Laser District 8 News

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Nice breezy weather greeted 21 sailors for the first D8 Regatta at Breakwater YC in Sag Harbor. While Dave Whelan was the top scorer, the other competitors gave him a good chase around the racecourse, with the results being uncertain until the final tally of the six races. The points show lots of close racing. More than one tiebreaker! It was a great way to end up the 2005 summer season. Many thanks to Breakwater YC for hosting our group. Next stop, frostbiting!

Place	Name	Points
1	Dave Whelan	13
2	John Niewenhous	14
3	George Martin	18
4	Richard Skeen	23
5	Mike Duran	25
6	David Berridge	25
7	Bud Rogers	28
8	Kenny Kalbacker	34
9	Catherine Chimney	43
10	Bob Blanco	44
11	Colin Leon	47
12	Brendan Hannon	47
13	Doug Mercer	51
14	Gregg Griffin	61
15	Denise Fenchel	74
16	Lynn Sexton	76
17	Mark Weber	85
18	Danielle Gallo	85
19	Barry Allardice	90
20	Rudy Ratsep	96
21	Jody Sutter	110

The Long Island Region (Nassau and Suffolk Counties) was represented at the Games by Brian McGinnis, Ed Berenblum, Rob Martinez, and Bob Terry. This Year's host was the Hudson Valley, with the Chelsea Yacht Club (just west of Fishkill) hosting 19 Laser sailors from all over the state. Racing on the Hudson River is very tricky, with predoninantly light air, and a tide that does flow north at the flood, with a stronger southerly ebb. Sometimes the river edges flow opposite from the center. The YC provided us with printed guides on when and where the tide turns. Most of us taped the guides to our cockpits (see the first photo of my boat, below.)

Brian was the top finisher for Long Island, taking 7th overall. Bob was next with 12th place, followed by Ed in 14th and Rob in 15th. For the overall scores, click here.

Plenty of action at Devon! 20 knots of breeze gave those competing a chance to play in the whitecaps. Two sailors turned back before the start, but the first race saw 18 competitiors on the starting line. By race five, it was down to 11 starters. Brian McGinnis' day ended early when he broke an upper mast in race 2. Lots of capsizes, but also lots of wet, fast reaches and runs. Rudy Ratsep dominated in his home waters, while being challenged a few times by Lindsay Hewitt. Thanks are in order to our hosts at Devon YC, and to Doug Mercer, who threw a great post-race party afterward, which took our minds off of our aching muscles.

Place	Name	Points
1	Rudy Ratsep	4
2	Lindsay Hewitt	15
3	Doug Mercer	16
4	Robert Barron	17
5	John Shanholt	18
6	Bud Rogers	19
7	Ed Berenblum	28
8	Richard Skeen	30
9	Rob Martinez	31
10	Mike Duran	33
11	Ken Kalbacher	34
12	James Rogers	39
13	Bob Terry	44
14	Doug Douglas	50
15	Andrew Garvey	57
16	Brian McGinnis	59
17	Barry Hillardice	62
18	Lindsay Shanholt	63

Another atypical breezy North shore day! 15 knots of breeze with a one-foot chop gave 8 sailors a real workout. Matt Doherty dominated the fleet, throwing out a second place finish in the first race to lead with bullets for all the rest. The intrepid race committee set a triangle course in the planing breeze, allowing for a mini-olympic course for the final race. Many thanks to Sea Cliff YC for hosting a fun event.

Place	Name	Points
1	Matt Doherty	5
2	Rob Martinez	13
3	Bob Terry	14
4	Mark DiSanti	18
5	Warner Bass	20
6	Bret Banks	30
7	Woody Glenn	40
8	Ed Johnson	47

Who says Long Island Sound has no breeze in Summer? Well, at least the north shoreline gets some breeze. 25 sailors were treated to a hatful of wind at American YC in Rye, NY. Seven races were sailed, allowing for a throwout.

Place	Name	Points
1	Ryan Eric Minth	7
2	Andrew Tuthill	14
3	Zak Malbin	22
4	Eric Robbins	23
5	Lindsay Hewitt	28
6	John Wyles	40
7	Richard Cameron	40
8	Jean Yves Fillion	40
9	Brennan Gerster	44
10	Ryan Sprole	56
11	Rob Fear	58
12	Justin Coplan	67
13	Matt Beck	83
14	Rob Schmicker	86
15	Eric Beck	87
16	Joerg Esdorn	92
17	Gary Schneidman	95
18	Ron Richman	101
19	Rob Martinez	107
20	Dimitri Caratzes	114
21	Gary Hurban	116
22	Joan Hurban	122
23	Billy Rohman	125
24	Sarah Kellog	139
25	Jessica Miller	152

The able race committee at the always popular Sayville YC got seven races off for 28 racers, allowing for a throwout.

