1997 5o5 (and IC and FD) Midwinter Championship
Another Fantastic Midwinters!

Updated January 13, 1997

Even after twenty four hours of return driving and boat unpacking, I still have a warm glow from the '97 Midwinters. The St. Pete's Yacht Club pulled off another outstanding event that everyone: competitors in all three classes, Race Committee, hangers-on, St. Pete's Yacht club, etc. enjoyed. This is one of the most enjoyable events I have ever sailed. Regatta chair Nancy Graham, Race Committee chair Pat Seidenspinner, the Race Committee and the St. Petersburg Yacht Club are to be congratulated on their continuing success with this event.

The 505 Fleet

This was the third year the 5o5s participated in the event, and the fleet was the largest yet. We have gone from 12, to 20 and now to 23 boats at the regatta. With 10 Flying Dutchmen and 11 International Canoes, 5o5s dominated the event. This year we had people flying in from England (Simon J. Lake flew in to crew for Peter Mignerey) and Seattle (Alan Johnson sailed with Graham Alexander); we had Mike Goldstein and Bryan Jerman from the new 505 fleet at the Indiana University Yacht Club, an increasing contingent from Texas and a large turnout from West River Sailing Club. We also had teams - or individuals - from Zimbabwe (well, not directly), Ontario, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Ohio, Minneapolis, Chicago, Hampton, North Carolina and Florida.

The Depth

The depth in the fleet was excellent, with top New England racer and coach Mike Zani, two time 505 North American champion and multiple Midwinter champion Peter Alarie, three time North American champion Macy Nelson, three time Albacore champion (and top Albacore worlds finisher) Barney Harris, past 5o5 World Champion Ethan Bixby, 1996 East Coast Champions Ali Meller/Allan Johnson, well known sailing coach - and top 505 sailor - Gary Bodie, past intercollegiate ace Terry Neff, etc. all racing. The son-and-father team of Dylan and Mike Breton were racing as were wife-and-husband Carrie and Jeff Jones. Past Midwinter and East Coast Champion Barry Kuehl was racing his brand new Rondar, while Chris Museler was racing Parker-hulled Lindsay 6311, over twenty years old, and looking great after the recent rebuild. Sol Marini and Chris Coleman chartered George Saunders just-rebuilt Parker 7678. George was completing the re-rig in the dinghy park so they could race it. The boat looks terrific with the new wooden centerboard cap and wooden thwarts and the complete re-rig.

Newcomers

There were a number of newcomers to the 505 class, with Latane Montague/John Zakaib at their first 505 regatta in composite Waterat 7346, Carrie and Jeff Jones at their first regatta in Waterat 8011, Lauren Abramson/Tom O'Toole at their first regatta (this was the first time Lauren and Tom sailed the boat together!) in Lindsay 6987, Mike Goldstein at not-quite-his-first 505 regatta, with Bryan Jerman (first time in the 505) in Ballenger 73xx - owned by the Indiana University Yacht Club, Sol Marini (2nd 505 event)/Chris Coleman (first time in a 505), and Alan Johnson - the sparkplug behind the restart of the Seattle 505 fleet - at his first 505 event outside the Northwest. Paul Muus of Florida has been looking for a good used 505 for sometime, and was crewing for Barry Kuehl.

The growth in the 505 fleet at the regatta, and the growth and renewed interest in the 505 were frequent topics of conversation during the event. There were a number of new faces at the regatta; people who either recently bought a 505, or were able to charter one for the event. The charters are all now looking for used 505s to buy. Several SPYC members were very interested in the 505 and are also looking for suitable used 505s to buy.

The scheduled clinic on the water did not happen, as there was almost no wind on Thursday. Several onshore seminars were conducted instead, while waiting for breeze.

Friday

The three fleets spent several hours on the water on Friday, with the 505s getting a couple of starts - and recalls - in before the very light little breeze died off and the fleet returned to shore for dinner, videos, draw prizes and camaraderie. Saturday's races were postponed on shore, but the fleets then sailed out, only to wait on the water in no wind.... the fleet returned to shore - and the 505 seminars continued - until some afternoon breeze filled in allowing the Race Committee to get two races off.

