Century Club: Alan Bomar

Day one of each year can be started in Hampton Roads with the HYC/OPCYC Dana Dillon New years day Race. This year I raced in Reflex with Jason Abernathy in the new to him J/24. The day began foggy but turned into a beautiful spring day on the 1st of January. 70F on January 1, 2022 was pretty fantastic especially as the wind filled we finished 5 overall behind 3 PHRF A Class boats and a C&C 101 sailing in the PHRF Non spin Class. Reflex was 1st in the PHRF B/C class and we'll ahead of the fleet behind the 1st 5 boats. It was a great day.

So, after winning the 2020 HYC Gaboon, I polished the Gaboon trophy as required. At least, the outside. I told Rich Ash, the HYC club manager, that I had to win it back to polish the inside, which appears to never been done. As such, we lined up and won the pursuit race over all going away for a second year in a row. Just like EWE would have done.

SBRNYCU wrote -

OVERALL WINNER of the 44th GABOON RACE – Alan Bomar and crew in his light blue J/24, ROUNDABOUT! Alan won the staggered start, a.k.a. pursuit, race by passing those who started before him and fending off the majority of the 18 boats bearing faster handicaps and starting after the J/24. This was the 44th rendition of the annual event, and the early winter-ish day with breezes in the low teens seemed made to order. It was chilly on the water and that made it even warmer by comparison ‘round the post-race gathering in the HYC bar. Awards will be presented tomorrow night, Tuesday, December 7, at HYC Awards Night. That includes the Gaboon Spittoon to overall winner Alan Bomar. Eighteen boats entered the 2021 Gaboon Race. Second Overall was Danger Paws, sailed by Neil Ford and Lis Biondi, and third overall was “Mr. Gaboon”, Phil Briggs, sailing Feather. Winners of their PHRF Fleets within the overall finish were: PHRF C: Alan Bomar, Roundabout: PHRF B: Paul Clifford, Wind Dancer; and PHRF A: Neil Ford and Lis Biondi, Danger Paws. Phil Briggs, as always (literally, all 44) was Event Chairman; and John McCarthy and Buk Lawrence handled the starts and finishes of the race.

Thank you to Joe Lupton Photography for some of the on the water photos.

Thank you to my crew David Stalfort, Lee Fairchild, Derek Landeau.

Five days, three cancelled and two races. 

FROSTBITE SERIES blessed with wind for final day. The 2021 FROSTBITE SERIES trophy winners are: PHRF A (9 boats): 1. Phil Briggs, FEATHER (2-2=4); 2.Neil Ford, DANGER PAWS (1-5=6); 3.Christian Schaumloffel, MYRAGE (6-1=7). PHRF B/C(8 boats): 1.Ben Weeks, RUMBLE (2-1=3); 2.Alan Bomar, ROUNDABOUT (3-3=6; 3.Dave Gibbings, JONATHAN (5-4=9). PHRF Non-Spin (2 boats - this fleet had only one race): 1.Paul Clifford, WIND DANCER (1=1). Frostbiters got a nice breeze on the final day of the Series and final standings will include Day 1 and Day 5 results. Making good use of yesterday’s winds (which had been totally absent for the 2nd. 3rd, and 4th day races), the PHRF A fleet sailed a 12.60 nm course and B/C a 10.20 nm course. PRO:Brian Deibler, Official Scorer: Kim Deibler. Signal Boat: Jack Pope, Bee Cee. Series Awards will be presented at the Hampton YC Awards Presentations, December 7, 2021. 

We sent to the middle ground light first then rode the current to Thimble Shoals light house.  We were the third boat to try Thimble Shoals and only had to run down two more boats and stay in front of the bigger boats behind us.

Ultimately we passed the two and had five others get past us.  We finished 1st in class and 6th overall.  It was a great day.

We used our 2nd season North J/24 One design Sport Genoa in wind 15 - 20 kts.  It was a great sail choice and we followed North's (Will Wells) recommendation to keep the main trimmed in and ease and feather the Genoa to keep the boat flat.  The boat goes upwind like a "scalded dog" using this method.  This also gave us a Genoa option if the leg was too tight for a spinnaker.