-Division), Rich/Nikki (H-16). With a 6th, 10th and a 1st fleet result respectively, and that corrected to a 4-boat team score, they gathered Enough points to take the win. Congratulations!
The overall “Live On The Edge” pennant was won by Marc Simmel. As we always ask the prior year’s winner to hand over the pennant to the new winner, Marc had to present It to himself. Roeland assisted in that effort. This is not the first time we have a repeat Pennant winner, but it is the first time to have it in consecutive years. Well done Marc!
Our 2024 edition is already pinned for the second weekend of June! Mark your calendar.
For video, photos and results go to: https://www.eugeneyachtclub.org/multihulls
Many thanks to our volunteers who made this Regatta happen:
Race Clinic
Alan Wells - rescue boat, lunch delivery
Bill Groesz - rescue boat
Glen Hughes - powerboat prep
Regatta
Race Committee, Finish boat, Rescue boats - Richard Johnson (PRO), Bill Schafer,
Taylor Johnson, Allan Stults, Scott Landgreen, Art & Jaye Stiers, Kenn Meneely, Murray
McCloud, Teri Ward, Bill Groesz, Matt Sprick, Glen Hughes, Marty Parisian, James
Cassidy, Joanne Jones, Rex Ballenger, Michelle Wood, Travis Carpenter, Laurie
Monico, Kay Lee Brown
Saturday breakfast - Shelley Johnson, Nick Tabet
Saturday dinner - Marie Johnson, Richard Johnson, Shelley Johnson
Sunday breakfast - Alan and Edna Hagen
Photos - Kay Lee Brown
EYC multihull fleet - Dan Nicholson, Nick Tabet, Al Avey, Ken Lefton, Jason Vasquez,
Elliott Dahl, Joe Mosely, Roeland Kapsenberg
All EYC members who participated in work parties to make the club ready and inviting
for our guests.
By Roeland Kapsenberg
Overall Pennant winner Marc Simmel (left) second time in row
Wētā 2nd place Dale Werkema (right)
