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2006 South East Regionals INTERVIEW: 2006 National Champ John McNeil 2006 Nationals 2006 Zenda University 2006 Maxinkuckee Fall MC Regatta 2006 ILYA Inland Champs 2006 WMYA Championship 2006 George Dorn Regatta 2006 Orlando Webb Regatta 2006 Black Tie Champs INTERVIEW Ron Curio, winner of the 2-boat training program with Andy Burdick 2006 MC Midwinters 2006 Zenda University >> Read also: 2006 Regatta Reports | 2005 Reports | 2004 Reports | 2003 Reports | 2002 Reports

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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

2006 MC SCOW MAXINKUCKEE FALL REGATTA
North Sails 1,2 Overall!

Reports by Andy Burdick

Verplank Dominates Maxinkuckee Fall MC Regatta

Kyle Verplank has been sailing MC's for many years. His experience and great touch on the helm showed this past weekend as he put away the competition winning several heats and finishing first overall. His goal was to win and qualify for the prestigious Blue Chip. Done!

Kyle was powered by NORTH SAILS. His design of choice - the ZMAX. Andy Molesta from Spring Lake was 2nd overall. NORTH SAILS 1,2 OVERALL.

For more information about our MC sails, don't hesitate to contact our MC experts.
To order MC sails online, click here.

2006 MC SCOW ILYA INLAND CHAMPIONSHIP
Congrats Jamie Kimball

Reports by Andy Burdick

North Sails Win ILYA Big Inland Championship

North MC sails were 1st and 2nd at this years Inland Championship on Lake Geneva. The ZMax Mainsail won every race in the event. The New Melges Representative - Jamie Kimball continued his hot streak. Winning the WMYA, ILYA invite and now the ILYA Invite. Jamie is a wealth of sailing knowledge and a fast sailor obviously. Use him for tuning and speed / technique questions. Bill Colburn from Minnesota was 2nd and is always tough on the race course. His boat was powered by North Sails. North Sails are Fast! Congratulations Winners.

For more information about our MC sails, don't hesitate to contact our MC experts.
To order MC sails online, click here.

2006 WMYA CHAMPIONSHIP
North 1,2,3,4,5 on MC Class!

Reports by Sam Rogers

Big Breeze and Tight Racing in First 2 Days of WMYA Champs!

In all fleets participating in the 2006 WMYA Championships, there has been incredibly close racing and awesome sailing conditions. The great feature about the WMYA Champs is that you can sail in up to three classes in a single day of racing. There are three different time slots throughout the day so most sailors can be seen running from the their boats at the end of a race and hopping on another boat to start a different race. The WMYA is non-stop action!

Day 1 - All of the sailors showed up at the Muskegeon Yacht Club and we greeted with steady 20-25 mph breezes that lasted the entire day. In the E fleet, the top five boats constantly changed position and with a freighter coming through on the last beat, a few boats got caught on the leeside which made things interesting. After a tight battle for the lead the last lap around Nelson, edged out Munroe and Brereton to take the lead.

M17 - In the inaugural WMYA for the M17 the fleet saw the most breeze they have ever raced in as a group. This was truly a treat not only for the sailors, but for the spectators as well.
The Melges 17's were literally blasting out of the water and ripping up and down the course!
Larry Brand and his son Keith made it around the race course in first place with Brian McMurray on his tail and Tom Munroe right behind Brian. The Melges 17's certainly stormed into the WMYA and it was great to see these boats perform so well in such breezy conditions.

MC's - No racing on day 1 for MC's - Too much wind.

Day 2 - Day Two began with thunderstorms which caused a bit of a delay in the days racing, but once the terrential downpours stopped, the first group of the day, the Melges 17's headed out for the race course. Sailing in shifty, 5-10 NE breezes, the sailors did their best to make sense of the tricky conditions. Brian McMurray and his wife Deb, the 2006 MidWinter Champions, used excellent boatspeed to take Race 2. Coye Harrett sailing in his first Melges 17 regatta sailed well enough to get second and one of the pioneers in the Melges 17 fleet, Bill Fauntleroy battled his way into third place.

E Scow - The same conditions were present for the start of the E Scow fleet which was frustrating for sailors who just got done with the Melges 17 race. Sighs of "here we go again"
could most certainly be heard on most boats. Pete Price quickly jumped out to the lead on the first lap around the course using excellent boatspeed and solid tactics and sailed well enough to keep the other boats at bay to take the race. Brereton took the lead for a small portion of the race after a tough start and finished third and Nelson finished 2nd. Tight racing is in store for Day 3.

MC Scow- Fresh off of his ILYA Invitational win, Jamie Kimball battled with the likes of McNeill, Gill, Annis, Fink and Keller to take both MC races in the afternoon. Conditions had steadied a more than in the morning and Jamie certainly seemed to have a beat on sailing his boat fast and staying on the lifted tack. The MC is the largest fleet in the WMYA this year and there is still 2 more days of tight racing remaining.

