Consistency paid off big time for Randy Rea, Treasure Coast Series Champion for 2007.  The series consisted of five one day regattas sailed at various venues around an expanded Treasure Coast area of Florida, starting with Lake Eustis in May, Melbourne in June, Titusville in July, Jensen Beach in August, and Palm Beach in September.  Competitors must sail four of the five legs to qualify for the overall series.  Forty five different sailors competed in the series.  Kevin Ratigan was the ironman as he was the only competitor to make all five events.  The goal of the series is to have a great afternoon of sailing at a low cost.  Races start late enough to enable sailors to do some early morning chores, or sleep late, go sailing, have a little refreshment and get home that night. 

Always in the hunt, but without a victory in any of the legs he sailed, Randy worked his 200 lb plus frame around the courses in an impressive display of being close to, or in the lead in every race he sailed.  Randy did this in mostly lighter air, as the sea breeze let us down, or storm activity sucked up the wind, at most of the events.  So there is hope for the heavyweights!  James Liebl, who was an instigator of this series, gave Randy a little breathing room when he showed up later than usual and missed the first start at Palm Beach.  James also has sacrificed sailing to do the RC work at the Titusville (Kelly Park) venue.

Treasure Coast Laser Series PBSC
The final Treasure Coast Laser Series was held in the beautiful blue Atlantic Ocean, ½ mile off the sandy shores of Palm Beach. Summer like conditions with thunder storms building  south and north, winds were east south east 7-9, seas had a little chop with left over swells rolling around. We all meet at Palm Beach Sailing Club around 10:30 and began rigging our boats. Twenty four sailors from the Keys to Orlando, from Melbourne to Homosassa, young and old, set sail from the west side of ICW for the 2 miles sail from the club out Lake Worth Inlet. One of the great thing about sailing out of PBSC is having the inlet so close, the blue water come flowing in ounce a day flushing the ICW with fresh clear clean blue water. On the sail out we pass all the anchored boats large and small, on the eastern shore are the beautiful house along  Palm Beach. The Port of Palm Beach is near the mouth of the inlet, small cruise ships and freighters navigate thru the inlet, making for another interesting part of our journey out the inlet. Current is a big factor, the Gulfstream flows past our coast very close and can make for some crazy out of the ordinary tactics.
Race 1 was is set for 1:00 start, split line windward leeward ounce around, winds 8 knots.
The pin is slightly favored, the current is flowing parallel to the line. A couple of us lined up at the pin and  the rest of the fleet is on starboard sailing down the line, spread out, waiting for the gun. Bam! clean start, four of us shoot the line  at the pin, with all the starboard boats closing in, they all choosing to tack on to port. Freddie Sambolin and I are neck and neck, he slowly sail out from under me. 200 yards out Luke Lawrence crosses behind us on starboard and sails out to the left. The rest of the fleet is below us on starboard. Freddie tacked to starboard 10-15 boat lengths from the starboard layline and heads back at Luke to mix it up. I kept going well past the normal layline and tack towards the mark. Near the mark Luke gets outside Freddie on starboard as we approached the mark, holding Freddie to the left. Luke finally tacks for the mark and rounds in the lead, Freddie comes back hot on his heels but to close and touched the mark. Four boat lengths back was Travis Ouellette approaching on port, he tacked under me and looks like he may make the mark. I roll over the top as I approached the mark, sucking away his chances of making it, as the Gulfstream takes another victim at the weather mark. Michelle Davis, Randy Rea and Lee Saylor pop around the mark right behind us. I work to my left sailing by the lee to protect the inside. Michelle is a beam of me 4 or 5 boat lengths to my right, Randy and Lee were just behind us. Now the current is helping us make the mark, so I keep south as much as I can and hold off any attacks to my left. The Leeward mark is in near the beach only 100 yards out. The water is so clear we can see our shadows darting across the bottom! We all converge at the mark, Luke, Freddie, and I round, 1-2-3, Michelle works back from the  north and slips in to win the battle for 4^th, Randy  5^th Lee, and David Hartman in hot pursuit. It’s a short beat back to the finish everyone holds. Hasty Miller edges out Jon Luscomb for 8.
