2016 Palm Beach Gardens Valentine's Regatta Report
Luscomb wins at home.
By R C Greer

The 16th Valentine's Regatta hosted 22 skippers from around the country. We enjoyed having our “snow-birds” sailing with us at Lake Catherine in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. PBGMYS has a tradition of a welcoming party on Friday night, and Chester and Libby outdid themselves again with Ham, Turkey, Pulled pork BBQ, salads and more food and libations than could be consumed in 2 nights.

The skippers' meeting was at 0900. Wind was northerly, 10 knots, under sunny skies and 60’s temps, lots of skippers in shorts and sandals. Ann Gelina (with Ed’s invaluable help), Kelli Greer, and others laid out a wonderful breakfast spread. George Balaschak did a super job getting us all organized with all the “stuff and a multitude of things that must be done.

Using the national seeding list, we skipped seeding races and started the first “B” heat under the P/R system-advancing the top 4 to “A” fleet so 13 boats sailed each heat.

Our lake is quite long in N-S orientation and this presented many opportunities for passing as the wind shifted, lulled, puffed, and velocity shifted. Saturday's lunch included Jon Luscomb’s famous “No Bull Chili”, hot dogs and pizza.

Sunday was predicted to be ugly with 25+ knots and rain. NOT! We had 10-12 NE allowing long upwind (150 meters) legs which permitted of both strategy and tactical decisions for the skippers: meaning passing lanes with many lead changes. I must comment on the very gentlemanly (and Liz) racing. All fouls were settled on the race course-NO protest committee hearings. Lots of rounding’s with 4-5 abreast cleanly (not all I’ll grant you) but overall very impressive.

We completed 14 races (28 heats) and the results reflect some great sailing by some really splendid skippers. Alan Perkins is back sailing at his usual best with a spectacular win with a score of 19 for 14 races.

Thanks to Karen Luscomb, John Biles, Gail Ring and Michelle Wright for not letting a fleet start until ALL were accounted for. Race Committee: RD Chris Wright; ARD Doc Greer.

Final Results

   
1 Alan Perkins 14 19  
2 Reichard Kahle 67 27  
3 Joe Walter 24

50

 
4 Jon Luscomb 45 62  
5 Chuck Millican 2180 89  
6 Steve Pfeil 110 93  
7 Earnan Scavella 2052 97  
8 Joe Federico 111 99  
9 Jim Kaighin 2020 101  
10 Dick Reinke 36 103  
11 Bill Newman 2100

133

 
12 George Balaschak 2200 137  
13 Fred Pfeil 15 140  
14 John Goldsworthy 48 144  
15 Frank Vella 89 149  
16 Scott Vernon 880 153  
17 Terry Mcmullen 40 159 Tie Breaker
18 Fred Greco 84 159  
19 Liz Perkins 217 176  
20 Michael Vanover 56 195  
21 Chester Brewer 16 227 Tie Breaker
22 Gerd Petersen 156 227  

 

 

 

Great photos here.