Chesapeake Bay Laser Masters Championship Recap
on Sunday October 17, 2010 09:59PM
Every recent Chesapeake Bay Laser Masters regatta has been memorable for various reasons and this years edition has been no different. Mother Nature came through again, not with rain, nor high water, but with wind. The 29th Chesapeake Bay Laser Masters Championship will be a regatta that the 43 Laser sailors who came to Fishing Bay Yacht Club will not soon forget.
John Bertrand from Annapolis Yacht Club was our overall champion and Masters division winner with just 21 points. Peter Seidenberg (Sail Newport) overcame a few point deficit on Saturday to edge ahead of James Jacob (Fishing Bay Yacht Club) to take 2nd overall and 1st Great Grand Master. James finished 3rd overall and 2nd Master.
David Frazier (Frostbite Yacht Club) was the first Grand Master while Jeff Moore (Southern Maryland Sailing Association) was first Apprentice Master. Karen Long (Severn Sailing Association) was the first Woman.
On Saturday the fleet was treated to winds in the mid-twenties with gusts well over 30 out of the west. The carnage was brutal; more than half the fleet didnt finish the first race. The long modified gold cup course in the middle of the Piankatank in a short chop was a challenge even for the heartiest of sailors. About a dozen of the sailors took advantage of the masters rig-swap rule allowing them to take out a Radial and sail in the same fleet.
Following that first windy race the fleet went back to the beach at the club while the race committee picked up the stranded, disabled and misdirected lasers scattered around the bay.
A short time later a new course was set inside Fishing Bay that was sheltered a little from the wind, but mostly from the waves and about 30 sailors headed back out for 3 more races. Those who were on shore including some of the offshore sailors sitting out their regatta going on at the same time, were treated to some wild racing not far from the FBYC dock.
Saturday night Alain Vinceys fabulous dinner of pork shanks the size of two fists kept sailors minds off their wounded bodies and egos. Alain was treated to an ovation when dinner was served and everyone enjoyed great camaraderie typical of Laser Masters regattas.
On Sunday morning sailors were greeted to beautiful sailing conditions- sun and 8-14 out of the south west. 4 more long windward leeward races were sailed and it was tough to find a sailor who didnt have a smile on their face afterward.
Sharon and Ric Bauer did a great job running race committee in some difficult conditions. And thanks to their help Matt Lambert, Lud Kimbrough, Barb Guenther, Amy Miller, Jim Lytle, Brad Miller, Ruthanna Jenkins, Ron Jenkins, Noel Clinard, and Mellisa Orndorff.
Fishing Bay Yacht Club would like to thank our sponsor Layline.com and all of the sailors from around the region for coming. We hope theyll come back next spring for the District 11 Championship and again next fall for the 30th Chesapeake Bay Laser Masters Championship.
Read a write-up from day 1 with some great quotes from the sailors. Complete Results can be found here.