March 30-April 1, 1996
Nassau, Bahamas
In a variety of conditions topped off by a heavy air day, Doug Hart and crew Watt Duffy bested the best to become the 1996 North American Champions. Scott Nixon and crew Samantha Rosemont couldn't hold on to the lead they had going into the last day in the heavy conditions. The last race, sailed on a double triangle due to the velocity that hovered close to 20 knots, was an exciting end to a very competitive championship. Don Bedford with crew Steve Stewart led around the first triangle just ahead of Hart/Duffy, with Jack Franco/Jon Rogers and Henry Filter/Carol Newman lurking close in the next pack. Hart/Duffy passed Bedford/Stewart up the next beat and Franco/Rogers snuck in at the top mark, but the real action was on the last reach when Franco and Filter hopped into the passing lane to take the 1-2 positions that they maintained to the finish. Those finishes helped Filter/Newman and Franco/Rogers to capture third and fourth, respectively, for the regatta over Will Graves and crew Lisa Griffith.
A more thorough listing of the results will be posted once I return to the mainland, but listed below are the results with the name substituted for the bow number for the top boats.
Many, many thanks to the Royal Nassau Sailing Club for the fantastic series of regattas. The hospitality of the club members and staff were truly legendary, not to mention the excellent race management.
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
Drop Races shown as 0 points
| Skipper | Crew | sail no. | bow no. | #1 | #2 | #3 | #4 | #5 | #6 | total points |
place |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DOUG HART | WALT DUFFY | 28687 | 25 | 0.75 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 13.75 | 1 |
| SCOTT NIXON | SAMANTHA ROSEMONT | 28214 | 28 | 0 | 0.75 | 0.75 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 20.5 | 2 |
| HENRY FILTER | CAROL NEWMAN | 28094 | 35 | 0 | 13 | 3 | 0.75 | 3 | 2 | 21.75 | 3 |
| JACK FRANCO | LISA GRIFFITH | 28702 | 31 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 0.75 | 23.75 | 4 |
| WILL GRAVES | KARI WARREN | 29044 | 37 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 26 | 5 |
| JIMMIE LOWE | GAVIN McKINNEY | 28811 | 16 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 29 | 6 |
| BIRGER JANSEN | CARINE JULIUSSEN | 28810 | 67 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 0DNF | 32 | 7 |
| PETER COMMETTE | CONNIE COMMETTE | 29014 | 15 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 14 | 0.75 | 10 | 40.75 | 8 |
| JERRY THOMPSON | DEE SCHILLING | 24702 | 11 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 42 | 9 |
| ARGYLE CAMPBELL | ROB LINDELY | 29015 | 34 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 42 | 10 |
| DON BEDFORD | STEVE STEWART | 29013 | 12 | 16 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 4 | 52 | 11 |
| ROBIN GALES | JEFF BAKER | 28225 | 70 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 54 | 12 |
| GONZO DIAZ | SHERRY ELDRIDGE | 28812 | 23 | 14 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 17 | 11 | 58 | 13 |
| ROBERT DUNKLEY | ERIC KREBS | 27800 | 22 | 13 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 16 | 13 | 58 | 14 |
| PEDRO LORSON | MIMI BERRY | 28044 | 46 | 18 | 15 | 5 | 13 | 19 | 0DNC | 70 | 15 |
| LEE GRIFFITH | STACEY DUMAIN | 27054 | 92 | 0 | 11 | 18 | 11 | 20 | 14 | 74 | 16 |
| ROBB WALKER | ROWENA CARLSON | 28880 | 55 | 9 | 18 | 11 | 0P20 | 22 | 15 | 75 | 17 |
| EARL ELMS | JON WEGAND | 22734 | 42 | 19 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 15 | 0DNC | 85 | 18 |