Race 2 same set up, pin is still favored, a bit more crowded  at the  pin this time, again I approach on port a little bit late to the line, the starboard tackers are farther down the line this time forcing all the port starters to tack and/or duck. I choose to duck and sneak thru a hole in front of a few starboard boats. Half the fleet goes east and the rest of us go south. Slowly the boats underneath come back, and I juuuust cross John Luscomb as he heads back on starboard. The wind is light and I concentrate on keeping the boat flat even though it feels more comfortable to sail with a little heel. Good pressure out to the left, I hold all the way out to the layline, and then some to allow for the Stream. Freddie is in touch as we approach the mark, I round first, Freddie on my transom! James Leible is leading the pack of Randy, Dave, Steve Carr, and Robert Schutt  5 boat lengths back. I try to protect the inside sailing by the lee, Freddie is just to my left but then decides to charge to the inside of me. I try to hold him off but fail. James, and Randy  are coming up strong on the inside also disturbing the air flow. Loosing the inside as we approach  midway  I  work slowly back right in some nice pressure by myself. Freddie tangles with the fast charging James and the rest of the pack. Amazingly I squirt away and get clear ahead. Very tight pack rounds behind me, I thought I heard some clinking and clunking. But what ever happened James ends up 2^nd, with Randy snagging 3^rd, Dave Hartman 4^th, and Steve Carr 5^th. Jack Clark edge out Hasty Miller to finish 10^th !
The Radial and 4.7 fleet started with the full rigs and did very well, Eric Lawrence beat a few full rigs and won 2 out of 3 races in the Radials division. Andrew Morgan gave him a run beating him in race 2 and one back in race three. In Race 2, Radial sailors Glenda Libby, and Kevin Ratigan finished 1 and 2, ahead of the young guns, and well up in the Full rig fleet.
The 4.7s had their own battle going, Brogan Abernathy dominated with 1-1-1. Second place was tight, tied going into race 3, Alexander Archibald edging out Danny Friedman by one point to take 2^nd OA.
Thunder storms were to the north, south and west of us, but we were still in the clear for race 3, this time twice around. The mark boat moved the pin back a little to square up the line. The wind seemed to freshen a bit and was rocking more to the right then before. Thunder storms were brewing to the east! Almost everyone was down near the RC boat, I came in from the left on port, a little late tacked in a hole 5 or so boats from the  boat. Surprisingly the fleet still split. Everyone to my right tacked onto port and headed out right, I sailed 10 boat lengths or so and headed off to the left also. Sometimes things just fall into place, underneath me the pack of 5 are struggling in light pressure, to the left is the Gulfstream current drawing boats north, in front of me is pressure, that’s what I’m talkin bout. I can see Luke working up the left middle doing pretty good, I just keep going right, lift, pressure, lift, pressure, and more pressure, oh yeah! time for a header, yep phap! tack! From a quite a ways out it looks like I over stood? But not with this current. Luke is still to my left but working hard and fast towards the mark. I can’t look back, more pressure from the right, I’m actually hiking straight legged. Luke comes up underneath me and barely squeaks around the mark, we both ease everything and jibe, Wow I’m enjoying myself!!! Thank you Lord! Luke and I are gone! Luke says to me as I get into down wind mode, sweat running down my brow, “ relax I don’t think they’re catching us”. Easy for him to say, as he puts a few more boat lengths on me. Mean while the pack is working hard to get around the weather mark. Lessons learned, go south early or take a ride against the Gulfstream! We have Great battles going on throughout the fleet, Freddie and Randy battle to the end fighting for 3^rd place OA. Jon Luscomb finishes 7^th to edge Michelle Davis in a battle for the number 10^th spot OA! We all hoped to have another race but not to be.
Race 4 does not materialize, thunderstorm # 4 takes aim 3 miles out, and starts to head right at us. The wind starts to die, the skies darken, cautiously we decide to head for the barn, only finishing 3 races. Time for the Shrimp Boil!
 
Congrats to Matt Homan new laser sailor first time in the ocean, thanks for coming and trying so hard. Way to go to the oldest guy in the fleet Hasty Miller coming out and sailing hard, boy I want to sail like him when I’m his age. I also thanks to my father in law, Lou Tomasovic, for getting us a great Committee Boat, and to him and his crew for doing an outstanding job, and very grateful thank you to my favorite scoring judge and ask her to do anything girl Sloan Witkowski.
Also special thanks to the mark boat team, Tim, and Sue Slater, and Karen Luscomb working hard moving marks and handing out water, great job! Thanks to them I got to sail.
Put it on your calendar for next year you won’t want to miss out, sailing in the blue blue waters of the Gulfstream!!!  Nothing like it! And of course the Shrimp Boil!!!!
Get Out There!
          John McNally (go red boat!)

No Comments »

 Good Job Jensen Beach. Thanks!

Cheers,

Meka