MADISON, CT, JUNE 2-3, 2012: The Eastern Area F18 held the second in the Naragansett Cup Series at Madison, CT’s own Surf Club Beach by celebrating the memory of Madison’s and catamaran sailing mentor, Joe “Wild Thing” Manganello. Joe, a former member Blue Angels Flight Squadron, was beloved by all the students he instructed, and was influential in promoting the local interest of both recreational and competitive sailing through the Town’s ‘Share the Wind’ sailing school.
On this weekend, 14 F18 Sailing teams competed in the event of the Narragansett Brewery’s F18 2012 Summer Series, completing 9 races over two days in highly unusual and changeable weather conditions.
Saturday’s weather began ominously. News-Making storms were within 60 miles of the launch site, and gusts exceeding 50 kts were recorded on Central Long Island Sound Buoy within a few hours of the harbor call. Conditions remained uncharacteristically rough and windy for the beach at the start. With conditions too demanding for the Open Class participants, the F18 fleet set off for a day of changeable conditions, forecast to diminish through the afternoon. Starting off with south-easterly 7-11 knt wind and rain, and a rough sea-state appetizer, Race 1st was quickly followed by a pea-soup- fog drizzle main course with rapidly decreasing wind forcing competitors to guess about a course that might take them in the vicinity of the windward racing mark. At least one team was observed making a large arc 45 degrees away from the windward mark in the disorienting fog. Foggy races 2 and 3 were followed by almost science-fiction-like lifting of the fog to near calm and crystal clear ‘dessert’ conditions for the fourth and final race, validating the smart guys at NOAA forecast for diminishing winds and more favorable seas during the day. The final 4th race light air clear condition drifter certainly was not to be expected for the final race after such a gnarly start for the regatta.
With decreasing breeze, and a buffet of racing weather conditions behind the F18 fleet, the weather was now sunny skies and wind calmed ‘to perfect picnic conditions’. A wonderful meal was grilled by eager local volunteers and the University of Connecticut Sailing team. As always, lots of Narragansett libations and the usual snarky remarks and sailing talk. The end of day 1 Mike Easton and Sam Burd on the Nacra MkII were in the top spot, followed closely by former Olympic Champion Bob Merrick and Tyler Burd on their new C2, closely followed by former Madison resident and Joe Manganello protégé, Todd Riccardi with crew mate Brendon Scanlon, looking very comfortable on their recently acquired C2. Local Madison talent’s, (and Joe Manganello protégé’s Pete and John Giuliano) rounded out the top four in their Capricorn.
With a changing weather forecast all weekend, no one knew what to expect on the second day. Sailors arrived at the beach to find conditions and 10-14knt winds in the forecast. For racing, weather held to near ‘Champagne’ perfection, at 72 degrees and a light chop and races 5-9 were completed in a gentle but very steady 12kt southerly wind and clear skies. The outstanding conditions, favored Bob Merrick/Tyler Burd’s, who took got their boat finally tuned in resulting in 3 of 5 bullets on the final day.
The growing Eastern area fleet is showing many new faces, and boats, and upgraded equipment was certainly given a test in variety of racing conditions for this Madison Event. In the end, experience and speed was again atop the leader board with Mike Easton/Sam Burd and Bob Merrick/Tyler Burd. Now tied for net score following Bob Merrick’s hard charge on the final day, throw-outs sealed the deal with yet another win for perennial favorite Team Ronstan over Merrick’s Team Rocket. Todd Riccardi and Brendan Scanlon took third place.
Notably, throw outs and tie breakers carried several other placing decisions in the event, reflecting of the sheer competitiveness of the New England F18 fleet to drive an increasingly higher standard in racing, (especially over the past 2 years). Large portions of the fleet are now finishing within seconds of each other, and relatively minor transitions, course deviations and tactical decisions are carrying race outcomes in the speedy F18 platform. Finally, some of the best sailors found themselves challenged by jaw-dropping charges from lesser known upstarts, and everyone is very excited as to what competition the next events will bring.
The New England Fleet looks forward to the rest of the sailing season in New England, and especially the next Narragansett Cup Event, to be held at Hampton Beach, New Hampshire on 06/16/2012 – 06/17/2012. For additional information /more details about the Hampton Beach event, please visit http://www.nensa.org.
2012 Madison Sailing Association. Photo Credits: Jon Denton, Margi Goldstein and Chris Muckle
Part of the Narragansett Beer Eastern Area F18 Summer Series:
