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US Sailing’s Adult Director Betsy Alison was on hand for Saturday’s dinner at the 2024 Sonar World Championship at Noroton Yacht Club in Darien, CT. After dinner, Betsy gave this special presentation:

I join you tonight to celebrate not only the high caliber of sailing at this Sonar World Championship, but to honor a long-standing member of the class and supporter of sailors and teams within the class.  I am here on behalf of the President of US Sailing, Rich Jepsen, to make a special presentation.

The President’s Award is a special one.  It is given by the Board President to people who have made exceptional contributions to the sport of sailing and US Sailing. The Board President has discretion in who receives the award.

In your midst, you have an individual who has dedicated countless hours to ensuring that all sailors are able to get out on the water and compete at a high level. In the early days of Paralympic Sailing, he started creating adaptations that enabled sailors to maximize their abilities on the water, so that they could compete on an equal footing with able bodied counterparts. Fondly known as the “Grandfather of Disabled Sailing,” he has spent more than 30 years fine tuning equipment, moving boats and equipment around the country and the world, jumping on board boats with sailors in need of a great teammate, and doing what needed to be done to support sailors at events at home and abroad.  As a class measurer, he has worked tirelessly to ensure that the rules are followed for fair competition and worked with the Sonar class on the development of Appendix B in the Sonar class rules to accommodate the equipment needed by sailors with a disability to be able to regularly participate in the open sonar class events.  On any given day, you might find Gene trailering boats up and down the coast, on a flight to Ireland to sail in Cork week or acting as bosun at an adaptive regatta anywhere in the country.

In US Sailing President Rich Jepsen’s words: “Gene Hinkel has lived a life of service for the sport we all love.  His professional and volunteer careers are legendary, and he is universally loved and respected for his unselfish devotion to enabling all, regardless of physical ability, to compete. He is a perfect role model for all service minded sailors.  And, after 80 years on this planet, Gene is still going strong.

On behalf of US Sailing and sailors of all capacities throughout the US, I hereby award Gene Hinkel the President’s Award for long, illustrious, and meritorious service to Para sailing.”

The International Sonar Class Association held its 2024 World Championship at Noroton Yacht Club, Darien, CT, September 12-15 on the Long Island Sound. Thirty-one boats competed from across the USA, Canada, and Ireland.

Long Island Sound is known for its hot summer days, but nobody would have expected those conditions to extend until mid-September. On day one, despite her best efforts, PRO Shannon Bush couldn’t conjure up enough breeze to send out the fleet. Day two started the same way, but after an extended shoreside postponement, the fleet went out and got in one light-air race before the wind disappeared again. With only one race in the books and four races required for the Championship, it was hoped that the third day would hold the key. On Saturday the fleet got in two more relatively light-air races. All eyes turned towards the final day, with forecast models hoping that the 8-12 knot easterly would materialize.

On the Sunday, the first warning was moved up to 0930 in hopes of running four more races. In the end, it turned out to be a spectacular day with four races in the forecast breeze and everyone came ashore with big smiles on their faces.

Local Noroton Yacht Club sailor Morgan Connor and his crew won the Championship. The team’s consistency ultimately led to their victory, with finishes of 2-3-1-3-7-2 with a UFD in the seventh and final race being their dropped score. Their 17 net points gave them a 6-point margin over Gavin Pace in second (23 points) and TK Kinney in third (36 points).

While the first three days had light conditions, Sunday’s 10-12 easterly working against an ebbing current made for a challenging racing in the confused sea state. Drew Buttner, sailing as Connor’s tactician, said they set the jib cars differently when sailing into vs. across the waves and event co-chairs Janet Grapengeter and Michael Rudnick, who were also racing, noted they were constantly trimming their jib and main in the wave and breeze conditions.

