1988 North American Championship - Ithica, NY, USA
The 1988 Star North American Championship ...An Inland Success
Cayuga Lake, Ithaca Yacht Club, Ithaca, NY, USA
By Several Competitors
Sailed as a six race with one throw-out series, September 18th to 23rd, the thirty eighth North American Championship was hosted by the Ithaca Star Fleet on Cayuga Lake out of the Ithaca Yacht Club. The selection of Cayuga Lake as the site marked a significant departure from a traditional Star Class practice, as Cayuga Lake is a relatively small, inland lake and although 40 miles in length, it is a narrow three miles in width in the vicinity of the hosting Ithaca Yacht Club. The decision to place the 1988 North American's in Ithaca was largely based on the fact that world-wide a very substantial percentage of Stars are raced on inland waters, and, therefore, an inland lake selection was more than appropriate. A vast number of the competitors shortly agreed, as the true challenge of highly competitive lake sailing tested all skills among the participants throughout the series.
A significant difference between this regatta and other North American's in recent memory was the fact that the lake width created a course of offset windward and leeward legs of beats and runs, with short reaching legs to separate the "beaters" from the "runners" by only a narrow margin, avoiding a total carnage situation at the weather mark. Within this requirement, the consensus of the fleet was that the racing was far more competitive in that the fleet stayed tightly bunched throughout a race, without reaches to spread the boats out. It became obvious that if you were behind early there still was opportunity, and that if you were up front at the first mark it could become just a mixed blessing. Exactly how much the course selections contributed overall will never be really known, however, the regatta was certainly the most competitive in recent years. This North American's was decidedly not the "shoot-out" expected among Vince Brun, Ed Adams and John A. MacCausland that most expected, as going into the final race four boats had a mathematical feasibility of winning the regatta, and just 250 meters from the finish the outcome was still in serious doubt.
In the practice race, when John M. MacCausland went east on the last beat to Vince Brun's decision to go west, it became an auspicious beginning to the regatta in John's winning and in the realization that reading the wind lines would be critical to winning the Championship. Frequently in southeasterly breeze, the wind off the 150 meter cliffs put a premium on getting close enough inshore to catch the shore-effect puffs and the big port tack lifts that lurked in there, but not so close as to run out of air totally. Indeed, the wind lines were very thin, overall, occasionally shifting between feast and famine, as a few unhappy souls came to learn. Yes, among the 61 Stars of 33 Fleets of Canada and the United States, this challenge of lake sailing would make this Championship among the most keen in recall.
The first scheduled sailing day was abandoned to lack of any breeze, however, a second day southeasterly of 6 to 14 knots placed all 61 yachts on-the-line in minimal seas for the initial test. Sailing well in still being measured factors were Vince Brun and Marcelo Ferreira taking first, John Safford and Joe Chambers in a close second, and John A. MacCausland and Allen Romefelt with the third. Again, the 61 yachts were on-the-line for the second race, as the day continued bright and clear in building winds and still minimal sea conditions, and as the wind direction from the southeast to maximize the effects of the cliffs. The second race was won by Ed Adams and Rick Henning convincingly, with "Bear" Hovey and Neil Foley in second, a close third to Michael Clements and Paul Donaldson, and a fourth to John Safford and Joe Chambers, becoming series leaders through two races. The field was beginning to gain confidence in well reading the wind lines, although the true test continued in being one of basic sailing skills.
The third day race three began with southerly winds of 12 to 15 knots, in building sea conditions, increasing to a steady 25 knots with gusts ranging to 35 and 40 knots varied by location on Cayuga Lake, a decided "gear buster" to severely test all boats. As the race progressed, 26 of the starting 58 yachts retired to spar and gear difficulties, to breakdowns or failures associated with nearby problems, causing the fleet to really be separated by abilities to stay upright, to ease back to avoid failures and to just finish. At least two sailors were washed overboard to be rescued, and Jeff Spedding suffered a broken nose and a concussion from the boom in a slam-jibe, to be hospitalized. This very eventful race, finished by just 32 boats, was won by Ed Adams and Rick Henning to establish their series lead through three races. In second were John A. MacCausland and Allen Romefelt, with Andrew Ivey and Reid Krakower third, and John Ekels and Neil Ekels as fourth. The Ithaca Yacht Club's patrol boats and the Coast Guard Auxiliary performed more than well in rescues and assistances to damaged boats throughout the challenging, third race conditions, in a sailing experience that the competitors will remember and relive for years.
