International Etchells Class Association
Florida State Championships
published 04/23/2021
Results
Races 1-3
Races 4-5
Nineteen Etchells were treated to champagne sailing conditions, the best that Biscayne Bay can offer, for two solid days of racing in SE breezes of 12 to 16 knots. The typical Biscayne Bay chop that forms with SE winds was a big factor, and was exaggerated by the weekend surge of motorboats enjoying the beautiful sunny weather.
This report is being authored by Steve Benjamin, the helmsman of STELLA BLUE which won the event with 6 points. Benjamin’s normal crew were aboard - Michael Menninger (tactician), Joe Morris (spinnaker trimmer and strategist), and Ian Liberty (jib trimmer and bowman).
We had done four days of solid practice and brought in Grant “Fuzz” Spanhake as coach to assist Alex Sachs as coach boat captain. Due to the choppy conditions we decided to push the LM6R (North light medium radial jib) up-range. Since it’s fuller than the North MH1R (medium heavy radial) we felt it would be faster for the conditions.
The mainsail used was a standard North PCFM, and it seemed to be a good fit with the Whale spar we have been using these past two years.
The spinnaker used was a standard North FR2 runner. We were fast downwind with Joe using a dynamic trimming style coupled with frequent helm changes to account for gusts and lulls, extra choppy spots, shifts, and tactically with other boats.
STELLA BLUE teamed up with Scott Kaufman (6th) and Craig Mense (4th) during the practice ahead of the event, which certainly helped. Rounding out the top 6 were George Francisco (2nd), Jose Fuentes (3rd), and John Sommi (5th).
Of note, the Florida States was the first event of the Biscayne Bay Winter Series 2021. The Series is abbreviated this year due to Covid and will be decided by the Midwinters in mid-April. Benjamin has won the Series the past five years. Tactician Menninger has won it for six years (one with Argyle Campbell and five with Benjamin), but will not be with STELLA BLUE for the Midwinters.
Mark Watson was 7th, Peter Vessella with his new Ontario built USA 1491 was 8th, The Coral Reef Cup Champion Jud Smith was 9th, and Ante Razmilovic rounded out the top ten.
The Race Committee chaired by Mark Foster did a perfect job (as usual) and all the competitors were hugely appreciative of Biscayne Bay Yacht Club hosting the event, despite the prizes being mailed out and the traditional open bar that Benjamin avoided as a result. It was great to be back on the water sailing Etchells with top competition and ideal conditions.
The results are posted on Yacht Scoring.
STELLA BLUE’s coach Fuzz Spanhake took videos of the starts and mark roundings of every race. Here is the video link to the first three races on Saturday; and here is the video link to races 4 and five on Sunday.