March 27, 1996
Doug Hart and Watt Duffy trounced the fleet of 42 boats.
Doug Hart and Watt Duffy trounced the fleet of 42 boats in the 3 race Bacardi Series, the first of two series in Nassau, the last leg of the Midwinter Circuit. Their superior boat speed allowed them to win all three races. The breezy conditions continued the trend started at the Midwinters and the DonQ. All three races were completed on Wednesday, March 28th. The races were fairly long, lasting about an hour and a half each. These long races greatly accentuated the superior boat speed of the Hart/Duffy team. As a consequence of the long day, the competitors didn't reach the dock until nearly dark! AT that point, everyone greatly appreciated the famed Bacardi Party. The rest of the scores were fairly well mixed with familiar names ending up in the top ten.
Forty-two boats from 6 countries (US, Bahamas, Norway, Belgium, Switzerland, and Canada) competed in the Bacardi Cup hosted by the Royal Nassau Sailing Club. US National Champion Doug Hart and crew Watt Duffy dominated the series with three bullets achieved with comfortable leads. With very steady, strong breeze (15-18) and long courses (1-1/2 hours), Hart/Duffy's straight line speed proved unbeatable in the long day of racing. Scott Nixon and crew Samantha Rosemont showed great stamina posting seconds in the last two races to place second overall in the regatta. Henry Filter and Carol Newman were very consistent with a 5-3-5 to post a third in the regatta and improve their quest to win the overall Midwinter Circuit Championship, the Zimmerman Trophy. Local favorites (and Past SCIRA Commodore) Jimmy Lowe with crew Gavin McKinney were fourth overall, followed by Californians Don Bedford and Steve Stewart.
With three long races and a break for lunch, the tired sailors were still being hauled out of the water as the sun went down. That didn't dampen the enthusiasm, though, for the Barcardi Rum Party that was hosted at the Royal Nassau Sailing Club. The coat and tie event lasted well into the evening, with some of the Star sailors from the Western Hemispheres hosted by neighboring Nassau Sailing Club even joining in the festivities at the bar.
Canadians Id and Ann (Mutha) Crook had extra reason to celebrate as the sailors helped them toast their 42nd anniversary with champagne. The Bacardi Cup was a big success and a great (if not grueling!) was to start the Nassau portion of the Midwinters and North American Championship. Thanks to the professional race committee and tremendous hospitality of the Royal Nassau Sailing Club.
The five race Gamblin series starts today with another three race day, followed by two races tomorrow to end the series. The North American Championships begin on Saturday with Two races, continuing with two races on Sunday and one on Monday.
Final Results:
P20=includes 20% penalty (Black Flag PMS, but restarted correctly)
PMS=premature start (Did not restart correctly)
CNF=check in failure (20% penalty)
DNF=did not finish
DNC=did not compete
| Skipper | Crew | sail no. | bow no. | #1 | #2 | #3 | total points |
