2019 North American Championships

2019 North American Championships, Flying Dutchman Class
September 20 -22, Richmond Yacht Club

This year’s championships took place on the West Coast at Richmond Yacht Club in the San Francisco Bay Area, concurrently with the annual Totally Dinghy event.

The Competitors:
Five boats competed in the races:

• Buzz Ballenger with Evan Diola on USA 1453
• Doug Dommermuth with Michael Manning on USA 153
• Zhenya Kirueshkin-Stepanoff with Chris Wrenn on USA 1
• Mike Meszaros with Gerhard Panuschka on USA 88
• Gordon Doller with Michael Spranger on USA 1454

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2019 Flying Dutchman Nationals Results

Flying Dutchman National Championships

By Tom Lewis

The Flying Dutchman Nationals were hosted by the Willow Bank Yacht Club on Lake Cazenovia on July 19-21, 2019. Nine Flying Dutchman competed in the 2019 National Championship/Cuspidor Regatta. Brothers Chris and Jeff Wrenn from Santa Cruz, CA were crowned 2019 National Champions after three days and 12 races of good winds and competitive racing. Following closely behind were Larry Schmitz and Jack Caires from San Diego, CA, and Doug Dommeruth and Michael Manning also of San Diego. The top WBYC finishers were Carl Boller and Jeff Barbero in fifth place. WBYC sailors Tom Lewis and Andy Mistur finished seventh. Canadian sailors Derrick and Cynthia Hiltz followed in eighth place and newcomers to the Cazenovia FD fleet the Brown family sailing a vintage wooden Mader finished in ninth place. Junior sailors John Henry and Willem Light-Olson finished sixth and won the Flying Dutchman Class Association Junior National Trophy.   Continue reading “2019 Flying Dutchman Nationals Results”

2019 FD Worlds in Nelson, NZ

By Paul Scoffin

FD World Championship 2019 (Nelson, New Zealand)

After a number of false starts a small group of U.S.  Flying Dutchman sailors finally committed to doing the World Championships in Nelson, New Zealand. The initial indecision centered around only three teams being prepared to make the trip. Once USA 153 (Doug and Michael), USA 36 (Lin and Kim) and NZL 145 (Paul and Brendan) finally committed to shipping their boats, all the necessary arrangements were quickly made. USA 87 (Jim Algert and Bruce Barrett) became a last minute addition.

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2019 National Championship

By Tom Lewis

Willow Bank Yacht Club on 3 February 2019

Willow Bank Yacht Club (WBYC) will host the 2019 FD National Championships on 19, 20, 21 July 2019. We plan to train local sailors as qualified FD crews, should traveling skippers need a competent crew. Please register early so we can have trained crews available. Old FDs are welcome and will be awarded trophies. We have camping on the grounds plus local hotels, B&Bs and inns in the village.

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2018 National Championship

Photo provided courtesy of Martin Offenhauer.

By Douglas Dommermuth

The United States National Championship was sailed in San Diego, California at Mission Bay Yacht Club on August 17-19, 2018. Six FDs sailed eight races in winds between 8-12 knots in the ocean. Boats traveled from Canada and Florida to sail in the Nationals. Paul Scoffin and Brendan Heussler won the National Championship, winning 5 of 8 races. Three teams, Paul Scoffin and Brendan Heussler, Lin Robson and Kim McDonald, and Douglas Continue reading “2018 National Championship”

2018 CUSPIDOR

By Tom Lewis

Photos By Al Marshall

Three FDs competed in ideal sailing conditions Saturday. Temperature 78 F with reasonably steady southerly winds 8 to 12. Carl Boller and Jeff Barbero took 4 straight firsts to win the 2018 Cuspidor trophy. Willem and John Henry Light-Olson turned in an amazing performance in their first FD regatta, finishing a very close third place in 3 races as well as capsizing 4 times. Capsizing 4 times enabled them to capture the gremlin trophy that migrated to Cazenovia Lake from Monomomac Lake. This was Willem’s second time sailing their FD. Tom Continue reading “2018 CUSPIDOR”

56th Cannonball & US National Championship

By Jonathan and Anna Gorbold

This was an amazing regatta from many aspects. Thank you to CYC for enabling us to hold this regatta, thank you to the efficient Racing Committee chaired by Keith Calkins, and thank you for the awesome hospitality provided by Bruce McGinnis, our Club Manager, and his wonderful staff.

The US FD National Championships have been held continuously since 1955 and attracted 60- 70 boats in the early 60s, 70s & 80s  with many of the top US sailors and  Continue reading “56th Cannonball & US National Championship”