In spite of juggling family and work distractions, long-time Snipe sailors Peter and Connie Commette won the 1996 Nationals, hosted by Pensacola Yacht Club. Conditions ranged from frustrating drifters to the promised moderate seabreeze, making consistency difficult.
The first race of the championship series was abandoned after a dying easterly shifted south to the seabreeze direction, promising steadier conditions. But for two days the steady breeze never materialized; sailors had to contend with a spotty series of random puffs-most of which did not show up on the water- that could melt away even a large lead in a heartbeat. Add into that ninety degree heat and and a large race course, and you can imagine how much we all enjoyed the pool and social events after sailing.
Because racing was delayed by the abandonment the first day, the Commettes had to drop out of the second race so that Peter could fly home for an unavoidable evening meeting. Connie stayed behind with their three girls, who spent the week with other future Snipers and a babysitter by/in the pool. George Szabo/Jon Rogers, who had won the qualifying series, were early favorites after posting a six, one, but six teams jockeyed for the lead in similar conditions on day two.
A five to eight knot southerly finally materialized on the last day. Jerry Thompson/Dee Schilling won the fifth race, moving them into the lead, but going into the last race, five boats were still in contention. The eight to twelve knot seabreeze finally filled across the course, rewarding those who stayed to the right. Class veteran Gonzalo "Old Man" Diaz rounded first, but Team Commette managed to get an overlap at the leeward mark and led the rest of the race to take the title. The top three teams qualify for the 1997 Worlds in San Diego, while the fourth and fifth place finishers have been invited to the 97 Europeans, to be held in the Canary Islands next summer.
The Wells Consolation series was won by Lisa Foulke Pline and Alex Pline. It is the first time a woman skipper has won the Wells, and should prove good preparation for the Women's Worlds in Spain in September. It is also the first time married couples have won both series, a fitting tribute to the family-oriented Snipe class.
--Carol Newman
| Skipper | Crew | sail no. | bow no. | #1 | #2 | #3 | #4 | #5 | #6 | total points |
place |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peter Commette | Connie Commette | 29114 | 69 | 3 | -32DNF | 2 | 5 | 6 | 0.75 | 16.75 | 1 |
| Craig Leweck | Tom Fisher | 28467 | 37 | 2 | 5 | 0.75 | -12 | 4 | 6 | 17.75 | 2 |
| Jack Franco | Mike Sturman | 28702 | 45 | 11 | 2 | -17 | 0.75 | 2 | 3 | 18.75 | 3 |
| Jerry Thompson | Dee Schilling | 24702 | 11 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 0.75 | -16 | 21.75 | 4 |
| Scott Nixon | Samantha Rosemont | 28214 | 20 | 0.75 | -24 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 5 | 21.75 | 5 |
| George Szabo | Jon Rogers | 28672 | 7 | 6 | 0.75 | 10 | 4 | 5 | -24 | 25.75 | 6 |
| Doug Hart | Jeff Baker | 28687 | 10 | 4 | -19 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 27.00 | 7 |
| Hal Gilreath | Allan Carscaddon | 28655 | 5 | 5 | 7 | -14 | 13 | 7 | 11 | 43.00 | 8 |
| Argyle Campbell | Carol Newman | 29015 | 25 | 7 | -20 | 12 | 7 | 16 | 9 | 51.00 | 9 |
| Henry Filter | Elizabeth Mahon | 28094 | 66 | 8 | 15 | -23 | 9 | 10 | 10AVG | 52.50 | 10 |
| Don Bedford | Myrna Fong | 29013 | 54 | 17 | 6 | 8 | -18 | 12 | 12 | 55.00 | 11 |
| Charlie Bustamante | Michele Bustamante | 27872 | 14 | 16 | 8 | 3 | 15 | 14 | -19 | 56.00 | 12 |
| David Tillson | Barbara Anderson | 27567 | 36 | 20 | 9 | 20 | 8 | -22 | 4 | 61.00 | 13 |
| Gonzalo Diaz Sr | Annie Fernandez | 28814 | 55 | -26 | 14 | 26 | 10 | 11 | 2 | 63.00 | 14 |
| Michael Lenkeit | Alex Phillips | 28686 | 42 | -30 | 18 | 25 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 70.00 | 15 |
| John Irvine | Lesile Irvine | 26398 | 30 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 21 | 19 | -26 | 77.00 | 16 |
| Ned Jones | Kari Warren | 28852 | 47 | 23 | 16 | 5 | 19 | -29 | 17 | 80.00 | 17 |
| John MacRae | Mellita King | 26451 | 62 | -25 | 10 | 16 | 20 | 18 | 20 | 84.00 | 18 |
| Gonzo Diaz | Sherry Eldridge | 28812 | 56 | 21 | 4 | -33 | 31 | 15 | 15 | 86.00 | 19 |
| Steve Burke | Nancy Gilreath | 24807 | 46 | -24 | 11 | 18 | 14 | 21 | 23 | 87.00 | 20 |
| Lee Griffith | Stacey Dumain | 27054 | 41 | 13 | -28P20 | 22 | 16 | 23 | 13 | 87.00 | 21 |
| Christopher Klotz | Sherri Welch | 27270 | 44 | 9 | 31 | 11 | -34 | 25 | 14 | 90.00 | 22 |
| Pedro Lorson | Mimi Berry | 28044 | 32 | 18 | 27 | -28 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 97.00 | 23 |
| Kurt Mayol | Doug Teulie | 27354 | 22 | 19 | 22 | -31P20 | 22 | 13 | 25 | 101.00 | 24 |
| Watt Duffy | Priscilla Duffy | 25048 | 70 | 14 | 23 | 15 | 23 | -34 | 28 | 103.00 | 25 |
| Marc Duvoisin | Angela Duvoisin | 28694 | 65 | 28 | 25 | 9 | -32 | 24 | 27 | 113.00 | 26 |
| Peter Fenner | Laura Fenner | 25515 | 19 | 15 | 13 | -34 | 33 | 26 | 34DNC | 121.00 | 27 |
| Craig Beardsley | Mimi Beardsley | 24600 | 49 | 22 | 26 | -27 | 25 | 27 | 22 | 122.00 | 28 |
| Rob Hallawell | Bridget Hallawell | 28142 | 57 | 27 | 17 | 21 | 28 | -32 | 31 | 124.00 | 29 |
| Carr Moody | Greg Enos | 27364 | 4 | 31 | 30 | -32 | 24 | 31 | 10 | 126.00 | 30 |
| Jerry Blouin | David Blouin | 25054 | 63 | -34 | 21 | 19 | 26 | 33 | 29 | 128.00 | 31 |
| Eric Reinke | Karen Ray | 25483 | 74 | 29 | -34DNF | 30 | 27 | 28 | 21 | 135.00 | 32 |
| Stephan Irgens | Monica Bigard | 28470 | 39 | 32 | -33DNF | 29 | 30 | 20 | 30 | 141.00 | 33 |
| Bill Hall | Scott Tarpley | 28199 | 58 | 33 | 29 | 24 | 29 | 30 | -34DNC | 145.00 | 34 |