Race Results

2012 LA Midwinter Regatta

Eighteen Mercs entered the 2012 LA Midwinter Regatta in San Pedro put on by the Cabrillo Beach YC. The clouds cleared, the breeze 8-10 knots from the southeast. Their were some shifts, but a skipper’s concern where was the most wind. The first race was a single sausage finishing on the wind from a gate. Randy and Kathryn Smith took the pin start, with a long starboard tack, set themselves up for a nice lead and carried it to the finish. Jim and Kathy Bradley put on a good chase to get second place. Don Whelan with Alan Johnson had to fight off Doug Baird with Chris Messano to place third. Baird was fourth. Mike  and Debbie Luebkemann racing “Clifford for the first time placed fifth.

Race two was a double sausage with the windward finish. Bradley was determined to win, but he had to beat an equally determined Baird. Bradley won with Baird second. Third place went to Steve Jeppesen with Ken Maring. Smith took fourth and fifth place went to Whelan.

Race three was the same course. All racers were looking for the best side of the course or the best shift, the fast Mercs were the best. Kristen and daddy Mike Burch got off very fast and Kristen did a great job of holding off all the experienced Merc sailors. She won race 3. Baird in hot pursuit was second. Smith got third in nice battle with Bradley who placed fourth. Bill and Katie Worden had their best race and placed fifth. Going into tomorrow Bradley leads Smith and Baird by 1 point. 

Day two the normal breeze from the west that clocked about 10-12 kn hitting about 15 in the second race. The waves were relatively flat. The course for both races were the sausage, finishing upwind from the gate. Race four was three times around. The starting line was too short on both days, but with the wind velocity up, there was a recall and some were OCS. Baird got off to a great start. Mark Comings with Geordy Hershman sailing there first race in a while battled with Baird the entire race. Baird won and Comings was second. Third place went to Chris and Jeffrey Lanzafame. Fourth was Whelan followed by Bradley.

Race five the race committee put up the I flag and Bradley was over, but in the middle of the pack. He had to go around the ends to start correctly and this hurt. Baird and Comings had it out again with Baird well in front of the fleet. Baird won and won the regatta. Comings was second. Smith got back in the hunt after a mediocre fourth race and placed third to get an overall second place. Lanzafame would not give up and placed fourth ahead of Whelan who got fifth.

Congratulations to Baird followed by Smith, Whelan, Bradley and Comings. The great turnout was the hard work of Tom Priest. Many thanks to the CBYC race committee.

2011-2012 Perry Cup Series Finale

Summer in February in Monterey. That’s what the weather was like with a smooth sea and peak 8-10 knot breeze. Chairman Dick Clark set the course up off Lovers Point to get the most ideal conditions for the scheduled three races and one makeup to complete the fifteen race three throwout series.

Race one had nine Mercs sailing a double sausage, finishing downwind course. The wind direction was shifting a little south, with small shifts, but favoring one side of the course. Steve Kraft with Robin Blakely won out in a dual with Myron Erickson and Doug Baird. Erickson was using his sails on Baird’s Merc. Both Mercs worked it very hard in a close finish. Third place went to Randy Smith and John Hayes.

Going into the final race day Pax Davis and Smith were tied for the series lead. In race two the breeze was at the high end of the range for the day. Smith was trying to put the series away with a wire to wire first place finish. Erickson was second with Davis and Dave Morris fighting hard to get a third place.

Race three turned into a salvage the series race for Davis. He had a tough duel with Smith, covering at every chance and eventually winning the race with a final puff on the downwind finish by a couple of seconds. The fleet was very close and Bill Worden with Kate Conway placed third.

Race four was a triple sausage finishing downwind. The breeze was about mid range for the day and getting lighter. It was like a pro basketball game. Things happened right at the finish. The fleet squeezed up tight on the last run. The leader could not count and was going for a fourth lap, the second place Merc hit the finishing mark. Smith got a win taking the day and the series. Davis finishes second both for the day and the series. Jack and Patti McAlear placed third in the finale.

Congrats to Randy Smith for winning his second consecutive Perry Cup Series. Myron Erickson had his best outing, winning the Silver Fleet and placing fourth in the overall standings.

Special thanks go to Liz Chandler for the dinners on the first and last weekends. Dick Clark just keeps this series going for us and does a great job with his crew of Bobbette Bradley and John Laughton. Helping in the mark setting boat was Marty Gingras. We also had Jim and Patti Womble in TOOT, Their crew of Parker and Joan Wood were taking pictures and providing help as needed. We thank the Monterey Peninsula YC for sponsoring the Series.

