The Jet 14 Class, Edgewater Yacht club and everyone owes a great thanks to the Sponsors of the 2004 Jet 14 Nationals: Title Sponsored by Mitsubishi Electric (Cliff Peshek #1131), Event Sponsored by AC/Delco (John Gemperline #665), Captain Morgan Rum (Robert Rocawich, EYC Assistant Clubhouse Manager), Wanenmacher Insurance (John Wanenmacher), almost 30 "Sponsor-a-Keg" sponsors and 40+ donations of Silent Auction items and giveaways.

Mitsubishi and others went a long way in covering the costs of getting such a great Principal Race Officer as Ken Legler, supplying skippers and crew with superior regatta clothing, and putting on fun events afterward like the AC/Delco Blender Party with Captain Morgan Rum and the Bill Buckles Liquor Box Blender.

For anyone who could not come, this was a Nationals not to be missed.  Ken Legler and the top notch crew of Edgewater YC Race Committee volunteers (headed by Mike Dills) set nice square lines of proper length, set nice courses, usually Modified Olympic Triangles and a couple of five-legged windward leewards.  The wind shifts were quite significant shown by about 250 degrees of rightward oscillations on Friday.  Ken, Mike and crew were on top of it all though, making pretty exact "Changes of Course" at both windward and leeward marks -- even making the leeward gates square.  Besides the rain and swells/chop greater than the wind there was not much to complain about.  The top two finishers raved about the club and facilities and said the event was the best they'd been to or it was the best Nationals.  Having such a great PRO as Ken Legler was worth the cost.

The racing itself was quite tight, though nine-time champion Brent Barbehenn skipper and crew Nicole Finefrock were usually at the top in #698.  A few of us  managed to stick with him through some of the races.  Brent would always manage to flash a little better boat speed when it counted or show some great sense of the wind on the race course.  As both the 2004 National Champion and newly elected President of the Jet 14 Class, I'm sure he'll pass down some tidbits either in the Jet Blast or online at the Jet14.com website or the website's Message Board.  Brent walked away with eight first place finishes.

Battling for second and third were law firm partners Dirk Schwenk (crew Adam Gilbertson) in #1137 and Todd Lochner (crew Jen Campbell).  Though their firm is named "Lochner and Schwenk" their finishing positions were opposite as Dirk managed to finish four points ahead of Todd.  The rest of the top ten were 4th place #1132 Marion Zaugg (crew Carol Van Kueren); 5th Sean Defusco (crew Kerrie Defusco); 6th #1134 Bill Buckles (crew Matt Ayers); 7th #1149 Ted Reshetiloff (crew Pete Appell) in a brand new Jibe Tech hull; 8th Dave Michos (crew Sue Michos) in the top placing wood boat); 9th #952 Hank Boissenault (crew Jill Barnes); and #10 #717 Tom Grace (crew Paula Pacheco). 

Perpetual trophies went to Sean and Kerrie Defusco for best finish husband/wife team; Hank Boissenault and Jill Barnes for best finish among first time nationals participants; Tom Joudrey and Angie Bond for Best Finishing Junior Skipper; and Nate Ireland and Ivan Baker for The Most Improved from Last Year's Nationals.  The 2004 TTraveler'saward was given to Dave and Sue Michos.  Michael and Laury Parammore finished second and Marion Zaugg and Carol Van Kueren finished third.

In the B Fleet, soon to renamed the Presidential Fleet(?), were 1st #1133 Nate Ireland and Ivan Baker; 2nd #1146 Jim and EElaineLamb; 3rd #1135 Mike and Tim Vining; 4th #1145 Chris MacMurray and Frank Bajowski; and 5th #628 Steve Jackson and Chris M.

On Wednesday, the Juniors and Women raced their Nationals.  The race committee managed to get off one race before the wind went to 20-plus knots.  As all the boats would be raced the next three days in the main event, further racing was abandoned.  The top Junior finishers were #1134 Caitlin Aguero (crew Abby Rowlands); 2nd #1135 Adam Gilbertson (crew Tim Vining); 3rd #1048 Clark Kennedy (crew Hank Kennedy); and 4th #665 Mike Gemperline and Hunter Ferris.

The Women's Nationals now have a Perpetual Trophy thanks to a generous donation by Joy Shipman and work by Karen Hugon.  Winning were #544 Joanne Beaver (crew Laury Parammore); 2nd #628 Joy Shipman (crew Sue Michos); 3rd #884 Karen Hugon (crew Anne Rossner); 4th #1131 Katrina Posedal (crew Sue McDowell), 5th #1093 Kate Erklauer (crew Courtney Flick); and 6th #1146 Elaine Lamb (crew Faye Coscia).

Off the water, PRO Ken Legler also did a great job Thursday evening discussing the dynamics of the Jet 14, including "tiller sawing."  After each day of racing, Ken put together charts of boats' mark roundings and how they progressed at each windward/leeward/finish mark, connecting the boats with lines.  Jim Lamb may be putting them on the website for your interest.

Though the multitudes of Sponsors helped make the 2004 Nationals possible, it was the participants that made it so much fun.  There was a great mix of people.  At past nationals in Ohio, boats usually show up on Wednesday afternoon and leave after awards on Saturday.  This year most boats showed up Tuesday evening and some were not leaving until Monday afterward.  Edgewater Yacht Club, Cleveland Fleet #60, District II and the rest of us truly appreciate and are honored by the Class' excitement about Jet racing on Lake Erie.

Dave and Sue Michos, #217 "Catalyst"