The first NORCAL regatta in March was postponed due to a storm with pretty high winds. The races today, NORCAL #2, forecasting some rain, but winds 8-10 knots westerly, eight Mercs entered. The water was flat with very little boat traffic. There was rain, but not much.
Race one started about 1:30 in in 4-6 knots of wind on a single sausage finishing on the wind. Larry Nelson and Tom Rankin started very well and led at the weather mark. Pax Davis and Aaron Lee were able to pass Nelson downwind and win the race. Jim and Ben Bradley were able to get by Nelson on the weather leg to place second. Nelson was third.
Race two, Bradley played the shift off the Oakland shore and won the race easily in very little breeze. Davis had to get by Bill Worden and Deidre Collins to place second. Worden placed third.
Race three, Worden and Davis rounded the weather even as the breeze was getting to 8-10. They were together at the leeward mark, but Davis had the inside. Davis won the race with Worden second. Bradley worked his way out of the pack to place third.
Race four was a steady breeze with Bradley first to the weather mark. Davis was close behind. On the way to the finish Davis passed Bradley, but Paul Mueller and Mike Bilafare cranked up the speed. Davis won, Mueller was second and Bradley third.
Davis won the Carmiggelt Trophy. Many thanks to the EYC Commodore, Jim Vickers and Richard Calbrese for conducting the races as our regular RC Ken Popplewell had an emergency back problem.
| 2014 NORCAL | Total | Series | ||||||||
| Races | Day | Total | Throw | Net | Place | |||||
| # | Skipper | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||||
| 580 | Davis | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 553 | J Bradley | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 2 |
| 432 | Worden | 4 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 13 | 13 | 4 | 9 | 3 |
| 548 | Nelson | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 16 | 16 | 5 | 11 | 4 |
| 461 | Mueller | 5 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 18 | 18 | 6 | 12 | 5 |
| 538 | Ritz | 6 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 25 | 25 | 7 | 18 | 6 |
| 576 | Trela | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 28 | 28 | 8 | 20 | 7 |
| 577 | Chargin | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 30 | 30 | 8 | 22 | 8 |
Coen Carmiggelt Memorial Trophy
This trophy was donated by Coen Carmiggelt’s parents after his early death. Coen started a Mercury fleet at Lakeport, Clear Lake. He purchased 543, his father Hans, hull 541. Other Mercs were purchased by neighbors and the fleet was born. The fleet hosted the 1979 and 1993 National Championships. Coen raced at the lake and in the bay area. The trophy is awarded to the winner of a designated regatta in the annual NORCAL Series.