The Ron Payne Memorial two-day Snipe regatta at Lauderdale YC, March 20/21 was interesting for its Lauderdale-novel/Mystic Lakes-Normal conditions. With its reputation as a big breeze and waves venue, who knew the regatta would be comprised of super shifty lake sailing? On Saturday, after a tow out, the 16-boat fleet bobbed around for 5 hours, waiting for wind, only able to complete a few practice starts in zephyrs of wind too unsteady in which to race. However, PRO Bobby Noonan didn't tell the sailors that the starts were practice. Only after the third or fourth time of going through 4 minutes and 59 seconds of the 5 minute start sequence, with the Race Committee putting up the postponement flag at one second before the start, did the competitors finally realize that there was a pattern appearing! The competitors were thankful for the LYC Race Committee's resourcefulness, and all agreed that they were an effective tool to keep from getting bored, besides being good practice.
Sunday saw chilly NW winds of 8 to 12 kts, a light chop at the bottom of the course and gentle NE swells up to about 5 feet. Five races were completed, and it was a great day of competitive racing! A three-way tie for 5th underscored the competitiveness of the fleet. It was good fun and very tough sailing, with two teams coming all the way from Argentina to compete. Congratulations to Augie Diaz and Taylor Scheuermann for a convincing victory, which was only fitting, because we also thank Diaz Marine for sponsorship! The teams of Ernesto Rodriquez/Kathleen Tock, Luciano Pesci/Adriana Quiroga, Peter Commette/Connie Commette and Ivan Shestopalov/Lexi Pline rounded out second to fifth in that order. Thanks to Commodore Steve Hyatt and to Wingate Payne, Ron Payne's widow, for handing out prizes.
Results can be found at https://www.regattanetwork.com
Regatta history: The Ron Payne Memorial Regatta honors a long-time Lauderdale Yacht Club member, many times Board of Governors' Legal Officer, 1958 Snipe national champion crew, and well-known maritime lawyer, Ron Payne. Ron died way too young of Esophageal Cancer in 2004, leaving behind his wife and crew, Wingate Payne, and his children, Tom and Eleanor Grace, who grew up in the LYC junior sailing program. In 2005, the LYC Snipe Ocean Regatta was renamed in Ron’s honor, with Ron and Wingate's last Snipe number on the trophy's sail.