C Boats - After 2 days of racing in the C scow fleet, Joe Schaub holds a slight lead over Ted Keller and Tom Keenan. The C Boats battled in the big breeze yesterday and had to slow down and use their heads a bit more in the shiftier conditions today. The C Scows and Melges 17s kick off Day 3 at 10am tomorrow.

Day 3 - Day three saw light to moderate breezes in the morning with nice medium to heavy breezes in the afternoon. Racing was tight in all of the classes but as the regatta progresses along, a few of the fleets are getting tighter in the standings while some are getting spread out. There is one race remaining in each class and with there being no throwout in the WMYA Championships, anything can happen.

Melges 17 -

1). Brian McMurray - 6
2). Tom Munroe - 11
3). Larry Brand - 11
4). Coye Harret - 13
5). Fauntleroy - 13

MC Scow -

1). Jamie Kimball - 3
2). Chris Eggert - 16
3). Doug McNeill - 21
4). Rob Kimball - 21
5). Jeff Annis - 22

E Scow -

1). Don Nelson - 4
2). Art Brereton - 13

C Scow -

1). Chris Craig - 11
2). Ted Keller - 12
3). Joe Schaub - 13
4). Tom Keenan - 14

Champions Declared on Day 4 of WMYA

Melges 17 - Brian McMurray continued his winning ways in the Melges 17 class by sailing a consistent regatta. Sailing with his wife Deb, Brian had three top three finishes and never finished out of the top five. If he and Deb continue to sail this well, they will be a top contender for the 17 Nationals in September. Coye Harrett, sailing his first Melges 17 regatta won a tight last race to move into second in the standings. Bill Fauntleroy saild well to take third place honors. This was a great inaugural WMYA for the M17 fleet and if the size of the spectator fleet watching the 17s is any indication, this fleet is going to be hugely successful in Western Michigan.

1). Brian McMurray - 2,1,3,5 - 11
2). Harrett - 7,2,4,1- 14
3). Fauntleroy - 4,3,6,2 - 15
4). Brand - 1,5,5,6 - 17
5). Munroe - 3,7,1,8 - 19

MC Scow - Jamie Kimball won every race but the last race to win the overall WMYA title for the second year in a row. Chris Eggert won the last race of the regatta to move into second place and all the way from Augusta, Georgia, Jeff Annis rounded out the top three. The next event is the ILYA Inland Championships where there will be 50+ MC scows competing.

1). Jamie Kimball - 1,1,1,5 - 8 (NS)
2). Chris Eggert - 3,7,6,1 - 17 (NS)
3). Jeff Annis - 7,3,12,3 - 25 (NS)
4). Rob Terry - 4,11,9,2 - 26 (NS)
5). Doug McNeill - 14,2,5,10 - 31 (NS)

C Scow - In the tighest racing on the final day, the top four boats were seperated by only four points. Chris Craig led the regatta going into the last race but it was Joe Schaub who sailed great to finish 2nd in the race and win the regatta. The C boat racing was definetly some of the most exciting during the whole week and it was great to see such tight racing in the WMYA

1). Joe Schaub - 15
2). Tom Keenan - 17
3). Chris Craig - 18
4). Ted Keller/Pete Comfort - 18 (NS)
5). Glen Walborn - 21

E Scow - Don Nelson dominated this years E Scow portion of the WMYA. Pete Price sailed a consistent regatta to finish second and Rob Terry too third place.

1). Don Nelson
2). Pete Price
3). Rob Terry

2006 GEORGE DORN MC REGATTA
Congratulations Dave Harrinson!

Reports from Andy Burdick

With two bullets in big breeze Dave Harrison from Oshkosh, WI. won the George Dorn Memorial MC Regatta for the 2nd straight year. This event has a good turnout each season on Lake Beulah. Some of the best MC sailors in the country were in attendance making the racing top notch. Congratulations Dave on your win!. North MC sails win another big championship!

For more information about our MC sails, don't hesitate to contact our MC experts.

To order MC sails online, click here.

2006 MC ORLANDO WEBB REGATTA
North Sails Takes Yet Another Title!

Reports from Sam Rogers

46 MC Scow teams from across the country made their way to famous Lake Lotawana for the always popular Orlando Webb MC Regatta. The racing, hospitality and regatta management have always been legendary at this venue and this year was no exception. Four quality races were completed over the weekend and it was clear that the North Sails Z Max was the sail to have winning 3 of 4 races and the overall regatta title. Getting off the line cleanly and having good boat speed to establish a clean lane was probably the biggest factor for success over the weekend. One way to improve boat speed is to have the proper sail, order a North Sails Z Max and watch your results improve!

