Author: Rodion Mazin

The year 2020 did not make it easy to either run a regatta or an AGM. Nevertheless, we made sure that all the USAFA member’s votes were taken into account. This year we ran a vote via google forms. The process allowed everyone who couldn’t visit the National Championship to cast their vote. Congratulations to Peter Frissell, Rodion Mazin, Noel Miller, Michael Dorgan, and Will Libcke for reaffirmation or election in their respective position. The 2020 AGM summary can be found here.

For all questions or concerns please contact USAFA Secretary at secretary@finnusa.org

If you haven’t received the USAFA newsletters or member notifications from the USAFA Secretary, please check your spam box and make sure that finnsecretary@gmail.com is added to your trusted e-mail list.

San Diego, CA (September 14, 2020) Twenty-five Finn’s flocked to San Diego Yacht Club this weekend for two days of the 2020 Finn Pacific Coast Championship. Among those sailors were those new to the fleet, those known for the fleet, and many active, enthusiastic competitors excited to be out on the water in their single-handed boats. Seven races were sailed out in the Pacific Ocean on the popular course of Coronado Roads.

In first place was Charlie Buckingham with 12 points. In second place was Phil Ramming with 23 points. Taking third place was James Buley with 26 points.

Charlie Buckingham, coming to San Diego from Newport Harbor Yacht Club, credits his 11 point leading win to familiar winds and consistent sailing. “The conditions were very similar to Newport Harbor…no more than 10-12 knots at the most. The direction was really consistent as well, which made it easy to figure out. I’m new to the boat, so I kept my head down and tried to work with the controls. If it was a windy event, the results might have been really different!”

Also sailing this weekend was SDYC S/C Mike Dorgan…a typical “top-of-the-fleet” finisher. Dorgan has been essential in growing the Finn fleet in Southern California and is one known to always put the Finn first, however, this weekend his priorities were family and fleet members. Dorgan put this race second when son, Matt Dorgan, was seeing boat troubles and had to make his way back into the Club – at the cost of his scores. Not only did Dorgan forfeit some of Saturday’s racing for his son, but also was found assisting another sailor in the fleet who had capsized on Sunday.

“I was looking for Matt during the race and when I finished I didn’t see him, so I got worried and sailed in to look for him. It’s not everyday you have a chance to be a dad. On Sunday, one of the new guys in the fleet capsized sailing downwind. Jeff Johnson (Waterfront Director) and I sailed out to him, I dove in and helped flip it back up,” Dorgan explained.

“I’m the fleet organizer, running the regatta, and feel like I have a responsibility to members of the fleet and the boats we loan out. It’s been a lot of work, especially with Covid-19 going on, but we have a great thing going. The Finn fleet is growing and we’re having fun.”

A new sailor, David Balfour, recently joined the fleet and left Sunday night with the Fun Award – an award that Dorgan created for the half-fold of the fleet. “It’s always great when your last race is your best race, and that was the case for me,” Balfour started. “The last race saw lots of wind and hiking and getting some tips from my fellow competitors was also helpful.”

The Finn fleet is fortunate during the Covid-19 pandemic to be able to race in their socially-distanced, single-handed boats. However, the weekend didn’t look exactly like a typical Finn celebration. All pre and post racing socials were cancelled, and awards were given to the top finishers in a socially distanced setting.

“As more of the public is granted access to activities, likewise, sailing regattas are easing back…but still with a lot of austerity and cooperation from competitors while ashore. San Diego is still working through some unique crew restrictions from San Diego County for recreational boating that don’t appear anywhere else in California, but local sailors have largely complied. These singlehanded regattas are great that way. They’re safe, compliant and the competitors are all polite and thankful to be sailing,” expressed SDYC Waterfront Director Jeff Johnson.

“SDYC did a great job running the races as well as putting on the event in our current environment. It’s a lot of stress stepping up the plate like that to host an event and with so many of them being canceled, it was nice for the Club and the sailors alike to be able to have this regatta. Overall it was a success for everyone,” added Buckingham.

To view the results from the 2020 Finn Pacific Coast Championship, visit here.

Fantastic singlehanded weekend at the San Diego Yacht Club!  Seventeen Finns on the starting line, proper ashore COVID safety procedures, plenty of space, and off the charts unreal sailing. Henry Sprague took the lead on the first day and didn’t let go of the victory with nearly a perfect score of 7 points. Mike Dorgan only 4 points behind. Scott Griffith secured the third with 22 points.  The full report will be up by the end of the week. Results are available at https://sdyc.org/assets/results/results20/sdocr_res.htm

Photos by Mark Albertazzi

The registration is now open for the 2020 North-American Championship. Visit https://www.regattanetwork.com/event/21032 for more details!

