ATLANTIC COAST CHAMPIONSHIP

Cedar Point Yacht Club, Westport, CT, Fleet 126, July 26-27, 1997

Brian Hayes

Promises of clear weather, good winds and a great time brought 48 eager teams to Cedar Point Yacht Club in Westport, CT to try and dethrone defending ACC champion and regatta chairman Ched Proctor and win the 1997 Atlantic Coast Championships. A Friday afternoon informal seminar/short course racing session, which brought out close to 10 boats, was run by Ched and Brian Hayes. Perhaps the secret to success on the weekend could be attributed to watching others race that afternoon.

In any case the Race Committee, headed by the seasoned veteran and top Thistle sailor, Ted Fontileau, held a 11:00am skippers meeting and sent everyone out for the 2 mile sail to the course.

Race #1- Wind SW @ 6-10kts.

The pin was slightly favored. Al Boucher, from Canada, Maury Benbow and Phil Grotheer started near the pin. Ched was in the middle of the line and we were near the boat. Immediatly after the start the whole fleet tacked to port. we seemed to be leading the group on the right while Ched led the middle pack and Al and Maury steamed up the left. Towardsthe end of the beat the wind went a bit further left and built a touch. This allowed Al and Maury to stretch out a bit. Ched found himself around 10th while we rounded in the 20's. Soon after rounding the mark Gianni Cuccio, who was right next to us, suggetsted to us that perhaps a gybe might be a good thing. We agreed and procceded to sail down the shore into 5th. Ched also gained by gybing early and went to 4th. The next beat proved uneventful with the exception of us passing Ched. At this point Maury, Al and Phil Grotheer had a firly comfortable lead on us, Ched and Larry Colontuano. I think Phil gybed towards shore earlier than the other two boats and held on to win. Maury and his team sailed a terrific race to finish second. "Big Al" was third, we were 4th, Larry 5th and Ched 6th.

Race #2- Wind SW @ 4-8kts.

Stuart Nickerson started just to leeward of us and we both again tacked to port quickly. I believe Stuart was able to get a lane and stay on port while we swapped tacks with Ched, "Big Al", and Ryan Dunn from New Jersey. After everyone settled into their respective lanes Stuart stretched out to a good size lead. We were able to round 2nd in front of a large group including Ched, Gianni, Ryan, Don Brush and Sean Carroll. The run mixed 3rd through 8th up a little as Stuart and our team were able to extend on the light air run. Another beat and run without much position changes. Stuart held on to win fairly comfortably. We were 2nd. Ched held off Gianni for 3rd while Sean was 5th and the ever present Ryan Dunn was 6th.

Race #3- Wind SW @ 3-5 and dying

It appears that this is the race that Ched began to unwind from his duties as regatta chairman and decided to begin his clinic. The wind was dying and it was later in the day. All signals to go right. Hard! Ched was at the boat at the start. He left 6'-7' between his boat and the Committee Boat so we took it. After squeezing through between Ched and the boat and having pinned him on starboard he calmly asked if we intended to tack as soon as we cleared the committee boat and go the right way! We told him that was our intention. We both tacked and Ched began extending. Ched, Stuart, Ryan Dunn, Ted Duffy, ourselves and Gianni rounded the first mark in, roughly, that order. The reaches were (yawn) a parade. I recall the committee shortening the course in the dying breeze and moving the finish to the left. Ched was first, Stuart 2nd and Ted, coming on strong for 3rd. Ryan hung in the dying breeze for 4th while Bob Bush and Tim Healy got to the right of us for 5th and 6th.

So after 3 races the results were:
Ched 10pts
Brian 13pts
Ryan 17pts
Stu 19pts
Gianni 22pts

Fleet 126 did their traditional steak dinner which was terrific, thanks to Judy Proctor and her team of volunteers. Afterwards Maria White invited everyone to her parents house for a "blender sports" party. Although unable to attend I did hear everyone had a great time "spinning vinyl", finding out where Maria "got all this stuff" and sleeping at the Ford Motor Inn.

In any case Sunday arrived (far too early for some) and brought with it no wind. After a 1 1/2 hour shore postponement we sailed out to the race course in a very light South Easterly. After waiting another 1 1/2 hours Ted Fontileau and his team set up a W/L twice around course just before the time limit was to end for racing.

Race #4- SE @ 2-5 kts. Dying to 0 and shifting SW @ 8kts.

The pin was favored again and Larry Colantuano port tacked the fleet. Ched started mid line with us about 20 boat lengths to his right. The "black flag" kept everyone off the line and with the current against us Ched and ourselves were poked out in front of the fleet. Within a minute the whole fleet had tacked and started the long port tack to the mark. Ched, us, ìBig Alî, Larry, and Ted Duffy seemed to be a bit quicker than the fleet and rounded the first mark in that order. Ched extended to a big lead while we were tied together with Larry and Tim Healy, who had made some nice gains at the end of the first beat. Larry got inside us at the leeward mark and we were just ahead of Tim. Larry had a rough rounding and we were able to sail clear and get to the left of him and Tim. We tacked onto port around 10 boatlengths past Cheds line. The wind then went left and built a bit. This put us comfortably ahead of the boats we rounded with and closer to Ched. On the run we carried breeze from astern and closed to within a boatlength of Ched. The breeze then shut down completely. We chased Ched to the right and he got to the new seabreeze first and reached across the line to win the race and his 2nd ACCís in a row. We crossed 2nd followed by "Big Al" Boucher, Ted Duffy, Gianni, Tim and Ryan Dunn.

Ched and his team of Ned Roseberry and Jay Lurie finished strong with 2 bullets to cap of a great regatta. They certainly sailed better and faster than the rest of us. My crew Eric Macklin and Ellen Starck were outstanding and were a pleasure to sail with. Our runner-up finish was a direct result of their teamwork. 3rd Place finishers Ryan Dunn with Mike Buckowski and Melissa Scholz sailed a consistent, solid regatta. I am certain that Ryanís team will be winning a few of these before to long. Gianni Cuccio had John Verelley and Kathryn Josenhans as his crew. They also sailed a great regatta. It was amazing since I know that Gianni put hours into the advertising for the event (Gianni, how do you do it??!!). In 5th was Tim Healy and his team Maria "pass the rum" White and Mike Breault. Throughout the weekend Timmy and his team ground back from some bad spots to post all top 10 finishes. A terrific job.

Once again the CPYC and Fleet 126 did a great job. Also, Ched must be congratulated for not only winning the event but organizing it also. See everyone at the Fall Classic!!!