Gold Fleet
------------------------------------------------------------------- Pos Sail# Name Race> 1 2 3 4 Points ------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 US 4111 VAN WAGNEN, KEN 3 3 2 1 9.00 2 US 118 CARTWRIGHT, CLIFF 4 2 1 2 9.00 3 US 44 SHERRY, RON 2 1 13 3 19.00 4 US 4230 HILL, PETER 13 11 6 6 36.00 5 US 1183 GOUGEON, JAN (S) 5 16 7 9 37.00 6 US 1630 CONNELL, DANIEL 11 4 3 20 38.00 7 US 4061 GOODWIN, PAUL 1 9 16 13 39.00 8 US 4009 BRUSH, DON 6 22 9 10 47.00 9 US 338 LOENNEKE, ERIC 17 8 5 18 48.00 10 US 4628 KNAPP, GARY 20 12 14 5 51.00 11 US 3456 O'BRIEN, MIKE 35 5 4 7 51.00 12 US 4055 STRUBLE, BOB (S) 10 6 11 25 52.00 13 US 4732 GAMBLE, TODD 9 7 12 26 54.00 14 US 882 GOUGEON, MEADE (S) 18 13 8 17 56.00 15 US 3535 KENT, JEFF 8 15 30 4 57.00 16 US 4619 SALTONSTALL, RICHARD 16 18 17 8 59.00 17 US 294 LOENNEKE, LOUIS (S) 14 29 10 12 65.00 18 US 4581 CARLSON, SCOTT 19 14 15 22 70.00 19 US 3868 BUTTS, DENNIS 7 25 28 11 71.00 20 US 2360 JOHNS, PETE (S) 25 17 22 19 83.00 21 US 4315 MCDOWELL, SCOTT 23 10 20 33 86.00 22 US 3700 HALL, BEN (S) 12 DNF 24 16 89.00 23 US 4789 CLARK, CHRIS 29 20 18 23 90.00 24 US 45 SHERRY, WENDELL (S) 21 27 31 14 93.00 25 US 4032 SCHUMACHER, ROBERT 22 28 29 15 94.00 26 US 3283 WILLIAMS, J. BRUCE (S) 15 24 33 24 96.00 27 US 4099 CONDON, WILLIAM 30 23 25 21 99.00 28 US 3904 DILL, BOB 31 21 19 30 101.00 29 US 4542 COE, DONALD 32 19 23 32 106.00 30 KC 4360 BABY, ANDRE (S) 24 31 27 28 110.00 31 US 4244 TERWILLIGER, DAVE 27 30 32 29 118.00 32 US 4110 MILBANK, JOHN 33 26 26 35 120.00 33 US 4340 SPALDING, JAY 36 33 21 31 121.00 34 US 3271 JANKOWSKI, MIKE 26 DNF DNS 27 127.00 35 US 1854 THIESSEN, BOB (M) 34 32 DNF 34 137.00 36 US 4387 BLAIR, CHARLIE 28 DNS DNS DNS 139.00 Silver fleet -------------------------------------------------------------------- Pos Sail# Name Race> 1 2 3 4 Points -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 US 4626 GERVAIS, PAUL 1 5 2 1 9.00 2 US 2301 BIERMAN, DANIEL 3 1 3 3 10.00 3 US 4949 SCHMITT, STEVEN 2 4 4 4 14.00 4 US 4695 KIEFER, MARK 5 2 1 9 17.00 5 AUT 7 RAKUSCHAN, HEINRICH (M) 8 3 5 6 22.00 6 US 4699 HARLOW, JOHN 4 6 7 7 24.00 7 US 641 KIRCHHOFF, JEFF 6 12 10 8 36.00 8 US 3042 ABRAMS, SHELDON (M) 9 8 9 12 38.00 9 US 4212 HAUMERSEN, BRIAN 7 9 13 15 44.00 10 US 4897 SACCARDO, JR, RONALD 10 17 8 13 48.00 11 US 4762 MCCAULEY, MATT DNS 10 6 5 50.00 12 US 2630 JONAH, JIM 14 15 18 10 57.00 13 US 4102 HILL, JEFF DNS 7 11 11 58.00 14 US 4411 MUNSELL, ROBERT 13 20 15 14 62.00 15 US 3852 JOHNSEN, KENNETH (M) 15 13 17 17 62.00 16 US 4417 GONIN, IRENE 18 DNF 14 2 63.00 17 US 4080 PRICE, RICHARD (M) 12 11 16 24 63.00 18 US 1006 VITALE, NICK 11 14 12 DNF 66.00 19 US 1925 HEALY, LEO (M) 17 19 19 19 74.00 20 US 4770 ETZEL, CURTIS 16 18 20 20 74.00 21 KC 4992 CHARBONNEAU, JACQUES 22 16 21 18 77.00 22 US 4621 KOSHIOL, DAVID 19 21 23 16 79.00 23 US 800 SNODGRASS, REUBEN (M) 21 24 22 22 89.00 24 US 3931 KRAUSE JR, FRED (S) DNF 22 24 21 96.00 25 US 4447 LAURENT, STEVEN (S) 23 26 25 23 97.00 26 US 3987 BURNHAM, DAVID 20 23 26 DNS 98.00 27 US 4512 MADDEN, STEVE 24 25 27 DNS 105.00 28 US 3720 HENDRICKSON, THOMAS (M) DNS DNS DNS DNS 116.00
(J) after first name denotes Junior - under 19
(S) after first name denotes Senior - over 50
(M) after first name denotes Master - over 60
