Regatta Report
Soverel 33 National Championship – Westbrook, CT – August 6-8, 2004
by Ed St.George
In 1999 and 2001, the Soverel 33 Bushwacker, owned and skippered by Erik Will of Sodus Bay YC, traveled for the first time to Buzzards Bay, MA and Larchmont, NY (respectively) to win the Class Nationals. In 2002 and 2003, we were 2nd to two different boats, one from [Lake Norman] North Carolina and one from the LI Sound area [Keyport, NJ] and right after a tough loss in the very last race last year to miss out on the win, we knew we’d be back in 2004 to go after the title again, the 20th anniversary of the Soverel 33 National Championships.
Following 3 years in a row of sailing in the September Larchmont NOODs as the venue for the Nationals, the S-33 Class decided to move the 2004 event to Westbrook, CT and the Duck Island YC, about 80 miles to the east. Duck Island YC is a very small club with big hospitality, excellent race management, solid sponsorship support and a superb location. The regatta called for 3 days of racing, with as many races per day as the RC could fit in between noon (the normal local start time for August racing) and 5 p.m. Twelve boats were registered, including last year’s winner Santana, past champion Deviation and several other very well-sailed boats. We heard that tidal current in this area is a huge factor, so we listened intently as regatta organizer Mark McCarthy shared as much local knowledge as he could to help level the playing field, a sportsmanlike effort by the skipper of S-33 Slàinte.
Erik towed the “wide load” from Sodus to Westbrook with the official Bushwacker vehicle, a retired but capable ambulance, on Wednesday, August 4th and launched the boat at neighboring Pilot’s Point Marina, one of the Brewer Yards, the following morning. The rig was carefully tuned and most of the crew arrived that afternoon, ready for some serious racing and serious fun together. Over the next 3 days, we were to have both in abundant supply!
On race day 1, the breeze was northerly 8-15 true, with long 10 deg. oscillations. The tide began as nearing the end of ebb flow, to full flood at 2+ knots by late afternoon. In the first 3 races, with each short W-L consuming about 45-60 min. in length, we managed to learn a lot about how the wind and current behaved close to the shoreline as we worked to windward. In those first 3 races, climbing the learning curve on which way to go and when, we rounded the weather mark about mid fleet. Then, with our brand new Haarstick 0.6 oz. AP polyester chute working really well and some well-called jibes to the inside with puffs and favorable current, we overtook almost all boats on the runs and held on to post a 1-2-1 in the first three races, a strong start. We were happy with our upwind speed using our Haarstick carbon fibre main and new 155% class genoa, but were especially pleased with our phenomenal downwind VMG advantage, an edge that would serve us well as the event further unfolded. In the last race, a longer twice around course, we finished with a close win over Whacko and had a nice lead overall at the end of the first day with 5 total points, Whacko in 2nd at 14 points., Santana next with 17 and Deviation right behind with 18 points.
On day 2, the breeze began more northwesterly, starting at about 10 knots, lightening to almost nothing at one point in the middle of the afternoon and then, after a 90 deg. shift to the SW, built to 16-17 true for race 9. In the first race of the day (#5), with the flood current underway, we figured that a start at the pin end would be best, allowing the current to lift us towards the weather mark on starboard as much as possible. To our pleasant surprise, after a perfect start at the pin, we never tacked, went around the weather mark in first and held off a hard charging Slàinte for the win. In the next race, we were a bit too aggressive, with help from the current, and learned we were over early about 30 seconds after starting. Fighting the flooding current to get back to the line, we worked hard to recover the entire race, knowing that every point is significant, and managed to pull out a 7th after going around the first weather mark last. In the next 2 longer races, with other boats beginning to get their legs and understanding the current and oscillating wind, competition and tactics were intense. Leads changed hands several times and so did other positions. As the wind really lightened in race 8 and changed direction, things were really mixed up as boats from the back of the pack were in the right place to take advantage of the new wind and the early leaders struggled to keep in the top half of the group. We felt fortunate with our 2nd and 4th in those races (7 & 8), but never let ourselves get over confident. That proved to be a good thing, because in race 9, after a great start and good speed up the course with our new #1 in 12-14 knots true, we charged into the leeward mark on port jibe with the wind a little forward. Our attempt at a last second windward takedown put the chute in our face as Erik headed the boat up around the mark. As we hustled to get it down and regain control, 4 boats got by us in less than a minute (it felt like an eternity), putting us in 7th as we later crossed the finish line. With one of our 7ths now a discard (as we’d completed more than the requisite 7 races to permit a throw), we had a 6 point lead over Santana at the end of the day. Deviation, Whacko, Slàinte and Pearl were not far behind and we noted that after a string of mostly 2nd and 3rd place finishes, Slàinte, in particular, was coming on strong. On day 2, each race was won by a different boat and finishes for all boats were often within 3 minutes or less of the leader!