 2011-2012 Perry Cup, January Update

What beautiful day to race in Monterey. The temp might have gotten up over 60 degrees, sun and light breezes with a little bit of a swell running.

The first race for the eight Mercs was a double sausage finishing downwind. This was the best breeze of the day, about six kns. Randy Smith with John Hayes got the start, but Pax Davis with Dave Morris caught Smith at the weather mark. However Smith got the inside at the leeward mark. Davis was able to pass Smith on the windward leg and held on for the victory. Smith was second followed Mark and Liz Chandler.

Next race was about 4 knots or less as the race progressed. This was a single sausage with a downwind finish. Bill Worden with Beeper Moore got off fast at the start. Davis however was able to overtake them. Davis was first at the weather mark and able to hold the lead to the finish in the shifting and dying breeze. Chandler was able to pass Worden on the last leg to get second place. Worden was third.

The series is very close. Smith is tied with Davis for first with Chandler breathing hard down their necks.

Many thanks to race chairman Dick Clark and his crew of Babbett Bradley, Judy Clark and John Laughton. Marty Gingras was the mark set boat. The Wombles “toot” patroled the course with Jim and Patti Womble and Chip and Joan Wood on board. Fritz Weeth did a great job running the hoist.

2011-2012 Perry Cup, December Update.

On a sunny but cool day with relatively flat water and a 7 to 9 knot breeze, eight Mercs had three close races. Race one was a double sausage finishing downwind. Randy Smith with John Hayes hit the left corner and were never really headed to win the race. However very close at times and going right was Myron Erickson with Doug Baird to get second. Jack and Patti McAleer were third.

Race two was a triple sausage finishing downwind. Pax Davis with Mike Polkabla had to use all three laps to get the win. The left was paying off. McAleer was second and Mark and Liz Chandler were very close to get third.

Race three was another triple sausage that had Smith hold the lead after the first weather mark. Davis chased him, but to no avail and had to settle for second. Chandler had a very close finish with Erickson and was able to get third place

Many thanks to Dick Clark with Babbette Bradley, the Wombles on TooT and Marty Gingrich. Fritz Weeth was operating the hoist

 2011-2012 Perry Cup, November Update

An overcast day with no wind was the order of the day. After about a two hour wait and several wind shifts, the first race commenced. This was a single sausage finishing downwind. Those who started at the pin got the strongest breeze and the big wind shift from the south to make it a reach out and a broad reach to the finish. Hal and Anne McCormack led the entire race. They were followed by Randy Smith and John Hayes . Third place went to Mark and Liz Chandler.

Race two was a double sausage finishing downwind. There were at least 20 degree shifts with puffs to eight knots. Chandler was off fast and first to the weather mark. Pax Davis and Dave Morris got by him and held first place the rest of the way. Jim and Kathy Bradley were second to the leeward mark and held that position for the rest of the race. McCormacks finished third.

Race three, Smith took a long port tack on the single sausage course and was able to hold the first spot to the finish. Chandler playing the shifts was able to carve out a second place. Very close behind was Bradley, who also played the shifts.

Going into day two, Smith leads with 8pts, Chandler with 9 and Davis with 10.

Day two was met with cloudy skies, no rain and six to ten knots of a shifting breeze. The sea was smooth all day. All three races were a double sausage finishing downwind. Race four was settled fast as Davis got a nice lift to the left shore and was never headed to win the race. The real race was Bradley a boat length ahead of Chandler who beat McCormack by about a foot.

Race five had Smith in what looked like a breakaway get run down by Bradley who won. Smith was second. Jack and Patty McAleer jibed out toward more wind on the final run. They picked off several Mercs and placed third.

Race six had a determined Smith to get in first and hold it. Bradley had to work hard to get second with McCormack placing third. The left shore was favored all day, but you had to get in step with the big shifts. Bradley ended up winning the Perry Cup. Paul Mueller and Larry Nelson won the Silver Fleet.

Dick Clark organized and ran the regatta with the help of Judy Clark, Babbette Bradley, the Wombles in TOOT, Marty Gingrich, John and Kit Ruck with Fritz Weeth running the hoist. Liz Chandler and Joan Wood put on a great Mercury dinner at the MPYC. An excellent regatta.