Photos can be seen here: http://www.fougere.ca/starna2012/

Report by Barbara Beigel Vosbury:
Day One: We're off to a great start! 3 great races down, 5 to go!

Race 1 was a course 4 sailed in 8-10 knots of breeze with a 265 degree heading. The left seemed to pay off for Jim Buckingham and Austin Sperry as they got the lead and continued to build on it. Tom Londrigan with Steve Cutting and Jud Smith with Dave Timberlake kept the heat on Buckingham but his lead did not diminish.

Race 2 was also a course 4 and the breeze was a bit puffier than the first race. The right side of the course paid on the first upwind and a 15 degree windshift on the first downwind leg the RC did a course change at the leeward gate. Arthur Anosov sailing with Dave Caesar led most of the way around the course with John MacCausland and Guy Avellon hot on his tails. MacCausland eventually passed Anosov to win the race.

Race 3 was a course 3, heading 240 and about 12- 14 knots of breeze. The puffs were increasing in velocity with a 18-20 knot hitting at leeward gate that caught a few off guard. This regatta is Howie Schiebler's debut back to the Star. Howie and Magnus Liljedahl had an 11 and 3 going into this last race of the day and this was going to be his race! He hung out on the left side on the first leg and was in the top three at the weather mark. Schiebler was 1st at the downwind and led the rest of the race.

Kudos go to Brian Cramer, Larry Scott and the crew of the WLOC fleet for putting together a very nice event! Thanks also to Rick Burgess for taking on the role of the Chief Measurer.

This is a great little hideaway here in Hamilton. As you drive past all of the industrial facilities and shipyards you are pleasantly greeted by a beautiful (save for the algae bloom!) lake-like bay that is surrounded half way around by a wooded park. Hamilton is full of sailors, yacht clubs and bike and hike paths. If you haven't been here yet, you should give it a try!

Day Two: What a beautiful day for Star sailing! Sunny, clear and there was wind too!

Race 4 was sailed on Course 4 at 235 degrees in about 11-14. A short postponement was signaled to let a ship by to his dockage. There was pusher tug and barge anchored just about where the weather mark was on Day 1--hmm, we thought, wonder how this will work today. As luck would have it for the RC the breeze was left of the barge for the first leg. At the bottom a course change was signaled and yes, you guessed it the mark was moved to the right so that we had to make a choice of rounding or passing the barge. This was not a problem for Mark Passmore and Jon Heizer as they handily gave everyone a lesson on how to sail here in Hamilton! They led from the start to the finish with nary a bad tack to slow them down. Good job guys!

Race 5 was a Course 3 at 230 degrees. The breeze seemed to be a little stronger but the lulls were much more prevalent in this race. The pressure seemed to be coming from the left hand side of the course even though the shifts may have been righties. So off to the left we all went with George Szabo and Craig Moss leading the pack. On the last leg it was Arthur Anosov and Dave Caesar who pulled the rabbit out of their hat. They banged a right and came out on top at the end to win the race.

Anosov/Caesar and MacCausland/Avellon are tied at this time for the series. Three races to go!

Dinner at the club was 'cook your own steak' night. Steaks (and the ever important HP sauce), baked potatoes (sour cream and butter too!), 3 different kinds of salad and topped off with Susie Scott's muffins and chocolate chip cookies! Larry informed me this morning that he used to weigh 140#!!! An impromptu gathering at the end of the dock where the Karahanas' have their Beneteau went on into the night! Great fun topping off a good sailing day.

I should mention a couple of things here like families and youth. Tom White and Bob Westcott are here with their college aged kids, Abby and Kevin, crewing for them. Abby and Kevin are veteran Star crews and skippers in their own right. Tony Karahanas is hanging for daughter Amanda. They are regulars here on the District 12 circuit as well as Bacardi Cup. It is really great to see "families" at the events especially if they are sailing together. Vadim Panna has Ryan Smith, 15, crewing for him. Ryan is a 420 sailor and is very enthusiastic. Next summer he will be in Kingston for the whole summer training to go to the Youth Worlds! Go Ryan-- just remember to come back to the Star!

