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| Rock Hall Yacht Club Annual One Design Regatta (District 3 Champ at Rock Hall YC, Maryland | June 21 - 22 |
| Story |
| Dannebergers Win District 3 Title at Rock Hall
On an overcast June 21st, 9 Windmillers turned out for the Rock Hall Invitational Regatta, which also serves as the District III Championship. John & Anne Dannerberger (5069) used their new sails and always excellent sailing to cross the line first in all 6 races, though the record showed 1-1-1-(OCS)-1-1. Although pressed at times by runner-up Ralph and Matt Sponar (5702) and actually behind third place finishers Allen & Christina Chauvenet (5586) at one leeward mark, the Dannebergers showed superb boat speed and handling to dominate the finishes. The races were all sailed over a 1-lap WL course, but the legs were so long that there was plenty of racing. Saturday brought overcast skies and winds of 8-10 mph for the first two races with an increase to 10-12 or a bit more in puffs for the final two races. The first two races saw the Dannebergers make excellent starts toward the leeward end of the line, keep their wind clear and lead at all marks. The Chauvenets were 4th or 5th at the weather marks but excellent boat speed and correctly finding the downwind shifts had them with an inside overlap on the Sponars at the leeward mark. In both cases, the Sponars found the wind and shifts of the final beat to snatch the runner up position, though in the second race the boats finished within a foot or two of each other. The third race with stronger winds found the fleet very tightly bunched at the weather mark with the Dannebergers again in the lead but almost everyone right behind. Once again the Chauvenets moved well downwind to round 2nd just ahead of the Sponars. On the final beat, the Chauvenets and Sponars went the wrong way and all three of the boats closest behind passed them! Lon Ethington and Meg Gimmi (3886) sailed a wonderful final beat, both in finding the best shifts and keeping the boat moving to take 2nd just ahead of John and Allie Coleman (3064) whose boat has clearly benefitted from a winter upgrade courtesy of the Sponar family! Alan Taylor and Maggie Arnesen had 4051 moving very well and were a close 4th, passing both the Sponars and the Chauvenets. They had missed the first race due to some shroud problems but the rest of the regatta saw them showing benefits from rigging changes in "Hurricane" as they sailed very well in all of the races. The final race on Saturday had Taylor, Danneberger and Chauvenet battling for the pin end start. Taylor was clearly over the line and returned; unfortunately, Danneberger was also over the line but did not recognize this and was subsequently scored OCS. Danneberger and Chauvenet found wind and a favorable shift to the left to round 1-2 but again the fleet was very closely bunched behind them. On this downwind leg, when Danneberger went to the R (inshore), the Chauvenets found a better shift out toward the open river and led at the final mark; again, boats were very close behind them. The Chauvenet team again went the wrong way on the final beat while Coleman, Ethington and Taylor found better winds to the left side. Coleman sailed wonderfully well to cross the line second--which became a win with Danneberger being scored OCS. Ethington followed just ahead of Sponar and Chauvenet with Taylor closing but unable to overcome his start. All of the boats did some excellent sailing on this day with the three boats at the back of the fleet all having some turns very close to or ahead of the others during each of the races. Sunday brought clear skies but less wind. The first race again saw the Dannebergers in control but this time with Sponar, Taylor and Chauvenet all close at the weather mark and no one far back. This time Taylor sailed the best on the run (reading the shift that led to a jibe to starboard exactly correctly) and Chauvenet fell back after failing to make the same jibe. Taylor sailed very well up the final beat to press Danneberger and hold 2nd ahead of Sponar. Chauvenet took 4th by staying on the same side of the course as Coleman, Ethington and Dyer Harris (5400). This left the Danneberger virtually certain winners, the Sponars with a very solid grip on 2nd and 3rd place entirely up for grabs among Ethington, Coleman and Chauvenet with Taylor hindered only by his first race DNS. The wind dropped to 4-6 mph and shifted 90 degrees to the right, requiring a reset of the marks. The first beat found fortunes seeming to vary with different puffs and shifts but eventually Danneberger, Sponar, Taylor, Chauvenet and Ethington rounded in that order. On the "run" to the leeward mark, the wind shift back about 90 degrees, making it a reach/close reach to the "leeward" mark. Chauvenet benefitted from having held low early on the leg and was able to come up with a better sailing angle as the group approached the final mark. Danneberger still had a small lead but Chauvenet was able to round inside of Sponar with Taylor close behind as the group started what was a broader reach on port tack back to the finish line. With the wind having been very light at the mark, a slight increase in breeze appeared ahead, allowing each boat to lengthen its lead over the trailing boat. Thus the line was crossed in the same order that the final mark was rounded. The wind then died and the remaining boats (in all classes) had a slow and difficult time making it to the finish line. After the finish, the race committee debated another race but with only fitful puffs made the decision to call an end to the day. This proved to be a good decision as everyone wound up being towed in to the club!! As always, the regatta was delightful; we should note that the 9 boat fleet outnumbered the combined starters in the other classes on our course. With the continuing efforts of Dyer Harris and the Sponars, we look to see more Rock Hall Windmill owners in the coming year and a larger fleet next year. Everyone appreciated the special effort by Lon Ethington and Meg Gimmi to make the trip from Florida. Scott Ross and Carroll Sparwasser were both racing for the first time in 2014 and had excellent moments in several races--more sailing will see them in the mix at the finish line! Exciting and close racing was certainly a feature of this regatta. Eight of the nine boats in this event are expected to be sailing in the Nationals in Ohio! |
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