The conditions, venue and competition could not have been better for Pied Piper . Competing in the Great Lakes 70 Class, Pied Piper managed five 1st place finishes in the first 6 races and maintained its lead through the last day of racing finishing 8 points ahead of its nearest competitor.

 

The regatta got off to a rocky start in the first race. The team got a little over anxious and was called over the line early. This forced us to head to the right side of the course. This had been the original intention but being over early and restarting behind half the fleet was not the plan.

 

Ron Sherry, tactician and multiple ice boat world champion, called it perfectly and the right side of the course paid off as we sailed into favorable shift and pressure. Pied Piper was able to win the right hand side and cross its competitor that had sailed to the left side. We managed to protect the lead and never relinquish it for the remainder of race one.

 

Race six on Saturday was the highlight and sealed the regatta. After the start, Evolution was able to control Pied Piper/Smithereen.com off the line using starboard tack advantage. They were able to push us all the way to the left side and slightly past the port lay line. We rounded the weather mark in sixth ahead of only two boats. It is the mark of a great team when they can turn their worst race into their best performance. At the weather mark, Dave Jochum’s bow team executed a perfect set and then straight into a jibe that set us up to get an increase in pressure and lead the rest of the fleet into a left hand shift. Dave has been running the bow on Pied Piper since 2002. He is a veteran of 12 Mackinac races. By the leeward mark we were able to make use of starboard advantage and inside overlap. The bow team again executed a perfect maneuver and Pied Piper was able to recover and round the leeward mark in 2nd place. Holua rounded in first and the jib and main trimmers focused on narrowing that lead in the 2nd upwind leg. Jib trimmers Stu Thompson, Dave Shriner and main trimmer Jack Wheeler kept the boat moving very well as we were able to climb higher and match speed with the first placed Holua. Working to the right side of the course again paid off as Holua and Pied Piper made gains on the rest of the fleet. By the 2nd weather mark Pied Piper had closed distance with Holua and was now only four boat lengths behind. Looking for more pressure we again went left on the down wind. This maneuver again closed distance on Holua. Holua jibed in front of Pied Piper by only half a boat length and led us towards the finish. Holua finished 4 seconds ahead but this was not enough to save their handicap time on Pied Piper as we recorded a 1st for race six.

 

 

 

Helm – Jack Jennings
Tactician – Ron Sherry
Downwind Trimmer/Main Caddy - Eric Vigrass
Main Trimmer - Jack Wheeler
Port Primary Jib Trim - Stuart Thompson
Stbd Primary Jib Trim - David Shriner
Grinder - Ben Biddick
Grinder – Kevin Savitt
Pit – Bob Wiesen
Halyards – Eric Jochum
Sewer – Kevin Giunebaugh
Fordeck – Mike Barry
Mast – Mike Rehe
Mid Bow – Brian Brophy
Bow – Dave Jochum        
     
Pied Piper Racing is very pleased with this success and is looking forward to the next event the Bayview Mackinac Race.