Day Three: - Where did the breeze go, oh there it is!
Day three started out on the sketchy side. It was a light air sail to the starting line with streaks and holes all over the bay.

Race 6 was sailed in 4-8 knots of breeze, course 4 and a bearing of 250. The fleet split, looking for a shot of breeze and a lift off that shore. Tomas Hornos and Kip Gardner led the charge to the right while George Szabo and Craig Moss led the charge to the left. Tomas was better able to connect the puffs than the rest of us on the right so he was in the top group around the weather mark. The Szabo was first around making the time limit by 10 minutes and the fleet spread out ghosting up and down the course. Those of us in the back jibed at the top and went for a streak of breeze coming down the northern shore. It was a painful wait but it finally arrived and carried us back into the fight! The last quarter of the downwind leg the breeze filled from the south shore and the boats there were able to maintain and build their leads. MacCausland/Avellon were first and relative newcomer Jerry Wendt with Keven Piper were second and Szabo/Moss slipped to third for Race 6.

Race 7 was a tricky one to get going. Glad to not be a PRO for that one! The bay was most lake like for this race. The shifts were from 230 to 260 degrees but not really oscillating and the puffs would pop down and then disappear. The first start was general recall, the second start was under black flag until a 20 degree shift to the right made for a postponement, the final start was again under black flag and only two boats were OCS. We sailed Course 3, 250 degrees, 1.3 nm. The wind conditions continued throughout the race which made for some fun downwind work. Flat water and a puff that would get you to a plane very quickly. One mast came down on the first run. Today was Tomas' day with a 5th in the first race and winning the second, leading his boss, Jud Smith with Dave Timberlake, around the course. Schiebler/Liljedahl were third.

I neglected to mention three other young Star sailors yesterday. Tomas Hornos, Donny Massey and Ben Sternberg. Tomas has been racing Stars for so long now that I forget that he is still a junior (under 25)! Donny is new to the Class last year and is very enthusiastic--already stepping up to the plate to get a new fleet going in Chicago! We're very lucky to have them sailing with us. Ben has been sailing with us for awhile now and takes every possible opportunity to sail in a new venue and meet new friends. He is regularly seen sailing with Donny or Val Veytsman.

The Gala Dinner at the Royal Hamilton YC was very nice and Brian Cramer did a great job at emceeing. Brian made a point to recognize all of the "Star" winners in the room and then introduced Hans Fogh to speak. Wow, the things Hans has accomplished over the years and the great people he has sailed with and against. Hans' speech was entertaining and motivating. Rick Burgess opened the buffet line and dinner and great conversation continued into the night.

One more race tomorrow! Let's see what this bay/lake will serve up for us.

Day Four: Shifty, rainy, Anxious. The final day of racing for the Royal Canadian Trophy commenced with a sunny light air morning only to turn gray and rainy soon after arriving at the starting area. The breeze was anywhere from 000 to 300 and back and ranged from 4-9 kts. The fleet was anxious to get this going but the PRO was patiently waiting for some settling down.

Race 8 was sailed on course 3 with a heading of 350. The right side by the Queen Elizabeth Way was the way to go after the start, although light air wizard Tomas Hornos still found his way toward the front starting on the pin and heading left. The first downwind the QEW was still the way to go bringing those of us in the back of the fleet up to the game again. Then the breeze really started dropping out and we were back to sailing streaks again.

Terry Line with Larry Scott led around the course with Jud Smith with Dave Timberlake and Hornos/Gardner and Szabo/Moss in hot pursuit. In the end it was Smith/Timberlake sailing the best last leg to win the race. This brought them into a three way tie for first with MacCausland/Avellon and Anosov/Caesar!

Congratulations to John MacCausland and Guy Avellon on winning John's sixth North American Championship.