Place	Name	Points
1	P.J. Patin	9
2	Philip Hood	11
3	Blake Marriner	14
4	Ryan Minth	23
5	Dave Breder	28
6	Brian Raney	43
7	Amnon Gitleson	45
8	Fred Ables	47
9	Ted Cremer	50
10	Mike Hecky	57
11	Lindsay Hewitt	59
12	Brian McGinnis	71
13	Michael Collins	77
14	Doug Mercer	79
15	Don Woodworth	84
16	Richard Cameron	89
17	Quinn Barton	94
18	Michael Duran	103
19	Christian Cremer	105
20	Collin Leon	115
21	Robert Martinez	117
22	Paul Wefer	125
23	David Eberhardt	136
24	Ed Berenblum	143
25	Kevin Hecky	149
26	Ted Hallen	164
27	Ward Brooks	174
28	Sail #180141	174

Fifteen sailors arrived early to 10-12 knots of westerly breeze that gradually got lighter as it went north during the day. Thanks are in order for Centerport YC Race Committee, who had to reset the course every time for each of the six races. Northport Bay is my homeport, so I guess I've gotten used to all the (powerboat) traffic in and out of the harbor. The Committee managed to find a spot away from most of the traffic. Very tight racing even though the conditions were variable.

Place	Name	Points
1	Brian Simken	10
2	Lindsay Hewitt	10
3	Don Woodworth	17
4	Rick Dominique	17
5	Alistair Dirks	25
6	Brian McGinnis	29
7	Doug Mercer	36
8	Eric Rosanes	37
9	Bob Terry	43
10	Ed Berenblum	44
11	Bob Blanco	45
12	Niel Johnson	52
13	Rob Martinez	54
14	Colin Leon	63
15	Woody Glenn	75

Eleven Sailors again? Is this some sort of plot or something? The twelfth sailor who decided not to come (you know who you are) missed out on a great race with plenty of wind and a terrific barbecue, courtesy of Dr. Jim Hull. Five races, with all different courses, including a mini olympic. The reaching legs on some of the courses had everyone on an eleven-knot plane. For the first time, we used code flags to show the different courses. They went over well, so we'll try them again.

Revenge of the race buoys... Race five saw one sailor (name witheld to protect the guilty) catch the windward mark on his daggerboard, dragging it downwind about a hundred feet. Woody Glenn was saved two tacks by this change in the racecourse. The leeward mark saw what happened and plotted an act of piracy. This same sailor went to tack off in front of yours truly as he rounded the mark, but got his tiller extension caught in the leg of his shorts. He promptly capsized on top of the leeward mark, which leaped into the cockpit and began to sail the boat away (picture it, mark buoy in the cockpit and sailor in the water.) The anonymous sailor was able to retake his boat and subdue the murderous buoy. The leeward mark buoy was not invited to the barbecue afterwards.

Name	Place	Points
1	Rudy Ratsep	5
2	Doug Mercer	11
3	Lindsay Hewitt	19
4	Ed Berenblum	19
5	Mike Duran	23
6	Rob Martinez	26
7	Bob Terry	28
8	Bob Blanco	36
9	Woody Glenn	43
10	Lyn Sexton	45
11	Jim Hull	51

Eleven Laser Sailors showed up to test the weedy waters of Amityville. Lindsay Hewitt reigned supreme, with Brian Raney not far behind. A total of 7 races allowed for a throwout. I've noticed that throwouts usually don't make much difference in scoring, but at this regatta, all of the leaders had at least one finish in the back half of the fleet, so this time, everyone was glad to be able to throw out one bad finish! The abilities of the fleet seem to be coming together. Many thanks for the hospitality of the Koehler family, who provided a great venue and generous prizes.

Place	Name	Points
1	Lindsay Hewitt	11
2	Brian Raney	15
3	Brian McGinnis	16
4	Rob Martinez	29
5	Don Woodworth	32
6	Robert Blanco	32
7	Ed Berenblum	33
8	Douglas Mercer	37
9	Dimitri	41
10	Woody Glenn	56
11	Daniel Kuehn	62

Another great day in spite of the forecast. Eleven Laser sailors showed up for a light air series dominated by Brian McGinnis, who found the right side to his liking on the upwind legs. The breeze was shifty, but never quite died, though it did spread the fleet out a bit. Yours truly enjoyed tacking duels with Brian on the last legs of races one and two (Brian always managed to hold the lead!) The fifth and final race of the day saw a major windshift with a dramatic increase in strength, turning all legs of the course into planing reaches! For the final results, Lindsay asked not to be included in the official scores, as he's having fun offering coaching on the course, but I've put his score down anyhow (he's always able to keep in front without really trying!)

