By Tom Forgue

This has been a brainchild of mine for several years and I finally got to try it. The idea has two parts. First, getting juniors involved with the C-15 seems like the best way to secure future C-15 sailing. Second, the C-15 is quite a handful for smaller people if the wind really blows (optimum team weight is around 300-325 lb.). Why not have a regatta where a kid driver could have an adult (and much heavier) crew? So here is how it worked. If the captain was 15 or younger, they could have a crew of any age. Captains 16-18 had to have a crew 18 or younger.

Six boats were entered the C-15 Junior North American Championship Regatta that was supposed to run as part of the C-15 NAC held at White Rock June 29, 30 and July 1. However, rain and more rain on Saturday morning caused us to reschedule for Sunday afternoon at the end of our NAC. Well, a hot and windless Sunday afternoon created the need to reschedule for the next Sunday. Fortunately (or unfortunately depending on how you look at it), all of the entries were from the Dallas area, so when we finally got to sail. There were six boats on the line. We began the regatta with absolutely perfect south winds about 8 to 10 mph. that built to 10, maybe 15, by the end of the regatta. Running the regatta alone was made very easy by the consistency of the wind direction. Seven short, collegiate style races were run back to back in the blistering heat of mid-July. Each team had a junior skipper and an adult crew. (Okay, some of the crews were more adult than other crews.) Congratulations to Jaron Henkley and adult crew Ed Bardwell-third, Lindsey Olson and father Greg-second, and Joey DeCosta and adult crew Jeff Perna-first.