Clearwater Challenge Regatta Held
(l-r) Commodore Andy Spetz and Allan Thomas The Clearwater Yacht Club hosted the Clearwater Challenge Regatta over the weekend of November 3-4. Thirty-two boats competed in this WFPHRF Suncoast Boat of the Year event. Cookouts and dancing were the attraction in the evenings. The skippers enjoyed a drawing with gifts from West Marine and JSI and a new sail donated by Doyle-Ploch Sailmakers. The event chair and principal race officer was Past Commodore Dick Boblenz who ran the racer cruiser and true cruising classes. Past Commodore David Billing was the senior race officer for the windward/leeward course for the spinnaker and non-spinnaker classes. Anne Newton was the chief judge. Saturday's conditions were perfect with a north wind averaging 15 knots with 3-4 foot waves in the Gulf of Mexico. Once out on the race course the wind was relatively steady and the races could be run with no course changes being necessary. Although the race committee was a bit uncomfortable the competitors loved it, but several did retire with crew or gear failure. Sunday's conditions were much more moderate with a pleasant 6-10 knot north breeze and a light chop. The competitors and race committee had a much easier time and the racing was very close. On both courses many of the competitors were overlapped at mark roundings. One protest was filed, but was denied. The class winners were:
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