As Eugene Kokbas (piloting Summer School CAN 31) said, “We learned a few things yesterday and applied them today. The boat liked the better wind today, it was more fun.”

That was an understatement as Summer School showed her racing stripes early and often, taking the first race handily. “Everyone kept asking how we were so fast downwind; we passed an evolution going downwind.” He fully credited his crew. “It was all Kathyrn. She even muscled a fully loaded spinnaker up. It was a lot of work today and we all came back tired.”

Kokbas said it was fast paced and close racing today as he got a good look at O’Kelly CAN 79, passing inches from her stern at the starting line and joked she nearly came back with a square stern. “They trusted us though,” he said. The camaraderie and light hearted banter amongst the fleet is always a special part of North American racing.

With Nantoria CAN 22 flirting with disaster when her pump stopped working mid-race, skipper John Lister joked they should have been awarded a DNS for ‘damn near sunk’. Crew Dave Harker reported he had to stay on the manual pump on the downwind legs and could barely keep up to the water flowing in. It’s all part of the allure of the classic wooden boats that require extra TLC.

Again, the North American fleet showed their exceptional camaraderie and spirit of cooperation as once ashore, everyone scrambled, new pumps appeared and Nantoria’s waterline was soon visible again.

Serious on the course, the post-race social gatherings are always a treat as racers reflect on the day.

Tal Hutcheson commented on Firestorm’s USA 87 sluggish performance in Day 2’s Race 1. “Four feet of weeds on the rudder does not make for speed. That was a new experience for us, we don’t have that in Texas,” he said with a laugh.

Once they cleared the weeds that held them to a fourth place finish in their division, they had no more drag issues and finished the day with two firsts, pushing them three points ahead of Nantoria – who is racing with the evolutions to equalize the fleet.

Summer School crew Kathryn Gallichan smiled when Kokbas credited her with their downwind speed. Between races as they sliced through the water she said she took a moment to appreciate the opportunity to race aboard the sleek 5.5. “I looked over the side and we were just cutting through the water. The wood is glossy and smooth and the sound of the water on the wood was amazing. It was spectacular and I said ‘isn’t this awesome?’.”

Dan Rossi also reminisced enthusiastically post-race declaring it perfect wind and a day he’d remember for years with eight boats on the line. 
This year Rossi brought Savage USA 75 to Midland from Maryland for the evolution fleet and lent Purple Haze USA 51 to Matt Cowan to skipper in the classic division.

An experienced racer, Cowan found the transition to 5.5M’s a bit of a struggle on Day 1. It didn’t help that the main halyard had stretched a foot during racing, robbing them of potential speed. Analyzing the main differences he said, “The 5.5s point more than the Sharks and I had an issue with the tiller, they’re so responsive, I couldn’t make it sail straight. I found I needed a little more buoy room and I kept overstanding the mark.”

The team finished working through those issues on the first race of Day 2 and by Race 2 the crew was working like a well-oiled machine and Cowan steered them to a first place finish, beating O’Kelly to the line.

Lister of Nantoria, and now also part owner of Summer School, is pleased with the fleet’s growth. “As the North American fleet continues to develop we’ve split into two classes to keep it competitive and encourage all racers. It’s really invigorated both classes. The classics are now really strategizing to race each other and the evolutions are challenging each other every leg of every race.”

Of course they have to constantly watch their backs as Pride USA 31 was in the mix throughout Day 1, battling Savage at the line; Summer School finished ahead of Firestorm; while Purple Haze pushed in ahead of O’Kelly in Day 2 of racing.

“The decision to split the fleet has really paid off as no one is sailing away with it and everyone is within striking distance,” Lister said. “It makes for better racing for everyone.”

After two days of racing things are shaping up. It’s very tight with Pride and Summer School tied with eight points apiece in the classics, while Nantoria trails Firestorm by three points in the evolutions.

Foredeck crew Chris Hatton muscled the pole into place as Purple Haze USA 51 sharpened their game and took the second race handily.

Skipper Eugene Kokbas had the rail in the water often and he and the crew pushed Summer School CAN 31 to show her racing colours.

Mixed crews is a hallmark of the North American fleet. Amanda Hutcheson from Texas took on foredeck duties on Summer CAN 80 alongside three Canadians. 

Despite taking on a lot of water which slowed her speed today, Nantoria CAN 22 had two seconds and a third to put her just three points back of Firestorm USA 87.