Saturday Race 1

Light air. Mike Zani/Peter Alarie had a good start, and got the jump on the fleet to lead this race at every mark. Though quite bunched early on, the fleet spread out during the race. Zani/Alarie were never threatened. Macy Nelson/John Fry crossed the finish line 2nd, but were PMS. Ali Meller/Allan Johnson worked their way through to 3rd on the reaches and then fought off Ethan Bixby/Mike Mills for 2nd, leaving Bixby/Mills 3rd. Jonathan Phillips/Monty Schumpert were 4th, Gary Bodie/Ken Elliott 5th, Barney Harris/Jesse Falsone 6th, and Chris Museler/Dave Kirkpatrick 7th. This race set a pattern for the rest of the series. The right was frequently favored, as the stronger breeze near the shore usually made up for any adverse current. Excellent starts were CRITICAL, as opportunities to work your way back through during the race were limited.

Race 2

More light air. Another excellent start allowed Zani/Alarie to lead at every mark. Meller/Johnson were 2nd again, and Bixby/Mills 3rd again, Nelson/Fry 4th, Barney Harris/Jesse Falsone 5th, Terry Neff/Andrew Cole 6th and Bodie/Elliott 7th. This being a very civilized event, the Race Committee sent the fleet ashore in time for the 6:00PM social events rather than subjecting us to a light air race that would have finished in the dark (and delayed dinner).

Sunday Race 3

Nelson/Fry went hard left and lead this one all the way around, with Bixby/Mills, Zani/Alarie and Phillips/Schumpert close behind. The breeze lightened up (to precious little) so that the second reach was quite light. The four leading teams were almost nose to tail for much of the 2nd reach, with Meller/Johnson closing on the lead pack. The RC shortened the course so that the race would finish at the top of a shortened second beat. At the leeward mark, it was Nelson/Fry, Bixby/Mills, Zani/Alarie, Phillips/Schumpert and Meller/Johnson. A series of covering tacks by the first three allowed Phillips Schumpert and Meller/Johnson to work right and get close to a puff filling in from the shore. Nelson/Fry still had the lead, but Phillips/Schumpert pulled up to 2nd, with Zani/Alarie 3rd, Bixby/Mills 4th and Meller/Johnson 5th. This lead group worked the right side of the last short beat, tacking on each other repeatedly. Zani/Alarie passed Phillips/Schumpert, leaving the finishing order as Nelson/Fry, Zani/Alarie, Phillips/Schumpert, Bixby/Mills and Meller/Johnson. Museler/Kirkpatrick were 6th and Harris/Falsone 7th.

Race 4

A little more air than Race 3, but still mostly light. Excellent starts gave Zani/Alarie and Bixby/Mills an early lead, with Bixby/Mills 2nd. Up the last beat, Bixby/Mills tried to push Meller/Johnson (in 3rd) back and put Terry Neff/Andy Cole in between them. The three boat tacking duel ultimately got Neff/Cole past Meller/Johnson, but Meller/Johnson kept tacking, and were able to drag Bixby/Mills a little to the left, allowing Neff/Cole to go to the favored right, and pass Bixby/Mills as well. Phillips/Schumpert were 5th, Museler/Kirkpatrick 6th and Lamb/Jeff Arnold 7th. These results put Zani/Alarie firmly in the lead, and put Bixby/Mills and Meller/Johnson tied for 2nd.

Race 5

The puff that filled in from the right during race 4 stayed and built, so that Race 5 started in a little more breeze, and the 505s could occasionally plane upwind. Nelson/Fry and Bixby/Mills went right early, covering much of the fleet. Meller/Johnson followed on their weather quarter, with some teams going deep left. Peter Mignerey/Simon Lake were among the leaders early in this race, on Meller/Johnson's weather quarter. As the right side leaders got to the starboard layline and tacked, Meller/Johnson were able to tack above Bixby/Mills and lee bow Nelson/Fry. Zani/Alarie were not looking good early in the beat, but found something to the left of the early leaders to get back into the hunt. At the weather mark it was Meller/Johnson, Nelson/Fry and Zani/Alarie. The breeze died as the fleet sailed toward the gybe mark away from the stronger air near the shore. Meller/Johnson opened up slightly as Nelson/Fry and Zani/Alarie dueled for 2nd. At the gybe mark Zani/Alarie had pulled through into 2nd. These positions held to the finish, with Nelson/Fry 3rd, Bixby/Mills 4th, Phillips/Schumpert 5th, Harris/Falsone 6th and Neff/Cole 7th.

