the Canadian Wayfarer Nationals
report by Uncle Al

Mississauga's Taylor Brothers Retain Title in Windy North Bay Nationals

Mark and Paul Taylor of the Mississauga SC scored a decisive win to repeat as Canadian National Wayfarer champions June 28-29. The 7-race series attracted 15 boats to the North Bay YC's Callander Bay at the east end of Lake Nipissing. A cool, rainy Saturday saw us complete four races (which doubled as the Don Rumble Memorial series) in shifty, gusty off-shore breezes. On the Sunday, skies had cleared and three more races were completed in more shifty winds that were gusting to 20+ knots.


When the dust had settled, Mississauga SC Commodore, Mark Taylor, with fine crew work from his brother, Paul, had left no doubt as to the outcome as they scored an outstanding 4-1-1-1-1-2, and repeated as our Canadian champions.

The shifty, gusty winds were not ideally suited to a crew learning the ropes, but London's Michele Dicker gave it her absolute best and enabled Oakville's Al Schonborn to take the runner-up spot, even though we decided we'd had enough after six races. Their 2nd-place finish also earned Michele and Al the Sweet Award for the best overall finish by "mixed" crew.


A splendid win in the breezy finale enabled Alastair Ryder-Turner and his son, Andrew, of TS&CC to grab series 3rd as well as to retain the Gillespie Award which goes to our Nationals' best-placed parent-offspring team.

Falling to series 4th after also foregoing the series finale were Conestoga's professorial pair, Dwight and Pat Aplevich. Usually quite consistent, even on Callander Bay, Dwight and Pat perhaps best illustrated not only the high level of competition throughout our fleet but also the trickiness of this year's conditions, when they won the first race handily, yet were life and death to rescue an 8th two races later in similar conditions.


With crew, Kim Bergevin, not yet ready to have a go at the spinnaker, Ottawa's pride of the Lac Deschênes SC, Frank Goulay, still managed a fine series 5th, one that also featured its share of inconsistency: an 11th in race 3 followed in race 6 by a most impressive first for Frank and Kim.

Only two points further back in series 6th were London's John and Dolores de Boer. They, too, had troubles finding consistency, balancing a 2-3-4 with a 7-9-10. Our Ottawa-Thunder Bay team of Lori Beehler and Andrew Haill continue to improve every time out. This time they nailed a solid 7th place overall which also won them the long-lost Nationals Rookie Trophy awarded to the highest placed first-time Nationals crew. Alternating at the helm, Andrew and Lori nailed a couple of super seconds, in one of which they finally beat Uncle Al in a race.

Our regatta's beloved main organizers, Dave and Carol Hansman, overcame a disappointing 11-12 start to their series and ended up a creditable 8th overall, just ahead of North Bay YC club mates, Sue Pilling and Steph Romaniuk who saved their best - a fine 3rd-place finish - for last.

Conestoga's Al Nichols and Ken Nethercott made their North Bay debut a good one as they rounded out the top ten, their high point being a 4th place finish in Sunday's first race. Series 11th went to Trout Lake's Dave Richardson and Kim Rainville who also saved their best for last: a sparkling 5th in Sunday's finale.

Another local team, Ross Jamieson and John Simmonds - fresh from being the Most Improved team of the Long Distance Race - ended up in 12th place, not helped by their Sunday DNF, DNC and a very late start in the finale after they had trouble getting their mainsail to go up after the lunch break ashore.

Mississauga's Rob Wierdsma made his Wayfarer debut with his young daughter, Samantha at this regatta. Sailing to the motto "capsized is slow", the Wierdsmas ended their cautious series (relatively) dry and in 13th overall.


Two Ottawa helms, Robin Allardyce and Andy Douma, teamed up with modest success and dropped to series 14th when a halyard break left them unable to sail Sunday's final three races. Also plagued by gear failure were a pair of North Bay youngsters. Fresh from winning the Ontario Sea Cadet sailing championship in Kingston, ON, Taylor Marsh (16) and Ryan Willick (15) had high hopes for this series but their borrowed club boat broke down repeatedly. Throw in a capsize, and the result was a no doubt disappointing last-place finish. Nonetheless, the lads looked pretty good while their boat was functional, and we all look forward to sailing with Taylor and Ryan again.