We started out believing the 1996 North American Championship Regatta would be sailed on the same piece of ice we had been practicing on for eight weeks straight - Anchor Bay at the north end of Lake St. Clair near Detroit Michigan. As registration opened on Thursday evening, the rains poured on what had been 18" of great ice for the last two months. The plan called for a small amount of "zamboni" action. The area received far too much rain. On Friday as the fleet practiced on the racing area, it became apparent the rain had caused too much damage. The forecast was for warmer temperatures the next day so off we drove Saturday morning (2/10) to Burlington Vermont to sail on Mallets Bay, Lake Champlain.
Day One
Racing began Sunday morning. What a great morning it was!
Temperature in the low 30's and a beautiful breeze took us out to
the middle of a hugh piece of near-perfect ice. It had snowed
maybe one half inch the night before which gave off an
interesting sensation that you were not moving very fast. Even
though you were smoking along at warp, the snow cover took away
the sensation of speed. You did not feel how fast you were going
until you crossed tacks with someone or met an upwind/downwind
situation. We were flying!
The wind decided to take a break at start time (10am) so everyone had a chance to make final adjustments and visit with their friends. The wind filled in after and hour or two and we were lined up in a good breeze that appeared to be steadying out for the day.
Race one
I stood on the starting line in the #14 spot on the left side of
the course. My thoughts centered on the confidence I had
developed racing with the Michigan crowd over the past two
months. With more than 50 races and many hours of sailing during
that period, I felt really good about my potential. The wind was
in the low teens and the course was a good long mile of
near-perfect ice with the dusting of wet snow. I had a good start
and got up to speed quickly. I rounded 4th behind Paul Goodwin (4061),
Ron Sherry (44) and Chip Cartwright (118). The race progressed
with myself, Sherry and Cartwright trading places. Paul Goodwin
performed the only true horizon job of the regatta. At the finish
it was Goodwin first by a bunch, Sherry second, Van Wagnen third,
Cartwright fourth and Jan Gougeon (1183) fifth.
Race two
I started in the three spot below Sherry and above Gougeon. The
wind was building and the day was panning out to be a classic
iceboat racing day. Good breeze, great ice, and a large course to
stretch out on. I concentrated on having a good start and getting
the boat up to warp as soon as possible. I was becoming more
confident with my starting ability. I confirmed that confidence
when we started and Sherry could not roll me with his near
flawless starting ability. I was also able to slowly grind over
Gougeon who may have been being held a bit high by the next
sailor down the line. I held right and tacked at the starboard
layline. At the first weather mark is was Sherry first,
Cartwright second, Mike O'Brien (3456) third with Danny Connell
(1630) and myself overlapped in fourth and fifth. O'Brien and
Cartwright traded places rolling each other off to the right side
of the downwind leg. I jibed early into a puff that carried me
down to the leeward mark and into second behind Sherry. Cartwright
ground me down on the next lap and we finished in that order.
