Thanks to Rick Jarchow, Jr. for this report: The conclusion of the fourth annual 2017 J/24 Florida State Championship Series was the last weekend in July. Eleven boats sailed the final event of the Florida State Championship which doubled as the District 10 Championship. With teams organizing and getting their boats rigged and into the water at the US Sailing Center Miami, the Race Committee lead by PRO Carl Schellbach put the plan in order to get racing started. All 11 boats were in the water and rigged and ready to go by the 11am Competitors’ Meeting at the US Sailing Center Breezeway. With few if any questions to the Sailing Instructions and post racing events, the teams started heading out onto Biscayne Bay in a light 5 to 8 knots of wind. The fleet gathered to the north of the old seaplane channel, and the first start went off right on time at 13:00 with all 11 boats vying for the top spot on the starting line. Leading the fleet with his local knowledge was fleet newbie Eamonn deLisser with his new-to-him J/24 Main Squeeze. Eamonn had worked tirelessly to get Main Squeeze put together for this regatta after purchasing the boat from an insurance claim. Showing his speed and knowledge had him leading other local boats USA 216 with Fleet 10 Newbie Tim Banks sailing a borrowed boat; next was Tampa Bay perennial winner John Poulson with USA 2917 Longshot, followed by Exit Strategy and Sugar. With so much talent packed at the top, the boats separated on the run to the leeward gate, with Exit Strategy and Sugar showing off some immense boat speed in the light air to round 1 and 2. The first race ended with Sugar in first and Exit Strategy in second. The Race Committee did an excellent job of keeping the races to 40 to 45 minutes and cycling the starts off super quickly. Race two and race three had the usual suspects at the top of the fleet. The difference was that the fleet kept getting more and more aggressive with the line, and after a postponement, the RC deciding that they would instruct the fleet to behave by pulling out the I flag. Another start sequence and a general recall, and with the pending threat of a Black Flag start, the fleet backed off the line in order to get the race started. The day ended with perennial winner John Poulson and the crew of LongShot finishing the day in first with a 4,1,1, with Seth Rosenthal right behind in Sugar, with deLisser hot on the trail in third. At 4:30 after three very perfect races by the Race Committee, the fleet departed the race course for the docks of Coral Reef Yacht Club and the US Sailing Center for tales of the race course. It is always interesting to hear the stories as they change with the more alcohol applied. he Coral Reef pool and pool bar always seem to be a favorite meeting place for teams after racing. With the conclusion of racing and dinner time upon us, the fleet moved from Coral Reef and the Sailing Center up to North Coconut Grove and the Pincus Clubhouse (home of Mark and Jane Ann Pincus). One of the staples of this event since it was started by Fleet 10 in 2007 is the Saturday night party is at someone’s home, which has been the Pincus’ for the past four or five years. Once again the Pincus’ household did not disappoint as everyone continued with tales from the race course and enjoyed each other’s company. Big shout out to Katie Doggendorf of Bacardi who is also a crew in the fleet for sponsoring the Bacardi bar at the Pincus’ AND the trophies after racing Sunday! With the party winding down, the crews of LongShot and Sugar wanted to get some local flavor on Calle Ocho at the 82-year-old Ball and Chain for some local Cuban drinks and music. The bands did not disappoint, and the crews of Exit Strategy and Scout’s Honor joined in the fun and camaraderie that is so prevalent in the J/24 Class! Day two the breeze did not disappoint as the fleet departed their slips for the race course just outside the barrier island and to the north of the Seaplane channel. Once again, the Race Committee was spot on in getting the first race underway right on time and found the leaders battling all the way around the race course. Four races where sailed between 10:30 am and 1:30 pm to allow the fleet to be back at the US Sailing Center and Coral Reef by 2:30 to be hauled out and broken down for road travel. Once again not to be disappointed, the fleet had trophies for mid-fleet and third, second and first. With Mark Pincus (Scout’s Honor/Fleet 10 Captain) announcing the awards outside the US Sailing Center breezeway, the regatta was coming to a conclusion once more, marking the 10th successful Florida State Championship. A special thanks goes out to both Long Shot and Sugar for traveling over from Tampa. We are so happy that they enjoyed the venue once again. Thanks to PRO Carl Schellbach and his Race Committee team, and to JaneAnn Pincus for the party at her house and finally to Fleet Captain Mark Pincus for organizing this regatta. Results are as follows:
- Long Shot, John Paulson USA 2917, 7pts
- Main Squeeze, Eamonn deLisser, USA 1758, 22pts
- MuyMuy, Patricio Sly, USA 2843, 22Pts
- Zia, Patrick Firsch, USA 2314, 23Pts
- Sugar, Seth Rosenthal, USA 2502, 26Pts
- Exit Strategy, Rick Jarchow, Jr. USA 5333, 31pts
- Fast Track, Gary Sprague, USA 4591, 37pts
- Scout’s Honor, Mark Pincus, USA 3416, 38pts
- USA 216, Tim Banks, USA 216, 41 pts
- La Nina, Manny Leon, USA 139, 58pts
- Ericka II, Andres Martinez, USA 3696, 61pts