Hierbij de droevige mededeling, dat een van onze oudste leden en erelid JAN WALIG op donderdag 2 maart j.l. op 91 jarige leeftijd is overleden. Tot 2007, dus al 81 jaar oud heeft Jan nog mee gedaan aan het Nederlandse Sunfish Kampioenschap. Vanaf 1980, het eerste NK Sunfish, tot 2007 heeft hij (en ik denk ook meer dan iemand anders) wel 25 x hieraan deelgenomen. Met veel wisselend succes: kampioen in 1983 (Medemblik), in 1987 (Hoorn) en 1991 (Uitdam). In de 80er en begin 90er jaren vaak 2de, 3de of 4de. Daarna werden de plaatsen wat lager en hij ouder, terwijl er veel jongere zeilers ook beter gingen Sunfishzeilen. Het bleef altijd wel een uitdaging om vóór Jan te eindigen, wat mij overigens slechts een enkele keer tot mijn grote voldoening is gelukt! Jan was altijd heel zorgvuldig met z’n bootje bezig, maar zeker altijd bereid anderen, vooral “nieuwkomers” te helpen met het optuigen van hun Sunfish. Ik denk, dat veel van onze oudere leden allemaal wel een of ander bijzonder verhaal betr. Jan kunnen vertellen. Zelf is mij o.a. bijgebleven, dat hij vanuit Monnickendam zeilend in z’n Sunfish naar Heeg is gevaren. Op de Fluessen wind 6 pal achter, dus met hoge golven z’n boot overeind gehouden en veilig in Heeg (s-avonds laat) aankwam! Wij verliezen in Jan een goed, kleurrijk en bijzonder Sunfishlid en wensen Hetty, zijn vrouw, veel sterkte om zonder Jan verder te gaan. Namens bestuur S.R.C.N. Greet Dekker-Bruning.
Oranjestad. – The Aruban Sunfish Sailing Championship 2014 was recently held. The championship was won once again by Richard van der Wal, followed by Randy Brown (2nd) and Job Laboyrie (3rd). The ranking list 2014 of Sunfish Club Aruba was won this year by Richard van der Wal followed by Job Laboyrie (2nd) and Randy Brown (3rd). The ranking list entails other friendly competition and long distance races in addition to the championship. With this victory Richard van der Wal has won the championship for the 15th time. This is a remarkable achievement which has not occurred before in the 40 years’ history of Sunfish Club Aruba. The “wisselstrop”, a trophy for encouragement, was awarded this year to Sabine van der Wal who made a strong debut.During the year there was more attention for recreational sailing and cooperation with other clubs such as the Youth Watersports Aruba Foundation (SYWA).During a closing dinner the board of Sunfish Club Aruba (SCA) congratulated Richard van der Wal for his exceptional performance and handed him the “Ernie Kervel rotating trophy”.
Oranjestad – The Aruba International Regatta 2013 was held on August 10 & 11. As previous years the event compassed competition in a wide range of sailing classes including yachts, beach catamarans, Optimists, Windsurfers and Sunfishes. Competition in the Sunfish Class was fierce with Richard van der Wal ultimately claiming first place.The Regatta was held at Surfside Bay at the heart of Oranjestad, Aruba’s capital. On Saturday winds averaged 15 knots, being moderate for Aruban standards. On Sunday winds increased to 20 knots with higher gusts.The standard Sunfish racing course entailed a start mid-way the bay, then a short windward leg towards the beach followed by a narrow reach across the beach before heading downwind to the leeward mark. The reach across the beach provided splendid viewing for spectators. A total of two windward legs had to be completed before crossing the finish line across the Regatta Centre tower. The extended Sunfish racing course included a leg out of Oranjestad harbour into open water. Each day two standard races and one extended race were to be completed.On Saturday morning the fleet headed out to enjoy racing on Aruba’s crystal blue waters. Soon the Sunfishes were engaged in fierce competition with the sailors pinching hard to get to windward as effectively as possible. On the downwind leg the quest for speed, and determining the right time to jibe were key. After a few races it became clear that the battle for first, second and third would be fought between Ton Nuijten of Bonaire (2011 Sunfish Worlds, place 51), Robbie Ferron of St.Maarten and Richard van der Wal (twelve fold Aruban National Sunfish Champion and 2011 Sunfish Worlds Grand-Masters winner). After two days of sailing Van der Wal claimed first, Nuijten second and Ferron third. In the end everyone was satisfied with two days of splendid sailing and an animated prize-ceremony and awards dinner illuminated by sunset on the beach.The Aruba Regatta Foundation and the Sunfish Club Aruba congratulate the winners on their result.
