January 10, 2010
Paige Brooks, Etchells NA Correspondent
 
“Ice boating conditions” was what many said after day 1 of racing in the Etchells  Jaguar Series in what  is usually a balmy Miami Florida. Boston area born, now local sailor Chris Lanza won Race 1 seemingly feeling at home in this cold weather; he rounded the top mark in first and kept his lead downwind in what he described as “a little bit hairy” conditions.   The boats were certainly rocking back and forth downwind.   Bill Hardesty, sailing 3-up, won the day with a 5-1-5 and would have been very happy not to sail in the record low temps (39F with gusts to 25) on Sunday morning.  In fact, 20 racers decided just that and packed it up on Sunday morning.
 
Bone chilling weather not withstanding, the signal boat left the dock at 9 and the racers knew they had to go out and do it again for two more races.  Since the series of 5 races includes a drop, the racing got tight after race 4, when top three teams (Hardesty, Siegal, Razmilovic) were within 3 points of each other, Hardesty lying in 3rd.  Hardesty sealed the weekend with a bullet in race 5, finishing with 12 points overall, by playing the left side of the course in shifty conditions.  Hardesty was happy, but said, “I’m still cold!”
 
The other news of the day was a collision near the windward mark in the first race of the day on Sunday, causing one of the largest holes even some of the old salts have ever seen in an Etchells.  Fortunately no one was hurt and RC boats were immediately on scene to assist them safely back to shore.
 
The next race in the Jag Series is the Florida States, starting February 27.
 
Bill Hardesty, Quinten Strauss, Jack Jennings, 12
Jeff Siegal, Jeff Madrigali, Willem Van Waay,  J. Delashmutt 17
Marvin Beckman, Curt Oetking, Bruce Nelson, 17
Ante Razmilovic, Chris Larson, Stuart Flinn, 18
Tom Lihan, Dirk Kneulman, Moose McClintock,  23
 
Full results: http://www.etchellsfleet20.org/2010_jag/2010Doren_results.html