Blackbeard Sailing Club, New Bern, NC.

Blackbeard Sailing Club hosted their annual "Blackbeard Regatta" August 28-29. Something over 40 boats showed up! Of these, 7 were Tanzer 16's, and this regatta is part of the Tanzer 16 SAYRA series.

On Saturday, conditions were all over the place. We started with drifting conditions to get out to the course, which Ken Gurganus of BSC set up in the Neuse River right across from Broad Creek. By the time we were getting to the course, the winds began to pick up and shift, and a few dark clouds with rain were visible to the southeast. The Tanzers started in the third group, behind the Flying Scots and SJ-21's, and ahead of the busy Sunfish junior and senior crowds.

Following a quick 90 degree wind shift, RC set a big course "1" (MO) and off we went, all trailing Pete Thorn around the course. Two races were completed on Saturday, with winds of 10-15 mph (as measured from a personal weather station across the river - see below), and gusts up to nearly 20. One boat went over on the upwind leg of the second race, but thanks to the fast response of the crew getting on the centerboard, they didn't turtle! Another boat had a little hardware problem when their keelson broke. The finish on the first race involved sailing in a good downpour, which was cooled us off, but the rain also stole most of the wind! Fortunately the rain moved on before the second race started. After the second race, we all went in - a little exhausted but safe, to a fried chicken and barbecue pork dinner.

Sunday started out seemingly calmer, with winds out of the NNE, but they built quickly and by starting time we were back to the 10 mph with gusts. Again 2 races were held. On the second race, Pete misread the course and went straight down (course "4"), then realized that he needed to come back up and go around the jibe mark - which he did, and still he passed everyone again to finish first (how does he do that?) The finish on the last race was the determining breaker for the second and third place positions. Two Tanzers screamed to the finish line at opposite ends, and had an exciting finish within just seconds of each other!

The finishes for the top 4 places were (in order): Pete Thorn (2000 "Sweet Sixteen"; 4 bullets), Arch Altman (161 "Phoenix"; CSC, 2,3,3,2), Paul Manis (379 "Oddysea"; CSC, 4,2,2,3) and Rick Brass (1277; 5,4,4,4). Other skippers were Mike Roche (236), Arnold Aiken (1204) and a young lady in a Tanzer Overnighter (same as the '16 with a cuddy on top), whose name I will put here as soon as I am sure I have it correct.

Many, many thanks to Blackbeard Sailing Club for putting this event on every year. It is a treat! Ken Gurganus was PRO and he and his team did a great job, as did all the BSC members who helped. We look forward to another great one next year!

After you've cleaned the "Neuse Juice" from your boat, prepare yourself. The next Tanzer SAYRA event is Indian Summer at Lake Waccamaw, October 9-10. Come on out!

And, we have a Tanzer-heavy race committee at Kerr, October 16-17.

As a reminder Fleet #1 (CSC) is focussing on the Jordan events this year, and the next two (and last ones for the year) are September 12 and October 3 (Sundays) (the Miller Regatta - be there or else!),. Both are a great chance to get warmed up for Indian Summer. I will be there, will you?

Paul
--Tanzer 16 #379--

Data from wind station KNCNEWBE1, New Bern:

(Saturday racing from about 1-3pm; Sunday from about 10-12pm)

Sunday was a great day to be at the lake ... just not for sailing. We were only able to get one race in. The forecasted wind never filled in. We fought shifts all day in less then 5 knots. It was classic August sailing in NC. Despite the light winds, there were 13 boats on the water, nice temperatures, and afterwards everyone hung around and socialized for a while. Which made it a great day!

At the Nationals award dinner, I was surprised and pleased to learn that our Fleet 155 won the TCA Growth & Promotion award for 2010. Hooray! Thanks go to our newer members for joining TCA and getting their boats registered, and to our more seasoned members for helping to bring new members into the fleet and making them feel welcome. I continue to be impressed by the willingness of our fleet members to help each other out, as well as the quality (and friendliness) of the competition.

I was honored to accept the trophy on behalf of our fleet. If you didn’t see it when we won it in 2003, it’s a fairly impressive perpetual trophy. There’s also a keeper trophy in the form of a Thistle Class flag. (Maybe John Norton won’t have to cut up my old main to make one after all.)

I’ll put a picture of the trophies up in CSC’s virtual trophy room. I’d also like to plan a fleet party to celebrate, before things get busy in the fall. More about that later.
Cheers,
Steve

Tanzer 16 Nationals!

Well, the weather forecast called for a lot of hot and not much wind, but those driven souls who made it to Kerr last Saturday and Sunday (the 19th and 20th of June) were treated instead to a pleasant breeze, and as a result, out on the water is was actually quite nice. The super GC RC, headed by PRO Goldberg, set up long WL1 courses both days, so the races favored those who work well upwind. RC did a great job - thanks guys and gals!

On Saturday, the Tanzers started in the second group with a mixed fleet of mostly Flying Scots, with the wind blowing from SSW under fairly clear skies, though there were threatening clouds in the distance. Three races were completed, with 6 boats competing, and places switching around. Sunday the wind was from the NW but shifted around as it filled in nicely. Also, Sunday the Tanzers had their own start, which was much more "civilized" - especially when 2 boats got off the line in one race, while the others all bunched up at the committee boat standing still..... Nonetheless, the fleet eventually spread out across the lake to gain whatever advantages could be found.

It being Father's day on Sunday, I would be remiss to not point out that the Tanzer Fleet sported 2 father-son teams: Arnold and Forrest Aiken, and Cameron and Paul Manis. A nice way to spend the day indeed!

The finishes for the top 4 places were (in order): Whitt (534), Thorn (2000), Manis (379) and Altman (161).

The next Tanzer SAYRA event is at Blackbeard, August 28-29. Come on out! Let's get more boats on the line!

As a reminder Fleet #1 (CSC) is focussing on the Jordan events this year, and the next one is July 25, a good time to get warmed up for Blackbeard. I will be there, will you?

Paul
--#379--

A good day sailing yesterday, May 23. I wasn't on the Race Course but helping Roy run an adult sailing class at Jordan. I arrived at the Lake early, just after a lot of rain and thunder but by the afternoon the sun came out and I was looking for sunscreen. From my vantage point it seemed like 2 good races in decent breeze and then a third in a dying breeze so the course was shortened. The Tanzers had a regatta and I understand Brian and Brian won. Congratulations to them and I hope they come out more often. -John Norton