Richard van der Wal recently won the Aruban Sunfish Sailing Championship 2012. The performance was remarkable since Van der Wal won the championship for the 13th time since 1996. Competition for second and third was fierce with Job Laboyrie becoming second and Peter Prinsen claiming third. The ranking list 2013 of Sunfish Club was won this year by Richard van der Wal followed by Peter Prinsen (2nd) and Job Laboyrie (3rd). In addition to the championship, the ranking list also entails other friendly and long distance races. The “wisselstrop”, a rotating trophy for newcomers, was awarded this year to the youth talent Maurice Rooijakkers.
The year 2012 was characterised by growth of the class and regional exchange. In August, a total of 20 Sunfish sailors participated in the Aruba Rembrandt Regatta of which two from Curacao and one from St.Maarten. In October, five Aruban Sunfish sailors participated in the Bonaire Regatta. At time the Bonaire sailors were invited to participate in the Aruba Rembrandt Regatta 2013. During a closing dinner at Varadero Yacht Club, the board of Sunfish Club Aruba (SCA) congratulated the winners with their result. At this occasion Richard van der Wal received the “Ernie Kervel rotating trophy”.
Due to her great stability the Sunfish is very suitable for Aruba’s coastal waters. New members are more than welcome. More information is available on the Sunfish Aruba Facebook page.
Ernest Kervel, for insiders Ernie, past away in Hospital on October 18th 2010 on the Island of Aruba. Ernie was President of ISCA from 1983-1984, a long time member of the ISCA World Council, and chairman of Aruba’s National Sunfish Class Association for many years.
I met Ernie approx 45 years ago on the island of Aruba, were he was amongst others good friends with Jan Walig, Gijs van Omme and my father Theo van Velzen. When notified of his recent passing away, I immediately felt the urge to write some words on paper. Since Jan and Gijs knew Ernie quite well, I asked their help to share their memories with us. Here is our contribution to a man with a mission: sailing Sunfish.
Ernie, with his sparkling keen eyes, has been hooked on sailing for as long as we can remember and has always been the driving forces behind organized sailing on Aruba, which at one time was extremely popular. Gifted with an organizational talent, he was able to get people together, at work as well as in social life. Ernie’s enthusiasm was very catching and together with his social humor and his warm smile you couldn’t get around him. Ernst Kervel was long time President of the Aruba Sunfish Club, which acquired world attention by organizing Sunfish Worlds three times on Aruba. The publicity they received in magazines all over the world was enormous, praising the Arubans on their efforts to make it a once-in-a-Life time experience. The last time this event took place in Aruba was in 1987, and Ernie always kept the dream alive that one day he would again bring the Sunfish worlds to Aruba. Unfortunately this dream will remain unfulfilled.There are many story and myths about Ernie Kervel, which all started when he came to the island of Aruba in 1947. He discovered that sailing was quite a popular sport even among the Arubans. When the first Sailfishes arrived on the island, sailed by Americans working at the Esso refinery better known as Lago Oil, Ernie started sailing the boat as well. Later the Sunfish arrived and replaced the Sailfish. In those days Ernie was working for Maduro Trading Company and immediately saw the commercial potential of the boat. He acquired exclusive rights to import the boat to the Island under the name “Ernie’s Sails and Yachts supplies”. That’s when I met Ernie since my father bought one as well and I was allowed as 8 year old to learn sailing in the Sunfish. The Sport became very popular then and Ernie and his Aruban friends took part in their first World Championships. In total Ernie sailed 17 Sunfish world championships which makes him a real Master although he never came close to winning. In 1974, he organized the Race for the first time on Aruba and 107 participants from all over the world came to the island. A perfect organization with attractive local conditions including palm trees and beautiful white beaches made the event extremely popular with the sailors. Ernie was asked to repeat this event which eventually ended in organizing a second and third Worlds on Aruba in 1980 and 1987.
In the mean time, a few Aruban sailors with Dutch origin, including myself, moved back to the Netherlands. Together with other Dutch sailors the Sunfish was successfully introduced in the Netherlands, establishing the Sunfish Racing Class Nederland in 1980. Ernie was proud of this fact and regularly honored us by attending Sailing matches while on family visit in the Netherlands. Besides Jan Walig and Gijs van Omme also our world famous Class Secretary Greta Dekker-Bruning became good friends with Ernie. The last time we saw Ernie in the Netherlands was during the 2007 European championships in Workum. Although not in best health, Ernie participated in the Regatta with high spirits..A small miracle knowing that a few years earlier he was suffering from early dementia until a clever neurologist discovered that he had a rare cerebral disease, making recovery possible after a complicated and risky neurosurgical operation.
