news@sunfishclass.org

Thank you to William Jernigan for sharing this fun Halloween picture!

ISCA Builder Update: 

• ISCA Fall Promo by Zim Sailing
• ISCA World Championship Boats 

ISCA News:

• Lifetime Membership Nominations
• North American Championship - Jean Paul de Trazegnies, Peru

USSCA Major Championships Reports:

• USSCA Women's North Americans | Wawasee YC, IN
• US Masters Championship | Lake Norman YC, NC

Upcoming Regional Championships:

• Florida Regional Championship I | Oct. 18-19 | Florida YC, FL
• Florida Regional Championship II | Oct. 31-Nov. 2 | Clearwater YC, FL

Regatta Reports:

• Devils Lake Yacht Club 81st Annual Regatta
• New England Regional II at Wequaquet Lake
• Southwest Regional Championship - Goatman Regatt

Other news:

• USSCA Fleet #760 Mohican Sailing Club, Lucas, Ohio

Save the date: Midwinter Series 2026, US Sailing Center Martin County, FL

• March 14-17 Intl Masters
• March 19-21 US Nationals

Check out these beautiful boats being provided by ZIM Sailing for the 2025 World Championship. We are thrilled to be hosting 2 events - Youth/Master/Women's Championship December 4-7 and Open World Championship December 8-13. Thank you to Salinas Yacht Club and Zim Sailing for all their support to make this event top notch! These boats will be boxed, placed in 4 containers and shipped to ECU via boat early October. Thank you to all the staff at ZIM who are super busy these last 2 weeks getting the boats finished and out the door to meet the shipping deadlines. This represents the great partnership the ISCA Class has forged with our approved builder Zim Sailing. Worlds would not happen with out this support - Thank you to the whole team at Zim Sailing. 

We invite the participation of all ISCA members to submit applicant(s) to be considered for this coveted honor.

The applicant’s name must be accompanied by a summary of the applicant and an explanation of why he or she should be considered for election as an Honorary Life Member. All applications must be submitted by October 15, 2025.

Current Lifetime Members:   ISCA - Lifetime Members

The ISCA Executive Committee will then review all applications to make sure they comply with the requirements in ISCA’s Constitution before selecting up to three (3) applicants with the highest achievements/merits.

Thirty (30) days before the next World Council meeting (Salinas Yacht Club, December 10, 2025), the ISCA Executive Committee shall appoint an Evaluation Commission of at least three (3) to a maximum of five (5) members from among the World Council members and/or honorary life members to select a final candidate to be voted on at the World Council meeting.

This new policy was written to include worthy candidates who might not otherwise be recognized. Thank you so much for your help and consideration to nominate deserving individuals.

Respectfully,

Liza Clinton, ISCA Secretary

ISCA Constitution 10.4 - The World Council may grant honorary life membership in ISCA to any one person a year, who, through special contribution to the class or through special relationship to ISCA is considered meritorious. An honorary life member is entitled to full privileges of membership but is not required to pay the annual dues of ISCA. The World Council must approve the “Policy for Election of the Honorary Life Member.”

Wawasee Yacht Club, Indiana

September 5-7

The 2025 USSCA Women's North American Championship produced two days of tight racing and thrillingly unpredictable finishes, as well as two new qualifiers for the 2026 World’s event in St. Croix, USVI. Those honors went to first place winner Taylor Eastman of Hyannis Port YC, and second place winner Gretchen Seymour of Lake Bluff YC. Susan Tillman Berg took third for the home team, hosts Wawasee YC in Syracuse, IN.

With 37 boats registered and gusty conditions, the competition was fierce but collegial. First place finishes for individual races went deep into the fleet. Race committee moved to U-flags after first-race starts led to general recalls both days. On-the-water judges flagged no sailors for penalties, and no protests were filed. When the top of the fleet crossed the finish line, the group hovered nearby to cheer on everyone else.

Wawasee YC, a small club with outsized regatta hosting skills, found borrowed boats and housing for sailors in need, including a large contingent from Florida. Club members roamed the staging area to provide parts and advice on rigging these borrowed boats. Launching and returning went remarkably smoothly; it seemed to involve entire families of volunteers. And the club entertained and fed the fleet over the entire three days, meal after meal after meal.

