Mardi Gras
April 14, 2001
New Orleans Yacht Club
1st Gulf Coast Open Circuit

The Sunfish Circuit got kicked off but to a slow start as this was our third trip to New Orleans to sail after the last two Circuit events were cancelled due to inclement weather. Turnout was light due to the Easter weekend for this rescheduled event.

After a long drift out to the starting area, which felt like at least three miles, the breeze went completely 360 degrees and eventually filled in from the SSW at 10 to 12 around 1:00 pm. Six boats showed up… five made it to the starting line and Joann broke down on the first leg of the first race and had to go in. For those who missed this regatta, it turned out to be some great tactical racing with 15-degree shifts and one-mile beats. Each race was won by whoever got the favorable shift on the first beat. Hank Saurage and Tom Whitehurst swapped the first two races and Hank got the shift in the third race to win the event. Peter Sladovich managed to get between Tom and Hank on the second race and almost passed them both on the last race as they got into an intense tacking duel on the final beat.