Ernie did not only sail Sunfish. He had a Ocean 505 racer and also regularly sailed ocean going yachts in the Caribbean. During one of these trips he had a narrow escape. During a night time regatta race between Aruba and Bonaire, while steering Ernie was washed overboard by a freak wave which hit his boat. He was sailing a “Dragon class” open race boat while of course not wearing a life jacket. Why should you. Luckily the owner of the sail boat, Mike Hagendoorn, who was asleep at that the time, noticed that the boat dramatically changed course and nobody was on the tiller. By a miracle he was able to return to the spot were Ernie might have fallen out of the boat and discovered him in the middle of heavy sea during a pitch dark night. Ernie had the luck of a devil. Ernie Kervel. Family man, hockey player, witty, always a smile, always energetic, if not hyperactive and always interested in people’s stories. The best companion one can imagine. His last lines written in the introduction of the 1987 Sunfish Worlds program:
Of course, it is the sailors, who finally make it happen and make it exciting. I hope they, themselves, realize this as well and see in the competitor also another sailor who made the same race possible. Sail with that in mind. Sail fair. Sail to win.
Some said it was bound to happen. And, after six top-ten finishes at North American’s and World’s since 1982, Connecticut College sailor Bruce Sutphen of Winnetka, Illinois, outlasted a fleet of 74 top Sunfish racers from twelve countries to take home yacht racing’s other most coveted trophy. The setting for this year’s World Championship was about as close to “Sunfish Heaven” as a sailor could get. Aruba’s Palm Beach sported 15-24 knot breezes, 90-degree temperature, and warm turquoise blue waters for most of the week. Only the Thursday of the regatta brought a change in the weather. A storm front passed overhead at lunchtime and brought thunderstorms and even a twister, which could be seen down the beach at a distance. Most importantly, it brought two 6-10 knot “light-air” races. But for most of the series, the competitors had to sail in the typical heavy-air trade winds on five-mile courses that took approximately 90 minutes to complete. Curacao’s 17-year-old whiz-kid Stephen Smeulders showed superior boatspeed and pointing ability that even Sutphen admitted he had trouble with, “Smeulders was pointing about 3 degrees higher than me and sailing his boat faster. He kept me working real hard upwind.” Smeulders dominated the series through the end of Wednesday’s racing. But as the light winds came on Thursday, Sutphen came back with a consistent string of finishes no worse than third while Smuelders had his worst day sailing in the light air. Sutphen explained: “I was in the top three in six out of eight races, but the light-air races won me the regatta a day early.” Bermuda’s Malcolm Smith, coming off a sixth in Lasers at the Pan Am Games, had been averaging a fourth until his last race victory elevated him up to second over Smeulders and defending champion Scott Kyle. Said Smith, “In this series, you had to really stay in phase with the wind’s oscillations and be careful not to go too far to the right. Also, this time around, you had to anticipate puffs that often came due to wind patterns created by the hotel buildings.” Defending champ Scott Kyle finished fourth, 1.3 points behind Smeulders. Many of the sailors agreed he was one of the fastest off the wind. Fifth, sixth and seventh were hotly contested with two-time champion Donnie Martinborough garnering fifth solely by a foot of bow at the finish of the last race. He just edged out Tulane sophomore Paul-Jon Patin, a runner up in the USYRU Youth Championships and an O’Day finalist in Gulfport, Mississippi. Scott Greenbaum’s late 3-2-2 rally put him solidly in the top ten and within striking distance of fifth place.
Most of the uniform Sunfish raced in close quarters with the starts reflecting the spiritness of the multilingual fleet. The high volume of boats made getting that great start difficult, if not impossible, with racers packed in deep at both ends. A safer bet was usually toward the middle of the line, closer to the end that was favored. There, the layers of boats were usually no more than two deep and the push for clear air often could be more easily achieved. Sutphen, however, made high-risk, pin-end starts look easy, “I would tack over to starboard at the 15-second mark, stuff (luff) the boats above me, and bear off for the gun. At two seconds into the race I would tack over and go. You really have to be sailing ‘out of your mind,’ as Dave Perry would say, to pull off a trick like that.” Organizing Committee Chairman Ernie Kervel, Sr. and the Committee’s “hundreds” of volunteers did a superb job at putting together a World Championship that will truly be a tough act to follow. All the week’s activity was centered around the Golden Tulip Aruba Carribean Hotel & Casino, a luxury resort hotel where most of the competitors stayed. During the “lay day” afternoon on Wednesday, everyone had a chance to tour the island, go diving, snorkeling, shopping or just go and lie on the beach. At night it was all gambling, partying or in bed by 9 p.m. if you were Donnie Maryborough. Each day the racers would go to a different resort hotel’s outdoor restaurant for lunch to taste an unusual tropical dish. The only thing each sailor had to bring was a lunch ticket, sometimes pulled out of his pocket all wet.
