Written by Chris Hufstader
Photography by Katie Hutchison

Peter Follansbee had the downwind jets to defeat a talented 18-boat Laser fleet in Salem today, winning the inaugural Sail Salem Spring Open Laser regatta. The 52-year old house builder from New Castle, N.H., overcame two upwind legs in the seven races that brought him to the first mark well back in the fleet, only to use his downwind speed and smart tactics in the shifty westerly wind to move back up.

“The first beats were tough, and I managed to butcher a couple of them,” Follansbee said back on shore after racing. “But I could always come back on the leeward leg, so that saved me.” Follansbee won four of the seven races.

Follansbee won by six points over top-ranked Laser racer Ben Richardson, 30, of Gloucester, Mass. Third was the current Laser world champion in the over-60 master fleet, Peter Seidenberg of Porstmouth, RI.

Sail Salem, a new community sailing organization in Salem, Mass., now in its second year of operations, runs a junior sailing program during the summer and has staged several events for Laser class sailboats in the last year out of Winter Island in Salem. “I’ve never sailed here before today, and sailing in Salem is great,” Follansbee said. “The facility here at Winter Island has a lot of potential.”

18 boats turned out to race, including 2 radials. Full results and photos are shown below. Prizes were awarded to 9 racers in total. The top 5 boats took home Atlantis Weather Gear, thanks to the generous support of the people at Atlantis, who are committed to continuing to grow the sport of sailing. Sixth and Seventh took home laser gear provided by Peter Seidenberg, and the first and second place radials took home chocolates from Ye Olde Pepper Company on Derby Street in Salem.

Sail Salem Spring Open Laser Regatta, Salem MA

18 Boats

1: Peter Follansbee, New Castle, NH (10)
2: Ben Richardson, Gloucester, MA (16)
3: Peter Seidenberg, Portsmouth, RI (18)
4: Stu Nickerson, Falmouth, ME (30)
5: Jason Yarrington, Salem, MA (35)

Peter Follansbee, sail number 168297, lines up on the starting line at the Sail Salem Spring Open Laser Regatta

Ben Richardson (left), at the windward mark near Chris Hufstader (center) of Salem and Bill Graves of Marblehead, Mass.

A tight mark rounding at the Sail Salem Spring Open Laser Regatta.

Results

More Photos

Stu Nickerson departs Salem Harbor humming themes to James Bond movies…”When you were young, and life was an open book, you used to say live and let live, you know you did, you know you did, you know you did. But know you say, live and let die (heavy metal guitar riff in background)”

Ross Nickerson in foreground (5146), Chris Hufstader in background (9805)

Tight Start of the first race. Peter Follensbee (8297), Jason Yarrington (7393), Kevin Orff (7421), Wayne Colohan (2032), Eric Cutting (17), Gary Orkney (0776).

Upwind beat.

You will never catch me Bond! I mean Ben.

Another classic tight weather mark rounding.

Peter Follensbee and Ben Richardson way out in front again. The fleet is probably duking it out for third on the left side of the course.

Sail Salem Co-Founder Jason Yarrington catches a break on the right side.

Tight mark rounding setup.

Sail Salem Laser Fleet founder and regatta host Chris Hufstader duking it out with Ben Richardson in a tight mark rounding.

Roger Howell leads Glen Bell around the weather mark.

Chris Hufstader, founder of the Sail Salem laser fleet and regatta co-host takes a break between races.