High winds cancelled a scheduled practice race the day before opening, but a cookout went ahead as planned. Club members and registrants were randomly teamed up one evening for a competitive cornhole tournament that included multiple elimination rounds. (FYI, sailing skills are apparently of no use in this game.) On Saturday night, there was a trivia/giveaway/standup comedy-ish event run by brothers known at the club as Tall Schmahl and Small Schmahl. (Not making this up.) They had a great schtick. And there was plenty of hot soup on offer around de-rigging and awards.   

This year’s women’s championship was a homecoming of sorts for Wawasee YC, which last hosted the event in 2007. As many know, legendary Wawasee sailors Dick and Linda Tillman were critical in building the International Sunfish Class Association, both as leaders and top competitors. Linda’s contributions to Sunfish sailing as a first-place finisher, mentor and friend are honored in the Linda Tillman Women’s North American Championship Perpetual Trophy that has been awarded at this event since 2017. Gail Heausler of Davis Islands YC, a six-time winner, passed the trophy to Eastman this year. Alongside other club members, Dick and Linda’s daughters Susan (3rd place), and Libbie and Laurie (who served on the RC) were key organizers.

Most Sunfish events are open regattas where men and women compete against each other. This inclusivity – including a range of ages, sizes and experience in most competitions – is a somewhat unusual and beloved feature of the class. But some 47 years after it was first held, the Women’s North American Championship also remains a proud tradition. This once-a-year opportunity to race Sunfish in an all-female championship continues next year in Charleston, SC October 9-11 hosted by Hobcaw Yacht Club! 

Full Results

Credit: William Crawford, Harbor Pictures Company

Instagram: @harborpictures  |   Facebook: @harborpictures

Thank you Bill for the amazing photos and all the social medial posts during the weekend! 

Another great article by Kellee Johnson from Sailing World! CLICK HERE

Pos,Sail, Skipper, Yacht Club, Results, Total Points

1. 78065, Taylor Eastman[Open], Hyannis Port YC, [11]-4-1-2-3-1-4-2-2-6- ; 25  

2. 80361, Gretchen Seymour[Master], Lake Bluff Yacht Club, 3-[10]-4-8-9-7-2-1-4-5- ; 43  

3. 81339, Susan Tillman Berg[Master], Wawasee Yacht Club, 4-5-2-4-12-6-[15]-9-3-7- ; 52  

4. 5220, Gail Heausler[Grand Master], Davis Island Yacht Club, 5-3-8-[13]-5-11-13-6-1-2- ; 54  

5. 3, Emily Wagner[Apprentice Master], Davis Island YC, 2-9-3-1-6-2-10-11-11-[14]- ; 55  

6. 81135, Mary Ellen Ingham[Grand Master], Sarasota SS & Rochester CC, 17-11-6-5-4-[20]-1-5-7-1- ; 57T  

7. 43433, Elizabeth Clinton[Master], Marblehead, 1-8-7-9-1-8-6-12-5-[13]- ; 57T  

8. 4872, Kimmy Jackman[Open], Bantam Lake Yacht Club, 6-1-5-6-14-4-[20]-8-12-3- ; 59  

9. 4860, Marta Chlus[Open], Bantam Lake Yacht Club, 13-7-9-11-2-[24]-3-13-15-9- ; 82  

10. 88436, Nancy Jaywork[Great Grand Master], Rehoboth Bay Sailing Asssoc, 8-14-12-7-10-[18]-18-3-8-8- ; 88  

11. 8031, Amy Baxter Felder[Open], Chicago Yacht Club/Beverly Yacht Club, 9-12-[20]-14-7-9-8-10-10-10- ; 89  

12. 1949, Laura Jeffers[Master], Scuttlebutt Sailing Club, 7-6-16-3-11-12-[19]-16-16-4- ; 91  

13. 4410, Laura Peters[Apprentice Master], Hueston Sailing Association, 15-[18]-10-16-15-5-12-15-6-11- ; 105  

14. 81415, Mary Anne Hopper[Master], Rush Creek YC/San Diego YC, 10-16-19-[37/DNF]-37/DNC-3-9-14-9-12- ; 129  

15. 77897, Susan Mallows[Grand Master], HSC/SSS/LYC, 19-[20]-15-20-19-17-5-4-17-15- ; 131  