| JEAN-MARTIN GRISAR | YVES RATINCKY | 28756 | 90 | 20 | 21 | 0 | 16 | 23 | 16 | 96 | 19 |
| KRISTOFFER SPONE | HALVOR POULSSON | 29016 | 8 | 0DNF | 31 | 20 | 12 | 10 | 23DNF | 96 | 20 |
| GAVIN O'HARE | HOLLY WOLFORD | 23591 | 85 | 3 | 9 | 21 | 26 | 37DNF | 0DNC | 96 | 21 |
| JOHN MANDERSON | MAGGIE MANDERSON | 28065 | 33 | 12 | 16 | 9 | 40DNF | 24 | 0DNC | 101 | 22 |
| STU ROBERTSON | NANCY GRUBBS | 27100 | 30 | 28 | 20 | 15 | 22 | 21 | 0DNC | 106 | 23 |
| JOHN TAGLIAMONTE | ABBY JANES | 27225 | 10 | 0 | 25 | 22 | 21 | 26 | 19 | 113 | 24 |
| KENNETH VOSS | KAY VOSS | 26900 | 71 | 22 | 24 | 25 | 0 | 28 | 18 | 117 | 25 |
| JAN PERSSON | JANE PERSSON | 29018 | 93 | 0DSQ | 23 | 24 | 24 | 11 | 41DNC | 123 | 26 |
| STEPHAN JRGENS | MONICA BIGARD | 28470 | 44 | 31 | 33 | 0 | 27 | 25 | 20 | 136 | 27 |
| JOHN LALLY | ELIZEBETH LALLY | 28542 | 3 | 27 | 39 | 35 | 19 | 18 | 0DNC | 138 | 28 |
| DON HACKBARTH | PRISCILLA DUFFY | 28142 | 20 | 23 | 26 | 32 | 32 | 27 | 0DNC | 140 | 29 |
| PETER CHRISTIE | ISABEL | 1998 | 48 | 0 | 30 | 34 | 33 | 30 | 17 | 144 | 30 |
| BEN HAMMOND | MICHELLE MORPHEW | 25710 | 7 | 29 | 38 | 26 | 23 | 29 | 0DNC | 145 | 31 |
| ROBERT COYLE | CHUCK D'ANTONIO | 24695 | 5 | 0 | 36 | 33 | 30 | 32 | 21 | 152 | 32 |
| GREG KELLY | JEREMY ROBERTS | 28655 | 14 | 26 | 28 | 36 | 31 | 33 | 0DNC | 154 | 33 |
| JIM LYMAN | LIZ MAHON | 26753 | 21 | 25 | 29 | 38 | 34 | 34 | 0DNC | 160 | 34 |
| WOODY NORWOOD | JENNIFER AYRES | 26100 | 82 | 24 | 35 | 31 | 35 | 0DNC | 41DNC | 166 | 35 |
| GWEN CROOK | LISA PLINE | 25843 | 13 | 36 | 32 | 30 | 29 | 0DNC | 41DNC | 168 | 36 |
| JOHN CHRISTIE | CAROL | 1999 | 41 | 33 | 37 | 29 | 36 | 35 | 0DNC | 170 | 37 |
| SEAN BIEHL | JERELYN BIEHL | 29104 | 45 | 0DNF | 27 | 28 | 40DNF | 41DNC | 41DNC | 177 | 38 |
| FERNANDO DECARDENAS | DWAYNE WALLAS | 25088 | 54 | 34 | 34 | 39 | 40DNF | 31 | 0DNC | 178 | 39 |
| LORI LOWE | SEAN ANDREWS | 1997 | 52 | 30 | 40 | 0DNF | 37 | 37DNF | 41DNC | 185 | 40 |
| LEO MURPHY | JULIA VAN BIELEN | 28282 | 17 | 38 | 0DNC | 40 | 41DNC | 41DNC | 41DNC | 201 | 41 |
Light and shifty conditions (5-10 kts) made for jumbled places on the first day of the 1996 North American Championships hosted by the Royal Nassau Yacht Club. Doug Hart and Watt Duffy won the first race with a decisive lead over the field of 41 competititors from 7 countries. Their lead was so commanding that one of the competitors still on the last run asked Doug and Watt if they'd like to stop for cocktails as they headed up the last beat. (They laughed but politely declined!) Proving that age and treachery can still win over youth and innocence, Jerry Thompson and Dee Schilling played the shifts up the shore to place second over Gavin O'Hare with Holly Wolford followed by locals Jimmy Lowe/Gavin McKinney in fourth and Norwegians Birger Jansen/Carine Julliensen.
After an hour lunch break/siesta on shore, the competitors went back out on the race course for a second race in similarly light and shifty conditions. This time it was new group at the top, with Scott Nixon/Samantha Rosemont besting the fleet, followed by Californians Robin Gale/Jeff Baker in second, local Robert Dunkley/Eric Krebs (acting as a local!) in third, Argyle Campbell/Robert Lindley in fourth and Hart/Duffy rounding out the top five.
Competitors were greeted by a steel drum band as they returned to shore for the Gin and Coconut Water party. The festive evening was a perfect capper to a beautiful Bahamian day on the water. Many crews were comparing notes as to the different types of fish they saw in the crystal blue waters. (Note: the skippers were also heard complaining about the lax jib trimming during these "Cousteau Moments")