Unstable Weather for Cressy Nationals

The 2018 ISSA Cressy Singlehanded National Championship took place on Lake Michigan over October 28-29 2018. The regatta was hosted by Macatawa Bay Yacht Club in Macatawa, Michigan.

Sailors were greeted by cool fall temperatures for the first warning signal when sounded on day 1 in an easterly breeze @ 6-12kts with big oscillations and pressure changes across the course.

Midway through the afternoon, the wind began to shift to the north and lighten but the race committee made the most of the conditions and were able to complete a total of 8 races before calling it a day.

Sailors were greeted back at the dock with a warm meal and great hospitality. Three Rule 42 calls were made on the water and no protests were filed.

On day 2, sailors were greeted by the cool temps and lots of rain for day two of the Cressy Nationals. With the forecast being somewhat unstable with the threat of severe weather and an earlier cut-off time, the decision was made to sail inside on Lake Macatawa.

After a short on the water postponement while the race committee waited for the breeze to settle in, racing got underway in 5-8knts of breeze from the SSE. Heavy rain, big shifts and even a short period of hail during the first four races of the day made it tough for competitors and RC to stay warm but they managed to tough it out and for the last two races of the day, the wind shifted all the way to the west and provided a solid 12-15knts of breeze to end the regatta.

In the Laser Radial, Cameron Giblin (’19 Ranney School) led the fleet. The Laser Full Rig fleet was won by Collin Porter (’19 Savannah Country Day School).

Morton Starr Cressy, Jr. was a 1927 graduate of the United States Naval Academy and an avid sailor. The Cressy Trophy was presented to the Naval Academy by his wife in his memory. The Cressy Trophy Regatta was originally a multi-division invitational high school regatta sailed in 420s and Lasers, hosted by USNA since 1979, sometimes in conjunction with the ISSA Mallory Trophy Regatta.

The Deed of Gift was changed in 1985 to rededicate the Cressy Trophy as the National High School Singlehanded Championship trophy, sailed in Lasers. Since 1990, it has been recognized by the Interscholastic Yacht Racing Association, now the Interscholastic Sailing Association (ISSA), as the ISSA National Singlehanded Championship. Competition now rotates annually among the several ISSA districts, in the Fall of the preceding calendar year.

Event Details – Results, Laser Radial – Results, Laser Full Rig

Source: ISSA