D12 CENTRAL CHAMPIONSHIP COLUMBIA SAILING CLUB 

SEPTEMBER 27-28   

The D12 Central Championship was a great event hosted by the Columbia Sailing Club.  The members were gracious hosts providing a Friday night gathering for the early arrivals in the middle of a swirling low pressure center.  Saturday and Sunday morning, they provided coffee and treats to help clear our heads, and on Saturday evening hosted a happy hour followed by a wonderful dinner on the veranda.  Most of the sailors car-camped, sleeping in either their vehicles or in tents.  For any of you who have not been to this club, they have a sandy beach to launch from which is immediately adjacent to the camping area and only a stone’s throw from the club.  This is a must go regatta located in the center of our district.   

23 full rigs and 5 radials came to play despite the turbulent economic times and the threat of no gasoline!    

We sailed 5 light air races with the wind between 2 - 8 knots with five different race winners [Robby Wilkins, John Potter, Stanely Hassinger, Charlie Usher and Matthew Widlansky.]  Admittedly, these are my conditions, as Peter Gamble always reminds me before any light air race.  I sailed a consistent series and won.   

The most important aspect of my game plan was to foot towards pressure.  I felt that I sailed lower but faster when I was able to get enough lateral separation from my pinching competitors.  My starting strategy was to start on the favored third of the line and closer to the middle when the line was neutral.  Good line sights were easy to get on the distant shore line, and I was usually punched out at least a boat length at the start.  When the pin was favored, I avoided the big crowds at the pin which was a coffin corner and usually a couple of boats were over early and only one or two escaped.  After the start, I headed for the side with greater pressure and at times accepted a little dirty air to get out to the “darker water.”  After about a third of the weather leg was completed, I took advantage of even the smallest header to start to work back to the middle to avoid banging the corner.  Most of the race winners picked the favored side on the first windward leg but frequently were buried in the next race if they picked the wrong side.  John Potter, who is one of our larger competitors, won the lightest race of the weekend.  Congratulations John!  But why did he keep sailing into the light air cove of death on Sunday looking for some phantom cove breeze?  The biggest wind shift with a nice velocity increase occurred immediately after finishing the last race.  Yes, it came out of the cove!  Sorry John, maybe next year.  Chris Stang, with his excellent down wind speed, sailed a very consistent series with all his finishes between 4 - 6 and finished 2nd.  John Coolidge, who drives from Tennessee and has made all the D12 events, had a great Sunday and finished 3rd.  Seph Limehouse finished 4th. Doug Sherwood finished 5th and yes the trophies went five deep and Doug went home with a smile!          

The five radials had a good time with the winner coming down to the last race.  The radials which started about 6-7 minutes before the full rigs and were well sailed; the leaders were never caught by the full rigs.  Benton Whitesides and Foster Marshall had a dog fight and were tied after four races.  Foster won the last race and the regatta was his.  The full rigs need to pay attention to this young man - rumor has it he is already 6 feet tall.  When he fills out he will be ready to challenge the “big wind boys.”   

Thanks again to Robert Key and all the Columbia Sailing Club volunteers!  This was an outstanding regatta for the second year in a row!   

 Da Man !

See you in Charleston,   

Charlie Usher

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