Connor also noted that the competition was tough throughout the Championship, with race wins spread across top competitors and 15 of the 31 boats scoring at least one top-5 finish. However, perhaps the most interesting aspect of Connor’s win was the composition of his crew. Sailing for the first time since college with Drew Buttner, Morgan also had his 16-year-old son, Wells, doing bow. On top of that, Jan Raymond, the boat’s owner, became the oldest sailor to win a Sonar (and perhaps any) major one-design World Championship at 81 years young.

The International Sonar Class Association would like to thank Noroton Yacht Club for its hospitality, Commodore Katie Mitchell who was there to cheer the boats all weekend, and Class President Paul Steinborn who sailed on his own boat with Gavin Pace at the helm finishing second.

The 2026 Sonar Class World Championship will be held in Lunenberg, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Of Note: At Saturday’s dinner, US Sailing’s Betsy Allison presented US Sailing’s President’s Award to longtime Sonar Class member and measurer Gene Henkel recognizing his contributions to the Class and, in particular, his leadership in adapting Sonars and other classes for Paralympic sailing.

Full Results: https://norotonyc.org/regatta/IWnyVTfMaq/results

Contact: Ed “Buttons” Padin, Sonar Class Administrator

Sailing photo credit: ©2024, courtesy of Noroton YC and Rick Bannerot, Ontheflyphoto.net

Wayzata Sailing Club hosted North American Championship

Wayzata, MN, September 18, 2023 – Wayzata Yacht Club hosted the Annual 2023 Sonar North American Championship Sailing Regatta on Sep. 14-17, on Lake Minnetonka – originally planned for 2020. There were 17 Sonar boats with approximately 68 sailors competing from as far away as New Hampshire and Vancouver, BC, in a pinnacle end-of-the-season regatta.

“It was exciting to be able to host the annual Sonar championship after having to cancel back in 2020 due to COVID-19. The weather held up and with mild winds, we were able to complete seven races,” said regatta chair, Bernt Helgaas. The championship featured experienced sailors and a professional race management team. Sonars have crews of four with one of them as the skipper. Each race takes about 1 hour, depending on the wind speed. 

Conditions on the first day were the best of the three, with conditions going from 7-11 knots for Race One to 4-7 knots over the course of the day. After taking a second in Race One, Brian Doyle and Team Resonance took the next three races by, as Brian put it in the daily debrief, “By pointing your boat at the mark” better than anyone else did. The conditions on Day Two proved even more challenging, with the second race being abandoned as conditions completely shut off mid-day. That was followed by two afternoon races in light and variable conditions, with Race Seven being shortened. On Sunday, the conditions on the lake proved not raceable, so everyone enjoyed the opportunity to socialize onshore during a beautiful morning followed by an outstanding awards ceremony.

The Race Committee led by Russ Subota had their work cut out for them, with numerous adjustments and the use of 15 different flags during the regatta. The on-shore festivities hosted by Sonar Fleet 5 at Wayzata Yacht Club included food trucks, live music, and fantastic weather.

The first-place team “Resonance” came from Sunapee Yacht Club in New Hampshire [insert photo] and was led by skipper, Brian Doyle, and crew mates, Tom Kinney, Shane Wells, Kelsey Wheeler.

The second place team aboard “Allegedly” was skippered by, Bill Allen, and crew Bernie Soya, Amanda Swaggert, and Nick Swaggert. In third was team “Surly Angel” with Marty Fossen as skipper sailing with Kathy Fossen, Shelly Gooley, Karen Gilseth. The fourth place team “ Gaijin” was led by skipper Gary Applebaum with Charles Luke, Robert Goedken, Jay Lucas as crew.

The fifth-place team “Batmobile” was lead by skipper, Hans Dickel, and crew, Chandra Wobschall, Sarah Olmsted, Duane Olmsted.

Full results: https://wayzatayachtclub.theclubspot.com/regatta/weiKJM5gWG/results

Noroton Yacht Club

Sara Watters (Oxford, MD), representing St. Mary’s College as an alumna, handily won the first Susan Widmann Sinclair Women’s Championship hosted by Noroton Yacht Club (Darien, CT). Sailing in Sonars with teammates Gloria Kevliciute, Catherine Shanahan, and Sophie Taczak, Watters won the first race, regained the lead at the end of Day 2 with another win, and wrapped-up the regatta on Sunday including a third race win.

