S
eattle’s J/24 fleet won the war every race with their spinnakers, while Probably more important, according
of attrition at North Sails Puget surfing downwind in waves reported to Sanderson, is having the boat set up
Sound Sailing Championships to be up to about six feet. right for the conditions. The Suspence
One Design Weekend, October 3-4 The winners were Eric Sanderson crew watches weather reports carefully,
off Shilshole Bay Marina, held by and his crew on Suspence, who prevailed makes its best guess on rig tension and
Corinthian Yacht Club. The lake-based on a tie-breaker with John Rahn on tuning before leaving the dock and fine
keelboats got off 11 races in up to 30 Rubber Ducky. Sanderson’s victory tunes between races. On Sunday, they
knots of breeze, as Skiffs and Moths came in spite of two premature starts, moved the mast butt forward slightly
were blown off the course Saturday, and only one of which could be thrown out. to increase the headstay tension.
Laser sailors wore out midway through Otherwise, he won five of the 11 races “It made a noticeable difference,”
the second day. and never finished below third. Sanderson said.
The foil-borne Moths were reported Big Dan Falk won the Laser Class, Crew experience also was a key.
to have been pitch-polling and otherwise winning six of the nine races and Four of the five on Suspence have sailed
crashing in the big waves and wind finishing 17 points ahead of his closest together at least five years and as many
before most of the six competitors gave competition. as 10. The fifth, though new to the group,
up the ghost after two races Saturday. Sanderson is a veteran of heavy- is an experienced J/24 trimmer.
Only two of three registered Skiffs even air buoy racing, having traveled to the “Heavy air exposes weaknesses
ventured out of the marina, and only one Columbia Gorge numerous times and in crew work,” Sanderson observed.
of those sailed even two races. racing as much as he can when the “When you make a mistake it tends
Obviously exhausted Laser sailors wind is up on Puget Sound in the fall to have greater impact. Our sets,
limped off the course after starting and in spring. takedowns and mark roundings went
with 15 boats Saturday and ending up What were his secrets of success: pretty well, and we worked hard at
with only eight finishing their ninth “We always as a team try to sail as keeping the boat flat.”
race Sunday, when they agreed to call close to max crew weight (883 pounds He also gave credit to John Rahn.
it quits. on a J/24) as we can,” Sanderson said. “I think he sailed really well, and we
But the J/24s, the heaviest boats out “It’s a bit of a handicap in the lighter had some excellent downwind surfing
and the only keelboats, made it through air we have here, but you don’t have duels. It was great competition.”
the weekend with relatively little to get too far up the wind scale before by Bruce Sherman
carnage, all but a couple of them sailing that weight is an advantage.” photos by Jan Anderson
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48° No r t h , No v e m b e r 2009 Pa g e 43
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