Author: Shan McAdoo

Windy and Wild Finish – CanAm Series Events 4 & 5 Wrap up

CanAm Series Events 4 & 5 – Wrap up – A Wild and Windy Finish
April 4, 2021 – Port Charlotte FL
 By Shan McAdoo, Photos by Fran Burstein
Five days of racing concluded yesterday in Port Charlotte Fl.  CanAm Events 4 and 5  were sailed between March 28 and April 3.
Event 4  March 28-29, 2021
Bluebird Conditions reward the leaders in Event 4
Event 4 was pretty straightforward with great conditions.  Dee Smith built a picket fence of bullets and threw out a 2.  Lone Canadian Bruce Millar continued to make a stong case for a club footed boom and finished second. The podium was rounded put by  US Class president Tony Pocklington.   The remainder of the 13 boat fleet commented on the nice conditions.

Event 5 April 1-3, 2021

Event 5, AKA the US Nationals was a different matter altogether. The 3 day event started with an April Fool’s joke (No wind). The fleet spent hours on the water waiting for breeze only to sail in with 10 knots of air after racing was abandoned for the day. Aeolus is quite the trickster.

Things getting a little “sporty” in event 5

Day 2 dawned with 18 – 24 knots of air. The fleet was “treated” to a nice day of heavy air sailing. There were casualties. Dee Smith broke a mast, others reported near swamping and other issues including broken rudders and rigging.

Keep the boat on its feet and try not to swamp
Day 3 the breeze kept up. The fleet continued to get treated to wet and windy conditions with plenty of opportunties to for racing. In the end the Regatta Committee got 8 good races in. Jeff Linton, a multi class champion and Yachtsman of the year ended up winning event 5 with a great scoreline.  Bruce Millar  finished second, only 2 points behind.  Tony Pocklington rounded out the podium in third.
Newcomer Kathy Ryan rounding a leeward mark in “sporty” conditions
Event 5  also had 13 boats on the line. The sailors seemed enthusiastic about the 2.4 meter and the upcoming events.  The Marblehead fleet is planning a big summer with weekly sailing starting in June, an appearance in the Marblehead NOOD  and of course the Claggett clinic / regatta.
We missed our Canadian friends this winter and hope to have them back on the line next fall as we all gear up for the 2022 World Championships at Davis Island.

 

US 2.4 Meter Feb 2021 Wrap up- Canada Lowers the Boom

Feb 26,2021 – Port Charlotte FL 
Cream rises to the top. Talent will eventually reveal itself. Bruce Millar, a Canadian Paralympics sailor  has been working with Edge Sailing on a new jib boom and jib configuration. This month it seemed to hit a new level. Bruce took his modified 2.4 meter with a jib boom out and won the Edge Midwinters.  His scoreline was impressive, he threw out a second place finish.
The event had a range of conditions from light and lumpy to flat and gusty. The jib boom performed well in all conditions allowing “no touch” tacks and lightning fast jibes.
A jib sheet and a traveler
The Jib Boom in all it’s glory
Tony Pocklington and John Seepe rounded out the podium. The fleet of 7 boats sailed 8 races of the two days of the event.
2021 Edge Midwinters Podium finishers
Tim Ripley, the US class secretary reminds me that we need to renew our join the class.  You can join here :  US Class Membership
Our next event will be CanAm Series Event 4 in Port Charlotte starting March 29 and flow into CanAm Series Event 5 on April 1. This is 6 days of racing with a one day break. You can register here:  Event 4 Registration
Full results from the Edge Midwinters can be found here:Full Results

CanAm Series January Wrap Up

January 31, 2021 – Port Charlotte, FL

January was a very eventful month in the world and in the US 2.4 meter class. We now have Vaccines rolling out to and the world is lumbering awake after a Covid snooze.  On the race course we have had lots of great activity as well. We had 5 days of solid racing and got 14 races in.
Roger Strube, Martin Holland and the entire gang at Charlotte Harbor Yacht Club (CHYC) kept the action going day after day. Fran Nashner Burstein and Tina Weida shot some wonderful images of the racing action and then there was the amazing competition itself. The level of event / race management rivals any club anywhere. CHYC creates a winter home for 2.4 meter sailors that is wonderful.
The efficient RC plotting the days sailing
Dee Smith, purported to be rusty however based on race finishes appeared to be anything but .  14 starts and 10 first place finishes in the month of January.  Clearly Dee is prepping for the Upcoming Worlds. The real question is, who is going to come get him. The challenge has been extended.
Upwind sailing during CanAm Series Event 2
The rest of the podium was filled by amazing talent. Bruce Millar (CAN 39) sailed with a jib boom and seemed to have no problem finding the gas pedal.  For those in need of reduced confusion when sailing, this could be good news.  We thank Bruce for getting over the border from Canada and showing us a new trick.  Jeff Linton came out with consistent sailing and kept people guessing.
Canadian Bruce Millar sailing fast with an experimental jib boom. The results look promising.
US Class President Tony Pocklington gave hard and consistent chase to the leaders. At the same time Tony worked hard to welcome back some long missing 2.4 sailors and new sailors to the class (Julio Reguero and Kathy Breslin respectively)
Tight racing in in Port Charlotte during our busy January
So the month is over, we sailed hard despite the pandemic and we kept the flame alive for competition in the new year.
Podium Recap
CanAm Series Event 1 January 25-26 6 races, 1 throwout
  1. Dee Smith – 7 pts
  2. Bruce Millar – 8 pts
  3. Jeff Linton – 14 pts
CanAm Series Event 2 January 28-30 9 races, 1 throwout
  1. Dee Smith – 10 pts
  2. Jeff Linton – 19 pts
  3. Bruce Millar – 31 pts
Upcoming Events
Sailing is just getting started in Port Charlotte.  There are events planned for February, March and April. There are available charter boats, and plenty of sailing, camaraderie and competition. Contact Tony Pocklington if you want to sail.
Check out the Series Notice of Race for information on upcoming events
Full Results
Check out the links below for full results.