NAMSA NAs & Tradewinds Midwinter Open Cat Nationals

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The NAMSA North Americans/Tradewinds Midwinter Open Cat Nationals was held at a new venue on January 16-18 (ML King Weekend) in Florida Keys at the Elks Lodge in Tavernier, Florida.
This grand event has been held the past number of years at Rick's Place Motel and Sailing Resort, but the motel was sold this past summer. The Elks opened both their gates and their arms to the sailors from all around eastern USA.
And it all turned out fabulously. The weather hovered near 80 degrees, while we heard about sub-zero temperatures in the northeast and midwest. The winds were 10-12 mph on Saturday and then 15-20 on Sunday – get you warmed up the first day and then really kick on the second day.
Everyone had nothing but kudos about the location – a large grassy area for rigging, wide beach for launching, nice accommodations nearby, and beautiful, clear and flat water with lots of wind. It was a cat sailor's dream come true.

The Races
The RC was able to get 8 races in two days and still allow plenty of time for partying and dining out. The courses were simple windward/leewards with a gate. The faster fleets were started first and given a couple of extra legs so that most of the fleets finished close to the same time.

The largest fleet was the Hobie 16s and they were divided into Open and Novice/Youth. Paul and Kathryn Garlick started right off with problems. When they arrived it donned on them that they had brought the wrong rudder system. So after borrowing bits and pieces they managed to get their boat jury-rigged and had to tie down their rudders.
Then just before the start of a race their jib halyard broke. Paul shinnied up the mast and repaired the damage, started late and still managed to move up to 3rd place.
Next was a terrible crash at the starting line. One of the youth sailors had lost control and hit them from behind. The tiller was badly bent. So, they went to shore, made repairs and made it back out missing only one race.
Otherwise, it was the Garlick show. They took mostly bullets and beat out perennial winners, Scot and Tracee Corson. Hunter Fry and Kim Gurmmitt took 3rd place
In the Youth Class Sebastian Lewis/James Martin took 1st, Josh Rosenbaum/Fred Moffat were 2nd, and Jessica Voeller/Dick Russell were 3rd.

The second largest fleet was the Inter 20. Team Tybee Island with Steve Lohmayer and Kenny Pierce totally dominated the races, taking all bullets except for one second place. John Casey and Tina Pastoor took almost all 2nd place finishes for the 2nd place overall flag.
David and Kathy Ingram took 3rd overall, but took honors for the most dramatic finish – they pitch-poled across the finish line on the last race.

Steve Lohmayer and Kenny Pierce of Team Tybee Island approach the leeward gate

Dave and Kathy Ingram were storming downwind. Then they pulled a spectacular crash at the finish line of the last race.

More of the Ingrams.

It was tight sailing in the Waves. After the first day of racing Stan Woodruff was leading Sharon Woodruff by only a point, with 13-year-old Jason Soares in 3rd place (this is his second regatta).
But, the wind picked up and things changed. Stan Woodruff had a breakdown in the 7th race and had a DNF. Meanwhile, Norm Freeman got it rolling and took all bullets. The two ended in a tie that was broken in favor of Freeman. Sharon Woodruff finished 3rd and Soares was just out of the trophy flags in 4th place.

In the Grand Olde Class, the Shark Catamaran, there were three past-national champs in the competition for the famous shark jaws trophy that have been around since the ‘60s. Most of the class were sailing beautiful wooden boats hand-built in Canandaigua, New York by John Rogers. Rick White said, "It looks like these guys are sailing around on a bunch of Grand Pianos!"
Jerry Pattenaude and Joe Lieberman pretty much had command of the situation, but Bryan and Chris Perrin, this years National Champs, were always close on his heels and sometimes winning. But, the Perrins had to settle for the 2nd place flag. Jack and Susie Bennet won the 3rd place spot.

It was tight racing all day for the Shark Class. Here is Jerry Pattenaude and Joe Lieberman (right) in a near-tie with John Sherry and Dick Cordell (left)

Again there was total domination in the Nacra 6.0 Class. Rick Bliss and Brandy Wood took all bullets and never looked back. John Fondrk and Dennis Bedgood took all 2nd places for 2nd overall, and Jim Falardeau and Steve Paomquist to 3rd place.

In the Open Class Bill Roberts and Bobbie Adrien sailed a Supercat 17 to victory. Terry and Judy Fondrk on a Dart took 2nd spot and Hollis and Janet Caffee on a Taipan 4.9 took 3rd.

The F18 Class was also pretty much controlled by one team – Mark Murray and Alex Efre-Perez. They took all bullets except for one race that was DNF. And that was a pretty funny DNF. They hit the mark at the finish. They did a circle and then while refinishing, they hit the mark again. This time they didn't bother to do a circle – they just gave up and took it as their throwout.
In second was Olli & Kelly Jason and in third was Tony & Emily Vandenoever

Tony and Emily Vandenoever had some troubles with their F18. Here they begin to lose it after going through the gate. And Yes! They did capsize.

Same folks. Different time. At least they got a lot of practice at righting the boats.., and believe the improved their backstroke.

In the Hobie 17 Class Scott McMillen probably would have won ever race except on the first race he sailed two extra legs – he didn't notice the course change from the first fleet of boats starting to his starting fleet. Kelly Davis sailed the right course for his only bullet. But he was very pleased with that single first place finish. Davis ended up 3rd, while Stephen Acquart took 2nd place and McMillen won.

Next year's event is planned for the same time of the year – Martin Luther King Weekend in mid-January.
The race was sponsored by Calvert Sails of Islamorada, Catamaran Sailor Magazine of Key Largo, CABB (Catamaran Assn. of Biscayne Bay), West Marine, www.onlinemarinestore.com and Rick White's Sailing Seminars.