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Gulfport Yacht Club attracts lightweight Moths

By DAVE ELLIS
Published February 7, 2007

Jeff Linton of Tampa sails at the top level on many types of boats. Certainly the tipsiest is the Moth.

The Moth is among the smallest of adult sailing boats. At 11 feet long and weighing about 75 pounds, these sleek crafts are challenging to sail.

Gulfport Yacht Club was the venue for 14 Moths this past weekend. These are development boats, and a home builder usually can tweak the hull shape and rig. While the sail configuration and size is set, the spars and foils are not.

Linton remains undefeated in his modified Mistral hull with an MX-Ray mast with head stay. Second place went to Mark Saunders of Seaford, Va., with Joe Bousquet of Norfolk, Va., in third.

St. Petersburg sailor Derek Dudinski was second after Saturday's six races in shifty medium breezes. But Sunday he broke his rudder. As a third-generation machinist for boat parts, he jury-rigged a fix and finished all of the races, salvaging fourth.

Rod Koch helped the race committee headed by Sarasota's Cindy Clifton on Saturday. He loaned his Moth to venerable Gulfport sailor Tony Kruse. But Sunday was too gnarly for those unfamiliar with the boat, so Koch raced informally. He was delighted to be first to the first windward mark, thereafter staying out of the way of other racers.

REGATTA CANCELED: The Moths and Windmills opted to sail in calmer waters, the 505 Midwinters left for their own venue and the Jet-14s no longer travel far from the mid-Atlantic states. It is too expensive to stage a full regatta for a small fleet, so St. Petersburg Yacht Club canceled the Multi-Class Regatta.

Instead, the center ran informal races for the Flying Dutchman, 505 and Snipe sailors, many local and some from up to 1,000 miles away.

"It turned out to be all right," said Ethan Bixby. "We used it as a teaching event."

Bixby and Flying Dutchman champ Lin Robson coached the other boats as they were racing.

OLYMPIC CLASS REGATTA: From Jan. 22-27 11 Olympic classes competed in a Grade 1 event in Miami that drew the best sailors in the world. It was a must-attend for those vying for the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

Clearwater's Paige Railey, world sailor of the year, was racing near the top of the Laser Radial fleet, having a great battle with south Florida's Anna Tunnacliff. By the 10th race, however, the on-the-water judges decided Railey was too active in the boat. After three yellow flags for rocking, she was disqualified. Observers noted that while she was more active than the other females in the fleet, if she were a guy racing a full-rig Laser, she would be average in movement.

Emily Billing of Clearwater made it into the Gold fleet, besting many sailors much older. She placed 33rd out of 69 boats

Brad Funk of Clearwater was the top U.S. sailor in the Laser, placing eighth out of 114. Kurt Taulbee sailed well enough to be one of three sailors named to the U.S. Sailing Team in the class.

Zach Railey was happy to place in the top 10 in the Finn class, a rarity for a USA sailor in this European-dominated class. He was the top American boat.

Jen French, sailing with husband Timothy and Brad Kendall, sailed in the Sonar Paralympic fleet. Gene Hinkel and Dave Ellis crewed for 2004 Paralympic representative Paul Callahan, who is returning to sailing after a long illness. They placed seventh, winning one heat.

LASER RADIAL NORTH AMERICANS: Paige Railey came on strong to win this major event. Emily Billing was fourth among USA boats.

FINN MIDWINTERS: Zach Railey placed third in an international fleet, establishing himself as the top U.S. sailor in the class.

[Last modified February 6, 2007, 21:21:40]