Fleet 12 Opens the 2010 Season with Clinic and Races

New Fleet Captain Bill Porter got the season off to an early, enthusiastic start on Saturday June 19, featuring an on/off water clinic led by J/22 rock star Terry Flynn from Quantum Sails. Terry not only rotated among the participating boats on the water, he then reviewed the video delving into the arcane subjects of sail shape, heel angle, and the importance of “changing gears” in the prototypical puffy fresh breezes found in the lower bay. What a great way to kick-off the 2010 season.

On Sunday, seven J/22’s were on the starting line greeted by 15 knots from the southwest, Newport in the fog, and a flood tide. Often seen crewing on a variety of Fleet 12 boats in past years, the Sertl family brought their own Lucy (USA 1466) to Jamestown this summer, adding a formidable competitor to this increasingly competitive event. In fact this very same boat and crew finished 12th in the 2008 Worlds (fleet of 104 boats), although Rolex Women's Keelboat star Cory Sertl was not to be seen aft of the hatch today. FJ Ritt’s spotless Paladin was also on the line after a year off.

After an all too common delay caused by the seemingly impossible task of setting the pin in deep water, Race Committee Tony Lush followed Machbuster’s recommendation to use Golddigger’s mooring instead. The course was the classic Zp,13p, finish. Lucy, with Mark Sertl driving, defending fleet champ Bad News, and 2008 champ Conundrum dueled at the start and up the windward leg. Bad News, driven by Mike Marshall, had the benefit of former World Champion Terry Flynn trimming and coaching from the middle position which relegated Matt Gowell to the foredeck. Machbuster was way early and started last. At Z, Lucy and Bad News were nose to tail followed closely by Bill Porter’s Conundrum. Paladin led the second group. Lucy still led Bad News and Conundrum at 13, Machbuster had recovered to pass Good News and USA 1575. The southwesterly made the last leg more balanced than usual which set up some interesting upwind battles. At the finish, Bad News approached the left-hand committee boat on starboard with Lucy trying to squeeze in on port. With more world-class sailing talent on these two boats than a family-oriented series ever dreamed of, it was down to the wire, and Lucy risked it all for the win, but fouled Bad News in the process forcing her withdrawal. Conundrum was close behind for second, then Paladin, Machbuster, Matt Dunbar’s USA1575, and Good News. All seven boats finished within a minute or so despite the torrid pace set by the leaders.

Race #2 was Zp,6s,Zs, finish, in unchanged conditions. This time Machbuster was the leeward boat at the start and she was able to hang with the “big dogs” until the conditions became especially puffy late in the windward leg. At Z it was Bad News, Lucy (with Nick Sertl driving, having replaced his Dad at the helm on Fathers Day no less!), Conundrum, and Machbuster. The spinnaker reach to the gong south of Rose Island was a sleigh ride in the fresh breeze, and this no doubt contributed to Conundrum shrimping her chute, and Machbuster taking a knockdown while trying to squeeze past the disabled fleet captain just short of the mark. Neither catastrophe led to a position change, but Paladin withdrew, perhaps with a failure, or perhaps having gotten too close to her dry sail area home at Ft. Adams. While Lucy continued to press Bad News, both maintaining a blistering pace, the race had become a parade for the last two legs. At the downwind finish, it was Bad News by a couple of lengths over Lucy, then Conundrum, Machbuster, USA 1575, and Good News.

In all, it was a fine start to the new season. The overall level of the competition continues to improve year-over-year, and expect to see a few more boats in the coming weeks as well.