How does one feel to finish one point behind the leader and still finish fourth in the regatta? Possible?

Yes it is, for at the recently sailed Royal Palm Open sailed Fort Myers, Florida. John Chiarella and Bob Carlson had exactly that experience, finishing the abbreviated series with 7 points while three other boats were tied for first with 6 after two races. Using the tie breaking rules Kris Wilson and Ben Franzen were first with a 5 and a 1; Brian Cramer and Tyler Bjorn were 2nd with 1 and 5; and Harry Walker and Chris Rogers were third with a 4 and a 2. All had 6 points, but as has been said "all first place boats were equal, only some were more equal than others".

The 8 boat fleet featured TWO women skippers and Kris Wilson from the Chesapeake showed us all how to keep going in VERY light conditions. The first race had to be postponed and moved from the "middle bridge" all the way up to the Yacht Club area when the breeze went left 100 degrees. The committee got off a course 4 race that had to be shortened as what wind we had quit.

Everyone had a blast at Joe Carroll’s canal side home in Cape Coral that evening. Dolphins cavorted in the canal. Everyone ate fantastic cheese and enjoyed a variety of beers; and Class Secretary John and host Joe broiled large individual steaks to individual order, and then there were the deserts!

The following day start was scheduled for a half hour earlier, but with breeze and all sailors being in the area they got us off 15 minutes early. Again the course was 4 and the windward leg set 2.6 miles up the river.

We got away well and stayed on starboard along the north shore. Bill Joyce and John Chiarella followed. The rest of the fleet played the middle with Kris Wilson tacking up the south shore before going all the way to the north about a quarter mile from the mark. The mark was placed close to the highway bridge and close to the main channel. On a light day it seemed every boat on that river came by creating chop.

Wilson and Joyce got around the mark followed 100 yards later by Walker and another 100 yards back were Chiarella and Cramer. The last three really had a hard time making the mark in a dying breeze and against the current. Carroll Beek McCallum and son Jack said they tried three times.

The three leaders pulled ahead on the run. Walker went high and Joyce sailed into a hole to swap places. The 4th and 5th boats made a surge but could not hold it and the finish was Wilson, Walker, and Joyce. The Race Committee, seeing that there would soon be no air, wisely called it a day and a regatta.

Everyone got a tow home and prize giving was on the veranda. Masters was won by Brian Cramer and for the second week in a row the Grand Masters was taken by 85 year old Harry Walker. Will miracles never cease?