Conditions were excellent with most racing in about 15 knots of wind and some races somewhat lighter at times, and one race in slightly more. The 505s revelled in those conditions, planing upwind and on the reaches easily, while surfing down waves for extended periods on the run.
International 505 Class American Section Vice President, Alexander (Ali) Meller and ace crew Allan Johnson dominated the event with three firsts and three seconds. The competition for second overall was intense, with three teams going into the last race essentially tied. Jeff Boyd/Martin tenHove passed Macy Nelson/John Fry on the finish line to take 2nd, while losing the one place pushed Nelson/Fry from 2nd to 4th overall, behind Zack Leonard/Peter Alarie who won two races on the Sunday to move into 3rd overall.
Meller/Johnson were fast upwind and down, had smooth boat handling, were rarely caught on the wrong side of a shift and were able to work there way through into second when they did not lead a race early on.
The resurgence in the 505 class was clear to see, with two brand new boats being raced for the first time, one each from Waterat and Rondar, and a number of sailors new to the class competing in recently acquired used boats (old 505s never die.....).
After borrowing and chartering 505s for two events, Chris Museler bought Pressure Drop, a twenty year old Lindsay 505, just days before the event, so that he could compete. Other newcomers included Brandon Charif, Tim Collins, Bob Edenbach, Mike Collins, Bill Smith, Bill Healey...... It was also great to see so many class veterans like Barry Kuehl, Tom Kivney, Dave Peck, Bill Pevear, Jan Aase, Chris and Peter Follansbee, Neal Fowler, Dave Dyson, Todd Johnson, Nick Grey, Gerard Kivney at the event.
The New Bedford Yacht Club Race Committee, led by David Biddle and Bruce Cartwright, ran 6 near-perfect races for the fleet, with no wait between races, 6 perfect gate starts in 6 attempts, square beats and tight reaches. Thanks also to Phyllis Biddle, Steve Mello and the other members of this committee, many of whom have been running races at NBYC for over 40 years. Courses were either old Olympic or 505 Worlds format - 505 Worlds format is an extra two reaches and a beat on the end of the old Olympic course.
The depth in the fleet was extraordinary, and included a number of intercollegiate all Americans, a recent college sailor of the year, other recent college stars, sailors who just finished racing at the Olympic trials, a past Olympian, a past America's Cup 12 meter racer, past National and North American Champions in the 505 and other dinghy classes, as well as college stars from over twenty years ago, to say nothing of a number of past 505 East Coast Champions. As a somewhat rueful tail-ender explained, the problem with being almost last in a race, is that the teams you are racing against are still very good, and they are racing hard to beat you, with perfect leebow tacks and good speed. Despite finishing 2nd in the first race, past 505 East Coast Champions Neal Fowler/Dave Dyson were unable to fight there way through the middle of the fleet on several occasions. As Dave Dyson noted, you could not get to the preferred side of the course, because everyone - even at the back - knew which way they wanted to go, and were not going to give you a lane to get there, another indication of the depth in the fleet. Hampered by inexperience with a new boat, Tyler Moore, who was 5th at the Mounts Bay World Championship, 5th in the recent 470 Olympic trials, and is a recent college sailor of the year, could only manage 10th place in this fleet.
Other standouts in the fleet included Zack Leonard/Peter Alarie, whose 1,4,1 in the last three races pulled them into 3rd overall. In the two races they won, they led at every mark. Bryan Largay/Matt Sanders were 3,2,6 for the last three races, in their 17 year old Hamlin, pulling them into 5th overall. Monty Schumpert recruited Jonathan Phillips to drive 8015, and this pick up team finished a close 8th, posting finishes of 6,7,7 on the second day; Phillips and Schumpert were the only team that that managed to pass the regatta winners on a reach; they were shouting for the camera boat as they blasted over Meller/Johnson on the second reach of the last race. In contrast to many of the newcomers, ace crew Monty Schumpert is in his fifties. Team New Zealand, Paul Heads/Chris Ryan finally got to sail a 505 in some breeze, after a series of light air regattas. After figuring out gate starts and upwind tuning, there scores improved, with two 15th place finishes. Bill Healey Jr. recently acquired 7358, and finished 14th with veteran crew Dave Peck. Bill Healey Sr. won the 505 East Coast Championships three times.