Orlando Webb MC Regatta

1). Sam Rogers - 1,1,2,1 - 5 pts. (North Sails)
2). Danny Ziegler - 3,3,4,3 - 13 pts.
3). Justin Adams - 4,2,3,8 - 17 pts. (North Sails)
4). Kenny Bagget - 2,5,10,2 - 19 pts.
5). Mark Long - 5,7,6,5 - 23 pts. ( North Sails)

46 Total boats

For more information about our MC sails, don't hesitate to contact our MC experts. To order MC sails online, click here.

2006 BLACK TIE CHAMPS
Stay tuned for daily updates!

Reports from Sam Rogers

DAY 3:

Racing Goes Down to the Wire on Final Day of Black Tie

The final race of the regatta saw some big Texas breeze as the Black Tie lived up to its reputation of one of the greatest sailing venues in the country. As the racers headed to the racecourse, the breeze was out of the south at 10-12. When the prepartory signal sounded for the C fleet, the breeze had built to 15-18 with stronger gusts. With the winners anything but a lock in both fleets, the racing was as exciting as ever.

C Fleet
Augie Barkow and Sam Rogers had seperated themselves from the fleet and with the addition of a throwout, the regatta came down to a who beat who in the final race to determine the winner. Both boats got off the line cleanly and Barkow had positioned himself to weather of Rogers as the made their way up the first beat. Both boats played the shifts well and rounded the top mark with Barkow carrying a slight lead over Rogers. Nothing changed on the downwind and as the boats headed up for the 2nd beat, things got interesting. Rogers, directly to leeward of Barkow on port tack used the extra pounds they had on Barkow to slip forward. By the time the new shift came in from the right side, Rogers was in good position to gain some boat lengths. As both boats flopped onto starboard with the new shift, Rogers was now on top of Barkow and going fast. The I-42 was able to use good boats speed to get over the top of Barkow and managed to hold them off around the rest of the racecourse for the regatta win.

1). I42 Sam Rogers - 2,1,2,2,(4),1 - 8
2). V11 Augie Barkow - 3,(6), 1,1,2,2 - 9
3). MO59 Scott Tillema - 1,3,4,7,(15), 5 - 20
4). AC54 Grif Amies - (15), 12, 5,5,3,3 - 28
5). MO6 Spencer Brockman - 5,4,3,8,(9), 8 - 28

MC Fleet
Although not as tight as the C fleet, the MC sailors still had some tight racing to determine the winner. Greg Gust had a small lead over Doug Kern going into the final race and all that needed to be done for Gust to win was to beat Kern in the race. Heading up the first beat, Gust had some work to do as he found himself in 5th with Doug Kern winning the race about hundred yards ahead. As the race progressed, Gust was able to put his MC and racing experience to use and managed to grind down Kern. He not only closed the gap, but was able to get in front of Kern and secure 2nd place in the race for the Regatta win. Kern finished 4th in the race, good enough for second in the regatta, and one time Rush Creek Yacht Club sailor Eric Protzman won the final race with his wife as crew.

1) 2035 Greg Gust - 1,1,(4), 2,4,2 - 10
2) 2349 Doug Kern - 5,(9),1,3,1,4 - 14
3) 1975 Danny Ziegler - 4,4,3,6,6,(12) - 23
4) 2352 Jeff Annis - (14), 10, 2,1,5,7 - 27
5) 2257 Eric Protzman - 9, (22RAF), 6,9,2,1 - 27

As always the racing was fantastic here in Dallas. The race commitee did a great job of getting off six quality races and setting great courses. Many thanks to the Rush Creek Yacht Club for all of the hard work in making sure all of the competitors were well taken care of. Black Tie '07 is just around the corner is planned for the 3rd week in April. Start making preparations today to attend next year!

Stay tuned for more C Scow and MC race reports and the racing season is officially off to a great start!

DAY 2:

Three races completed on Day 2 of Black Tie!

The forecast for day 2 of the 2006 Black Tie held true as all of the sailors today saw a nice 10-15 out the south which allowed for 3 solid races. The race commitee did a great job of setting suqare courses and getting the races off promptly. The racing is tight in both the MC and C boat fleet and with only 1 race remaining and the addition of a throwout the standings are anything but certain. Saturday night is the famous Black Tie dinner at the Rush Creek Yacht Club where the food is second to none and the champagne is plentiful. There is sure to be some stories on the race course tomorrow!

Full results below:

C- Scow:

1). Sam Rogers - I 42 - 2,1,2,2,4 - 11 pts.
2). Augie Barkow - V-11 - 3,6,1,1,2 - 13 pts.
3). Jon Martin - MO-44 - 6,5,6,4,7 - 28 pts.
4). Chris Andert - M-25- 10, 7, 8, 3, 1 - 29 pts.
5). Spencer Brackman - MO-6 - 5,4,3,8,9 - 29 pts.

MC Scow:

1). Greg Gust - 1,1,4,2,4 - 12 pts.
2). Doug Kern - 5,9,1,3,1 - 19 pts.
3). D ziegler - 4,4,3,6,6 - 23 pts.
4). Jeff Annis - 14, 10, 2, 1, 5 - 32 pts.
5). Brad Farrar - 3,6,10,4,9 - 32 pts.

