A record-setting 273 one-design boats in 17 classes raced in the 2003 Sailing World Annapolis NOOD Regatta, which was held this past weekend on Chesapeake Bay. Mostly light breezes, and a strong ebb tide were the main features of the event, which included sailors from 22 states and four countries. Everything from Cal 25s to 12-Meters joined in the fun, with some classes sailing as many as seven races on four race circles. “Racing is the best form of family counseling,” says the crew of the J/35 Maggie, which includes two generations of the Scheidt family. “Weve sailed together our whole lives,” says Susan Scheidt, the family matriarch. “We all love it.” Scheidt and her husband Peter started racing in Annapolis in the 1960s on a Jet 14, raised the bar in the 70s with an Alberg 30, and since 1998 have raced on their J/35, Maggie. The Scheidt family, which includes daughters Karen, whose husband trims, and Christina, whose husband does mast, and brother David as tactician, sailed their way into the winners circle with 14 points despite the tricky conditions during the three-day event. “The wind was a little light,” said Karen, “but good. Technically it was interesting racing, especially with the current on Saturday.” Their win in the nine-boat class helped assuage the pain of paying $18 an hour for the babysitter who was tasked with caring for the familys 9 children.Peter McChesney, owner of the J/22 Palmer Legal Staffing overcame a 12th-place finish on the first day of racing to win the Annapolis NOODs largest class. How do you win a 50-boat class? “Cold Heineken,” said McChesney. “We make sure we have some cold ones on board for every race.” But barley-based refreshment wasnt the only key to McChesneys win. “We made sure the rig was tuned right, matched sail trim to rig tune and the sea conditions, and adjusted rig tune between every race.” McChesney was helped to victory by his crew, which includes his wife Margaret and long-time friend Keith Murphy. “She [Margaret] keeps the two of us under control and is the real reason we won,” said McChesney. “Shes so darn good.” An understanding of the current that bedeviled so many competitors on Day 2 helped the threesome, too. “Theres usually not that much current on the Bay,” said McChesney. “We used the current on the starting line to help us get some great starts. If you recognized that the current was strong, you could use it to your advantage and get some good starts, which is everything in a big fleet, especially in one with such good sailors.”Mike Carroll, of Clearwater, Fla., scored his second win in as many years in the Henderson 30 class at the Annapolis NOOD. “We had excellent tactical calls from John Jennings, stellar helmsmanship from Marty Kullman, and excellent crew work,” said Carroll. “Sailing in light air is at times even more difficult than sailing in heavy air. Marty was able to keep the boat moving in extremely light air, and John was able to keep us out of trouble on a racecourse that could get crowded at times.” Jennings, the current World Masters champion kept his explanation of the teams victory simple. “The conditions were wonderful to sail in,” he said. “It was a little shifty and a little light, but it was similar to the conditions at home on Tampa Bay. It was shifty and there were some big holes, but we went fast, didnt make too many mistakes, and had some good luck.”Theres no doubt about it, if you want to hear a group of sailors roar like a Superbowl crowd, have Dennis Conner come to the podium of their regattas awards ceremony and accept a trophy. Conner topped the 35-boat Etchells class at the Annapolis NOOD with 16 points, 21 points ahead of the second place boat, Annie, owned by Gary Gilbert. Dressed in blue blazer and a Stars and Stripes baseball cap, Conner accepted the crowds adulation with a tip of the cap and a heartfelt thank you to his