16. USA 24186, Gail Turluck[Grand Master], Gull Lake Sailing Club, 21-19-17-17-13-10-7-17-25-[37/RET]- ; 146T  

17. 59541, Kellee Johnson[Master], Sarasota Sailing Squadron, 16-15-14-15-16-16-[22]-18-19-17- ; 146T  

18. 946, Lee Parks[Great Grand Master], Sarasota Sailing Squadron & Newport Yacht Club, 22-17-18-22-[37/DNF]-15-16-7-14-16- ; 147  

19. 81548, Dee Gill[Grand Master], St Petersburg Yacht Club, 12-24-23-23-[37/DNC]-14-24-22-13-21- ; 176  

20. 4652, Megan Moss[Master], Clear Lake Yacht Club, 20-23-22-21-[37/DNF]-13-11-19-18-37/RET- ; 184  

21. 37630, Betsy Davis[Grand Master], Lavallette Yacht Club, 14-2-13-10-8-[37/DNC]-37/DNC-37/DNC-37/DNC-37/DNC- ; 195  

22. 3633, Melissa Tribou[Master], Melbourne Yacht Club, 24-22-25-19-20-19-21-21-[28]-26- ; 197  

23. 5244, Suzanne Hulme[Grand Master], Westhampton Yacht Squadron, 23-25-[37/UFD]-18-18-28-27-20-37/RET-22- ; 218  

24. 65, Gwen Scott[Grand Master], Greater Detroit Sunfish Club, 18-13-11-12-17-[37/DNC]-37/DNC-37/DNC-37/DNC-37/DNC- ; 219  

25. 81395, Stephanie Remick[Master], Indianapolis Sailing Club, 28-29-24-24-[37/DNC]-22-25-25-26-19- ; 222  

26. 78101, Andrea Townsend[Open], Indianapolis Sailing Club, 25-21-21-[37/DNF]-37/DNC-27-28-24-20-37/RET- ; 240  

27. 80217, Anne Weber[Grand Master], Grosse Point Sail Club, 27-27-26-[37/DNF]-37/DNC-23-23-28-27-25- ; 243  

28. 337, Janet Murphy Ryan[Grand Master], Lake Bluff Yacht Club, [37/DNC]-37/DNC-37/DNC-37/DNC-37/DNC-25-14-23-23-20- ; 253T  

29. 5264, Missy Weiner[Grand Master], Davis Island Yacht Club, 30-26-[37/DNF]-37/DNC-37/DNC-29-17-37/RET-22-18- ; 253T  

30. 4051, Margaret Ruark[Great Grand Master], Davis Island Yacht Club, 29-28-[37/DNF]-37/DNC-37/DNC-26-26-26-21-23- ; 253T  

31. 79709, Audrey Wallach[Junior], Wawasee Yacht Club, 26-30-[37/DNF]-37/DNC-37/DNC-21-29-27-24-24- ; 255  

32. 8020, Ros Lim[Great Grand Master], Indianapolis Sailing Club, 31-[37/DNF]-37/RET-37/DNC-37/DNC-30-30-37/RET-37/DNS-37/DNS- ; 313  

33. 81799, Olivia Moskowitz[Apprentice Master], DIYC, [37/DNC]-37/DNC-37/DNC-37/DNC-37/DNC-37/DNC-37/DNC-37/DNC-37/DNC-37/DNC- ; 333T  

34. Unknown, Martha Cochran[Great Grand Master], St Pete Yacht Club, [37/DNC]-37/DNC-37/DNC-37/DNC-37/DNC-37/DNC-37/DNC-37/DNC-37/DNC-37/DNC- ; 333T  

35. 80547, Libbie Tillman FitzGerald[Grand Master], Wawasee Yacht Club, [37/DNC]-37/DNC-37/DNC-37/DNC-37/DNC-37/DNC-37/DNC-37/DNC-37/DNC-37/DNC- ; 333T  

36. 81022, Lynne Randall[Great Grand Master], Davis Island Yacht Club, [37/DNC]-37/DNC-37/DNC-37/DNC-37/DNC-37/DNC-37/DNC-37/DNC-37/DNC-37/DNC- ; 333T  

Lake Norman, NC

September 26-28

Submitted by Doug Kaukeinen and Jimmy Gindling

For me, the US Masters is more than just another regatta; it’s another roadtrip to adventure, meeting new people, and seeing new things through my camera lens.  I said goodbye to my wife at 7:30am on September 23, Tuesday morning as she left for work.  I realize what a very fortunate man I am to have her support and to be able to continue to travel to these amazing events.

