27th Annual Key Largo Steeplechase Had Excellent Winds

Dec 15-16, Key Largo, FL

It has been a while since the First to Finish Team did not also win the First Overall on Corrected Time. But, this year was different. Team Karls, Karl Langefeld and Karl Brogger, teamed up on an F18 to take the Rick White Perpetual Trophy for the best finish on corrected time. And as a bonus they were the first ones to win the brand new First Place Perpetual for the F18 Class.
Langefeld himself sponsored and made the trophy, then went out and won it. Hmmm, could something be afoul?
Meanwhile, making a three-peat for the first to finish trophy.., the coveted Olde Lawn Chair went to Brett Moss and John Casey sailing a Marstrom 20. Despite having a big lead even for the handicap perpetual, Moss and Casey had a lot of problems with one of the rudders, and finished 8th on the second day to slip out of the running. They still held first on overall time, finishing the 110-mile trek in just over seven hours and thirty five minutes. They did manage to hold on to second place in the Portsmouth part of the event.

Brett Moss and John Casey on a Marstrom 20 were one of the first boats across the start line on Leg One

Todd Riccardi and Brendon Scanlon of an F18, finished first on the second day

Third place went to Todd Hart and Dalton Tebo, sailing an F18. In both legs they were pretty close behind the leading F18, and finished overall about 13 minutes behind Langefeld.

Todd Hard and Dalton Tebo flying across Barnes Sound on the first leg

Mike Krantz and Laura Muma were actually very close behind Matt MacDonald and Alex Shafer, both on F18s on the first leg of the race, when MacDonald’s mast broke. Krantz went to their aid. The broken team said they would paddle ashore, but at that location there was not much to paddle to. Krantz took them in tow and sailed to the Islander Resort. The trip took several hours. Rules allow for redress of time, but this case was a bit different as the towing took so long. So, they were place in the finish area approximately where the were before offering help.

Steve Lohmayer and Kenny Pierce sailed Mike Phillips' Marstrom 20, but broke a mast base at Card Sound Bridge and had to retire.

Start line pictures on the first leg

This and several below are the start on the second day off Anne's Beach

The Marstrom got off the beach start quickly and used the deep water along side the road to gain a quick lead.
The Races
The first leg is basically a drag race of about 60 miles, starting in Barnes Sound, just north of Jewfish Creek in Key Largo. The teams go north through Card Sound Bridge to the northernmost end of Key Largo Island, where the traverse to the Ocean Side through Angelfish Creek. Then it usually a downwind blast down Hawk Channel to Anne’s Beach on Lower Matecumbe Island.
The start was again delayed due to some stragglers that were late getting off the beach. The scheduled Nine O’clock start was finally under way at 0920. There were 15 boats in the starting area, but only a couple had aggressive, on-the-line starts. Immediately after the start on what was a nice clear day, the fleet headed right into a squall. The bridge is a 65-footer and easily spotted. That is until the downpour hit.
Two new teams to the race sailed through Angelfish Creek, but turned around when they saw the conditions on the Ocean Side. It was a bit lump with the winds above 15 and a little gusty.
At the first day’s finish line, only eleven of the starters arrived.
Scott Rathburn and Bill Dolan won the award for hardship – two bottles of champagne. They were in great shape and one of the top F18s. But, for some reason they sailed right on by the beach and continued on southwest until they were pretty much out of sight. And all under full spinnaker and flat flying. Problem: they had to sail upwind to get back to the finish line and across some shallow banks. They ended up losing a lot of time and three places.
As if that was not bad enough they did not tie their boat down to the mangroves during the night. Everyone was aware the tides had been pretty high, and all the way up into the parking lot of the Anne’s Beach Park. Everyone apparently except Scott and Bill. Sure enough when the tide came in their boat float off and down the beach and then tried to go under Channel Two Bridge, a very low bridge.
Someone saw this happening and ran to the bridge and held the boat by the mast from going under with the current. They managed to walk it to the side of the bridge and rescue it. The boat suffered some minor damage, but nothing major. However, the two were out of the second day’s running, leaving only 10 boats to start Leg 2

Brett Moss and John Casey on the Marstrom with the lead before rudder problems.

Leg 2 is the reason why the event is called the Steeplechase. In merry old England the Steeplechase was basically a race to the church from a given point. Those with good jumping horses could get their by the fastest route, perhaps by leaping over fences, bounding through creeks, and doing whatever was necessary to reach the Steeple.
The Key Largo Steeplechase is similar in that it is a race up the Intra-Coastal Waterway on the Bay Side of the Florida Keys. The option for the sailors is to:
1. Sail the waterway, which takes you on a longer course and through narrow mangrove creeks with current and winds usually against you, or
2. Sail across the mud/sand flats and bars, by simply pulling up boards and rudders, trapezing and flying across these barricades, with mud rooster tails thirty feet behind you. Caution, you cannot do this while sailing upwind.., you must be reaching. Otherwise you will be dragging your boat across one hundred yards of knee-deep muck, with each step an agony. Don’t ask how I know.
Todd Riccardi and Brendon Scanlon handled the backside better than the rest of the fleet and were first to finish on the second day, and just out of the awards in 4th place overall.
All ten of the starters on the second day finished and awards followed very closely afterwards. Every finisher is awarded a cold bottle of pink champagne. Organizer of the race, Rick White says, “Andre’s champagne is the best – they age it on the truck and they have plastic screw off caps. None of that cheap cork stuff for them!”

More Pictures from the Channel Five Bridge

Next year’s race is already scheduled for December 13-15, 2013, with the usual Skippers Meeting Party at Rick’s and Mary’s house. The last two years Frank Moore has supplied Rum and Cokes to liven up the group and get his competition in the bag early.

Awards Party

Photos by Mike Krantz of Zhik

l to r: Karl Langefeld, Beth Langefeld and Karl Brogger, Overall Winners. The sailors hands were full, so Ground Crew extraordinaire, and Chief Assistant to the Race Organizer, Beth held the champagne. The Rick White Perpetual has the entire course on the front of the trophy.

l to r: Brett Moss and John Casey. Notice Ye Olde Lawn Chair Perpetual Trophy in the lower right corner, being obviously mistreated. This is the third year in a row for the this team to take the line-honors trophy.

l to r: Todd Hart and Dalton Tebo, who took third place. The little tiki huts with the plaques were the idea of Mary Wells

l to r: Brendon Scanlon and Todd Riccardi, finished just outside the podium in 4th place. Notice all finishers were awarded a fine bottle of champagne.

l to r: Laura Muma and Mike Krantz of Zhik

l to r: Frank Moore, who supplied the Rum for Friday and Saturday night, and Jake Kohl

Results

Leg 1

Leg 2

Overall

Sailwave Scoring Software 2.02 build 6
http://www.sailwave.com/