Stay Tuned tomorrow for full results of the regatta!

DAY 1:

Light Winds Prevail on Day 1 of Black Tie Regatta
Lake Ray Hubbard - Dallas, Texas

The first day of racing at the 43rd annual Black Tie Regatta welcomed teams of C- Scow and MC sailors from around the country with light and variable breezes. Despite the light conditions, the race commitee did a great job of getting in two races before the breeze totally vanished. The forecast for tommorrow is for an increase in velocity out of the North at 10-15. Some new, fresh breeze would certainly be a welcome site for the sailors tommorrow.

What worked today - In conditions that are very light and unstable, it is best to take a look up the racecourse and identify where the pressure is going to be. It is important to find out which direction the pressure is moving down the course and position yourself to take advantage of the pressure. A lot of time this will mean keeping the boat going fast to get to the new pressure before the other boats around you. To do this, sometimes you will need to ease off the sheet and keep the bow down and moving fast throught the water. Once you have located where the pressure is going to be on the racecourse, you can begin to formulate a game plan and sail to where need to be.

What did not work today - A few things that did not work today in the lighter conditions was trying to point and sail in "high mode". Some competitors who did this today found themselves with a great angle, but they were not moving through the water. This tendancy to point too high also goes hand in hand with trimming too tightly. If you are trimmed too tightly in lighter conditions, you will choke off the flow on your sail and find yourself being passed. Just because you trima certain length in 15-20 mph, does not mean that you will trim the same in 3-5 mph. Soft sheet and bow down to keep the boat moving is key in the lighter conditions. Once you get the boat moving, you will find that your angle and pointing will also improve.

Results - Day One - Black Tie Regatta '06:

C Scow

1). Sam Rogers - 2,1 - 3pts.
2). Scott Tillema - 1,3 - 4 pts.
3). August Barkow - 3,6 - 9pts.
4). Spencer Blackman - 5,4, - 9 pts.
5). Eddie Robinson - 8,2 - 10 pts.

MC Scow

1). Gregg Gust - 1,1 - 2pts.
2). Chad Rechcygl - 2,2 - 4pts.
3). Daniel Ziegler - 4,4 - 8pts.
4). Brad Farrar - 3,6 - 9 pts.
5). Gerry Dorsey - 7,3 - 10 pts.

Three races are scheduled for tommorrow. Stay tuned for results and go fast tips from day 2 of the 2006 Black Tie Regatta.

Over 40 MC and C Scows have made their way to Lake Ray Hubbard just outside of Dallas, Texas to compete in the always popular Black Tie Regatta. For many, this regatta is the begining of the scow season and with the traditional big Texas winds this time of year, it only takes a few tacks to work out the kinks leftover from the winter. Teams of C-Scow and MC sailors have travelled from as far as California, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Georgia, South Carolina and Missouri to battle for the Black Tie Championship. The racing is going to be intense and the hospitality is going to be top-notch. Stay Tuned for Day 1 results tommorrow afternoon.

MC SCOW INTERVIEW
Ron Curio, winner of the 2-boat training program at Winter Champs

Interview courtesy MC Touch of Class Newsletter

In the interest of youth sailing at the Lake Eustis Sailing Club Andy Burdick from Melges Performance Sailboats volunteered his time and MC racing experience to a raffle. Whoever won the raffle would be able to two boat train before each days racing with Andy, debrief the days racing and get helpful hints on tuning, boat set up and preparation for the regatta. Three days of intense information. Participants in the regatta could purchase tickets for $5 each. Over 300 tickets were sold! The winning announcement came at the skippers meeting. Most importantly, over $1,500 was raised for LESC Youth Sailing.

The Winner Is: Ron Curio from Madison, Wisconsin

MC Class: Congratulations Ron! Thanks for contributing to the youth sailing program at Lake Eustis. What were you thinking when Andy Burdick picked your winning ticket in front of all those sailors?

Ron Curio: My immediate reaction was, “I’ve won the lottery!” That’s what I related to my wife who was thinking Powerball. I was thinking: three days training with Andy! Priceless! What a great opportunity to be coached for three days by one of the best sailors in the history of the class.

MC Class: What was the first thing Andy did when he viewed your boat?

Ron Curio: Andy made sure that I’d done my mast rake measurement. Andy indicated that my forestay should be taped in order to protect the ring-ding from catching on stray booms. He stressed the importance of keeping weight at an absolute minimum by removing all non essential items and stowing my life jacket and throwable forward. Andy had me apply sun screen on shore so the container would not be aboard. In lieu of carrying a complete old music tape he cut one piece of appropriate length for a telltale and taped it to the stern support. I removed the roll of electrical tape and my old rusty knife. Absolute minimum means absolute minimum!