Day 3 dawned with a nice westerly that gradually built as the first warning sound approached, clearer skies and a full flood current in effect. On this day, we’d see all 3 of our Haarstick headsails as the wind velocity varied between 10-21 knots true at different times. We knew we needed to focus on sticking with Santana so that she couldn't get leverage to erase our lead. We also had to keep an eye on Deviation, Whacko and Slàinte, with these boats statistically still very much in the hunt. In the first race of the day (#10), with that strategy in place, we came off the line safely to leeward of Santana, but couldn't quite maintain equivalent height or speed in the big chop and small right hand puffs. In the first cross, she was almost 2 boat lengths ahead and promptly camped on us the rest of the way up the first beat. As we stayed as close to possible to her the rest of the race, 2 other boats managed to finish just ahead of Santana (putting her in 3rd) and one just barely in between she and us (for a 5th). With the last boat finishing about a minute after the first one, this was clearly the closest race yet in the regatta. We now had a 4 point lead and with the RC talking about possibly doing more than 1 additional race, we knew anything could still happen.
In race 11, sailed in the strongest wind of the event and No. 3s for everyone, we rounded the first weather mark 2nd on Santana’s bumper, with nice separation of 4+ lengths ahead of the next boat. As some very strong puffs came down the course, we maintained good speed and control and waited to jibe onto the port tack layline for the leeward mark. After dozens of perfect jibes the whole weekend, this next one backfired at the wrong time! Just as we tripped the pole off the guy, a huge puff hit carrying the chute way forward, a wave picked up the transom and we promptly did a Chinese jibe to our left with both clews free, wrapping the chute around the headstay - a classic S-33 “spinout”. In firefighting mode, we got the boat back on her feet, struggled to get the spinnaker completely down, and learned about 5 minutes later that we’d lost 5 or 6 boats in the process. Thereafter, with a terrific leeward rounding, we fought hard to get back ahead of two of those boats and finished in 5th, with Santana winning. Our 6 point lead at the beginning of the day had evaporated! After 2 races this day, we were now tied with Santana, with apparently 1 race to go. Simply put, we had to beat her to win the regatta.
In the final race (#12), sailed with No.3s, we added even more halyard tension for more power in the bigger chop, started beautifully to leeward of Santana and with some masterful driving by Erik, we finally forced Santana away about 200 yards from the port tack layline. Right after they tacked, we did the same to cover and then, over the next several minutes, really put the hammer down, pulling ahead and opening gauge to windward of Santana. Our 4 year old No.3 was really working for us. Two other boats tried to lee bow us close to the weather mark, but misjudged the current and failed to make it. We rounded in first, sailed carefully with a tight cover the rest of the race and finished 1st, with Santana in 3rd. We’d won the event and there were hi-fives all around!
Our Haarstick sails performed extremely well and certainly played a very key role in our victory, always providing us with good speed and even or favorable point upwind. As I mentioned, our new spinnaker and No.1 genoa were especially awesome. Our long time together as crew and a planned tune-up during the LYRA course racing the week before, were huge benefits too. Charlie Catchpole, Joel Roemer, Al Mountcastle, Gerry Matteson, Van Huston, Rick Marcellus, Henry Willard and I enjoyed the event (even if we hadn't won) and sailed together with Erik as an outstanding team. Many thanks to our other team members, the crew at the Haarstick loft, for their contribution and continued support of our program!
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