Sherry first, Cartwright second, Van Wagnen third, Connell fourth
and O'Brien fifth.
Race three
Bigger wind! What an excellent day! My confidence continued to
build. I started below Sherry and above O'brien in the number
three spot, concentrating on a smooth start. It worked again as I
was able to keep Sherry off my windward shoulder and sail high
enough to keep to weather of O'Brien and the rest of the line up.
My boat speed was excellent and I was beginning to feel I could
point just a bit higher than anyone around me. This was a
pleasant surprise compliments of a slight sail shape adjustment
Skip Boston had made for the fiberglass mast group. The left side
came into the weather mark better and I rounded about ninth
coming in on the starboard layline over stood in what was the biggest
wind of the day (puffs to maybe 18-22) eased out and flying low.
I decided not to follow the crowd off to the right downwind so I
jibed back into the puff which carried me almost directly back to
the leeward mark. I felt the puff let up about 2/3's of the way
down the leg so I jibed back and found myself in second behind
Cartwright at the first leeward mark. Cartwright led this one
wire to wire. I was second followed by Connell in third, O'Brien
fourth and Eric Loenneke (338) fifth. At this point Cartwright
led the regatta with a 4-2-1. I was 1/4 point back with a 3-3-2.
Sherry and Goodwin did not recover from the teens in this race
which gave Cartwright and myself a small cushion going into the
fourth race.
Race four
I was standing in a starting spot I never stood in at a North
American Championship. I was 1/4 point from the lead and the wind
was going light. Oh No! I've got my "full metal jacket"
heavy inserts on all the way around and my plank is one hole
forward of where I set it for light air. There was still a sailing
breeze but it was nowhere near the velocity we had enjoyed
earlier. I pulled my halyard up inch (mostly for my head) and
started left with O'brien below. Mike held me off as we got up to speed
but I was happy to see not much had changed. I was sailing pretty
evenly with him the first couple of minutes. I tacked to port and
as I picked up speed and a lifting puff I noticed the right side must
not have had good breeze. Our side was clearly ahead. I rounded
first without a clue as to who was behind me (I knew O'Brien was
there but not sure who else). I carried off to the right and got lifted.
When I jibed back to the middle, I found Jeff Kent had passed me
by using the same puff area I used in the third race. On the
second lap we traded tacks. I came out on top at the second
weather mark only to carry off to the right again and have Kent
pass me again by using the left side puff. My speed and pointing
were good and I was able to sneak by Kent at the third weather
mark. This time down I realized I needed to cover the middle so I
jibed back to the center. It worked and when I jibed again for
the finish line there was no one in sight to my right. I had just
won my first race in a major DN event. The top five rounded out
with Cartwright second, Sherry third, Kent fourth and Gary Knapp
(4628) fifth.
Day two
The forecast was for temperatures to fall into single digits and
the wind NW 15-25mph with higher gusts. By 9am the temperature
was 3 to 5 degrees and the wind was definitely up. Race Chairman Bill
Van Gee deemed "by the powers vested in me, this regatta is
complete". By using the tie breaker system to separate my
nine points from Chip Cartwright's nine points, I had won my
first major iceboat event since I began racing DNs in 1968/69.
Special thanks to my father Bob Van Wagnen who was an active DN sailor until about 1973 and who introduced me to iceboating in 1968. Also to my wife Maureen and son Greg for allowing me the freedom to "follow the ice" all winter. To Ron Sherry and the Michigan crowd for providing great tuning sessions. And to my teammates and traveling companions Dennis Butts (3868), Nick Vitale (1006), Scott Root (738), and Dick Parker (4738) for their support and for helping take some of the administrative load off during registration. Thank you all!
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