Race four found, remarkably to the prior day's events, 58 boats starting in light seas and 12 to 15 knot winds from the north. In shifting wind conditions from north to northwest, the fourth race became the most confused of the series and, in light drizzle, narrowed the leaders further with Larry Whipple and Kirt Utter taking first by masterfully port tacking the fleet for an impressive win. Second went to Ed Adams and Rick Henning, third to "Bear" Hovey and Neil Foley, and a close fourth to Bob Van Wagnen and John Hunger. John A. MacCausland and Allen Romefelt finished in fifth to have four boats in close contention for the series through the four races, yet two additional boats could close to place series second or third if they won the final races.
The northerly winds lightened to 8 to 10 knots in medium seas for the fifth race, with 57 starters, and settled from the west set-up a difficult course on Cayuga Lake. In shifts from west to northwest, the winds dly jumbled the fleet among those who headed west and those aided by the Stronger breeze in the center into the first mark, with tricky and puffy conditions throughout the race was won by Vince Houm and Marcelo Ferreira in a close finish with "Bear" Hovey and Neil Foley, taking second, and Larry Whipple and Bill Beebe in a close third. Susie Pegel and Greg Cook, sailing consistently throughout the first four races, took an eleventh to close- sit their bid for top honors, and a thirteenth place by John A. MacCausland and Allen Romefelt put them into a narrow position depending on a "spoiler's" finish in the final, sixth race, regardless of throwout.
In the all-important sixth race, a light southerly started the fleet with a promise of a shift to a westerly to cause those going west to search for the shift to become big losers early in the race. As the light breeze stayed from the south, in light sea and drizzle conditions, all of the contending boats were within the leading ten at the first mark, making for a real "shoot-out" in the remaining legs. At the end of the second run the breeze died and the earlier expected westerly arrived, favoring the boats that went to the middle instead of playing the eastern shore. Within 300 meters of the finish line Vince Brun's lead had been almost narrowed by Larry Whipple, and Ed Adams was in a real tussle with five other boats, causing the final placements to "hang" on finishing positions among eight yachts closing in now light air. The sixth race concluded with Vince Brun in first, Larry Whipple second, Susie Pegel taking her best finish third, and Ed Adams securing the series win with a close fourth place. Andrew Ivey finished fifth to secure an eight over- all, and a sixth place captured a third overall for "Bear" Hovey and Neil Foley. John A. MacCausland took eighth to finish the series in fourth place.
New in a Silver Star regatta was the inclusion of a Masters Division, whose helmsmen must have reached 50-years in age prior, with John Van Wagnen and John Hunger taking first, Jack Button and John Densmore in second, and Dave Wheeler and Robert Plummer finishing in third. The initial scheduling of a Masters Division competition, as an innovation by John M. MacCausland, ISCYRA 1st Vice President for North America, allowed the over-50 years young helmsmen in the regatta to create their own "noise" to well sustain a competitive interest.
Judged to be an overwhelming success in all respects, considered by all of the competitors as a test that made them better sailors, the 1988 North American Cham- pionship and the true hospitality of the Ithaca Star Fleet and the Members of the Ithaca Yacht Club will be long remembered. It was an exceptional series.
Race 3-1988 North American Championship ...To Be Remembered and Relived for Years
By Stephen Kling (WS)
The eventful third race of the 1988 North American Championship, held on Cayuga Lake near Ithaca, New York, indeed is one of those races that will be recalled and relived for many years. It was an incredible experience for all participating yachts, helmsmen and crews.
The race began reasonably enough with about fifteen knots out of the south, with sixty-one boats sailing an offset windward- leeward course in generally moderate seas. By the middle of the first run, the breeze was up to eighteen or twenty knots and a number of lighter crews were planing. The stepped-up breeze held during most of the second beat, in building conditions, and those boats who were smart enough to hug the western shoreline of Cayuga Lake were making-out well. All boats were really moving.
Everything was fine as the leading four or five had rounded the second weather mark and then... and then...the wind came in at thirty plus knots in a slam. Boats caught tacking were flattened, with water pouring into cockpits from leeward. The offset reach flew-by and on this run the real entertainment and carnage began. First, Jim Freeman and Scott Taylor broke their boom; then, Mike Clement's mast crumpled, just crumpled. At this time roughly half of the fleet was out of control. A jib disintegrated.
