Don Barker Wins 2013 Rock Hall Regatta
The annual Fall Rock Hall Regatta was dealt a beautiful Chesapeake late summer weather day. Temps in the 70’s and blue skies and a northerly that stayed in one place the entire day. Regatta Chairmen, Tom Lippincott and Chip Lieber, of the host Rock Hall Fleet, were able to sail thanks to the RC management by Joe and Amy Manley who ran the show. They did a great job keeping the day rolling along. Eleven skippers came from four different fleets including Hank Buchanan, who drove down from New York City to be with us. Rock Hall Yacht Club has been a host for the North American RC Laser Championship a few years back and a great facility to host many regattas, large boats or small, over the course of their sailing season.
Tom Lippincott set up the course, a windward leeward, that keep us hopping to select the right sail, an A or B. Many raced off the dock, dodging a snake at the edge, to quickly change sails to match the wind velocity of the moment. The windward mark was a little frustrating as the wind from the cove played with us all day. Most of the day was spent in A sails but the sleigh ride on the way to the leeward mark was wrought with occasional nose dives and lurches left or right as our boat reacted on its own to recover.
Oxford’s Don Barker won the day with consistent sailing and seven firsts over the fourteen fleet races sailed. Second went to West Jersey’s Rob Seidelmann, three points behind Don. Rob won three races himself. Third overall went to Hank Buchanan, who won a race as well. The other race firsts went to Jim Flach, who won two and Dave Branning, who won the last race. The fleet welcomed John Wagner, racing his Laser for the first time and David Manley, his first regatta and he was the regatta junior winner.
Pictures post race from Jim Flach: https://picasaweb.google.com/jim.flach/2013RCLaserRockHallRegatta
| RESULTS | ||
| Place | Skipper | Points |
| 1 | Don Barker | 29 |
| 1 | Rob Seidelmann | 32 |
| 1 | Hank Buchanan | 42 |
| 1 | Dave Branning | 47 |
| 1 | Tom Lippincott | 54 |
| 1 | Jim Flach | 60 |
| 1 | Victor Oberg | 61 |
| 1 | Skip Lippincott | 72 |
| 1 | Chip Lieber | 94 |
| 1 | David Manley | 99 |
| 1 | John Wagner | 122 |