Gorgeous St Petersburg NOOD Regatta!

(St Petersburg, Florida)- The largest national sailboat racing circuit in the United States, the Helly Hansen National Offshore One Design Regatta series, opened its 28th season in St. Petersburg with nearly 130 teams competing on Tampa Bay, vying for individual class trophies as well as the regatta’s big prize—an invitation to the Helly Hansen NOOD Championship Regatta in the British Virgin Islands in October, where they will face overall champions from NOOD regattas across the country in Sunsail bareboats.

With 10 to 15-knot winds and bright sunshine on Tampa Bay, it was a full day of races on Friday, the 13th.  Some teams were luckier than others.   According to Dave Reed, SAILING WORLD’s Editor, “All in all, PROs on three circles got in more races today than we sometimes do an entire weekend, so it was good one to start with. We know Tampa Bay can be a fickle S.O.B., but the local ace professional today was Marty Kullman. He was fazed, but unfazed, by the 40-degree shifts. After four races, Kullman’s team on NEW WAVE led the 20-boat J/70 fleet, the largest class of the event. NEW WAVE finished second in its first two races and won the next two to establish a comfortable overall class lead in the three-day series.”

“Today was incredible.  It was sort of a rare day for St. Petersburg, with strong winds and big shifts,” says Kullman. “When the wind direction changes as much as it did, right or wrong, one mistake can be dramatic. There were times when we were on one side looking terrible, but then it would come back- - pretty amazing, actually. Our results were about being patient, and that’s credit to Steve Liebel [the team’s tactician].”

Kullman adds that the squad he has this week is the same that got fourth at the J/70 worlds, and that has been the difference between NEW WAVE and Joel Ronning’s CATAPULT, lying second. “We’ve sailed together as a team for a long time and that, too, was a major factor in being able to react quickly to changes. It’s really hard for me as a tactician to be driving and not constantly chirping, but Steve is good at controlling it,” said Kullman.  Kullman’s team also includes Mark Liebel, and Judah Rubin.

On Saturday, favorable conditions yielded a full day of racing on the second day, with winds starting out in the 10-knot range before dropping off before day’s end.

Raymond Mannix, skipper of the J/29 SEMPER FI, put in an outstanding performance in his PHRF 2 division, winning the day’s first two races and finishing second to St. Petersburg YC Commodore Harvey Ford in the second. After seven races, SEMPER FIT holds an 8-point lead over Ford’s J/29 WILDKAT, a good cushion with which to carry into Sunday’s final races. Lying third is yet another J/29, Robert Wetmore’s FAMILY CIRCUS.

“We had some a few exciting starts,” said Mannix, of Largo, Fla. “We got hit in the first start and got tangled up, but we got back going and ended up crossing the starting line right on time. In the second, the boat next us was called over early and had to go back; fortunately we were able to start clean and just popped out and crushed everyone.

“Today was a good day for tactician,” Mannix added. “We really played the shifts. It was shiftier than yesterday; more consistent; the lighter it got in the end, the harder it got. Playing the shifts and getting it right was the key. It helps that we’ve sailed this boat for 17 years and know how to make it go.”

For the final day on Sunday, the fleet was blessed with perfect racing conditions; a great test of the crews with a number of fleets experiencing high speeds, wipeouts, and horizon jobs.

PHRF 2 class saw a J/29 sweep.  Ray Mannix’s crew on SEMPER FI continued their winning ways and took PHRF 2 Fleet honors with just 12 pts after nine races, counting only six 1sts and three 2nds in their scoreline!  Second, was StPYC’s Commodore, Harvey Ford’s WILDKAT with 22 pts and third was Wetmore’s FAMILY CIRCUS with 34 pts.

The twelve-boat J/24 class had close racing for the top five, with just 16 pts separating the group at the end.  Hanging on by a thread on the last day was Travis Odenbach’s HONEY BADGER with a total of 23 pts.  Sailing fast and consistent was John Poulson’s LONG SHOT just 3 pts back with 26 pts total.  And, just another 3 pts back was David Ogden’s BUCKAROO with 29 pts.  Rounding out the top five were Carter White’s SEABAGSJ24.COM and Evan Petley-Jones’ LIFTED in 4th and 5th, respectively.

After starting out the first day in the lead, Kullman’s NEW WAVE managed to hang on to their lead and win the class by the significant margin of 15 pts.  After faltering in the last Quantum J/70 Winter Series regatta, local St Pete/ Tampa Bay expert Kullman came roaring back, posting four 1sts in his scoreline and a total of just 22 pts in 10 races.  After taking a rest from the J/70 Midwinters, Joel Ronning’s CATAPULT jumped back into the fray and sailed a solid series to take second overall.  Also sailing a consistent regatta was Will Welles’ RASCAL, taking third just 2.5 pts back from CATAPULT.  Racing one of their best series to date was Trey Sheehan’s HOOLIGAN: FLAT STANLEY RACING, winning a race and posting several top three scores to snag fourth overall.  Top woman skipper was Madelyn Ploch on SUGAR DADDY, taking 5th overall and even winning a race herself.  Of note, two-time J/111 North American Champion, Richard Lehmann, hopped into his brand new J/70 WIND CZAR and pulled off a top ten finish in his first regatta, taking 7th overall.   Sailing photo credits- Paul Todd/ Outside Images.   For more Helly Hansen St Pete NOOD Regatta sailing information