A
nother chapter has been written
into the long and venerable history
of the San Juan 21 Western National
Championship regatta. As often happens
in yacht racing, participants in the 2009
Western Nationals battled both their
competitors and the elements. However,
instead of the rainstorms typical of a
location such as Brownsville, WA, the
primary element that the sailors faced
was heat. The day before the regatta
Seattle saw a temperature of 103 degrees!
Combined with high humidity the
heat was nothing short of oppressive,
making every movement and thought
take longer than it ought to.
The other challenge was the winds,
which took until mid afternoon to build
on both race days. This led to some long
mornings around the coffee craft and on
the dock where long time San Juan racers
caught up on old friendships while
the new generation built relationships
for the years to come. Despite the San Juan 21 Western National Regatta
challenging conditions the event was
permeated by all the positive energy had an answer for their boat speed or their final finish by one spot over their
and camaraderie which is the hallmark tactics and every mark rounding from 2008 National results. The Working Sail
of San Juan 21 sailors. There were the the second race on was done only to fleet proved once again just how fast you
inevitable borrowed sails, and quick find yourself staring down a transom can push a SJ21 without a spinnaker by
repairs. We also had some local crew sporting a smiling frog from Fleet #52. catching half the All Sails boats despite
helping out of town boats, and some The second fastest boat on the water was not flying spinnakers and starting five
very amusing dock pranks (How did Blue Pearl skippered by Bob Abelin of the minutes behind.
that 10 pound sea star ever manage to new Fleet #5 in Canyon Ferry, Montana. Big thanks to everyone who traveled
crawl into my cockpit?). Throughout the Bob’s first effort with the spinnaker to this event & made it so memorable!
event a sense of community developed matched his second place Working Sails by Andy Caples
and most everyone left with bigger finish from last year, and in almost any photo by Mike Shafer
smiles and more friends than they had other regatta his three 2nds and one 1st
arrived with. sailing clinic which would have been
Pl Sail# Skipper Boat
The story of the All Sails class was enough to win outright. After the top
Working Sails Class
supposed to be how the experiment to two spots, the competition was fierce 1 1678 Tom Mills Toady Juan
remove the genoa from the sail inventory with just six points separating spots 2 2457 Oscar Barney Muscrat
almost doubled the number of boats three to seven going into the final race.
3 1515 Sean Randle Osprey
flying spinnakers. Thirteen boats from Ultimately Wooglin was sailed through
4 2063 Jim Miller Jessie
five fleets, four states, & two countries the fray into third for the regatta by Chris
5 876 Thomas Kyle Pilot Car
threw up a spinnaker in the battle & Chris Popich with help from Cindy &
6 19 Bill Jenks BoB
7 843 Tim Llynch Coir Joat
for the All Sails Cup. Under normal Aaron Maki.
8 2304 Hank Erbele Lunatique
circumstances the fact that five of the last The story of the Working Sails class
9 1543 Jack Caldwell Rasacal
year’s Working Sails boats (including was the incredibly tight racing in the
Spinnaker Class
perennial Working Sails boats such as top of the class. Going into the final race 1 1033 Marc Vander Schalie Kermit
Wes Vaughn’s Yellowjacket) threw up a there were four boats separated by just 2 714 Bob Albelin Blue Pearl
chute would be the talk of the regatta. All three points. It was anybody’s regatta
3 986 Chris Popich Wooglin
of this was completely overshadowed by to win and with the chips down Toady
4 1524 Stephen Jensen Charmed Juan
the dominating performance of Kermit Juan, Muskrat, & Osprey (all from Fleet
5 759 Andy Caples Limpet
sailed by the father/son team of Marc & #43 in Coos Bay) came in 1st, 2nd, &
6 130 Ruth Barcus Mean, Green, & Ugly
7 1032 Bill Parsons Sierra Star
John VanderSchalie, Wenatchee, WA. 3rd respectively for the final race and
8 543 Don Howell Marla
After a 6th in the first race where the regatta.
9 1623 Wes Vaughn Yellowjacket
half the fleet was caught in a big dead For Tom Mills and his son Tim on
10 2601 Gene Adams PGS Juan
zone on the left side of the course, Toady Juan it was a successful defense of 11 1759 Robert Huth The 1st Juan
Marc & John turned it on to put in four his Working Sails Title from 2008. While 12 1641 Michael Dukes Great Excuse
consecutive first place finishes. Nobody Oscar, Muskrat, Osprey each improved 13 630 Scott Laroy Wild Juan

48° No r t h , oc t o b e r 2009 Pa g e 43
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