crew. Conners appearance was brief, but it was a highlight of the event.Another name from Americas Cup history also made a big splash at the Annapolis NOOD. Ted Turner, winner of the Americas Cup in 1977, was back on the helm of the 12-Meter Courageous, USA-26, his ride for that Cup series. Turner and his yellow-clad crew sailed three races during the regatta, racing against USA-30, Freedom, winner of the 1980 Cup races, owned and driven by Ernest Jacquet of Boston. The 12-Meters attracted some attention on Day 2, but didnt really get to center stage until the final day of racing, when the six other classes on their race circle, in a holding pattern for more breeze, were treated to the sight of the two 55,000-pound, beautifully-restored champions duking it out match-racing style. Jacquet and the crew of Freedom survived a race riddled with holes and shifts to post a win in the final race, which soothed the pain of losing the first two races of the series.Garth Hitchens and the crew of the Beneteau 36.7 Gijima Kakhulu [“Run Fast” in Zulu] spent the weekend battling it out with Wes Siegner and his crew on Abino. Siegner was the winner of the inaugural Beneteau 36.7 national championship last fall, also raced in Annapolis. “This win was payback for the 5 months worth of emails that Wes sent me giving me grief about last fall,” said Hitchens. “Now its payback time.” Hitchens, who sells boats and rigging in Annapolis agreed with the consensus about the conditions during the event. “The current was the biggest thing to deal with. If you had wind, it was okay, but if you fell in a hole you were gone,” said Hitchens. “You had to be going fast and get through the current as quick as you could.” But current and windshifts didnt make much difference on the final day of racing. “We match-raced Abino all day,” said Hitchens, ” and that took the shifts and everything else out of the equation. We just had to stay close to Abino.”12 Meter 1. Ted Turner Courageous 1, 1, 2 Atlanta2. Ernest Jacquet Freedom 2, 2, 1 Boston1D35 Class Points State (locales: city/state) 1. Douglas DeVos 13 Michigan 2. Buddy Cribb Jr. 18 Florida 3. John Fisher 22 Massachusetts Beneteau 36.7 Class 1. Garth Hichens 12 Annapolis, MD 2. Wes Siegner 13 Chevy Chase, MD 3. Jim Keen 21 Solomons, MD Henderson 30 Class 1. Michael Carroll 8 Florida 2. Jeffrey Gale 15 Bahamas 3. David Irwin 19 Texas J/105 Class 1. Alec Cutler 31 Annapolis, MD 2. Steve Phillips 35 Arnold, MD 3. Bill Sutton/Marty Hubitz 36 Arlington, VA J/35 Class 1. Peter Scheidt 14 Highland, MD 2. Kevin McNeil 16 Annapolis, MD 3. Sagerolm/Christofel 19 Annapolis, MD Mumm 30 Class 1. David Pyles 15 Easton, MD 2. Bodo & Nick von der Wense 15 Pennsylvania 3. Chris Sherin 16 New York J 22 Class 1. Peter McChesney 26 Annapolis, MD 2. James Hayes 37 Annapolis, MD 3. Greg Fisher 43 J/24 Class 1. Will Welles 23 2. Tim Healy 28 Rhode Island 3. Mark Swanson 39 Massachussetts J/80 1. Matt Baker 13 New Jersey 2.Ann Farmelo 17 New York 3. Paul Baehr 20 New York Etchells Class 1. Dennis Conner 16 California 2. Gary Gilbert 37 Oakton, VA 3. Thornburrow Parsons 44 Hong Kong J/30 Class 1. David McConaughy 17 Newport News, VA 2. Dallam/Griffiths/McGuirk 21 Bel Air, MD 3. Costello/Rutsch 25 Melges 24 1. Travis Weisleder 20 Newport, RI 2. Jeffrry Todd 24 3. Chris Doubek 24 Arnold, MD Alberg 30 1. Read Beigel 12 Severna Park, MD 2. Rolf Townshend 28 Severna Park, MD 3. T.C. Williams 30 Annapolis, MD Cal 25 1. Geoffrey Swanhart 15 Sterling, VA 2. Tom Corboy 18 Annapolis MD 3. Bremer/Seay 33 Sherwood Forest, MD Catalina 27 Class 1. John Ebell 23 Annapolis, MD 2. Francis Wright 27 Annapolis, MD 3. James Urban 27 Pearson 30 1. Henry Starr 13 Silver Springs, MD 2. Roy Lappalainen 18 3. John Blais III 19 Hampton, VA S2 7.9 Class 1. Dan Cherrish/Brad Boston 7 Ontario, Canada 2. Bob Fleck 16 Alexandria, VA 3. Paul Fruehauf 24 Wilmington, DE
