U.S. Nationals: Day 2 PM Report, Results, & Day 3 Schedule

Day 1 Gold Fleet Race. Photo: Gretchen Dorian
Preliminary Results

Patience paid off this morning as the Race Committee postponed racing on the half-hour because of lack of wind. Finally, at 11:30, Dan Heaney and George Gerhardt, who had been standing in the middle of Black Lake watching the wind readings, reported that the breeze had filled in and there was enough to race. The wind was about 10 – 15 mph, and between the intermittent snow squalls, each fleet went around the track for a total of 3 races. Both of my weather apps failed to predict the wind today, showing that getting to the lake is the only way to know if the wind is there. Temperatures were frigid again, but it seemed like everyone has adapted to the conditions.

U.S. Nationals
SCHEDULE FOR DAY 3
Thursday, January 28
10 AM First Race
Gold Fleet
Three races are planned for each fleet.
Be prepared for possible postponement onshore with the light wind forecast.

U.S. Nationals: Day 1 PM Report, Results, & Day 2 Schedule

 

Preliminary Results

It was a long cold day on the ice with a good breeze, excellent racing action. Manageable snowdrifts on the course made for challenging sailing, especially if sailors have never had to deal with the art of dodging drifts and keeping a DN up speed. I wish I had photos to post, but the cold meant economizing movements, focusing on writing numbers, and taking pictures of the score sheets for our tabulators, Ann and Bob Foeller. I know I speak for everyone when I say how tired I am tonight.
SCHEDULE FOR DAY 2
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26

10 AM First Race
Silver Fleet

2021 U.S. Nationals Day 1 AM Report

Photo: Gretchen Dorian

Preliminary Results

Time for a quick update from Cheboygan, MI before heading to Black Lake, site of the U.S. Nationals, a non-ranking DN regatta. The breeze finally came up yesterday afternoon which allowed for some training races. Winds look better today but it’s going to be cold out there. Follow along with as-they-happen results from our off shore race committee tabulators, Ann and Bob Foeller, who are in Toledo, OH.

 

2021 U.S. Nationals Starting Line Up for Day 1


The starting line-up for the mini-qualifier and the first Gold fleet race is posted below.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
Day 1
Tuesday, January 26, 2021
9 AM: Skippers’ Meeting out on the race course, (NOTE: Skippers’ meeting will not be in the pits because there are different launches.)
10 AM First race, mini-qualifier

Silver Fleet/
Gold Qualifier
Fleet SailNo HelmName Start Pos.
S US 1576 BRIAN JONES 1
S US 5498 RICHARD GORDON 2
S US 5608 NICK HOVLAND 3
S US 5630 KAREN BINDER 4
S US 4789 CHRIS CLARK 5
S US 445 BOB CAVE 6
S US 3433 ROBERT CUMMINS 7
S US 5127 HUGH STEVENS 8
S US 216 RICHARD POTCOVA 9
S US 530 BOBBY CUTTING 10
S US 2500 ERIC SMITH 11
S US 5397 ERIN BURY 12
S US 4137 KEN  SMITH 13
S US 4974 STAN JONES 14
S US 4532 BILL EKLUND 15
S US 5647 MATT MEYER 16
S US 4783 RHEA NICHOLAS 17
S US 5435 JODY KJOLLER 18
S US 5824 ROLF VAN HOUTEN 19
S US 294 LOU LOENNEKE 20
S US 1277 HAL BOWMAN 21
S US 5470 THOMAS DAWSON 22
S US 5760 NOAH JONES 23
S US 4203 PAT FITZGERALD 24
S US 5358 DAVID FROST 25
S US 5486 DAVE ELSMO 26
S US 5652 SAMUEL BARTEL 27
S US 5451 ANDREW ALLEN 28
S US 5053 GEORGE REIS 29
S KA 2 PETER NORTON 30
S US 4192 RANDY ROGOSKI 31
S US 5654 GAIL TURLUCK 32
S US 5219 KENT BAKER 33
S US 1313 BOB RAST 34
S US 2237 MIKE STEWART 35
S US 4155 RICK LEMBERG 36
S US 5430 BILL CUTTING 37
S US 637 JOSEPH MEADE 38

 

