For those of you interested, the Hobie 14 North Americans were just completed this past weekend at Clear Lake, Iowa with Jim Sajdak earning bullets in the last 3 races to pull out a come-from-behind victory by 2 points over Matt Bounds. Jim (and Matt) are both past Natl. Champs in the H-14. They had 34 competitors! Can you believe that? Amazing. Congrats to Jim and all of the other 32 competitors.

The H-16 NACs are starting today, Monday, with 54 competitors listed from US, Canada, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, and Mexico. The website is Hobie 14/16 NACs. Nearly all of the usual suspects are in attendance: Wally Myers, Paul Hess, Mike Montague, Pedro Colon, Francisco Figueroa (but not Enrique), Armando Noriega Jr. However, this is a lake, and I would expect the Ricans and Guatemalans may have their hands full with some of the gringo lake sailors. We'll see.

A "gringo" local, Bill Wilson, was in 1st going in to Sunday, was OCS in Sunday's first race and finished 9th, easy to get buried with that many boats. The only trapeze weather was on Friday for race 3. All the rest were run in 5 to 10 knots (rare).

Wally was telling me the Guatemalans race on a lake now exclusively (lousy or no beach access) and the girls did very well (all bullets) in 16 Women, although the other "gringo" boys and women did at least make it interesting for them from time to time.

Being the weigh master for my first (maybe last?) 16 Open sure was interesting, compared to doing the 18/20's prior. Now, why wouldn't "that guy" give me the nice pliers we found in his sails since he had "no clue whose they were, or where they came from"? <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Forecast is light winds 'til Wednesday.

Thanks for the added details. I figured it had to be light airs. Sajdak has to be 130# dripping wet, and with no weight minimum on the boat...

Boy, looking at the first day results for the 16 Open, it looks like a LOT of good sailors got their throwout early! What a crooked set of numbers! It should be interesting to see how the rest of the week plays out -- who tows the line and who collects more throwouts.

They've got nothing for wind today, I doubt they even get called off the beach.

Tommorrow typical plains states winds pipe up to the upper teens, gusting mid 20's, out of the SE/SSE which doesn't give much depth for a proper course on Clear Lake. Gusting wind plus direction will make the weather mark the most difficult part of the course, only giving PU about 1.8 nm shore to shore to set a course (they may get off six or seven races).

Thursday, much the same wind speed, with rain again, but out of the SW. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> Wind from this direction makes for some nice lanes right down the lake.

map of Clear Lake, Iowa

John --

Keep those reports comin'. This is the only source of info as to what is going on out there. Thanks.

I see you were right about yesterday -- no races. Looks like it just turned into a 4-day regatta. Pressure turns up as each race will have greater impact. Given the first day's somewhat crooked results, should make for an interesting week.

Talked to Chris (MBounds crew) last night. PU called them off the beach about 2pm (8 mph wind) and they bobbed around 'til about 4pm, unable to set a course as the winds shifted erraticly. Prior to abandoning for the day, PU annouced a bottle of rum for the first boat to the beach, unsure who won.

Everyone is really looking forward to todays' forecast of 17mph G24mph. Don't be suprised if they make up for that missed day in number of races today <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

BTW, Bob Merrick started a post here and the event chair, Todd Wilson, started a blog on the Division 7 website

Wow - Newsome went from 40th to 6th. That's gotta be the biggest mover for the day... breeze on.

You're right, John. Newsome was tanked after Monday's light air races.

Div. 13 (Ricans, Mexico, Guatemala) have the top 4 spots. Ouch! Why don't they change the name from North American Championships to Div. 13 Championships or some other politically-correct moniker!

Pat Porter was top U.S. finisher at Worlds in Fiji last Oct. At 5th, doesn't look like he has lost any of that magic.

TWO throw-outs already? Are the scores correct? How many throw-outs can you get at this regatta?

Too bad the SIs don't appear to be online.

Mike

Yeah, that must be something new this year. Haven't seen that before.

Dang! There were a bunch of regattas I coulda used 2 throwouts...and 3 throwouts...and 4 throwouts...well, you get the picture!! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> Any chance of going retroactive on that?!!!!

I've seen it before, usually after more races, and not usually at Hobie regattas.

Get the picture? Dude, I've lived it! I'd like to go back and use just my best race for a whole bunch of regattas. Fleeting moments of brilliance can take you a long way in an otherwise dismal season...

Mike

I hate two throwouts - stupid idea. In fact, it is the worst idea I EVER HEARD OF! Any numbskull who advocates for two throwouts at a championship-level event should be SHOT!

oh, wait... <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

Actually, there aren't two throwouts.

The scorekeeper's not that familiar with SailWave and didn't change the default discard profile.

Corrected scores should be up today.

[sound of rifle de-****]

Thanks for the clarification Matt. It will be interesting to see what that does to the results.

I for one am not surprised at the standings. The 16 fleet at this level is stoked with rock stars, just being near the top 20 is a huge accomplishment. There are probably not less than 10 teams who came into it with an excellent chance of winning it all.

What is a bit more surprising is how bad the "bad" races were for a number of excellent sailors. I'm sure that had more to do with the conditions / capsizes / breakdowns, as we saw in RI in 2006.

I gotta figure John's comment was an inside joke? I'm figuring Captain Obvious would say 2 throwouts are probably something he's advocated???

Mike

All right!!!

That damned water tower cam never did get pointed in the proper direction, but Todd Wilson has the CLYC camera hooked up with live video. Division 7 blog post

The rain stopped just after 10am and the wind is mid teens gusting to mid 20's and clocking to the SW <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> remember my previous comment about the lanes. Expect five or six today. Looks like great weather for the Guatemalans.

Dang! That webcam is almost as good as they had in China! Now if we can just get Gary Jobson to do some commentary from the east coast while some guy shoots it from a helicopter!

Glad to hear they are back to one throwout. Two is nuts. I don't like it. One is a gift. A nice gift, but still a gift. Two is over-doing it. Sail consistent and you win.

This, of course, coming from the king of "hero-to-zero"!!

I waited patiently to view a start and just as the first few boats came in to the screen Todd started screwing with zoom and camera position <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> Was pissed so went to recheck the scores, they're fixed now. day 3 results

WInd now above 20 knots, gusting to high 20's, check out those dark puffs rolling across the water, and the wind turbine blades above the trees. Gotta love another typical day on the plains <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Francisco Figueroa has really stretched it out on the competition. Looks like a repeat winner if nothing goes wrong.

Some of those crooked numbers they put up the first day are starting to come back and haunt a few of the sailors. And look further down and you will see a bunch of boats -- incl Wally and Newsome & Ken Nelson -- did not compete in races 10, 11 and 12, but came back out for 13 and 14. What's up with that? Matt Bounds was broken down after race 10. Sat out 4 races. Too bad. Must be the kind of stuff that makes Hobie dealers rich! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Mr. Merrick posted this last night They've got a nice low throwout and in third place...go Gringos!

Happy to see most of the locals hung in there and have sailed every race, including Jim Sohn, the (rich?) Dealer, currently 16th.