MC Class: Describe Andy’s focus and what he wanted to accomplish during this two boat training session? How did this directly benefit your regatta and your MC sailing skills?

Ron Curio: Andy’s focus is to develop a comprehensive race management system consisting of observational, analytic, strategic, and tactical components. Get out on the course early, observe the wind across the entire course, analyze which part of the course has more wind, check for the favored tack and favored end of the line, determine where on the line you want to start, and where you will sail the first leg. Andy’s goal was to teach me to utilize this approach for every race. This system will not bring my skills up to Andy’s level but with discipline, focus, and concentration will allow me, or any skipper, to fully utilize and improve the skills we possess. After the first day I compiled a list of 32 specific boat handling skills that Andy indicated could use improvement. I was not even aware of some of these deficiencies. As I focused on improving these boat handling skills my boat felt better and faster. I began to feel an increasing sense of confidence that I COULD be a skipper who sails not one or one and a half good legs in a race but an ENTIRE good race.

MC Class: How did the two of you team up to determine the favored end of the line, which side of the course was favored? What was Andy looking for?

Ron Curio: Before each race we determined which part of the course had the most wind. We split tacks and sailed for three minutes on each tack to determine the favored tack. In each of the races one tack was heavily favored. In the prevalent light airs we always sought to sail to pressure(the next streak). We determined where to start on the line and what position would allow us to reach the favored tack quickest with clear air. Andy was looking not only for a clear air start but what position on the line would allow him to be sailing the favored tack in clear air two minutes into the race.

MC Class: Did the two boat training help your performance in the regatta? We see you had a 9th in race #2. That is excellent! Explain your thoughts.

Ron Curio: Oh, it definitely helped! One of my weaknesses has been starting. Using Andy’s suggestion of being half a boat length clear ahead of the boats to windward and leeward(not exactly a slam dunk in the MC class) I was able to make a clear air start at my chosen spot on the line in each race including the funky port favored start in race#2. I think the most important pointer Andy gave me in our training was to mark the spot on the main where it exits the leeward block to note the place to trim for good light air speed. This reference was invaluable during racing. I found that my tendency is to over ease in light air. By trimming to this mark on each tack I was able to maintain speed and then make any required adjustments. Andy emphasized sailing in clear air in light air races. A decent start greatly increased my chances of sailing in clear air both upwind and downwind. Andy emphasized constantly taking “snapshots” of the course during the race. Another of my flaws is to get so tuned in when the boat is moving well that I don’t look around thereby quickly sailing into oblivion. At the second windward mark most boats in my pack immediately jibed to port. On the upwind during my “snapshot” process I saw a streak filling on the right. I remained on starboard to reach that streak. Since there were fewer boats on that side of the course my air was clear and I was able to ride the streak to the leeward gate. Andy also emphasizes constantly trimming the main downwind in light airs – to trim in and head up whenever the boat slows. With the luxury of clear air I was able to do this to pick up several boats. There had been a starboard lift on the far right side of the course all day but the huge port lift at the leeward gate dictated going to the left. Andy emphasizes sailing to pressure. With the boats to weather of me running out of air and the boats that went right early showing a starboard lift I eased sheets a bit to get to the new air. This paid off big time as the boats that went too far left were out of air and the boats that went right early were not yet in the good breeze. I was able to cross the boats that went right early on port before tacking onto the starboard lift to the finish. Now, there was a lot of luck involved in this finish but applying some of what Andy talked about allowed me to be in a position to take advantage of a few breaks. I was in position for a decent finish in race#3 but lapsed into old habits. I did not analyze my “snapshots,” did not keep clear air downwind, and lost boats on the last two legs. By failing to maintain concentration and focus on Andy’s advice I sailed half a good race but not an entire good race.

MC Class: In Summary, what did Andy coach you on? What did you improve and what did he say you still need to work on?

Ron Curio: I think the best description of my experience with Andy is that he coached me to break down all my mental and physical roadblocks to racing success by completely focusing on boat handling, hyper vigilance (taking “snapshots” ahead, to windward, to leeward, and astern), pre-race preparation, starting technique, and sail trim. I can overcome these roadblocks by taking my focus to a higher level that I have previously attained. By completely, totally, and absolutely focusing on the racing environment I will look for opportunities to improve my position rather than roadblocks to improving my position. Andy mentioned that I need to work on focus and boat handling. I did feel that I improved in starting, boat handling, sail trim, and downwind speed. I love racing. It was an adrenalin rush to stick my nose into the first row at the start and come out with speed and clear air.

MC Class: Do you plan on attending the 2007 MC Midwinter’s?

