TAYC Frostbite 2006 (back to Regatta Results)

November 4, 2006

Penguin Sailors,

As the Penguin season draws to a close the regattas seem to get better and better. The TAYC Frostbite sailed on Saturday, November 4th was easily one of the best of this year. It featured a beautiful fall day with exceptionally challenging conditions, a highly competitive fleet and fine race management chaired by Elizabeth Wainwright.

Of special note there were several new or almost new and young Penguin skippers in this regatta. Alan Campbell sailed with his father Tom and had an outstanding regatta with a first in the last race and a second overall. High School freshman Taylor Penwell skippered Roger Pickall’s boat with Roger as crew. They showed good speed and just edged out Laura Beigel who sailed with Elizabeth Weaver. Laura is just coming out of a summer of intense 420 sailing on the Chesapeake and in Massachusetts and she and Elizabeth spent the first three races reminding themselves that a Penguin isn’t a 420. (Super roll tacks make the boat go slower not faster.) When that little revelation finally got through they came up with a fine fourth place in the last race. Joe and Scott Fernon put in a repeat appearance in the intriguingly named Thunder Chicken only to be edged by Monty Baker sailing with regular crew Donna McKenzie. Finally, super crew Danielle Prager made a long awaited return trip to Penguin sailing and proved that she has lost none of her edge in the several years since her last regatta. Thanks Danielle.

The dying northerly featured large and unpredictable shifts and big puffs which were equally difficult to plan for. All of the twelve boats finished with double digit scores for the four races and each of the top eight had at least one top four finish. Although Jonathan and Annie Bartlett had two bullets they did not dominate the regatta. Alan and Tom were only two points behind with David Cox sailing with Queen Julie (a big first place in the second race) only three points down from Alan. Charlie and Douglas Krafft and Ed Lutz were only seven and eight points out of first place making a close spread for the top six boats. Dick Kelly, who says he is trying to sell his beautiful boat, is clearly working to prove it’s worth (and perhaps talk himself into staying in the class). He scored a well earned third place in the final race and squeaked over Bill and Barbara Lane with that and one other very respectable finish.

PRO Elizabeth Wainwright and an all star cast and crew on the race committee and support boats proved up to the challenge of the big shifts. The line was always square, if even for a little while and they made the correct but often difficult decision when they blew off the third race when an extra big shift made it a drag race to the weather mark. Thanks to Elizabeth and everyone on the RC team and thanks to TAYC for a fine regatta.

Come to the ICPFR this coming Saturday.

Paul