Jennifer Harker writes: Eager anticipation greeted the North American 5.5M fleet as crews finished rigging boats in preparation for the August 21-25, 2023 regatta.
This year a record 10 classic and evolution boats were ready to race with the fleet welcoming back Jill CAN 11 after extensive restoration work by Jason Williams. (For more details on the two year project see the North American National Report in the April 2023 issue of the Fivepointfive magazine.)
The NorAm Regatta all began a decade ago with four boats and a small group of Canadian and American sailors gathering to race for three days.
It has now grown into a twice a year event that has seen 15 different 5.5s and a pool of over 100 sailors that have experienced the unique camaraderie, cooperation and competition that is the hallmark of racing centred in Midland, Ontario, Canada on Georgian Bay.
The North American fleet is focused on rejuvenation and attracting new enthusiasts to 5.5M racing. That has led to joint Canadian/American ownership of boats and rescuing of 5.5s destined for destruction, like Mavi USA 103. This year she is sailing as a fleet boat while waiting for a new owner to catch the passion.
To help level the playing field and keep it fresh and exciting, skippers and crews often step aboard different boats at each regatta and multiple boat owners like American Dan Rossi lend out their extra boats.
Nantoria CAN 22 owner John Lister lent his boat to Eugene Kokbas who has skippered Summer School CAN 31 for two regattas.
Kokbas said Nantoria took some getting used to. “She is different from Summer School. She turns differently and is a lot livelier, very squirrely. I found I was constantly correcting and I have to learn to anticipate more, to be proactive in what the boat is going to do. The first time out in her is hard.”
He laughed and pointed out another complication. “There is no Windex, John doesn’t like it and with my bifocals I can’t see his telltales so I was having to sail by feel.”
Clearly he got the feel quickly, and was the first classic across the line. “It was a great day with two nice races. The first one was really nice for us. I thought the course was a bit long but then when you are sailing we really enjoyed it.”
Kokbas followed that up with a second to end Day 1 tied with Mavi atop the classic fleet.
It was a similar story on board Mavi with Lister at the helm. “The boat was interesting. It’s funny, you miss your own boat as everything just feels so different and then you figure it out and just go sail. It turned out well with a first place finish.”
Summer School is now jointly owned by Canadian Matt Thurley and American Joe Lambert. Lambert and his Aeolus II USA 102 has been unable to attend the NorAm for several years. He was thrilled to be back. “I have missed all of you. It’s good to be back. It was a great day – and my feet are dry which is such a change from Aeolus,” he said with a laugh. “Now it’s just figuring everything out.”
Thurley is still getting used to boat ownership. “It’s a little unbelievable. Although we’ve had her for a while she is now starting to feel like mine.”
He thoroughly enjoyed sailing with Lambert again (they raced together in the very first NorAm). “Lambert is so athletic, he solves problems very quickly. I’m happy with the day, it was good. The boat was great, moving really well. It was good clean air, a little shifty today but I’m happy with the outcome of a third and fourth.” That puts Summer School in third at the end of Day 1.
Things were interesting on the evolution side. Don Cameron on O’Kelly CAN 79 said it was an excellent race with changing wind keeping everyone on their toes. “It was really fun, very shifty and you had to find the wind, a lot of shifts and a lot of up and downs. If you didn’t cut north and then out, if you went out first instead, you were screwed.”
He added, “That Firestorm is fast, but we got our boat going better than we have in years. I felt the boat was going quite well.”
Firestorm USA 87 had a strong day coming out on top with a first and a third.
Over on Dan Rossi’s Jalapena USA 96, there was a steep learning curve in the first race with novice sailor Jacob Rico onboard a 5.5 for the first time – something that the North American fleet actively encourages.
Rico was bubbling with enthusiasm about the fast paced experience. “I’ve sailed a maximum of four times before this and nothing like a 5.5 and not in a regatta. It was really exhilarating from start to finish. I love that there’s always something going on.”
His previous Laser experience didn’t quite prepare him for the more complicated reality of a 5.5. “There are 10 different lines, so much to learn but Dan is really good at easing me into it. I’m learning the sequence of things.”
He found the teamwork fascinating. “There is constant movement, constant awareness and the cooperation between the team is extraordinary. There is a good communication, a good bond. It really brings a different feeling of community.” He saw that community extend beyond the race course. “It’s in the on shore activities as well, everyone here is amazing.”
He is looking forward to putting all that learning to work in the days ahead.
Photos
The harbour at Midland Bay Sailing Club was alive with a record 10 classic and evolution 5.5M boats on the line for the August North American 5.5M Regatta.
Where others would see rotting wood and disaster, North American 5.5ers see beauty and possibilities and the fleet was thrilled to welcome back Jill CAN 11 after a hiatus of several seasons and massive restoration work by Jason Williams.
Camaraderie, cooperation and competition are the hallmarks of the North American fleet as they work to rejuvenation and reignite the passion in Canada and the US. That cooperation has spawned fleet boats that continue to look for new owners as well as joint ownership of boats. Canadian Matt Thurley and American Joe Lambert prepped Summer School CAN 31 for the week of racing.