September 15-16, 2007

Mid-Connecticut Star Fleet

Nineteen boats from five fleets and three districts showed up for the Nutmeg Regattas, held at Milford Yacht Club. Three races were scheduled for Saturday and two races for Sunday. The forecast Saturday was for a front to move through the area with wind gusting into the 30’s, and the forecast was correct. The fleet sailed out just as the front approached and by the time the race committee tried to set up the starting line a nice solid blast of wind came through, prompting the race committee to post the abandon race flag pending further notice. However, as the fleet sailed in the wind abated to about 15 to 20 knots and several teams decided to put in some practice in what for this region would be considered to be heavier air sailing. After observing this for a while the race committee decided that indeed we could race in these conditions and 12 of the boats ventured back out to the starting area and a nice race was gotten off. The winds were generally out of the north, though quite shifty, and also were up and down, ranging from 10 in the lulls to about 25. Johnny Mac with Kevin Murphy showed the way, with Bill Watson and Roger Sharp redeeming themselves from the previous weekend coming in second.

Just as the last boats were finishing a second blast from the front came through and winds recorded on the race committee boat reaching almost 40 and the R.C. decided to call it a day. Two masts were broken during this race, with Pete Cusick and Serge Leonidov breaking theirs just before the finish line while jibing. The other casualty was Ched Proctor and Jeff Beckwith when their mast snapped as a result of the mast puller being left on during the mark rounding. Both masts being of the same make, masts now were becoming a rare commodity, Pete graciously donated the remains of his mast to Ched who worked into the early evening hours splicing his mast.

Meanwhile, PRO Alan Pritchard checked the forecast for Sunday and determined that the fleet should get out early to get at least one race in, since the forecast was for diminishing winds throughout Sunday.

The next morning Ched was ready to go and all with the exception of Pete and Serge sailed out to the race area. The first race of the day was run in a shifty wind out of the northeast. Light air specialist John Manderson figured out how to stay in tune with the shifts and won the race.

Immediately after the first race an attempt to run a second race was made, but the wind shut down in the final minute of the starting sequence and the race was abandoned. After a fairly long wait the wind finally decided to put in an appearance, but now out of the southwest, something not predicted in the weather forecast. While the wind was quite shifty the race was run and completed. The eventual series winners, Bear Hovey and Lee Dayton, led the fleet around the course, and coming in second was Carroll McCallum and Jim Mullane.

Upon returning to the dock the fleet was treated to an award ceremony which featured chili con carne from the kitchen of Alejandra Bolles and vegetarian soup from the kitchen of Carroll McCallum. Beer and soft drinks were provided by the club. Thanks were given to PRO Alan Pritchard and his crew for getting off the series in such trying conditions.

For more photos by Serge go to:

http://usmatchracing.com/nutmegs2007/