Friday’s opening day of racing was canceled after the wind died during the first attempt at Race 1 combined with an approaching thunderstorm. However, on Saturday, after PRO Shannon Bush (Houston, TX) moved the racing up by 30 minutes for Day 2, five races were sailed with Watters winning that day’s finale—putting her atop the leaderboard for good, further wining Sunday’s sixth race.

From anyone’s perspective, the weather didn’t cooperate for this Championship. After having to abort racing Friday, there was wind on Saturday but its direction ocellated routinely over a 60-degree northerly arc with wind velocity bouncing between 5-8 knots one minute and then over 25 the next. After the final Race, PRO Bush noted, “I was forewarned that conditions on Long Island Sound would challenge a Race Officer to the max…and they did.” At the awards ceremony, Bush was thanked by all the competitors for her efforts to conduct races in variable wind conditions. Sunday’s conditions also were challenging for the race committee as, after completing Race 6, which Watters won, the northerly shifted to a southerly and a final race was completed.

The pervasive wind shifts combined with significant, often sudden changes in wind speed placed an equal importance on boat handling and course management and tactics. In Race 3, when the wind peaked near 30 knots on the second downwind let, some of the crews were experienced “death rolls” while others opted to drop their spinnaker and finish under control.

Including her ninth in Race 3 and an eight in the final Race 7, Watters three race wins gave her a 5-point margin over second to become the Champion. “To say I’m thrilled to win the first Sinclair Women’s Championship would be an understatement,” said Watters. “As an alumna of St. Mary’s, where our coach Adam Werblow taught all our team to sail competitively, it was thrilling to be racing against some of the finest women sailors in the country and winning. I would like to congratulate the other women sailors and thank Noroton Yacht Club for creating this regatta that honors such an inspirational woman sailor.”

The fleet of sailors came to this regatta from both near and far. Finishing second thanks to two second-place finishes on Sunday was Noroton sailor Erin Maxwell, who won a tiebreaker for second over fellow Noroton sailor Megan Grapengeter-Rudnick . In fourth was Carmen Cowels representing Larchmont Yacht Club, who won both Race 3 and Race 7. Carmen was recently named Quantum College Woman Sailors-of-the Year and sailing with her twin and fellow All American. Also on the course were sailors from Hamilton, BDA, Lunenberg, NS, San Francisco, CA,, Houston, TX, and St. Petersburg, FL.

Event Chair Nancy Pearson worked for over a year pulling together this Championship. “Sue Sinclair was a heck of a sailor, an inspiration to women sailors at Noroton and everywhere, and a friend of mine. When Commodore Bobby Lawrence asked me to help create and then run this Championship, I was honored at being asked and daunted by the task of developing and executing something that would reflect well on our Club, women’s sailing, and Sue.”

“And that she did!” responded the Commodore. “What Nancy, her cadre of volunteers, and our Club staff did this weekend was nothing short of outstanding! I know Sue was looking down her Championship with a smile. Perhaps she could have put in a better word for us with the Weather Gods!”

The second Susan Widmann Sinclair Women’s Championship will be hosted by Noroton Yacht Club in 202x.

Contact information: Nancy Pearson  nancy.pearson@harborcrest.com

Results: https://yachtscoring.com/event_results_cumulative.cfm?eID=15609

Due to COVID-19, the 2020 Sonar North Americans Regatta at WYC has been canceled.  With the support of the Sonar Class Association (SCA) and Wayzata Yacht Club (WYC), it is our intention to host this event next year in 2021.