In the middle of the run, Jack and Chris Rogers did a really beautiful death-roll. After a few anxious moments they popped back up, only to get slammed flat the otherway, just like a Laser would. In the scuffle, Jack was washed overboard, only to be fished-out by John Allen and Gil Cole, who elected to retire from the race to assist fellow sailors.
About the time the Rogers were entertaining the middle of the fleet, Vince Brun and Marcelo Ferreira were doing an even better job up front. It seems that they broke the whisker pole on the first run, so were having real fun in balancing on the second run, which they almost got away with in closing the mark. Vince was pushing hard, chasing Ed Adams and Rick Hennig and trying to hold-off Bear Hovey and John A. MacCausland. About four boat lengths from the leeward mark, Vince and Marcelo got hit with a gust that was also a shift and their boat rolled hard to weather. Their mast took out Bear Hovey's intermediates. They waited for the jibe, but it never came and the boat just kept on rolling to weather. Their mast tip poked a hole in Bear's deck, the spreaders hit the water, the mast hit the water and kept going.
Pretty soon Marcelo was swimming under the boat and Vince swam around behind (Safety Tip- Vince recommends swimming under rather then behind, as the boat is still moving fast and you might not catch-up); anyway, they met on the other side and grabbed the keel, which was by now over their heads, sticking out of the water at a forty-five degree angle, again, just like a Laser. They were able to climb on the keel to see their mast slowly coming to the surface, but along the way it had broken (the only mast that Vince Brun has ever broken). This experience allowed Vince Brun to join with Paul Cayard in the most exclusive club within the Star Class...Gold Star Honours helmsmen who have raced their keels into an upright position.
John Vanderhoff and his light crew, at 105 total pounds, Jan Collier, survived their own death roll to round the leeward mark in fifth place. Bob Wescott death rolled also, and his crew, Jeff Spedding met the boom to come away with a broken nose, a concussion and a hospital trip, after being fished out of the lake. In all, it was eventful for all involved...pure excitement.
Of the sixty-one boats that started, the final tally was thirty-three finishers, one without a jib, and many people working long-hours into the night making all manner of repairs in the Club's lot.
This was certainly not the most brutal race in Star Class history, however, it was a race that will be long remembered and relived. It was fun while it lasted.
Results
1988 NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP - ITHACA, NY Place No. Skipper Crew Fleet Daily Places Pts. 1 7302 Ed Adams Rick Hennig NB 6 1 1 2 6 4 22.7 2 7042 Larry Whipple William Beebe PS 4 22 6 1 3 2 28.4 3 6984 Bear Hovey Neil Foley Mid 5 2 dns 3 2 6 33.4 4 7265 J.A. MacCauslandAlan Romefelt CR 3 6 2 5 13 8 44.4 5 7014 Mike Clements Paul Donaldson EB 7 3 dnf 6 5 12 58.4 6 6860 Susan Pegel Greg Cook WH 9 7 11 8 11 3 64.7 7 7210 John Safford Joseph Chambers CA 2 4 dnf 12 16 13 70.0 8 6852 Andrew Ivey Reid Krakower Sun 15 23 3 37 4 5 73.7 9 7209 Vince Brun Marcelo Ferreira SDB 1 dnf