ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. � Sailing World's George Brengle named John Storck Jr., and his team on their J/80 RUMOR as the overall champion of the St. Petersburg NOOD. They won their division with all firsts, beating the next boat by nine points.
"We've got a very good crew who have sailed together for a long time," said Storck. The crew combined experience with the next generation -- son Eric, nephew Bobby, daughter Kaity, and family friend Leigh Kempton. It proved an unbeatable combination in the 11-boat class as they won all three races and finished with a six-point lead over second place.
"When we first got out there [on Saturday] we did some sailing to figure out where to go," said Storck. "In the first race we wanted to go right, but as the day went on the breeze backed and we went left in the next races. The current also let up as the day went on so there was less foul current on the left side of the course."
Storck added that his team's experience with the J/80 proved invaluable, especially when it came to setting up the double-spreader rig. "It's amazing how rig tune seems to be more critical in light air. If you have the lowers and intermediates too tight, you just don't go."
The victory came on the heels of a second-place finish in Key West Race Week in January. Last year, Storck said, they didn't do the St. Pete NOOD after Key West, but decided to tow the boat home to Western Long Island Sound. In Virginia, during the brutal snowstorm that hit the weekend after Key West, the boat flipped over and sustained heavy damage. Storck had it rebuilt last year and was happy to see it hasn't lost a step. "The rule now," he added, "is we do the St. Pete NOOD to keep us off the road going north in January."
In the Olson 30 division, Gary Gochal�s SLICE cleaned up with four bullets, beating the second-place boat by 8 points.
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