| Pos. | Sail # | Skipper/Crew | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | Total Points | After Drop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8263 | Ali Meller/Allan Johnson | .75 | .75 | 2 | 2 | .75 | 2 | 8.25 | 6.25 |
| 2 | CAN 8264 | Jeff Boyd/Martin tenHove | 4 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 26 | 18 |
| 3 | 7318 | Zack Leonard/Peter Alarie | 8 | 5 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 27.5 | 18.5 |
| 4 | 8191 | Macy Nelson/John Fry | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 25 | 19 |
| 5 | 7096 | Bryan Largay/Matt Sanders | 6 | 7 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 37 | 24 |
| 6 | 8083 | Neal Fowler/Dave Dyson | 2 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 19 | 8 | 53 | 34 |
| 7 | 8012 | Henry Amthor/Doug Amthor | 9 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 49.75 | 35.75 |
| 8 | 8015 | Jonathan Phillips/Monty Schumpert | 7 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 47 | 37 |
| 8 | 8610 | Nick Trotman/Mike Mills | 11 | 6 | 6 | 19 | 5 | 9 | 56 | 37 |
| 10 | 8060 | Mike Collins/Bill Smith | 13 | 9 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 52 | 39 |
| 10 | 8629 | Tyler Moore/Scott Ikle | 5 | 24 | 12 | 14 | 3 | 5 | 63 | 39 |
| 12 | 8194 | Tom Kivney/Tom Russell | 10 | 13 | 15 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 69 | 54 |
| 13 | 8576 | Terry Neff/Mark Bellerman | 12 | 11 | 7 | 12 | 16 | 20 | 78 | 58 |
| 14 | 7358 | Bill Healey Jr./Dave Peck | 15 | 12 | 16 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 85 | 69 |
| 15 | 6821 | Bill Peaver/Jan Aase | 14 | 14 | 17 | 24 | 14 | 13 | 96 | 72 |
| 16 | 7357 | Peter Follansbee/Chris Follansbee | 21 | 20 | 21 | 17 | 13 | 10 | 102 | 81 |
| 17 | 7772 | Andy Cole/Jesse Falsone | 18 | 16 | 14 | 21 | 28 | 17 | 114 | 86 |
| 18 | 7100 | Andrew Crocher/Chris Takacs | 22 | 18 | 11 | 16 | 21 | 24 | 112 | 88 |
| 18 | 8085 | Rene de la Rie/Todd Johnson | 16 | 19 | 18 | 13 | 22 | 23 | 111 | 88 |
| 20 | NZL 8 | Paul Heads/Chris Ryan | 17 | 15 | 24 | 23 | 15 | 19 | 113 | 89 |
| 21 | 6311 | Chris Museler/John Alden Meade | DNS (29) | 17 | 20 | 18 | 20 | 18 | 122 | 93 |
| 22 | 1 | Nick Grey/Gerard Kivney | DNS (29) | DNS (29) | DNS (29) | 10 | 18 | 16 | 132 | 103 |
| 23 | 7148 | Peter Mignerey/George Saunders | 20 | 21 | 25 | 27 | 17 | 21 | 131 | 104 |
| 24 | 6985 | Dylan Breton/Mike Breton | 23 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 23 | 22 | 132 | 109 |
| 25 | CAN 7798 | Marg Hurley/Mike Hoffman | 19 | 25 | 19 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 142 | 115 |
| 26 | 7876 | Brandon Charif/Ted Baylis | 24 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 25 | DNF (29) | 146 | 117 |
| 27 | 8059 | Bob Edenbach/Geoff Ewenson/ | DNS (29) | DNS (29) | DNS (29) | 25 | 26 | DNF (29) | 161 | 132 |
| 28 | 8311 | Barry Kuehl/Jon Singsen | DNS (29) | DNS (29) | DNS (29) | 28 | 24 | DNS (29) | 168 | 139 |