Just the peace of mind that in case something happens to the car or trailer, like a bearing issue, you’ve got your very own support buddy nearby to assist if needed.  This is one of the reasons why I love the Sunfish class so much- all the friendly people willing to assist others.

We arrived Wednesday early afternoon and unloaded all the boats before checking in to the Airbnb.  Jimmy, Layla, and I shared the house along with Deirdre, Steve Adkins,  and John Stevens. We had a fun stay together and many great memories.

Practice day Thursday found a nice light breeze for us to get used to Lake Norman.  The irony was that we practiced in conditions that we would not see the rest of the weekend.  Such is small lake sailing.  We did some speed testing utilizing rabbit starts which turned out to be the first time for a few.  Me, Jimmy, Lance, Chip Toth, Dan Smith, Hal Gilreath, and Chris Carroll were all in the line up at various times.  At one point, I witnessed one of the best rabbit start lines of all time!  The rabbit was spot on and everyone was evenly spaced.  It was perfect. As the afternoon wore on, more sailors came out to join in.  It was a lot of fun.  However, by the time the practice race started around 6:00, the wind was light and many of the folks had been on the water for several hours.  Therefore, a number of us chose not to do the race while the rest headed down to the starting line.  I had to go to the airport to get Deirdre and Mike.  We then headed to the Lake Norman Tavern for another amazing dinner. The half-rack of ribs was well worth it.  

Friday:  

While the wind looked very light and shifty, our intrepid RC sent us out.  After drifting for a bit and waiting, we headed back in.  We were thankful they tried as the forecast did not look that encouraging.  The afternoon was spent hanging out at the club, chatting, sharing stories, and reconnecting.  Also, Dan Smith hosted a forum focused on gathering/sharing ideas for growing the class. A variety of ideas were presented and captured by Emily Wagner. One benefit of not sailing was that Layla got a lot of extra loving that day.  The taco dinner at the club was delicious.  Lake Norman volunteers served the meals each night.  LNYC is an all-volunteer club and we reaped the benefits of their work throughout the weekend.  It is due to each and every one of them that our regattas at LNYC are affordable and are run so well.  Various sponsors (including the Dinghy Shop and Zim Sailing) donated prizes that were raffled off after dinner. 

Saturday:  

At our house, not a leaf was stirring, so we drank coffee and played with Layla.  The rumor was that there would be no wind, so no rush.  Steve decided to go to the gym.  As we were relaxing. Steve texted us in a panic…we were heading out.  He had just arrived himself.  Fortunately, we have great friends!  Mike started rigging our 3 boats with Chip, Lanse and others helping.  When we arrived, all we had to do was launch! Did we mention the wind was light????  I made it out just in time to check in and we went into sequence.

It was so light that I paddled with my hand until the Preparatory signal and then attempted to sail downwind to the line just in time for the start.  Meanwhile, Jimmy and Deirdre checked in with 5-10 seconds left. Just before the start, AP was sounded due to a 80 degree windshift.  We drifted awhile longer until AP over H was flown..  We headed in (slowly, even those with a trusty paddle) to wait for the wind which never occurred.  Take 5 as well as other card games were played by a bunch for hours. I headed back to the house for more Layla time. Upon my return, Mike and Deirdre worked on Ecuador World's post trip plans to the Galapagos Islands. The chief judge ran a rules clinic regarding the changes to the 2025-2028 RRS. The club provided another fabulous dinner, barbecue this time. After dinner, a rain storm came through with cooler temps and a gusty breeze!  Comments were made that we should rig running lights on our boats. We were all excited, hoping it was a sign of things to come on Sunday. More door prizes were handed out to the lucky winners.  