dnf 7 1 1 81.0 10 7052 Tom Hagey Jr Charles Sheets 8 13 5 26 28 10 91.0 11 6680 Allan Leibel John Finch LOC 14 5 20 15 dns 9 92.0 12 7315 John Ekels Neil Ekels ISOL 50 11 4 17 24 17 101.0 13 7137 Rick Grajirena Paul Jester TaB 11 12 dnf 9 19 24 107.0 14 7349 Peter Costa David O'Brien BH 28 8 9 19 dns 15 109.0 15 7232 Ross Adams Ed Caner WH 17 20 10 21 20 14 111.0 16 6530 Steve Haarstick Doug Foeler Ith 12 32 7 20 42 11 112.0 17 7168 Jay Spaulding Curt Spaulding NB 23 37 14 63 7 7 118.0 18 7263 Bob Van Wagnen John Hunger SLE 29 19 dnf 4 18 23 121.0 19 7097 Pat Londrigan Thomas Londrigan LS 18 26 21 29 8 19 122.0 20 6569 Doug Weatherby David Wilbur Ith 10 29 19 dnf 10 33 131.0 21 7231 Logan Farrar Jim Donadio CD 11 16 26 38 35 18 138.0 22 6631 Jack Button John Densmore Mid 21 18 16 24 46 28 139.0 23 7090 Steve Kling Sandy Warrick NB 13 14 28 41 19 22 146.0 24 7182 John Vanderhoff Janet Collier NCB 31 9 12 44 44 21 147.0 25 6911 Gary MacDonald Richard Gordon BH 34 39 8 16 dns 26 153.0 26 5704 James Freeman Scott Taylor ISOL 26 30 dnf 30 15 25 156.0 27 6400 Robert Westcott Jay Speddiing SL 25 27 dnf 18 23 41 164.0 28 6468 David Cook Robert Cook Sun 44 40 dnf 10 9 32 165.0 29 4923 Scott McPherson Don McPherson Ith 47 21 dnf 14 16 44 170.0 30 6961 Dick Parker Debbie Parker SLE 49 17 dnf 28 27 20 171.0 31 6243 Jay Tyson Bryan Bratvold WS 20 25 25 15 38 46 173.0 32 7015 Dave Wheeler Robert Plummer KL 24 16 27 46 18 46 173.0 33 6450 George Sechrist Traci Sechrist Cay 16 43 29 32 34 37 178.0 34 6756 Stepen Andrews Louise Andrews HB 39 45 15 53 17 34 180.0 35 7119 Eugene Murphy Brian Murphy LH 19 42 dnf 22 37 60 190.0 36 6864 John Chiarella Bill Gottling Sun 32 35 31 40 26 45 194.0 37 6576 John Rogers Chris Rogers SL 30 48 dnf 42 29 16 195.0 38 6707 Richard Wilber Robert Wilber CLE 27 55 17 dnf 39 29 197.0 39 6476 Werner Holtze Cliff Vanderbogart Cay 54 31 23 34 48 36 202.0 40 7051 Julian Bingham Mike Dorgan MoB 40 14 dnf 27 51 27 209.0 41 6690 Bill Farrar Monk Bancroft LH 22 38 dnf 50 dsq 31 214.0 42 6955 Carl Arentzen George Henisee 37 10 dnf 50 25 dns 214.0 43 7101 Curt Ivey Larry Bodick CLIS 53 58 16 11 53 dns 221.0 44 6544 Bill Seaman Stephen Tindall 56 56 32 33 40 30 221.0 45 7370 John W. Allen Gil Cole WH 41 47 dnf 47 22 35 222.0 46 6158 Rick Burgess Joel Howard GrL 48 46 dns 25 12 dns 223.0 47 6415 James Sokolich Thomas Reed 42 24 dnf 19 52 38 225.0 48 6890 George Brothers Michael Mark dsq 44 22 36 32 dns 226.0 40 6796 J.M. MacCauslandDan White CR 18 33 dns 13 54 dns 230.0 50 6340 A V Nicholson Richard Burton 51 dnf 13 dns 33 48 237.0 51 7044 Richard Mulvey Mark Gogino Ith 55 54 dnf 21 43 39 242.0 52 7088 Ralp Curd Michael Sanri dnf 49 24 dns 41 42 245.0 53 6357 Robert Mulvey William Mulvey Ith 35 52 dnf 52 30 50 249.0 54 6859 Peter Loomis Cynthia Loomis 45 28 dnf 51 50 54 255.0 55 6931 Mark Janus Eric Beckwith 46 51 30 55 49 49 259.0 56 6210 Jeff Schudardt Jack Schudardt 52 41 dnf 49 16 51 261.0 57 6808 Richard Dawson Richard Restrick 43 51 dnf 45 45 dns 276.0 58 6320 Dick Atkinson Trevor Atkinson Sun 59 50 dnf 48 47 43 277.0 59 5546 Peter Lent Ralph Lent 58 57 33 54 55 51 253.0 60 6880 Byron White Jack McAllister 36 36 dnf dns dns dns 255.0 61 5430 James Hendee Nancy Hendee 57 59 dnf 56 56 52 330.0