Race 6

Despite the no-warning-will-be-later-than-2:00PM deadline being close, the RC was able to get a 6th race in, with the 505s (starting 3rd on Sunday, as starting order rotated) getting off shortly before the time limit. Conditions were similar to Race 5, with occasional planing upwind. Having clinched the series, Zani/Alarie sailed in, along with a couple of other teams that needed to catch early flights. Bixby/Mills lead early on, with Meller/Johnson in hot pursuit. Bixby/Mills tacked at about the starboard tack layline, while Meller/Johnson ducked rather than try a tenuous lee bow. Bixby/Mills were able to stay high and made the mark in first, while Meller/Johnson footed over boats on the layline and were within a boat length at the first rounding. Meller/Johnson stayed a little high and got a slightly quicker set allowing them to attack. Bixby/Mills countered with a luff, but realizing they were going to be rolled, sailed lower. The breeze died again as the fleet sailed towards the gybe mark away from the shore. Meller/Johnson worked their way back down to the rhumb line, but Bixby/Mills hooked up on their wake and stuck to them like glue, overlapped to leeward about half the time. With about ten boatlengths to go, Meller/Johnson were able to break the overlap and rounded the gybe mark ahead. They held the lead down the 2nd reach, and were then able to lead Bixby/Mills to the favored right side of the beat, extending their lead. Bixby/Mills gybe set at the top of the run, giving them a better angle to the leeward mark, but Meller/Johnson were able to gybe and get back between Bixby/Mills and the leeward mark. A loose cover up the favored right side of the last beat gave the race to Meller/Johnson. Bixby/Mills were 2nd, Nelson/Fry 3rd, Phillips/Schumpert 4th, Bodie/Elliott 5th, Museler/Kirkpatrick 6th and Harris/Falsone 7th.

Overall - Prizes

This gave the series to Zani/Alarie, Mike Zani's first midwinters win, and Peter Alarie's 4th, with four different skippers. Ali Meller/Allan Johnson were 2nd, Ethan Bixby/Mike Mills ('96 winner) 3rd, Macy Nelson/John Fry 4th, Jonathan Phillips/Monty Schumpert 5th, Barney Harris/Jesse Falsone 6th, Chris Museler/Dave Kirkpatrick 7th, Gary Bodie/Ken Elliott 8th, Peter Lamb/Jeff Arnold 9th, and Terry Neff/Andy Cole 10th. Lauren Abramson/Tom O'Toole were 11th in their first 505 regatta (and the first time they sailed their 505 together), giving Lauren the top female sailor prize. Prizes were awarded to the top five teams, top female, and 6 packs of beer were presented to all the newcomers.

There were a number of draw prizes at the Friday and Saturday evening social events, as well as participation awards - photos of each team on the water - for every team in the regatta. The 505 class presented Regatta Chair Nancy Graham with a 505 half hull on a plaque, in appreciation for her efforts in organizing and running this incredible event. Nancy loved the half model, here is a quote.

"I am so proud of the Plaque that the 505 Class gave to me and I will cherish it and the memory of the presentation forever. Thank you for being so thoughtful and please relay this to all the Class members."

Nancy was running this event annually before the 505s started attending. The three events we have attended have all been outstanding.

Overall Impressions

Another terrific event for the 505 class (FDs and ICs had a good time too)! There were so many aspects of this event that were positive. There were a number of new faces in the 505 class; their enthusiasm for the 505 and the 505 class was clear to see. Every one of the newcomers who did not already have a 505 left saying they were looking for a 505 to buy. Several of the newcomers commented on how friendly and helpful the 505 class is. The informal seminars, and the willingness of everyone in the class to answer questions and provide assistance was mentioned to me several times, as were the six packs of beer for the newcomers. Indiana University Yacht Club's newest 5o5, Ballenger 73xx, left the regatta rigged rather better than when it arrived. Mike and Bryan were able to check out current top 505s and were assisted in modifying the rigging on the Ballenger. Alan Johnson returns to Seattle knowing a lot more about racing 505s, and with some new ideas for fixing up some of the older Seattle boats and for promoting the fleet there. It was great to have Simon Lake there, able to explain some of the current UK ideas on rigging and tuning. Several SPYC members expressed a strong interest in the 505 and were asking for used boat recommendations. I was told that five club members were interested in purchasing 505s.

Mike Zani and Peter Alarie have completely rebuilt and re-rigged Lindsay 7318, it looks terrific and is clearly going well! Chris Museler's 20+ plus year old Pressure Drop has been rebuilt and re-rigged as well and is going very well. George Saunder's rebuild of 7678 leaves the boat much better than when he bought it, and it looks gorgeous with the wooden centerboard trunk and thwart tops. Sol and Chris thought the boat was quite quick, and were grateful for the assistance they received during the event, mentioning the help Mike Zani and Peter Alarie gave them.

Complete Results (and equipment)

-Ali
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