Breeze. Turnout. Cold Beer. We had all the essential ingredients for an ideal 505 regatta at West River Sailing Club June 27. This was the first year that WRSC hosted the one day event. The idea behind it was to provide a forum for some casual club racing, work in some people new to the class and do a little socializing after racing. Eleven boats showed and there were plenty of new faces mixed in with the veterans.
Long time 505 sailor Bob Hill, who has scaled back his sailing in recent years, took his boat out for a sail. He joined Nicholas Place (sailing with his brother) Clayton James (teamed up with Les Crane) as well as Mike Breton, Tom Price, Sterg Papadakis (down from NJ), Team Spot, De La Rie-Freedman, Ali Meller and Sol Marini, who sailed a borrowed boat.
We also had four recruits, who we worked in to the action, including local talents Dustin Romey (410-721-6964, dustin_romey@hotmail.com) and Chris Hodge (410-867-0119; Chris lives across from the club and is always ready to go for a ride) and Michigan U sailor Eric Carlson (410-267-6926, ecarlson@gibbscox.com) and former collegiate, big boat and current Interclub sailor Ray Wulff (RMWulff@leggmason.com). For those keeping score at home, Ray drove Barney Harris’ boat in two races with Jesse Falsone on the wire, and looked very competitive.
The 5-16 knot westerly conditions were ideal for breaking new people in. RC chairman John Braddon managed to fire off four races. The rule of thumb seemed to be that you could not go wrong going right. Velocity and direction definitely paid on that side of the course, and boats that set up high on the layline could usually catch a shot and get launched down to the mark.
Barney Harris organized a cookout after racing. And on Sunday three boats went out to do a little tuning, with Romey and Hodge crewing for Ali and Sterg respectively. The event was a definite success and we plan to repeat it next year and add at least one more one day event during the season. In the mean time, we plan to do some "organized practice sessions" in July. Look for days and times shortly. Keep sailing!
Please get with one of our new recruits and take them out sailing.
Allan Freedman
| Place | number | helm | crew | Results | Total Points | After Drop | Club |
| 1 | 6985 | Dylan Breton | Mike Breton | 4,2,1,2 | 9 | 5 | WRSC |
| 2 | 7200/8263 | Ali Meller | Eric Carlson/ Dustin Romey | 2,1,2,dsq | 17 | 5 | WRSC |
| 3 | 8643 | Barney Harris/ Ray Wulff | Jesse Falsone | 1,6,4,1 | 12 | 6 | WRSC |
| 4 | 8351 | Tom Price | Doug Loup | 3,3,5,4 | 16 | 10 | local |
| 5 | 8085 | Rene de la Rie | Allan Freedman | 6,4,3,ocs | 25 | 13 | WRSC |
| 6 | 8316 | Nicholas Place | Place | 7,5,6,5 | 23 | 16 | Havre de Grace |
| 7 | 7148 | Peter Mignerey | Matt Breton | 8,9,7,3 | 27 | 18 | WRSC |
| 8 | 7879 | Clayton James | Les Crane | 5,8,9,ocs | 34 | 22 | WRSC |
| 9 | 7573 | Sol Marini | Dustin Romey/ Eric Carlson | dnf,10,10,6 | 38 | 26 | Maine/local |
| 10 | 8013/7199 | Stergios Papadakis | Hans Crosby | dnf,7,8,ocs | 39 | 27 | New Jersey |
| 11 | 6717 | Bob Hill | ?? | dnc, dnc, dnf, dnf | 48 | 36 | WRSC |
PRO John Braddon
Light wind, crews were sitting on the seat tanks, some current, but not a factor in this situation. Incident occured within two boat lengths of the windward mark or race 4.
8643 is approaching the windward mark on the port tack layline. 8263 is approaching on starboard, about 1.5 - 2 boatlengths below the mark. 8643 realizing they will not be able to cross bears off to duck 8263. 8263 waits until 8643 is ducking and roll tacks onto port just to windward of 8643, on or slightly above the port layline for the mark. 8643 appears (to 8263) to be luffing 8263 into the mark, 8263 requests room. According to a witness (the RC boat was anchored ahead of time for the finish, which was at the end of the next windward leg), 8263 and 8643's masts touched near the top (apparently as or after 8263 had completed her tack).
8643, which all along had thought this was the finish sailed past the windward mark on port and continued sailing upwind. 8263 tacked back to starboard, rounded the mark, bore off and hoisted the kite for the run. 8643 belatedly realized that this was not the finish, due in part to 8263 explaining the course. However two other 505s had slipped around the mark ahead of 8643.
No protest flag was flown. The RC was not informed of the intent to file a protest.
A brief discussion ensued on shore about what were the appropriate tactics for both boats in this situation. The fact that 8643 was treating the situation as a finish, while 8263 was simply trying to get around the windward mark was a slight twist.
8643 took the results home and altered them to show 8263 receiving a DSQ for this race (a race that 8263 crossed the line first in).
Do you think the DSQ is valid?