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Quantum's George Szabo Takes 2nd at Snipe North American's

Traveling across the country and using a chartered boat, Quantum’s George Szabo and Dianna Waterbury finished second at this month’s Snipe North American Championship in Annapolis, Maryland. Sailing in light-to-medium chops, bumps, and shifts, Szabo and Waterbury raced hard, finishing just two-points shy of first place.

Szabo said conditions were some of the best they’ve had in Annapolis recently, but they did get caught in a few wind shifts. “We found ourselves in the back 20-30s several times, looking for ways to grind it out and get out there.”

2016 Snipe North American Championship. Photo by Ted Morgan.

One thing that helped was their ability to get out of the back of the fleet when they were behind. “I think that was because of our fuller sail set-up,” said Szabo. “Other leaders in the regatta had a flatter set up, and it worked great when they were in front, but once behind, they didn’t seem to have enough power to get back to the front.”

Szabo and Waterbury raced with a chartered boat, which could have been a disadvantage. Sailing with a Quantum C-5 main and the new radial jib, they made the most of their pre-race time, however, and familiarized themselves with the rigging. “Managing the rig tune to the changing conditions and water conditions was crucial,” said Szabo.

“In the light air on the first day, it was essential to get the rig pre-bent enough to make the mainsail flat and fast. Days two and three saw more breeze and a change to a set-up where the leeward shroud was always just loose and the aft puller was at or near neutral. For the highest breeze conditions, we dropped rake aft (and increased tension) to free up the boat to sail through the waves.”

Speed was king throughout the regatta, but Szabo credits his crew with helping them stay on top. “Dianna was constantly watching the compass and the ever-changing breeze on the race course.”

Though Szabo was focused on his own results, he took time to make sure other Quantum sailors had the assistance they needed to make the most of their races. Not only was he in the parking lot helping tune boats, he was also there to help sailors adjust to unfamiliar conditions. “It was a good regatta to see so many of our customers doing so well,” said Szabo. “It’s difficult for the lake sailors to come out and sail in the waves again, and we helped many of them move their jib leads to get up to speed in the chop again.”

Overall Szabo was happy with the results, and he’s already preparing for Nationals later this year.

Congratulations and a great finish, and good luck this season!

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