COMPLETE ARTICLE

9/18/2009

Ensign Nationals Report

Source: Doug Burtner

When I first started sailing Ensigns 12 years ago, I was in my late teens and didn’t have much interest in sailing with my parents on their Ensign. It was just that age, where all you really wanted to do was get away from them. I’m sure after 19 years of dealing with me they didn’t feel much different.

I received a call from Dr. Henry (Bud) Rohrer while I was in my 1st year of College in upstate NY. He asked if I would like to join him for a week long sailing school on Ensigns, in Florida, in February, with my brother. While my brother and I were not the best of friends growing up, the little separation after High School must have been what we needed, because we became great friends, and have been since. Needless to say a few months later my brother and I were at the airport where we met Bud Rohrer for the first time, about to hop on a plane bound for Florida for a week of sailing in Biscayne Bay. It was a little weird to be flying down to Florida with a guy I never met, but my folks knew him and he seemed like a nice guy.

12 years later, and coming into my 11th Ensign National Championship Regatta, we were looking for a 4th to join team 856 on “The White Lady of Irondequoit”. The owner of the boat, Greg Eiffert, was chartering the boat to his good friend Mike Frankovich out of Island Heights NJ. The White Lady spent the summer sailing in NJ with Mike and a crew of guys that have sailed with him over the years. Mike got a friend’s son, Cory Hall to do bow. Coming out of college sailing, Cory has never spent any time on boats with spinnakers. He would have to learn the ropes quickly so he would be ready for the nationals in 2 months. I was going to trim the genoa and spinnaker at nationals and Mike thought he had a mainsail trimmer lined up for Nationals, but it didn’t work out. So two weeks before the nationals we were looking for a 4th. I was up in Maine at my cousins wedding and I was talking to my dad. Then a bell went off. My dad has an Ensign, he has gone to Nationals in the past and done pretty well, why not ask Dad to join the team.

I asked my Dad about the idea, and at first he said he might have plans and to see who else we could drum up, but it ended up that my father joined us for 2009 Nationals. So we had the Team: Mike driving, my Dad (Neal Burtner) trimming main, I would trim headsails and call tactics, and Cory would handle the pointy end.

My dad and I drove down to Centerport Long Island on a Saturday, August 8th, and got settled at Bob and Linda Windsor’s house, who were kind enough to put us up for the week. Sunday morning I was able to go out sailing on a few customers Ensigns so we could go over a few trimming and tuning tips. Sunday Mike and Cory got there with the boat and we started getting her ready to drop in the water. A practice race was scheduled for Monday with official races to follow and the forecast was light.

Monday (and Tuesday) we saw winds of 3-6 knots out of the SW the whole day. We had our tide charts and current charts and got settled in for light air sailing. After getting in nine races throughout the week, and not keeping detailed notes about every race (and writing about it 4 weeks later) it is hard to remember every race, but I do know that we usually had great starts. I think we had one race the first day where we were pinching up to make the pin end and totally stopped the boat, but then a funny thing happened, the current pushed us passed the line. That was nice. It is always hard for us fresh water, lake sailors to get used to sailing in tides with that much current. It was pretty cool.

I can’t say that there was really a favored side to go to on the first two days of light air. We usually got off the line well and opened up a lane off our starboard hip so we had the option to tack if we wanted to. That is critical when aiming for the top of the fleet. You need to make a hole for yourself on the starting line so you have enough speed to punch ahead at the start. Once you have your speed off the line you can go into point mode, and pinch off any competition that is above you. Then you have an open lane to tack. If you are on a lifted tack you stay put and wait for a header to tack in. If you think your numbers are down and you are in a header, then you tack over to the lifted board. Sounds simple, it always does, but implementing that takes practice and communication. Mike did a great job finding a clear lane before the start and 90% of the time we were able to find ourselves in the top 5 of the fleet after the first ¼ mile. Using our fine tune backstay and halyard adjustments allowed us to change gears from speed to point mode and open up lanes so we could get in clear air. On days like this keeping the boat moving is critical and you need clear air to do it. So even if you can’t play shifts you still need to get in clear air and make sure the boat is going as fast as it can.

