Uncle Al's report on the 2022 Canadian Nationals at Peterborough SC 2022

No lay-off rust on 2022 Nationals winners, Dave Hansman and Dave Richardson, at Peterborough SC

2022.08.05 a work in progress The North Bay team of Dave Hansman and Dave Richardson (below) made themselves right at home as 14 teams came to our newest Nationals venue, the Peterborough SC on Clear Lake, July 23-24 for the Canadian Wayfarer Nationals. Even after a long time-out from sailing, Dave and Dave built up an insurmountable lead with 2-1-1-1-1 finishes in Saturday's hot, gusty winds before coasting to a convincing series victory in cooler, rainy weather and more moderate winds on the Sunday when the forecast horror show of rain and thunderstorms fortunately failed to materialize. This was Dave and Dave's second Nationals win as they had won the 2019 Canadian Nationals at Conestoga.

Dave Richardson and CWA Commodore, Dave Hansman

It was close but no cigar for two teams still looking for their first Canadian Nationals win, David Pugh and Leo Van Kampen. These teams entered the final race with 14 points apiece. Oakville's 4th-seeded David and Anne Pugh (above) of the Mississauga SC took charge early in the finale, and proceeded to sail a safe race, staying between Conestoga's Leo Van Kampen and the next mark throughout the triangle-sausage race to nail down the runner-up spot.

The Bronze finish was a silver lining for the 9th-seeded Leo with wife, Joanne, on Saturday and Ottawa's Frank Goulay (above) - an emergency replacement on the threatening Sunday - as they beat their seed by an impressive six spots and easily took Most Improved honours.

Freshly retired and moved to Midland and the Midland Bay SC and a shiny green new mark 4, Alastair Ryder-Turner and son, Andrew (above), beat their 7th seed by a fine three places as they placed 4th overall, just two points ahead of another father-son duo also in a new mark 4, Ross and Eric Thompson (below), who make their sailing home the Mississauga SC. Their fine debut in June at the Warm Water had the Thompsons seeded 3rd but they fell just short of matching their seed this time around.

The top-seeded Wayfarer and pride of Parry Sound, Sue Pilling and Steph Romaniuk (above), could do no better than 6th overall this time around. Steph was not feeling his best on the Saturday to the extent that he had to beg off taking part in Saturday's blistering hot and humid 5th race.

The lone crew representing the once mighty Wayfarer fleet at the Toronto Sailing & Canoe Club was the veteran team of Kit Wallace and George Waller in the lovely W994 Peregrine. A sparkling 4th-place finish in race 4 highlighted a fine performance that saw the 11th-seeded Kit and George place series 7th and just miss out on Most Improved honours.

A mere two points behind Kit and George in 8th overall were the Mississauga SC's Mike Duncan and his wife, Marg (above), sailing Gael Force. The Duncans had two high spots in their series, a 2nd in race 2 and a 5th in the finale, as they in turn edged out former clubmates, Rob Wierdsma with daughter, Samantha (below), by just a single point. Rob recently retired and moved back to Peterborough, his childhood.

The Nationals was quite a success for 15th-seeded Scott Ramsay, our hard-working CWA Secretary, and Les Sherratt (aqove) of Conestoga who sailed their new mark 4 Nehalennia [Celtic goddess of the sea?] to a fine 10th place overall.

Our main hosts at the Peterborough SC, Richard Spirk and Pam Leeuwestein (above), had a busy series apart from being our hosts. Richard had worked hard to bring up to snuff for the Nationals, one (also above) of the half-dozen TSCC club Wayfarers whose rescue to the PSC Richard had co-ordinated earlier. For the Wayfarer relocation to start a Peterborough Wayfarer fleet, Richard was awarded the Red Herring Award.

That award was not, alas, the magic bullet. After a promising race 1 start, Richard and Pam's Wayfarer began to sink under them and they had to head for shore after sailing a pair of painful races with that sinking feeling. At about the same time, Uncle Al was beginning to feel faint in the heat, but telling his new crew, Serge Toropov, that he was welcome to sail around in SHADES solo to his heart's content. Upon hearing of Richard's Titanic imitation, Al suggested that Richard and Serge team up and keep racing in W3854. Which they did (below) with a certain ...

... flair. Richard, Pam and Serge ended up combing for a very interesting series 11th.

The weekend was not without its perils for the Conestoga team (above) who sailed Zephyrus to 12th overall despite having to bow out of racing after a capsize in race 5 during which Jan gashed his shin and had to be taken to the hospital. Just a deep cut and nothing broken, I am happy to report.

Also packing it in after four races was KGB (Kevin & Gail Bugden) W648, being sailed by Frank Goulay and Kim Bergevin (above) of Ottawa's Lac Deschênes SC. Kim decided that she'd had enough fun and joined Uncle Al on shore with a breezy, shaded and refreshment-laden front-row seat at a picnic table with a fine of the action. The dire forecast for Sunday did nothing to entice Kim back onto the water, leaving Wayfarer Man Frank to add his spectacular crewing abilities to Leo's Sunday efforts.

In two events sailing under the burgee of Massachusetts Mystic River Mudheads Sailing Association, Uncle Al has yet to do anything to enhance the brand: 3rd of three Wayfarer in June Down the Chester River Race and DFL in the recent Nationals. Sailing with the enthusiastic Wayfarer newcomer, Serge Toropov, in that day's oppressive heat and demanding winds, the 81-year-old Al began to feel heat-prostrated after sailing only one race, by which time it had become amply clear that the post-pandemic Al is no longer able to supervise a crew. In fact, the reverse is true: In the finest tradition of Mike Codd looking after George Blanchard, I now need a crew who needs no supervision and can help me as needed. No whining intended - I greatly enjoyed our weekend at the PSC and on Clear Lake. My thanks to the many club members who cheerfully volunteered, some of whom can be seen below:

On board our committee boat are Dave MacPherson, Andrea Bonner, Brian Muir and our race officer PK Smith.

On the windward mark boat: PSCs race officer, Wally Hicks, and Gord Maitland.

Peter Malin (l) and Wally Hicks (r and below)

PSC Race officer, Wally Hicks

Manning the pin boat was Dave Logan and his son in law Dan Burnett.
Also putting time in on the pin boat was Dan’s wife, Rebecca, who supplied Jan d'Ailly with first aid.

(l to r) Pam Maitland, Pam Hart, Catalina Malin, Phyllis Morris

PSC's "Three Pams"

Our Saturday on-the-water photographer, Brian Morris