September 21, 2019

Sonar 2019 World Championship

Day 3 Recap

For the first two days, once the sea breeze kicked-in the persistent shifts were to the left. Today, after a two-hour shore delay, the 5-7 knot sea breeze filled in around noon and steadily clocked to the right all afternoon. Whereas the play the first two days was to go left, today it was the opposite, and today, effectively changing gears for puffs and lulls plus shifts was critical.

Ultimately, Rochester Yacht Club’s Mike Wilde retained his lead with 15 points after a 1-2-6 daily scoreline. Now that ten races have been sailed, a second throw-out is implemented and Wilde’s two worse scores (both sixth place finishes in the 24-boat fleet) have been eliminated. However, it was Brian Doyle and TK Kenny who won the day with finishes of 6-1-1. The duo sailed conservatively but protected and controlled the right side of the course and, as they demonstrated yesterday, their downwind speed was superior to most if not all.

The third and fourth place teams are still holding their positions with local Eric Voss still in third (3-8-2 today) followed by Nova Scotia’s Andres Josenhans (12-7-8).

Tomorrow’s final day will hold a maximum of two races, and, with the combination of a seven-point lead, local knowledge and proven consistency, Mike Wilde will be tough to beat for the Championship. That said, Doyle and Kenny are the two who could do it.

Scores:  https://yachtscoring.com/event_results_cumulative.cfm?eID=6051

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/2013SonarWorldsRochesterYachtClubNy/

Photos: Tim Wilkes

Friday, September 20, 2019

Mike Wilde Protects His Lead at Sonar World Championship

Rochester Yacht Club, Rochester, NY

The following recaps key accomplishments in the past 10 months:

With half the regatta completed (two days and seven races), Rochester Sailor Mike Wilde has held his lead on the fleet and opened his points advantage with a 6-2-4 performance today giving him a total of 21 points (the six got dropped). Tied for second place with points are Brian Doyle (NH) and local sailor Eric Voss. In fourth, three points out of second, is Andreas Josenhans (NS).

Today’s conditions light and started out of S/W. Left side was hugely favored as it was in Day 1 but a major wind shift and a dying breeze resulted in the racing being abandoned. Apparently the Race Committee had anticipated a lengthy on-the-water postponement and, after a while of drifting Sonars, they, they went around the fleet and distributed bingo cards. Announcing numbers (and winners) via VHF helped the fleet pass the time.

Eventually the wind filled-in enough to get off a race although the wind was only in the 5-6 knots range out of NE quadrant. Continues to back for all three subsequent races. As noted, the left side was dominant and, as Class President and Paralympic Silver Medalist Rick Doerr said, That’ why we call this place ‘Leftchester.’ Mike Wilde sailed great today, winning the left end of the line, and getting to the left first. That paid for him in the first two races. BTW, I’ve started to call Mike ‘Lefty’ for his tactics…and his boat is called GOIN’ LEFT.” 

By the time the third race was sailed, the thermal effect had maxed out so, with the wind now osculating there were opportunities to be realized on the right side of the course.  On the lasts race of the day, Brian Doyle, sailing with TK Kenny, got to the right and controlled that side of the course which, matched by their excellent downwind speed, gave them the win for the race and moved them up into second place.

Racing resumes tomorrow but the forecast is for more light wind. Sunday’s finale, however, is forecast to bring with it more substantial winds.

Results: https://yachtscoring.com/event_results_cumulative.cfm?eID=6051

For Immediate Release

September 19, 2019

The opening day of the 2019 Sonar World Championship hosted by the Rochester (NY) Yacht Club was dominated by local sailor Michael Wilde. Wilde’s scoreline was 2-1-2-1 and there likely would have been another first had a race in which he had a significant lead been abandoned due to a 50+ wind shift. Playing the shifts was key as there was a persistent backing breeze all day.

Wilde’s take on the day was, “Overall, it was a difficult first day, but we enjoyed a solid breeze once it filled in from the left. It was unfortunate we had to abandon one race due to a major wind shift. That was a disappointment to me as I was in the lead, but I feel good about today. For me, today it was a boat speed game combined with getting off the line well in the 24-boat fleet. Once we were out in front, we could sail our own race. My crew told me to ‘drag race off the line.’ It was important to be in the neighborhood of the favored end but it was also critical to have clear air so you could focus on your boat speed.”

