Twelve One Design 35's
will vie for the inaugural national championship.
The regatta will be hosted by Annapolis (Maryland)
Yacht Club.
Windward/leeward courses will be utilized
with 8 races scheduled (3 on Friday and Saturday
2 on Sunday). Racing will take place in Chesapeake
Bay off the mouth of the Severn River. Scoring
will be low point with no race scores to be dropped.
Four races will constitute a completed series.
One Design 35 racing on the Great Lakes has
proved highly competitive. At most regattas multiple
boats have won races. These same boats have often
finished last in the same series. It seems that no
one boat has yet figured out how to dominate the
1D35 fleet. The no throwout scoring will put a
premium on consistent scores. Also, if it takes
out of town boats long to figure out the conditions
they could be too far behind to catch up.
For the first time, the One Design 35's will
sail under their class rules. The class rules specify
that the helmsman must be of US Sailing's Group 1.
A maximum of 3 non group 1 sailors can be carried
as crew. The crews will have a maximum weight limit
of 1400 lbs.
An interesting twist to the weight limit
hinges on who drives the boat. If the "exclusive
helmsman" is a Group 1 sailor, only half of his/her
weight applies toward the crew weight limit.
What shall the sailors expect? Well, the One
Design 35 has gotten good reviews, including a
Boat of the Year nomination. Noted sailing journalist
Tom Leweck recently sailed on board on 1D 35. He
was impressed. They should expect an easy time
maneuvering the boat, as Leweck puts it:
"I have no idea who laid out the deck plan,
but it's PERFECT." They also should expect to
sail fast, again Leweck comments: "Outside the
Long Beach breakwater flying the standard oversized
kite, the knotmeter jumped easily and frequently to
11+ knots with fingertip control. Great fun!"
Torresen Sailing Site will provide same
day coverage of the One Design 35 nationals. Please
check back beginning Friday October 23 for Day 1
Coverage in words and pictures.
One Design 35 Nationals Entries:
Hippy Chick David Bowen Muskegon MI
Heartbreaker Robert Hughes Grand Rapids MI
Jazz John Fisher Peabody MASS
War Bride Pete Du Pont Wilimington DEL
Picante Robert Salk Jamestown RI
Avalance Sledd Shelhorse Virginia Beach VA
Excalibur Roland Arthur Roanoke TX
Widow Maker Nick Worth Norfolk VA
Roxanne Kip Meadows Rocky Mount NC
Canvasback Doug Crocker Oxford MD
Sotet Lo Phil Kubat Boston MASS
Victory V.J. "Buddy" Cribb West Palm Beach FLA