Ron Curio:Indeed. It’s such a pleasure I love racing on Lake Eustis in March when the lakes back home are still frozen. Then there’s the Oyster Troff and Café Gianni in Eustis. In closing I have to say that training with Andy was a blast. It was really fun. Thanks to Andy and the Lake Eustis Sailing Club for the opportunity. I owe a big debt to Andy for the insight he provided to me. It’ll be a great summer attempting to apply what Andy taught me. The MC Class is a great class with amazing competition and wonderful people. And, oh yeah, in my position as Regatta Chair of the North American Spring Regatta at Pewaukee Yacht Club I want to invite everyone to join us for some great sailing the weekend of May 6/7.

Congratulations again Ron! Sounds like a pretty incredible weekend of sailing and sharing racing information with Andy. See you at the MC North Americans in Pewaukee!

2006 MC SCOW MIDWINTERS
Follow daily reports here!

Report by Sam Rogers

Congratulations Andy Burdick (1st) and Sam Rogers (2nd)!

MC MIDWINTERS - FINAL DAY

Top 10:

1 Burdick Andy PYC/WI 2369 4 6 6 16 1
2 Rogers Sam MYC/MN 2361 1 8 8 17 1
3 Keller Ted TLYC/MI 2198 10 1 7 18 1
4 Seidelmann Robert No fleet 2078 13 7 1 21 1
5 Reese Kelly LGYC/WI 2328 16 4 3 23 1
6 Clayton Zack LESC/FL 2256 6 3 20 29 1
7 Fredman Tim GM PNYC/WI 2353 7 21 11 39 1
8 Mossman Guy CYC/SC 2002 32 2 10 44 1
9 Vanderhorst Surge HSC/OH 1292 5 10 31 46 1
10 Stadele Kurt LLSC/GA 2067 18 13 16 47

North Facts:

North Sails were 1st and 2nd at the MC Midwnters this year. Total of 71 boats.
North Sails were on 41 of the 71 boats.
North Sails had 6 of the top 10 and 11 of the top 20.
North Sails were 1st in the MegaMaster Division and Women's division.
North Sails are #1.

For more information about our MC sails, don't hesitate to contact our MC experts. To order MC sails online, click here.

MC MIDWINTERS - DAY 2

Two Light Air Races Completed on Day 2

Lake Eustis, Fl. - Day two of the 2006 MC Midwinter’s looked as if we would have a repeat of day one, no breeze and no racing. By the time the hour gun sounded however, ripples could be seen on the water which ushered the fleet out to the race course. With a brief postponement to allow the breeze to properly fill across the course, race one finally got underway.

Race 1 - W2 1/2, 6-9 mph - The starting line was fairly square with a little favor to the boat end. Shortly after the start, it was clear the more velocity was on the right hand side on the bottom portion of the course. Near the top however, the breeze started to phase back left and few nice lefties helped bail out some competitors. Scott Leppert had the best boat speed up the first beat and also found the last shift into the mark to take a nice lead on the first beat. Jeff Annis and Sam Rogers took the conservative route, playing the middle the entire first beat rounded a few boat lengths behind Scott. Andy Burdick worked the right side of the course nicely and managed to sneak in to the top mark in fourth. Bob Cole, the 2006 Zenda University Champion rounded the top mark in fifth with Jeff Ecklund and Dan “Squad Car Fink” in the sixth and seventh.

The second time up was almost a repeat of the first with most of the competitors working the right side with a little less velocity. Again, the right side was great on the bottom of the course but it was important to get to the left near the top as the last shift into the mark again was from the left. Scott maintained his lead with Jeff, Sam, Andy, Bob and Jeff close on his heels. The competitors near the top of the course concentrated on sailing the lifted tack at all times while keeping the boat moving through the luls.

As the race progressed, the velocity seemed to drop more and more and by the time the fleet rounded the last bottom mark, most skippers were sitting on the leeward side looking for more pressure. Scott Leppert, who had built a nice lead throughout the race, saw his lead shrink shortly after the mark. Jeff and Andy both took the right gate to head to the left side of the course while Scott, Sam and Bob all round the left gate to work the right side which had more pressure, but not as great of an angle. About a quarter way up the course, it was clear the the right side was the place to be as Jeff and and Andy lost big on the left side leaving Scott, Sam and Bob in a tight three boat race for the win.

Bob extended to the right side while Scott and Sam engaged in a mild tacking duel in the middle right side of the course. Bob gained some nice leverage on the right side of the course and looked like he might take the race win but just as in the previous two legs, the left side was the last shift to the finish. Sam had put himself in a good position to capatilize on the last shift and eeked out the first race win. Scott Leppert held on for 2nd, and Bob Cole, fresh off of his ZU win, took third. Top ten results below.

1). Sam Rogers
2). Scott Leppert
3). Bob Cole
4). Andy Burdick
5). Surge Vanderhorst
6). Zack Clayton
7). Tim Fredman
8). Jack Kern
9). Lenny Krawcheck
10). Ted Keller

Race 2 - W 2 1/2, 4-5 mph - The start of race 2 saw a hugely port favored line with the majority of the fleet tacking to port as the gun sounded. Andy Burdick nailed the start, tacking to port immediatly while using great boat speed to establish a nice lead at the first whether mark. Local sailor, Lee Saylor rounded in a close second with Ted Keller rounding out the top three.