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the class leadership with the support of our members made a decision to shift the U.S. National Championship to the Pass Christian YC, MS in the first half of November 2020 and the North American Championship to the Coconut Grove YC, FL 17-20 December 2020.

More details will be available at www.finnusa.org/event-calendar/ 

Hello Finnsters,

First,  Please be aware that after some discussion with Corpus Christie Yacht Club the decision was made to have the Nationals at Corpus Christie next year due to the pandemic. The people at Corpus Christie Yacht Club have been very professional and accommodating and a joy to work with.  Its unfortunate that dates in October didn’t work out.  We look forward to going there in 2021.  Below is a revised schedule and then a survey regarding Nationals.

We hope everyone is healthy and safe.  Here is the current status of regattas that USAFA is aware of:
·  Wickford Regatta June 6-7,  in Northeast- Cancelled
·  USA National Championship at Corpus Christi, June 25th-28th – Cancelled  (USAFA honoring commitment for CY2021), USA Nationals 2020, pending search of the location and time.**
·  ABYC  OCR- July 17th-19th – Still on, pandemic permitting
·  Great Lakes at North Cape in Michigan July 10th-11^th –  Still on, pandemic permitting
·  SDYC OCR – San Diego August 7th-9th – Still on, pandemic permitting
·  Cazenovia Regatta- New York, August 8th-9th – Still on, pandemic permitting
·  North American’s-CORK in Kingston Ontario-August 14th thru18th. Organizing authority didn’t officially cancel the event, however City of Kingston closed the harbor access pending pandemic development. Event will be highly hindered by the international travel requirements.  USAFA considering moving event to Florida in December and honoring our commitment to hold North American Championship in Canada in 2021.
·  Gulf Coasts- Mobile Alabama,  October 1-3  Still on
·  Masters- Austin Texas,  October 8-11- Still on
Rumor from Southern California is that many Finns are out sailing individually (I’m jealous) and some big boat sailors finding it much easier to “social distance” in a Finn.

** USA National Championship 2020 USA options:
1.     Buccaneer YC, AL combined with the Gulf Coast Championship October 1-3, 2020
2.     Past Christian YC, MS standalone event  1^st or 2^nd week of November, 2020.

Please vote at:  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScFlrOb2HSOdrsRQk_SfgbhKVxn9txfRlAW9AQVe5JiozGwig/viewform?usp=sf_link

Please respond by May 20th so we can get official announcements out.

Please let us know if you have any additional information on regatta status.  We will try to keep you informed as time progresses.  We are looking at alternatives for later in the year.

Thanks and Regards,
USAFA Leadership
secretary@finnusa.org
president@finnusa.org

With the COVID-19 situation rapidly evolving and Federal, State, and Municipal authorities banning large gatherings across different states, organizing authorities and USAFA cancelled following events:

1. 2020 Midwinters One Design, Sarasota, FL

From Organising Authority: “In the wake of President Trump’s declaration of a national emergency, restrictions on community gatherings have changed significantly. A careful review of both local and national guidance has led us to cancelling our One Design Midwinter’s Regatta. The health and well-being of our extended “family” at the squadron is dear to us. We thank you for your support and understanding. Our volunteer-based organization is heavily dependent upon income generated by our regatta program. If you would like to donate your entry fee to the Squadron, no further action is necessary. If you would like a refund, please contact our manager, Craig Bridges, at manager@ssssailing.com. We will process a partial refund (entry fees less processing expenses) through Regatta Network. Please note that Regatta Network has shared with us that it can take up to 30 days for a refund to appear on your credit card. Your friends at the Squadron wish all of you the best of health and a fun-filled summer of sailing.”

2. USAFA Gulf Coast Championship, Buccaneers YC, Mobile, AL.

Cancelled. Please send your request for the refund to rearcommodore@fairhopeyachtclub.com

3. Fairhope Finn Clinic.

Cancelled. Contact USAFA Secretary for more details.

Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience. The USAFA did everything possible and worked with organizing authorities and alternate site locations to continue holding the events with the limited social interactions, however, local municipal and state orders trumped our eagerness to sail. We will keep you posted on when and where we will hold the GCC and the clinic. Be ready for other events to be cancelled on short notice and contact organizing authorities for more information.