place |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DOUG HART | WALT DUFFY | 28687 | 25 | 0.75 | 0.75 | 0.75 | 2.25 | 1 |
| SCOTT NIXON | SAMANTHA ROSEMONT | 28214 | 28 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 2 |
| HENRY FILTER | CAROL NEWMAN | 28094 | 35 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 13 | 3 |
| JIMMY LOWE | GAVIN McKINNEY | 28811 | 16 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 15 | 4 |
| DON BEDFORD | STEVE STEWART | 29013 | 12 | 7 | 9 | 4 | 20 | 5 |
| BIRGER JANSEN | CARINE JULIUSSEN | 28810 | 67 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 21 | 6 |
| ARGYLE CAMPBELL | ROB LINDELY | 29015 | 34 | 2 | 5 | 18 | 25 | 7 |
| JACK FRANCO | LISA GRIFFITH | 28702 | 31 | 10 | 14 | 3 | 27 | 8 |
| ROBERT DUNKLEY | ERIC KREBS | 27800 | 22 | 9 | 8 | 16 | 33 | 9 |
| STU ROBERTSON | NANCY GRUBBS | 27100 | 30 | 16 | 7 | 13 | 36 | 10 |
| GONZO DIAZ | SHERRY ELDRIDGE | 28812 | 23 | 12 | 10 | 14 | 36 | 11 |
| PETER COMMETTE | CONNIE COMMETTE | 29014 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 36 | 12 |
| ROBIN GALES | JEFF BAKER | 28225 | 70 | 17 | 13 | 6 | 36 | 13 |
| JERRY THOMPSON | DEE SCHILLING | 24702 | 11 | 14 | 19 | 8 | 41 | 14 |
| JOHN MANDERSON | MAGGIE MANDERSON | 28065 | 33 | 11 | 20 | 10 | 41 | 15 |
| WILL GRAVES | KARI WARREN | 29044 | 37 | 22 | 17 | 9 | 48 | 16 |
| LEE GRIFFITH | STACEY DUMAIN | 27054 | 92 | 18 | 11 | 21 | 50 | 17 |
| EARL ELMS | JON WEGAND | 22734 | 42 | 8 | 18 | 24 | 50 | 18 |
| JAN PERSSON | JANE PERSSON | 29018 | 93 | 23 | 15 | 15 | 53 | 19 |
| PEDRO LORSON | MIMI BERRY | 28044 | 46 | 15 | 22 | 17 | 54 | 20 |
| DAVID LENCE | JOHN LALLY | 28542 | 3 | 24 | 16 | 20 | 60 | 21 |
| JEAN-MARTIN GRISAR | YVES RATINCKY | 28756 | 90 | 19 | 24 | 26 | 69 | 22 |
| JOHN TAGLIAMONTE | ABBY JANES | 27225 | 10 | 26 | 21 | 23 | 70 | 23 |
| HALVOR POULSSON | KRISTIN OLAFSEN | 2741 | 8 | 20 | 27 | 27 | 74 | 24 |
| ROBB WALKER | ROWENA CARLSON | 28880 | 55 | 21 | 23 | 34 | 78 | 25 |
| GAVIN O'HARE | HOLLY WOLFORD | 23591 | 85 | 27 | 25 | 30 | 82 | 26 |
| KENNETH VOSS | KAY VOSS | 26900 | 71 | 30 | 36 | 22 | 88 | 27 |
| STEPHAN JRGENS | MONICA BIGARD | 28470 | 44 | 32 | 30 | 28 | 90 | 28 |
| WOODY NARWOOD | JENNIFER AYRES | 26100 | 82 | 33 | 32 | 25 | 90 | 29 |
| GWEN CROOK | LISA PLINE | 25843 | 13 | 29 | 28 | 35 | 92 | 30 |
| BEN HAMMOND | MICHELLE MORPHEW | 25710 | 7 | 31 | 34 | 29 | 94 | 31 |
| JIM LYMAN | LIZ MAHON | 26753 | 21 | 28 | 35 | 31 | 94 | 32 |
| DON HACKBARTH | PRISCILLA DUFFY | 28142 | 20 | 40DNF | 26 | 32 | 98 | 33 |
| SEAN BIEHL | JERELYN BIEHL | 29104 | 45 | 25 | 31 | 42DNC | 98 | 34 |
| KRISTOFFER SPONE | BARRE SUNDET | 29016 | 2 | 40DNF | 41DNF | 19 | 100 | 35 |
| FERNANDO DECARDENAS | MAUREEN KELLY | 1996 | 54 | 36 | 29 | 37 | 102 | 36 |
| GREG KELLY | JEREMY ROBERTS | 28655 | 14 | 35 | 33 | 39 | 107 | 37 |
| ROBERT COYLE | CHUCK D'ANTONIO | 24695 | 5 | 34 | 38 | 36 | 108 | 38 |
| PETER CHRISTIE | ISABEL | 1998 | 48 | 40DNF | 37 | 38 | 115 | 39 |
| JOHN CHRISTIE | CAROL | 1999 | 41 | 42DNC | 40 | 33 | 115 | 40 |
| LORI LOWE | SEAN ANDREWS | 1997 | 52 | 37 | 39 | 40 | 116 | 41 |
| LEO MURPHY | JULIA VAN BIELEN | 28282 | 17 | 42DNC | 42DNC | 42DNC | 126 | 42 |