Whittemore St John Regatta

Lake Quassapaug, June 25-26, 2016

Report by Joel Zackin – courtesy of SCIRA USA

The regatta is over, everything is put way. I take one last walk around the club looking for errant garbage and left behind items. I think the work is done until the next regatta we host. And then, Monday morning, comes the request I dread, “can you write a regatta report, we have a Tuesday deadline for the newsletter”. So here we go. Note, many liberties have been taken and out right lies included with the reporting of this event. Many of the comments are “inside” jokes, known only to Quassy participants. To get the real story of what went on, you should consider attending a Quassy regatta.

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Twenty one plus boats gathered for the event. I say twenty one plus because some folks, like Kevin and Vivian Heatherington-Young brought two boats but could only figure out how to sail one. I think they brought two boats so that they would have the correct boat for the one rudder they brought.

The Roumainer clan showed up en mass, sailing in and unprecedented four boats. I want to be a member of the youngest Rosemanier generation. Dad (Art) setup and splashed their boats for them. Mom (Jen) set up the tents and bedding. All Kelly and Andrew, and Adam and Annie had to do was describe how difficult their travels to the lake were, step in and go sailing. How do I sign up to be a Rewmanire kid? Do I need to know how to spell Rousmaniere?

Regatta management can be a real art. Steve and Alex Milt wanted to know were they could fish. They reported catching a large one, but all we saw was an empty hook.

One goal of the weekend was to teach Keri Obrien how to keep the mast in the boat. She and Art R were sailing “Lally”. John (Lally) was a Quassapaug regular, very missed, but very felt in spirit.

At the Competitors Meeting, Quassy new comer, Zack Kelchner unknowingly played the part of Lee Griffith, asking if we would have a “Throw Out” (discard) in the scores. Did someone put him up to it? Did he know he would need it? Were was Lee?

The weekend was beautiful weather delivered by high pressure over the region. Read “no wind”. On Saturn’s Day we waited until 3pm for the South sea breeze to appear. Thanks to the efficient race management of Meghan Murphy and Michaela McMahon, two very excellent races were run before the party began. You can see the results of what happened on the race course below. Sue Lodico and Jan Tabor did some crafty sailing to end the day third. But no one knew that, since the race management (me) completely forgot to post, or even compile the scores after the first day of racing.

After racing Art and Adam gave a windsurfing demo (toys abound at Quassy). Seems like they had not been on a board in many many years. Also seen on windsurfers over the weekend where Enoc, Illysa, Minna, Jurgen, Joel, and Arthur. We can use the word ‘smooth’ to describe Arthur’s snipe sailing, but on a windsurfer, maybe not. Smiles were everywhere afterwards.

Dinner was great, thanks to the leadership of Enid Gendron. Late into the evening a music circle formed by the tents. I cannot report on all the musicians, but Arthur Blodgett and Kevin Heatherington-Young played guitar. The cooler was played, with great form, by Art R and Ryan O’Hare. Holly and Gavin O’Hare were unusually subdued, allowing Maeve and Ryan the spotlight.

Late at night, Annwalt was confused and flustered as to the disappearance of Keri, who she owed a ride to their lodgings.

Despite 70+ years of hydrating with beer, Jack Gannon gave us a scare with an ER trip due to leg cramps. Jack, let Jen crouch in the boat. Learn to drive seated!!

Two more races were sailed on the Sun’s Day. Bob Coyle and Ann Walt Stallings won the last race of the day. Out of character, Bob kept a low profile all weekend and failed to three-peat on a special award.

Many Awards were given. The coveted “Take a Bow Award” went to Enid Gendron for feeding us Art R and Ryan O’Hare for their spirited cooler drumming.

The “Get a Clew” Award (a jib clew) was decisively won by Zack Kelchner and Lauren Shoene. They over heard the race committee and regatta management discussing potential courses for the last race. Even though it was announced that we could not find our Windward Leeward Flag, and therefore that course would not be sailed. They decided a “T” flag stood for WL anyway. I think they won their private race. Bob and Kevin are going to have to try harder in August to win this award.

Sailing Awards were given to too many folks to name in many categories: including16^th Place, and 6^th place. At the awards ceremony all the regatta announcements happened after the trophies were given out. Did no one tell Zack, to properly play the part of Lee, one must announce an upcoming regatta in the middle of the awards?

1	30473	Arthur Blodgett & Kim Calnan	1	1	3	3	8
2	30679	Gavin & Maeve O’Hare	2	8	1	7	18	#1 Father/Daughter Team
3	28542	Bob Coyle & Ann Walt Stallings
4	28442	Sue Lodico & Jan Tabor	3	5	7	10	25	#1 Sibling Team
5	30470	Kerry O’Brien & Art Rousmaniere	6	6	8	6	16	Sailing “Lally”
6	29782	Zack Kelchner & Lauren Shoene	4	2	2	dnf	27	#1 Quassy Rookies
7	31204	Ray Schmit & Margret Laurence	4	8	14	9	33
8	31204	Harry Waskow & Alex Korn	12	7	10	4	33
9	29704	Kevin & Vivian Heatherington-Young	11	3	16	5	35	#1 Married Couple
10	31280	Adam Rousmaniere & Annie McNernay	10	4	13	8	35
11	26026	Peter & Leslie Zackin	9	15	4	Dns	50	#2 married couple
12	29964	Bob & Jane Panza	16	17	6	13	50	#3 married couple
13	29311	Gilmore & Alice Oneil	13	12	11	14	50	#2 father daughter/rookie
14	28004	Jurgen & Minna Hollock	15	11	15	11	52	#3 father daughter team
15	29499	Kelly Rousmaniere & Andrew Goldfarb	14	17	14	12	57
16	30330	Steve & Alex Milt	17	13	12	16	58	#1 father son team
17	16333	Jack Gannon & Jen Rousmaniere	7	10	Dns	Dns	61
18	26128	Charlie Baywood & Matt Wiesgable	18	19	19	15	71
19	29111	Darryl Waskow & Joel Zackin	Dns	Dns	20	9	73
20	29111	Enoc Escobar & Illysa Hall	19	17	17	20	73
21	26665	Ian & Robert Ray	20	Dns	18	17	77	#1 son father team