2018 Governors Cup

June 16-17
Kerr Lake, Henderson, NC

Nine Jets arrived at the shores of Kerr Lake near Henderson, NC to compete for the prestigious North Carolina Governor’s Cup trophy. The weekend began with a fantastic clinic run by a North Sails rep that seemed to be pretty knowledgeable – and he had a good tan, so he probably did a lot of sailing. But unfortunately I cannot recall his name. He provided some good tips about sighting the line, how to find your hole, and when to power up before the start.

The Jet fleet arrived Saturday morning to a dire wind forecast – it literally was forecast to “blow” 0-2 kt. Fantastic. Fortunately, a light 3-5 kt southerly filled in enough to allow for 3 short races. Unfortunately, Don Read (#951) spent his Saturday at the Vance County Medical Center after succumbing to a number of maladies, including a tick bite, spider attack, and ultimately heat exhaustion. We’re happy to report that all is well and Don will be back in action at the upcoming July 4 regatta at Lake Norman.

As one of the largest regional One Design regattas in the Carolinas, racing in the wind shadows of 97 boats can be challenging, even with six different starts. The Jets started with 7 or 8 420s and a few Tanzers. Race 1 began with Wells/Kern (#1130) and Hennon/Trebilcock (#483) starting near the pin and getting a favorable left shift to put them in the lead. But in a Mohican like turn of events, the right side of the course ultimately filled in and launched a plethora of contenders to the top of the pack, including Grace/Pacheco (#717), Hennon (Paula)/Bunce (#1129), and Sampson/No Crew Today (#977). Ultimately, Grace/Pacheco used their downwind speed to snuff out the rest of the fleet and take the bullet. Sampson snuck in just ahead of Hennon/Trebilcock to take 2^nd.

The breeze persisted into the afternoon and allowed two more races. Hennon finally figured out how to make his boat go fast in light air after 15 years of trying and managed to take both races. They were aided by a good old fashioned #717 “Corner Bang”, as Grace took his beloved across state lines to investigate if the Virginia tourism slogan “Virginia is for Lovers” was actually true. Pacheco reported back that all they experienced was lighter breeze and a few “WTF are we doing over here” variations. Sampson finished the day well, nailing the start in Race 3 and hanging on for another 2^nd place finish. Don and Rebecca Janeway (#1115) and Stuart and Lacie Wallace (#962) made incremental improvements and moved up the fleet as the day progressed.

That night, we were treated to yet another fantastic BBQ dinner. Fortunately for race organizers and the caterers, the hushpuppy supply was adequate as Brent Barbehenn was unable to attend and inhale his quota of 8.5 pounds of fried bread. After dinner, Hennon and Trebilcock retreated to their campsite to develop their strategy for the next day. They found themselves in first place, one point ahead of part-time Virginia residents Grace/Pacheco and 3 points to the good of Sampson, who was seen recruiting expert Jet crew Teri Fosmire to serve as the tactician for Sunday’s racing (Fosmire was left without a ride after the insect attacks earlier in the weekend). They settled on a solid plan – find Grace at the start, and stick with them around the race course.

This great plan lasted until the 5-minute gun sounded, when Hennon/Trebilcock completely abandoned/forgot it and started near the pin as Grace languished at the boat end in a sea of 420s and no air. Bad move. As the wind filled in on the right (and behind), most of the Jet fleet could only watch as #717 appeared to turn on a motor and completely decimate the competition. They literally finished more than 10 minutes before anyone else and clinched the victory when #483 was unable to pick up enough boats on the way in.

Nine Jets is the most at this event since the 1960s. Special kudos to Barry Saunders for promoting the event, organizing the campsite assignments, getting people in boats, and coordinating much of the food. We’re looking forward to seeing everyone at Lake Norman for Nationals this year.

Chris Hennon
(#483)