The next 2 days we saw heavier air out of the NE. It was probably between 15 and17 knots, and we may have had a few puffs that were higher. The current was coming at us this time so we always had to make sure we were well above the starboard layline so we could make the weather mark. Many boats found themselves doing quite a few tacks to get over that mark. I always find that it is better to go over to the port layline in conditions like this. That way you can get yourself close enough to the weather mark to make sure you get around it and the current doesn’t push you down again and again.

What is great about our sails is how well they respond to sail adjustments. To have the fastest sails in all wind conditions is the best advantage you can have. In light air we had all the power we needed with the backstay in the light air setting. We would ease the halyard to match and we could outpoint anyone. In heavy air we would pull the backstay on, and it flattened the mainsail and genoa just as it should. The whole regatta we always felt that we had speed and point on everyone. There were a few times when guys were pulling away from us, but that was when they were sailing 5 degrees lower than us and we always made out on them in the end. We only had one first place finish after 3 days and 8 races, but we had the most consistent top place finishes next to Brain Simkins, who was also using Haarstick Sails. (our scores up to this point were: 5-4-3-3-7-11-1-3)
Going into the last day, with one race left on the schedule, we found ourselves in first place with a handful of boats within points (or a point) from us. This made my week to be in the lead after 8 races. This boat did win Nationals last year, but this year we had Mike driving the boat for the first time, my Dad and Cory on the boat for the first time and Cory’s first time ever sailing with a spinnaker at a regatta. Needless to say, we weren’t on the top of anyone’s list to win this regatta. So to be in first place with one race left was great.
All we had to do was keep doing what we were doing and keep our eye on the other top boats. We didn’t want to try and cover any one particular boat because that would let another guy squeeze out ahead. All we could do is get a nice clean start and go fast. To skip the dramatics the last race we were OCS (over early). We all had a good site on the line and wanted to play it safe. We didn’t think we were over, but I guess you never really do. So after finally realizing it was our number they were calling over the radio we dove back below the line and found ourselves in a deep last place, uhhhhhhh. It felt good to fight back to an 11th though. We ended up tied for 3 and lost the tie breaker to take 4th in the final standings.
It was a great week. I am pleased with how our sails did. 10 years ago we were the only Ensign using Haarstick Sails and this year 4 of the top 10 boats were using all Haarstick sails. Our customers continue to grow in the Ensign Class and it isn’t a hard product to sell. It is word of mouth that has lead to the majority of our new Ensign customers. People are learning that they can have the fastest sails in the fleet and sails that last longer than any other sails in the market. Every sail is built right here in this building. We impact flutter and load test all the cloth we use, before we buy it, the end result is a sail that will hold its designed shape longer. That is how Mike got 3rd at the Ensign Regional’s in NJ with 7 year old Haarstick Sails.
In the end of it all I got to spend a week with my father and get some great sailing in. It is funny how 10 years and a family of your own can change your outlook on life. 10 years ago I wouldn’t think much of sailing with my Dad, now I’m asking him if he’s got room for me on his Ensign for some end of the season club racing.
A huge thanks goes out to Bob and Linda Windsor for being such gracious hosts. They always had a smile on, and it was great to unwind with them by the pool with a few rum drinks. Thanks to Brain Simkins and Rob Windsor for always being there to help out. And Congrats to Mark Swanson for a well sailed regatta, you’ve earned it. I plan on being up in Cedarville MI for the 2010 Nationals and hope we get a big turn out. It is a beautiful place to sail and everyone should check it out.
I also will never forget Dr. Henry (Bud) Rohrer for sharing his passion for sailing and passing it along to me. He introduced me to the Ensign Class and introduced me to my career. Thanks Bud.

Haarstick Ensign Page: www.haarsticksailmakers.com/sail_class_single.asp?id=ensign
2009 Ensign National Results: www.ensignclass.com/content/view/46/1/
Ensign Class Website: www.ensignclass.com
The White Lady of Irondequoit: www.haarsticksailmakers.com/img/Ensign.WL.spin.05_LG.jpg
2010 Ensign Nationals at Cedarville MI: www.lescheneauxensignclass.com

 

Links

http://www.ensignclass.com/content/view/46/1/

http://www.haarsticksailmakers.com/sail_class_single.asp?id=ensign