The breeze began to wain even more as the boats made it around the race track. All of the top three boats, maintained there positions with a large group close on their heels at the next top mark. Zack Clayton, Jeff Annis, Kelly Reese, Robert Seidelman, Guy Mossman, Surge Vanderhorst and a few others battled it out to try and get to the front pack.

With a fluky downwind leg beind him, Andy rounded the last bottom mark with a huge lead.
A 70 degree shift to the left made the decision fairly easy for Andy and he headed for the left side of the course. Little did he know this would prove to be fatal.

As the boats behind him could see, Andy fell into to a hole that would not let him go. Boats sailed above, below and through him as he tried to make it to the finish line. He managed to keep his composure and finish sixth in the race, but it wasn’t easy. Seeing his troubles, Zack Clayton, Ted Keller and Guy Mossman eased off their sheets and headed for the next closest pressure which was on the right side of the course. Once they got to the pressure, the sailed easily to the finish line. Ted Keller got the race win with Guy and Zack in second and third.

Top Ten Race 2 -

1). Ted Keller
2). Guy Mossman
3). Zack Clayton
4). Kelly Reese
5). George Sipel
6). Andy Burdick
7). Robert Seidelmann
8). Sam Rogers
9). Ron Curio
10). Surge Vanderhorst

Top Ten Overall -

1). Sam Rogers - 9
2). Zack Clayton - 9
3). Andy Burdick - 10
4). Ted Keller - 11
5). Scott Leppert - 13
6). Surge Vanderhorst - 15
7). Kelly Reese - 20
8). Robert Seidelman - 20
9). Jack Kern - 22
10). Tim Fredman - 28

Tommorrow has a forecast of 5-10 out of the WNW and with the standings as close as they are, all the fleet can ask for is just enough breeze to race! Stay tuned for more results from the final day of the 2006 MC Midwinter Championship!

MC MIDWINTERS - DAY 1

No Racing Due to Lack of Wind

75 competitors drifted for hours waiting for breeze on the waters of Lake Eustis as the 2006 MC Midwinter Championships got off to a slow start.

Although there was no racing on the water, there was plenty of excitement on shore as the winner of the "Andy Burdick Raffle" was announced. Ron Curio was the lucky winner and as a result will have Andy as his training partner for the remainder of the regatta. Andy will help Ron before and after the race, helping him identify which side of the course is favored, boat setup and boat handling techniques. The raffle helped raise over $1500.00 for the Lake Eustis Junior Sailing program! The forecast for tommorrow is 5-10 out of the north if all goes well, Day 2 should see some tight racing. Stay tuned for details!

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2006 MC ZENDA UNIVERSITY
Great Sailing, Great Instruction - All Graduate!

Report by Andy Burdick

The famous Zenda University Course concluded on Wednesday afternoon and all the students advanced in their MC scow sailing skills. Melges Performance Sailboats and North Sails Zenda provided professional instruction to a limited and reserved MC group. "We limit the course to 20 boats / people so that we can give personal coaching and instruction on and off the water" said Andy Burdick. 10 races were sailed, over 20 practice starts and personal instruction for all during the 2 day course. A big success for the 2006 event. Congratulations to Bob Cole from New York who won the regatta portion of the event. Chris Gannon from Lake Geneva won the most improved award.

Top 3 at the 2006 MC Zenda University series:
1st Bob Cole
2nd Jeff Ecklund
3rd Guy Mossman

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2005 MASTER NATIONALS
Congrats Eric Hood, overall winner!

Report by Eric Hood

Photo by Joy Dunigan

2005 MC Scow Masters Nationals
Augusta Sailing Club - Augusta , Georgia

Picture this!!! You pull into a 16 acre Georgia pine forest in a remote area on a huge beautiful lake. When you pull in and finally make it down the long , winding road to the boat parking area you find a 2’x3’ sign with ASCs logo, your name and sail number that designates your spot for the week. Then because it is an all inclusive regatta all of your food, drinks, massages (yes massages) are all included and there are no cash transactions, no lists. Then if you are worn out from all the socializing and yes worn out from the sailing then you sit in one of their rocking chairs elevated up over the lake looking out at one of the most pretty lakes in the southeastern U.S.. You could also come in and just watch the hundreds of pictures of the days sailing that were taken by Joy Dunigan. Those are just a few of things we had going for us this week.

Next you bring in a team of race committee folks assembled by PRO Jeff Annis that are all sailors (not Masters yet) and you get the best racing you could possibly have. I have raced at hundreds and hundreds of regattas over the years and Jeff ranks as one of the best or the best PRO I have ever seen.

So the setting was perfect. Great racing and great social activities, outstanding food, excellent music, great weather. We had everyday in the 80s or high 70s with light medium winds.

