by DBrawner » Mon May 02, 2016 10:28 am
Simply put, it was a weekend well spent. It’s tough to complain about anything after spending a weekend with friends sailing toy boats in a majestic setting like Lake Perez. Fred Maurer and the State College Model Yacht Club, thank you for inviting us.
The decision was made on Friday to sail from their alternate location on the southwest side of the lake due to the breeze forecast from the northeast then moving from the southeast. Keep in mind that their alternate site is still one of the best places to sail in Region 2, it’s that beautiful.
There are a few story lines coming out of this regatta. The first will be the legend of Jerry Franko, who was sailing in his first EC12 regatta. Years from now, it will be “remembered” that to achieve his first ever regatta bullet, he sailed uphill both ways in 20 foot seas while out racing a group of pirates to the finish line and then had to retire due to exhaustion.
The reality is Jerry did pass Dave Ramos on the last downwind leg and then held off the fleet to the finish line in the last race on Saturday. So, the pirate portion may be true. However, even before the stern of number 77 had crossed the line, Jerry had turned into George Costanza and decided to leave on a high note. Plus, Jerry doesn’t sail in the rain, which was predicted for Sunday. Franko, Out…mic drop.
Fred DeSantis sailed like a guy parking his brand new Porsche in the mall parking lot at Christmas. He stayed well away from other boats. Once that beautiful boat gets a scratch or two, he’ll be moving up the leader board rapidly. Until then, don’t expect to see him barging at the start.
Dave Branning returned from the injured reserve list after multiple back surgeries. I am not so sure that Friday night birthday celebration in the saddle at Texas Roadhouse was prescribed for rehab, but what the heck you only live once. Give that boy a cowboy hat. He had a really good return holding in fourth at the end of Saturday.
David Hammett sailed a nice regatta with three bullets and a number of top five finishes. Ted Flack had a very steady day on Sunday, which included a beautiful horizon job in race 14, to move from 6th to 4th in the end. Scott Graf saved his best for race 17. Playing the left side off the start, he just moved away from the entire fleet winning the race by almost a full leg.
Nothing new with the top three, Dave Ramos won the event on Saturday with less than half the points of second place and was able to put it into cruise control on Sunday. Jamey Betz and Danny Thomas duked it out for second and third respectively with some great head to head sailing. Race 18 was an example with each passing the other on every leg. Thankfully for Danny, the race ended upwind.
In the last race of the regatta, Roger Baldwin beat three of the five trophy winners including outdueling Ramos to the line.
Fred Maurer is the leader of the band in State College. He has a great support group with Jim and Ellen Hermann, Dave Brenneman, Bud Wolfe, Harley Fisher and Fred’s wonderful wife Nancy. Thanks also go to Jim Flach for putting down his transmitter on Sunday to take pictures for the regatta.
Thanks to all the hard work by our hosts and all the cooperation of the fleet, this was quite enjoyable and the type of event that makes you want to come do it again. Time well spent, indeed.
1. David Ramos 33
2. Jamey Betz 49.8
3. Danny Thomas 53
4. Ted Flack 83
5. David Hammett 95
6. Dave Branning 100
7. Scott Graf 109
8. Harry Mote 128
9. Roger Baldwin 134
10. Jerry Franko 157 (Saturday only)
11. Jim Hermann 166
12. Jim Flach 170 (Saturday only)
13. Fred Desantis 172
14. Mark Fleckenstein 174
15. Ray Szulczewski 190
DB #53