2004 Chapel Thrill Regatta

The Chapel Thrill Regatta lived up to its name this past weekend, November 13-14, at Lake Jordan, North Carolina.  Local Jetters Barry and Suzanne Saunders and members of the Carolina Sailing Club hosted a great regatta.  Though they insist they are just a "trailer" or "gypsy" club, they put on one hell of a show.  They had great lunches, a fantastic Saturday night party and superb race committee work.  Eleven Jets showed up for this third regatta of the year in the new North Carolina Circuit of Jet sailing.

The Thrill part of the regatta began Saturday morning as the fleet showed up to rig and launch their boats.  The temperature was a chilly 50 degrees and it was blowing a solid twenty knots.  The start of racing was delayed for awhile.  Many of us were not very eager to capsize and freeze our butts off -- perhaps without even leaving the dock.  Eventually four or five boats got out to the start line and managed to not take a day-ending capsize.  The remainder came out after the winds died a bit (a small bit).

A few boats flew spinnakers; a few skippers went swimming; but mostly everyone had a great time once they were out there and racing .  The race committee managed to get off three races.  At the end of the day Chris MacMurray and his local crew were on top, followed by Bill Buckles/Matt Ayers and Jim/Elaine Lamb.  The day's thrills and chills only added to the lively conversation at Barry's party that evening.

The wind was supposed to die Sunday and the temperatures were supposed to get a little warmer.  Not quite what most of us signed on for when we came down for the regatta but at least an improvement.  Neither improved much but this time the fleet was much braver about getting out on the water.  Also, a few of us had been scored "DNS" on Saturday and had some ground to make up.

Sunday's two races were windward leewards with Marion Zaugg and crew Carol Van Kueren winning both, making up a lot of ground to get toward the top of the standings.  By the end of the day, there might have been only one capsize.  Almost everyone was able to fly a spinnaker.  Bill Buckles managed to win the regatta followed by a three way tie for second place.  Marion managed to win the tie breaker, followed by the Michoses and the Lambs.

The regatta was also the second half of the South Atlantic Yacht Racing Association's Jet 14 Championship.  It was the first time in decades SAYRA had such an award for Jets.  Dave and Sue Michos won the tie breaker to win the championship with Marion and Carol in second place.

It's fantastic to see the great racing North Carolina has put together.  The  Saunders, Tom Grace and Paula Pacheco deserve a lot of credit for putting together the Spring Thaw in April and this past regatta so that the class is promoted down south.  The venues of Lake Norman and Lake Jordan are similar: decent size lakes, nice facilities and usually warmer temperatures.  What's more, neither of the regattas are during other districts' "busy" seasons.  

I hope to see even more boats next year for the new North Carolina Circuit.