Photo by Al Schonborn

After racing in 2021 on the open salt water of Chesapeake Bay, also won by Montano, the Buccaneer 18 North Americans were held last weekend (September 16-18) hosted by Clark Lake Yacht Club in Southeastern Michigan. 

Friday the winds were too light to race. The class took advantage of the downtime by conducting the annual class meeting, making new friendships, and renewing old friendships. The class also live streamed a sailing clinic where the top sailors shared their rig tuning tips and sailing techniques.



Photo by Al Schonborn

Saturday morning brought a light SSW wind which challenged the race committee to provide a championship race course. . Led by Neil Robb the committee set a creative figure 8-shaped course, with the short upwind leg taking only 5 minutes, both starboard and port mark rounding consisting of a spinnaker reach following the 1st beat, another short upwind, jib reach, and final upwind to finish with an average of just 30-40 minutes to complete and provided for some interesting passing opportunities in the shifty, steaky lake conditions.

On Sunday, with a bit stronger and a more westerly wind angle, the upwind legs were a bit longer adding more tacks and opening up more opportunities off the start line.There were 22 teams competing in the 51st championship regatta. With no throw-out allowed in the scoring, there was no margin for error as the risk of DSQ encouraged some very careful sailing. Sailors from Arizona, Alabama, Colorado, Canada, Alaska, New Hampshire, North Carolina,New York, Michigan, Wisconsin, Florida, Kansas, Virginia,  Maryland and Vermont participated.



Ed Montano and Trevor Bach of Kenosha, Wisconsin dominated by winning 6 of the 7 races, cementing Ed’s 5th win in the Buccaneer 18 class. John Weiss and crew, Jay Foght, also of Kenosha, finished 2nd. Six-time champion, in his 23rd regatta, 69-year-old David Spira from Denver, Colorado and crew, Jennifer Thelen (2-time champion), took third place, Jeff Neurauter and Heather Irene Howard, Potomac River Sailing Association,  finished 7 points behind in 4th place. This was our host, Larry Schmida, club record 33rd BNAC. This year’s BNAC included a special appearance by Derrick Fries, winner of the 8th BNAC in 1978.

Clark Lake Yacht Club previously hosted the Buccaneers. Two times in the 1980s and once in the 70s when Chrysler Corporation Marine division, the original builder, was headquartered in nearby Detroit. Once again, CLYC treated all the sailors to excellent hospitality on shore and a  very fun and challenging sailing opportunity on the lake. 

Thanks to regatta organizers Larry and Patti Schmida.