Sunday:  

There is wind!  5-12, shifty puffy typical of a small inland lake after a cold front went through.  The keys were to try and connect the puffs, stay patient, wait for your side to come back in and shift gears constantly.  Much easier said than done.  The PRO and RC got in 5 great races, each one about 50 minutes long.  Our last race started at 1:50pm, ten minutes shy of the cutoff.  Mike Ingham schooled us once again with an amazing display of consistent speed, always minimizing risk and sailing smart. Mike’s worst race was 4th place! With no race exclusions, he won by 5 points in front of Chris Carroll. Rounding out the top 5: Andy Beeckman in third, Hal Gilreath in fourth, and Carlos Abisambra taking fifth. Carlos just turned 40 and attended his first masters.  Welcome to the club Carlos!

My trip home to Rochester started Monday morning, stopping somewhere in WV Monday night, and finishing on Tuesday.  Although a bit frustrated with my performance I took the drive time and coach Mike’s observations/suggestions to regroup and get pumped up for the next event!   A special thank you to John Butine for all the effort he put into this regatta.  It was an extremely well run regatta.  Even with challenging wind conditions, PRO Ken Gorni and team still managed to get off 5 stellar WL courses with a Hollywood finish.  Deirdre and I had a wonderful time and turns out dogs like Layla love no wind/no race days since she received even more personal attention than usual on Friday and Saturday.

Mark your calendars….next year’s US Masters will be held at Brant Beach Yacht Club from September 10-13, 2026.  We will have a practice day on Thursday and then 3 consecutive race days like we did in Lake Norman.  I hope to see all 40+ sailors at BBYC next year.  Let’s target 75 boats minimum.  Master’s sailing is alive and well!

Mike Ingham, 2025 US Masters Champion

Grand Master, Net 13 points (4,3,1,3,2)

FULL RESULTS

Thank you to Mark Jump Photography for sharing some amazing pictures that captured the true friendship and competitiveness of this event. PHOTO LINK by Mark Jump Photography

CLICK on the graphics below to go directly to the event registration page!

Registration & NOR: https://theclubspot.com/regatta/cbfw1HAt1B 

Registration & NOR: https://www.yachtscoring.com/emenu/50465 

Congratulations to the winner of the Midwest Regional Championship II at Devils Lake YC on September 13-14. Chad Coberly took top honors with a tight race for top 4. 

Submitted by Amanda Callahan

The New England Regional 2 at Wequaquet Lake in Centerville, Massachusetts is my favorite! It's a quirky and glorious lake on Cape Cod, the hospitality is amazing, when you pull up to unload your boat you are greeted by your sailing family, and the racing is very civilized! You go out in the morning and crank out a couple of races, you come back in for lunch in the club house, then you go back out and sail a bit more. Post race snacks are prime and after a pasta dinner, there is adult Bingo which is a hoot! The next day is more of the same, but they make sure to get us off the water in enough time to miss the heavy traffic leaving the cape. 

This year, we had some lighter air on Saturday morning, but classic lake shifts were on full display. Andy David, who had taken some time away from the 'fish was still in top form, winning the morning. In the afternoon, the seabreeze piped in with more velocity. At the end of the day there were some super fun last beat battles. One race I was truly breathless at the finish line trying to hold off Micky Kalich. The Buruchians, Kevin (son) and Mark (dad) were neck and neck in a lot of races which was fun to watch. On Sunday, Bill Brangiforte had a killer day, winning 2 of the 3 races to surge into second. He was truly dialed into the lake that day. 

I will 100% be back next year and the year after that (and after that). There's a tie for most Wequaquet wins with several of us with 6 each. RC Paul Fendler is on the trophy 7 times, but insists he didn't win that many. So the race is on.  FULL RESULTS

Lake Worth Sailing Club, Fort Worth Texas

by Scott Shirley, Southwest Regional USSCA Representative

Twenty-nine Sunfish sailors descended upon Lake Worth Sailing Club for the classic Goatman Regatta, the fourth stop in the Texas Sunfish Circuit, and Championship for the Southwest Region.

Lake Worth was the first man-made lake in North Texas, opening in 1914. Its history includes Native Americans, movie stars, cowboys and ranchers, the U.S. Army, a seaplane base, a Casino, alligators, gangsters, a Mosque, roller coasters, a SAC base during the Cold War, and of course, the Lake Worth Monster (aka “Goatman”) that gave the Regatta its name. (See below.)

Lake Worth has flooded and frozen several times. Following the squiggly course of the West Fork of the Trinity River, it’s a challenging sailing venue, with islands and high stone bluffs that make for shifting winds and shallow water that is relatively smooth. Many skilled sailors have been humbled by Lake Worth conditions.