After Wilde’s six points, the next trio on the leaderboard are all within three points. Local sailors are in second (Eric Voss – 13 points and Jack Odenbach – 15 points, each having won a race) followed in third by Canadian Hall of Fame Sailor from Lunenburg, NS with 16 points.

Racing resumes tomorrow and continues through Sunday, September 22.

Results: https://yachtscoring.com/event_results_cumulative.cfm?eID=6051

The Tappan Zee Challenge – 20 Years of Great Regattas

June 15-16, 2019

Nyack Boat Club

Nayack, NY

This was the 20th Tappan Zee Regatta. As usual, it was well-run, genially hosted, and very competitive regatta. Saturday started with PRO Judy Hanlon setting up a long four-leg course. The wind was about 10 knots from 200°. A perfect day for Sonar racing, so off we went.  The first race reflected what would come for the rest of the day. As the race developed the RC had to move the windward mark to the right about 20 degrees. Race strategy included favored-end calculations might have been more important than boat speed. The wind stayed in the same general direction for the middle part of the day and built for a while. Taking advantage of small shifts and lifts kept shuffling the positions of the competitors.

Later in the day, and in classic Nyack fashion, the wind shifted left, built, died, and shifted left some more. Again, strategy and tactics might have been more important than boat speed. Those taking the higher line saw the rest of the fleet quickly catch up. There were some windward spinnaker douses, one going under the bow, and a lot of close finishes.

The RC decided it had seen enough carnage and destruction. (The Viper fleet appeared to be thoroughly enjoying the breeze, but there was at least one capsize and a lot of scary moments, especially when downwind Lightnings crossed upwind Sonars!) Day one ended with a weary sail home and a lot of beer, food, and good stories to tell that evening.

Day two was predicted to be more of the same; but it presented a delightful contrast. The wind was from the same direction but started at about 7 knots and died to about 4. The regatta leaders, 781 Noroton’s Behar Gidwani and 674 Nyack’s Rick Doerr, decided to match race after the first start with Rick doing covering tacks throughout the first leg. The rest of the fleet cheered them on—and passed the dueling duo by the time the first mark was reached.

The fifth and last race of the event was the most exciting. After more match racing between Gidwani and Doerr, and three legs with every boat in the fleet in the lead at one point or another, six boats converged on the windward mark with less than a boat length between them. 539 rounded first set their spinnaker with an hourglass, and 781 saw a chance to move past reaching over them, as did 674. 781 decided it would be clever to go left (there seemed to be less current there). Unfortunately, three other boats—including the leader (461 Boughton and Esmay)) made the same decision at the same time. By the time everyone had finished jibing, 674 had zoomed off to the right in good air and 781 was in 6^th place.

Given the scores at that point, Gidwani, looked fated to lose the regatta to Doerr. Then the wind teased with puffs and lulls. Boats gradually jibed back to the center of the course and piled up on top of one another. Gidwani held out to the far, far left, jibed, and took a thin slant of wind back toward the pin. Doerr fought a bit more current on the right and then jibed from the far right and headed for the boat. The final finish was Doer in first, Gidwani in second, and the rest of the fleet more or less all at once in third.

RC again made a good decision to send the fleet home. There had been enough excitement and enough close racing to satisfy even the most diehard Sonar sailor. We had all shown the closeness in the speed of our one-design boats and that we can sail and compete in a wide range of wind speeds and conditions.

Behar Gidwani and crew took first place for the Regatta; second place went to Rick Doerr and crew, Third place to Boughton and Esmay & crew.

It was a good day to be a Sonar sailor and the Nyack Boat Club should be proud of hosting yet another great event.

Respectfully submitted

Behar Gidwani; David & Kitty Bessey