Place	Name	Points
1	McGinnis	8
2	Hewitt	16
3	E. Berenblum	25
4	Blanco	26
5	Terry	29
5	Martinez	29
6	Leon	35
7	Lebens	37
8	Glenn	40
9	M. Berenbaum	41
10	Garatzas	43

In spite of the poor weather forecast, six Laser sailors showed up to race in what turned out to be surprisingly beautiful weather. The day started out with light air, so the group opted for lots of short races, all inshore. Eventually, the breeze built up enough to let everyone get a chance to hike out. The group sailed 18, that's right, 18 races! Everyone had a chance to be first, and last, at least once. Lots of practice at starts, with Lindsay Hewitt giving coaching up the racecourse. The results:

Sail Number	Name	Points
863	Brian McGinnis	36
855	Bob Blanco	37
206	Ed Berenbaum	42
156	Bob Terry	46
241	Colin Leon	54
616	Lindsay Hewitt	60

Late-breaking news out of North Carolina has our own Fred Abels winning the Masters Division of the Laser Radial Class at the US Laser Nationals sailed at Carolina Yacht Club this past weekend! Also in attendance was fleet member Ted Cremer who scored a highly respectable 42nd out of 82 full rigged Lasers and was the 10th place master in his own fleet.

Thanks For a Great Job, Don!
For the last ten years or so, Don Woodworth has been shouldering the huge task of being District 8 Secretary. After taking the reins (mainsheet?) from Ward Bell, he's been the guy to thank for setting up season after season of terrific racing, not to mention all of the other organizing work necessary to keep the group going. All of this as a volunteer. Of course, Don has always been a welcome competitor on the racecourse, too. Thanks Don!

Starting this year, Lindsay Hewitt has stepped up to the role of Secretary. He's got the season off to a great start with what is probably the longest season (at least to my memory) of racing that we've ever had. Its taken a while to get all of the details together, but the end result is going to be a memorable season. The new schedule is printed inside, but be sure to keep checking the website for last-minute changes and notices.

Our new season kicks off with the Will Glenn Memorial Laser clinic at the Oyster Bay Sailing Center. Just the thing to shake the rust off (if you haven't been frostbiting.) If full rigs ain't your thing, there's a Radial clinic at the Dinghy Shop on the same weekend. Our gracious hosts at Cold Spring Harbor Beach Club, Seawanhaka YC, the Dinghy Shop, Southhampton YC, Sayville YC, Babylon YC, Bay Shore YC, and Devon YC are having us back again this year. Last year, the Centerport YC hosted the Northeast Championships, and this year, they're taking on the Harry Anderson Championships. After a hiatus of a few years, we're back at Sea Cliff YC. There's been a lot of reconstruction in the harbor, and I'm sure things look much different from when I last sailed there. Finally, we have three new regatta venues. Unqua YC is hosting us in July. The American YC in Rye NY, is also hosting us in July. This is the first time in my memory (11 years of Laser Racing) that we have had a District 8 regatta off of Long Island. After all, District 8 covers more than just Long Island.
Be sure to check out at least a few of these races this season. If you've got a friend with a Laser who races in their local club, drag 'em out. Its great fun to sail at new clubs and new locations. And, there's always plenty of people to help you get your boat off of the car.
If you belong to a club that might be interested in hosting a Laser regatta next season, be sure to get a hold of Lindsay. Hope to see you all out there this season!

Tuesday Night Series at CSH BC to Continue This Year
For those of you that just can't get enough, the Tuesday night series at the Cold Spring Harbor Beach Club will be held again this year. It's an informal racing series held starting on May 3rd, at 6 o'clock and continuing every Tuesday until everyone's had their fill. The results will be posted on the District 8 website. Lasers and other classes are welcome.\par \par \tab There's nothing better to break up the workweek drudgery, especially in the summer.
Of course, if you can't bring your boat out, there's always room for more people on Race Committee.
This year, the plan is to keep score, and award prizes. All the more reason to come on dawn to Cold Spring Harbor and give it a go!

Be sure to contribute to Rick Dominique's new feature, Ask Rick. E-mail Rick your questions and they'll be posted, with his answers, on the site. Just click on the "Ask Rick" link.