E Scow Nationals a Huge Success in "Low-Country!" 50 E Scow teams from the Midwest and East Coast converged at the Carolina Yacht Club for the 2007 edition of the E Scow Nationals. This is the first time the city of Charleston, South Carolina has held a Scow National Championship, and based on the outstanding job done by the PRO, organizing committee and CYCs members, many more major regattas will be held here in the future. Thursday night kicked the Nationals off with the Skippers meeting held at the historic mansion of Sonny Meavers. For all of those who have not been to Charleston, SC, the city is rich with history and heritage and it was a true pleasure to get to experience some of this first hand. As the group of 150+ competitors listened to PRO Tommy Harken give his race instructions, in the back of most peoples minds, they were thinking about the tricky currents and big sea breeze Charleston Harbor is known for. A huge spread of food and refreshments were laid out and sponsored by NS Zenda, NS Charleston and Melges Boat Works which everyone seemed to enjoy. Friday morning brought high temperatures and humidity, but not very much breeze. The E Scow fleet was anxious to get out on the race course but were held back by a postponement until about 1pm. Using his longtime Charleston Harbor experience, Tommy Harken sent fleet out at 130 in preparation for the sea breeze to kick in. After a short delay, the flags off of Fort Sumter began to move and the sea breeze was beginning to build. Race 1 started at 230 in a 8-10 mph SE breeze. Local Charleston sailor Ross Griffith wasted no time jumping out to the lead and showing his local knowledge. On his tail was Will Demand, Tom Burton, Augie Barkow and Paul Magno. As the race progressed, sailors who were unfamiliar with the current, quickly got acclimated as they either watched boats on the opposite side of the course slide by, or watched themselves make big gains. The race remained largely unchanged at the top and it would be Paul Magno to take the bullet in race 1 with a nice left shift coming into the finish line followed closely by Griffith. Race 2 was more of the same conditions but the breeze had increased and clocked slightly to south a bit more. As the sea breeze tried to settle, big variations of direction and velocity could be found all over the course. Most sailors found that extending to a side, even if it meant battling a big header to get there, was the best thing to do. Will Graves from Pewaukee, WI would take the title in Race 2 with Augie Barkow and Richard Ryon close on his tail. Top Five After Day 1- Augie Barkow 7,2 - 9 Sam Rogers 5,4 - 9 Richard Ryon 11,3 - 14 Carl Horrocks 6, 10 - 16 Will Graves 17, 1 - 18 Paul Magno 1,17 - 18 Day Two looked to be a repeat of Day 1, but the fleet was greeted by a light gradient westerly first thing in the morning. Tommy Harken and his team wasted no time getting the fleet out onto the race course knowing the westerly would eventually give way to the sea breeze as the day wore on. The start of Race 3 began promptly at 11am as scheduled. With favorable current for the duration of the this race, most sailors battled to get to the deep waters of the shipping lane on the left side of the course with faster moving water. However, it seemed those who played primarily played the shifts were rewarded. Will Graves again would jump out to the front of the pack with Sam Rogers, Rich Ryon, Bob Biwer, and Bob Herdrich closely in chase. The group would begin to separate as Rogers, Ryon and Graves found their groove the next time upwind. The last beat would be a battle with Graves splitting to the right side, and Rogers taking the left. The two boats would converge at the finish line with Rogers finding the last shift to nose out Graves by a boat length. Race 4 began after a short delay to allow the sea breeze to settle. Again, PRO Tommy Harken and his team used their local knowledge and made the right call to allow the sea breeze to settle. The sailors were more than happy to wait for steady conditions. Race 4 began in 10-13 kts of wind with large shifts on both sides of the course. Teams who found the left side of the course were able to take advantage of the new sea breeze while teams on the right side of the course were able to find remnants of the mornings westerly. A group of about 15 boats converged on the top mark together which made the first downwind interesting to say the least. Will Graves, Tom Burton, Robbie Wilkins and Sam Rogers found themselves at the front of the pack at the first bottom mark. These fours boats would battle it out, tacking on big shift after big shift in attempt to get the bullet. Rogers was able to find a groove to get across the line first with Will Graves in second, Robbie Wilkins in third and Tom Burton in 4th. The last race of Day 2 saw the sea breeze fully settle in with steady pressure around 14-17 kts. Just as races prior, first top mark would be crowded with boats from the right and left converging. As the first few boats came around and set their spinnakers, a big puff greeted them and capsized 2-3 boats, making for some exciting racing action. This would allow the front pack to extend on their lead and sail with a little more freedom. Dick Wight, Augie Barkow and Sam Rogers got to the front of the fleet and did their best to take Race 5 honors. Wight worked the left side of the course hoping for a nice lefty which had been found a few times earlier in the day while Rogers and Barkow worked the shifts in the middle of the course. At the end of the W21/2 course, Rogers took the bullet with Barkow in 2nd and Wight in 3rd. Top Five After Day 2 Sam Rogers - 5,4,1,1,1 12 Augie Barkow 7,2,5,6,2 22 Robby Wilkins 13,5,15,3,5 41 Will Hanckel 23, 6,4,8,6, - 47 Will Graves 17, 1,2,2, 26 48 After another great party held by the Carolina Yacht Club on Saturday night, the E Scow fleet gathered Sunday morning for the last race of the E Scow Nationals. With a throwout, both 1st and 2nd place were locked up, but a battle for 3rd place would still need to be settled in the sixth and final race. After a short postponement, the fleet started in the most beautiful conditions of the weekend; 12-15 mph out of the SE with blue skies and calm water. The winner of the 1st race, Paul Magno and his team on board LA-88 took the bullet and also took possession of the Ferguson Trophy which Pauls son had been eyeing for years. As for third place overall, Robby Wilkins and his team on SC-27 were more than happy to discard a 15th from their scorecard and replace it with an 8th in the last race. This would allow Robby to edge out Will Demand and Will Hanckel who tied for 4th with 36 points. Robby not only took 3rd place, but was the highest finishing South Carolina boat. Top Five Overall Sam Rogers 5,4,1,1,1, (51) 12 Augie Barkow 7,2,5,6,2, (51) 22 Robby Wilkins 13,5,(15), 3,5,8 34 Will Demand 3, (22), 6,9,15,3 36 Will Hanckel (23), 6,4,8,6,12 36 (Full Results found at www.e-scow.org) All of the competitors expressed praise for the race committee and the organizing committee of the 2007 E Scow Nationals. This was a top notch event, and for all of those who have thought about attending the Easter Regatta in Charleston, it is highly recommended. You will be treated great hospitality, great racing, and great food in the city of Charleston. This town has become a staple of the E Scow fleet and it is a must do in the future. A special thanks to PRO Tommy Harken and his crew with special assistance from Lenny Krawcheck; Will Martin; Crayton Walters; Carolina Yacht Club and its members, and all the of the sponsors and contributors who made this event so successful. Sam Rogers North Sails Zenda sam@od.northsails.com 262-275-9728