Competitors ranged from Class champions to first-time Sunfish sailors. Ages ranged from 14 to 74, six sailors have competed in World championships, fourteen were women, and sixteen were over 50.

Friday’s tuneup race was sailed around the islands in light air with plenty of heat. Steve Flunker of Fort Worth Boat Club drifted the fastest, winning the coveted painted ukulele. Upon check-in, racers all received 3-D printed goat horns, in keeping with the Goatman theme. BTW, it’s harder to tack with horns.

The weather changed overnight, cooler and with winds from the north and east, light but fairly consistent. Light air would dominate the rest of the weekend.

The big fleet required a long starting line, and aggressive starts made for several recalls. At lunch we saw the top five emerge, and had a discussion about U-flags. No general recalls after lunch!

Past SW Regional champion Danny Pletsch of Lakewood YC and local ISCA dealer and multi-class champion Rod Favela of Rush Creek YC were consistently in the top three positions. Third through tenth seemed to change with every race. Lawson Levine of Charleston YC was mixing it up with Texas Circuit regulars Josh Rubin, Annie Lancaster, Raymond Marks, Peter Doncaster, Carrie Hatfield, Scott Shirley and Jim Rehage. Lake Worth local Duane Hebdige, a Past champion in the Mutineer class was in the fray, in his first Sunfish regatta!

One race was abandoned after the leeward mark decided to go south for the winter. The wind died midway through the next race. After nine boats finished, the rest of the fleet missed the time limit. The decision was made to abandon that race as well.

At the end of Day One sailors enjoyed Happy Hour Painkillers courtesy of LWSC Member Roger Brandt, as we had a great Chalk Talk with old salts and newbies sharing Sunfish go-fast tips, followed by a great dinner and music by the Skip Pullig Band. Skip did double duty, serving on the Race Committee aboard the windward stake boat, then rushing in to entertain us, leading off with the Goatman Song, aka “The Ballad of the Lake Worth Monster.” View it here: https://youtu.be/dDdS0TuYkpQ?si=ofGmc3P5sMvo2_zY

Day One standings: 1) Danny Pletsch, 2) Rod Favela, 3) Josh Rubin, 4) Annie Lancaster, 5) Scott Shirley, 6) Lawson Levine, and 7) Duane Hebdige.

But Sunday would be a different day, and anything can happen in light shifty breeze. We ended up with three races on Sunday, but without a throw out, a bad race could cost you dearly in the overall standings. Consistency was key on Day Two, and a bad start or being on the side of the course where the wind died could be deadly.

It shook out to be a tie for the lead between Danny Pletsch and Rod Favela, that was eventually broken in Rod’s favor, Danny second, and Lawson Levine jumped up to third. Fourth was the ever-consistent Annie Lancaster of Austin YC, who was always in the top six, followed by Texas Circuit champion Josh Rubin of Seabrook SC in fifth. Final standings are below.

As always, the Goatman had great competition, camaraderie, food and entertainment, and the warm hospitality of Lake Worth’s members and volunteers.

RESULTS

Mohican Sailing Club (Lucas, Ohio) has been around since 1945, hosting a number of classes over the years, including Thistles, Mirror dinghies, Interlakes (Fleet 5), Jet14s (Fleet 4), and now Sunfish.

While we may be among the newest fleets, MSC has a long history with the Sunfish.  We’ve used the Sunfish as a training boat since the 1980s and have had an annual club event called the Sunfish Fall Colors every Labor Day since at least 1994.

The impetus for organizing a fleet came from Bill Sanderson (81185) who spends his winters sailing in Florida and has been instrumental in acquiring boats for club members and the club training fleet.

We have six registered members in our fleet, with several other club members owning Sunfish, and MSC owns 11 Sunfish in its training fleet, which we encourage members to sail if they don’t own a boat.

We hope that in coming years we can get organized to host a regatta!

Stewart Fitz Gibbon, Fleet Captain, USSCA Fleet 760 (5083), hsfitzgibbon@gmail.com

ISCA/USSCA Class Administrator

8070 Willow Tree Way, Alpharetta, GA 30005

www.sunfishclass.org    sunfishoff@gmail.com  404-451-7743