Palm Beach Gardens Valentine's Regatta Report
Baron Bremer does it again

by Jon Luscomb
Saturday’s forecast was for 15 to 20 from the North West and dialing to the right to settle at North. The day began as the tail end of a cold front slid through. It did not slide quickly enough! At 0800 the breeze was 6 to 8 from the N.W. with drizzle! Race committee, skippers and sailors watched the front slowly slide through from under a boom town of tents. Races started on time as Tee Time approached the skies cleared and the breeze came up slightly.

Baron, as usual was the first in the water helping R/C to find the breeze at 3-4 different parts of the proposed course. A very square course was set that lasted all day and made for many passing opportunities up wind and who could hang in there on the downwind legs. Most of the fleet (except Baron) started the day with A rigs. Baron Dominated with his B rig. The breeze seemed to be on the edge of either one.

The breeze continued to build to around 12 to 16 with very sharp puffs hammering from the left side of the course. This gave the lagging sailors who may have been OCS an opportunity to take a flyer and consolidate from the left and catch the right side and middle of the course shift players. The R.D. watched this race after race. The left flyer made for a busy (to say the least) windward mark rounding.

Those who led at the top of the course lost it down wind and gave up the success of playing the shifts on the beat. Downwind was a sleigh ride. Those who could keep from wiping out gained, and gained big! Those who may have led at the top mark were not sailing in a PARADE!

Sunday was a repeat, without the drizzle!

Lunch on Saturday was fantastic! Pizza, Hot Dogs, Chile, and CHILE DOGS with shredded cheese, onions and hot sauce! All of us ate too much. Dessert was heart shaped cookies, sinful caramel brownies, candy and baklava! Next year just come for the grub! Breakfast was orange juice, coffee, doughnuts, apples, and bananas. Water, diet coke, and every flavor under the sun drinks were available to the sailors for both days. Friday night, many of the fleet gathered by the fire at the Cruzan Rum bar, trading stories, telling lies munching conch fritters and sipping cocktails.

Saturday’s dinner at Panama Hattie’s was great, Good service good food and a good waterway cruise!

I want to thank everyone who sailed, and especially the volunteers who stood by to help with any problem the sailor’s may have had!

Thanks to the weather, this regatta was awesome to watch from the beach.  Everyone seemed to gain and lose as each day progressed. All of the sailors were paying close attention to the scores for they were SO close.

18 races were sailed allowing for 2 throwouts. See you next year!

Gold-Fleet Results

  Skipper Sail # Points  
1 Baron Bremer 81 35  
2 Martin Gray 83 67  
3 Fred Pfeil 10 68  
4 John Steacy 57 69  
5 Ed Gelina 187 70  
6 Bob Dudinsky 95 83  
7 Tom Germer 162 109  
8 Alan Perkins 14 111  
9 Jim Kaighin 52 113  
10 Tom Phillips 265 132  
11 Brenda Pardee 12 155  
12 Scott Vernon 880 156  
13 Bob Brown 611 DNF  

Silver-Fleet Results

  Skipper Sail # Points  
1 Bud Elder 13 34  
2 Bud Cassidy 21 35  
3 Al Stall 79 60  
4 Doug Bowe 59 76  
5 Dick Reinke 36 78  
6 Herb Mitton 50 79  
7 Mark Fleknstein 51 81  
8 Bill Parker 45 88  

 

Click here for photos by Bob Greer and company