GOLD FLEET
Fleet SailNo HelmName Start Pos.
G US 3283 JOHN WILLIAMS 1
G Q 11 2
G US 4926 STEVE ORLEBEKE 3
G US 3 JIM GROGAN 4
G US 4 GRIFFIN SHERRY 5
G US 60 JOHN HARPER 6
G Q 8 7
G US 4638 GUY LOVEJOY 8
G US 5166 CHRIS BERGER 9
G US 807 ROBERT FRANCIS 10
G US 5352 DANIEL HEARN 11
G Q 12 12
G US 4882 RICHARD WOLLAM 13
G Q 9 14
G US 321 MIKE BLOOM 15
G US 3705 ROBERT HOLMAN 16
G US 5224 JAMES THIELER 17
G Q 3 18
G US 44 RON SHERRY 19
G Q 10 20
G US 5633 PETER JOHANSON 21
G Q 5 22
G Q 2 23
G Q 7 24
G Q 4 25
G Q 6 26
G Q 1 27

2021 U.S. Nationals Called ON for Black Lake in Michigan

The sign we’ve been waiting for.   Photo: Catherine Firmbach

U.S. Nationals Information Page
The 2021 U.S. Nationals has been called on for Black Lake in northern Michigan. Online registration ends on Monday, January 25 at 7 PM ET. First day of racing is on Tuesday, January 26. See Schedule of Events below.

WHAT TO KNOW:

  • Online registration is mandatory. Register and pay online at this link.
  • Proof of Insurance: Please either upload when you register or email to debwhitehorse@gmail.com
  • Text Notifications: Competitors will receive updates via text messaging. There’s no need to download any app. Please plan ahead and bring your phone to the race course. A spare recharging battery can also be helpful and perhaps your reading glasses.
    After each race is scored, a photo of the line up sheet for the next race will be sent out via text messaging to discourage congregating around the competitors and Race Committee. The line up sheet will be posted but competitors must observe social distancing. Please do not crowd around the line up sheet and Race Committee.
  • If you have registered and paid for the regatta and are NOT coming, please let us know so that you won’t be added to the draws. We are assuming that you are attending if you we don’t hear from you.

ICE REPORT:
Link to ice report video.
Via Vice Commodore Jody Kjoller:

January 23, 2021: No wind today so we ran and pushed for miles. A working seam cuts the lake in about half. We went left out of the launch. 2 took one shore line, 2 took the other. Tons of room to sail. Small areas of stiff snow but not hard to push thru and separated by almost a mile for the most part. Surface is about 1/2 – 3/4 very textured snow ice that is very easy to cut through to a pretty decent hard surface. Barely a dusting of snow. Easily raced in 6+ mph wind. Overall I’d rate it a 6 (or a Maumee Bay 9).

 

 

 

 

LAUNCH:
Launch #1
UPDATE 25 January: There is a better launch for those with big trailers at Onaway State Park.

Launch #2
Eisen Trail, Grant Township, MI
Plus code: FPQP+66 Black Lake Bluffs, Michigan
Use caution when accessing the launch. It’s a very narrow, icy, and curvy road. Use extreme caution. Light single axle trailers can be rolled on but please spread out.

LODGING:
1. Best Western River Terrace
847 S Main Street
Cheboygan, Michigan 49721
1(800) 780-7234
(231) 627-5688
$85 double queen
$72 king

2. Waterway Inn
6100 M68
Indian River, MI 49749
231-238-9370

3. Northwoods Lodge
390 S. STRAITS HWY.
INDIAN RIVER, MI 49749
231.238.7729

4. Star Gate
4646 S. STRAITS HWY.,
INDIAN RIVER, MICHIGAN 49749

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
Monday, January 25 7 PM: Registration Closes. No exceptions.
Tuesday, January 26
9 AM: Skippers Meeting in the pits
10 AM: First mini-qualifier
Following needed days: Races start at 9 AM
Awards follow immediately after the final race is completed and results are tabulated

2021 U.S. Nationals Update #4

Photo: Robert Jaeger

IMPORTANT U.S. NATIONALS SCHEDULE CHANGE:

The first day of racing for the U.S. Nationals has been moved to Tuesday, January 26, 2021. The primary site is Black Lake in northern Michigan. Ice reports from Black Lake are very encouraging. High winds prevented sailing on Black lake today, and it will be sailed by ranked sailors on Saturday. We are hoping to make the final confirmation on Saturday by 7 PM ET. 

If you plan to attend the regatta, please either register or email us debwhitehorse@gmail.com to help plan with logistics. 

Next update on Saturday, January 23, by 7 PM ET.