"Dear Charlie Harrett, Harry Melges and Andy Burdick, We gave Eric Hood a special award from Scow Fleet Augusta at this event. This is because of the above the call of duty hard work he put into building our C and MC fleets here. His positive and enthusiastic attitude has made this happen here. He has served as a teacher of sailing, racing and sportsmanship at our club. He has added a great deal to the love of sailing that many of us share here at the Augusta Sailing Club. It should be noted that this would all not be possible without the help and support of Melges Boats, North Sails and the individuals who support Eric professionally and personally. So, thanks to all MBW and all North Sails and all Eric's friends who help Eric help us. I thank you and we all thank you". Scow Team Augusta 2005 MC Scow Masters Nationals   We want to hear from you! Read more..

The racing was tough. After the first two light medium races it became clear that about 8 of the 38 boats had come out of blocks with speed and consistency. Those included Lenny Krawcheck, Skip Moorhouse, Tim Fredman, Ed Durant, Jim Claffey, Eric Hood and Bob Miller.

Being quick off the line was huge. Several of us had practiced a bunch and all of us kept getting looser and looser with our sidestays in the lighter day 1 winds. The lake is a big open water lake so you could see the wind for sure and it was true to what you were seeing. Those who went out and practiced with intention always faired the best. What was cool in the shifting breezes was how quick PRO Annis and his team could shorten, lengthen and change the courses.

So now race 3 comes along on day two. EHood and Ed Durant went out early , sailed the entire course before the race then went on to finish 1-2 in this race. Krawcheck , Moorhouse, Miller, Fredman and Claffey all had pretty good races but lost some ground point wise.

In my mind I was starting to think boy whoever is going to win this event better get the points today because with just one scheduled race on Sunday this thing could be over after race 4 if the wind does not fill on Sunday morning. With that in mind I started playing different boats to make sure I had the point spreads I wanted. Letting some boats go here and there but getting on others quickly after the start.

At the end of the 4th race most of the sailors who were up front had a bad race. E.Hood had 9 point lead over Tim Fredman , 18 over Skip and 23 over Bob Miller.

Race 5 was probably our toughest race. A nice but unstable light north wind was present for the start. After a short delay Jeff and his team got the race going. I quickly recognized the danger of this race so I elected to stick close to Tim Fredman to protect my 9 point spread. Tim and I both started at the committee boat end , both tacked out to the freshening breeze on the right side of the course. Before you know it the two of us were poked out on the fleet. Some changes occurred on the way to the 1st top mark, I rounded 1st, Tim about 5th and Skip was around 10th. So we sailed around the first 4 legs this way and I am thinking well this is a done deal. Then coming into the last leeward gate. The wind shuts down.. Fredman catches me at the leeward mark. 10 other boats round with us. Needless to say after a couple of weeks of finishing second at some scow regattas by 1 point I was feeling a little lump in my throat. I did round first, the breeze started filling but Tim had managed to split away from me. The group of ten split on me so I did some quick math. Electing to give up a few boats, protect on others, but most importantly stay in the dark water, get to the finish line and win the event. Tim won the race; I finished fourth but was safe to win the event.

Couple of speed tips for the event. These were critical:

• Loose sidestays in light air
• When the puffs hit, ease the mainsheet, steer the boat straight and let the boat accelerate.
• Marking your mainsheet really helps. About every six inches. I usually do not do that and I found it made a huge difference this week because I knew where it was when I was fast.
• Polarized sunglasses makes a huge difference on what you see on the water.
• Get out early and practice. It makes a difference.

Eric Hood on final approach to last leeward gate of race 4  leading for National Champ Willi Lenkeit 1922, Rick Trester 2352 and Tom Harken 1810. Photo Joy Dunigan

Bob Cole from Keuka, New York sailing his new MC at this year's MC National Championship Photo Joy Dunigan

Congratulations to Salty Schwarting for winning the Mega Master division and Tim Fredman for winning the Grand Masters division. Boy there were so many great moments out there. Check out the race results and you will see how your friends and members of your club did at this great event.

I cannot say enough thanks to the entire team at ASC, Jeff Annis for all of his hospitality to all the guests, Barfly Ed Durant, John Lovin, Brian Slater, Guy Mossman, Dick Mayne and the dozens of others for all of their volunteer work this past week.

Special thanks to the ASC group and Jeff again for the special “Sportsmanship and Class Support Award” they gave me at this event.

The awards ceremony was cool. Everyone received a great prize, everyone.

Special moment of recognition and silence for Nancy Bradley was held. Nancy recently passed away. She always stood faithfully by Curt Bradley who did so much for our class and is for sure one of the reasons we are doing so well today.

If anyone wants to talk about the Masters Nationals, MC Sailing or sailing contacts in the southeast for some great winter sailing please call me in Zenda. I will be back there on this Tuesday.

Photo gallery, click here.

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