Ceremonies marking the opening and closing of the regatta reiterated the international spirit of world championship competition. The Governor of Aruba spoke at the opening ceremony. At the closing ceremony, as the participating countries’ flags were lowered, the focus was on honoring the winners. The mass of sailors headed for a first class banquet at the Americana Hotel, next door to the Golden Tulip.
The Organizing Committee provided many trophies. They surprised everyone with an 8 x 10 photo of each competitor by his boat on the beach with the legend printed on each one of them: “18th Sunfish Worlds Aruba.” Then Mr. Kervel got down to business. The top twelve were in trophy range, and what a set they were! From fifth place’s Plastimo compass to copper plant holders, a Canon underwater camera outfit for third to the winning prize, a silver champagne cooler (with champagne) and an Omega quartz chronometer. Sutphen is still trying to figure out how to use it!
In addition to the race winners, special trophies were awarded to:
Cor Van Aanholt, 21, of Groningen, The Netherlands defeated the defending champion, Dave Chapin, 20, of Springfield, IL, USA, to win the Eleventh Sunfish World Championship sailed April 28 -May 3 on the multihued blue waters off the Dutch island of Aruba, in the Caribbean. 104 sailors from 16 countries participated in the six-race, one-throw-out series. With trade winds blowing from 20-35 knots, most competitors used a heavy-air adjustment known as the Hookanson rig throughout the series. Van Aanholt started strong winning the first two races, then Chapin came back to win the third, fourth and fifth races. But Chapin’s fourth-race win was nullified because he was over the line early at the start.
In last year’s highly competitive World Championship series sailed in Medemblik, Holland, Chapin outsailed Van Aanholt for the World title. In Aruba, the battle again came down to the end as Chapin held a slim advantage (1.3 points using the Olympic Scoring System) over Van Aanholt going into the final race. As Chapin and Van Aanholt match-raced the last race along the far edges of the course, they nearly allowed Raymond Marsolle, who won that race, to take the Championship. It was during the final weather leg that Van Aanholt overtook Chapin and finished fifth. Chapin, because of his fourth-race disqualification, had to count his seventh place finish, his poorest of the series, losing the Championship to Van Aanholt by 1.7 points.
Van Aanholt, a dental student in Groningen, is the first World Sunfish Champion from Europe. During the sailing season, he also runs a sailing school and has recently become a Sunfish dealer. Trophies were awarded to the top twelve finishers. It was interesting to note that no single country dominated the series as these twelve represented ten different countries. Jean Bergman, of Hubbard Woods, IL, USA, current North American Women’s Sunfish Champion, was awarded the women’s trophy for the series. Competitors agreed that the Aruba Sunfish Club and the many other volunteers did an outstanding job organizing this Championship. Accommodations for most of the competitors were arranged at the base of operations, the Aruba Caribbean Hotel, which, with a full schedule of social events for competitors and families, its superb beach used for launching, and its friendly and helpful personnel, was an ideal regatta location. Possible sites for next year’s Championship include California and Sardinia, Italy.
Cor Van Aanholt, Sunfish World Champion, started sailing in 1971 at the age of 12. He and his brother began racing in the Flits class (an 111/2 foot wooden two-man boat popular in northern Holland for juniors up to age 18). They won the Flits National twice in a row when Cor was 13 and 14. The next year, Cor crewed for his older brother Peter in a Flying Junior. Cor was tactician and Peter handled the helm and keptthe boat moving. Corwas impatient crewing so looked around for a good singlehander. He said that although he didn’t particularly like the looks of the Laser, he sailed one anyway because they were popular At age 17, he won the famous Kielerwoche in Kiel, W. Germany (Kiel Week is being used this year by the nations boycotting the Olympics as a substitute event). This qualified him for the 1976 Laser Worlds in which he finished sixth. Since then he has placed very well in several major Laser championships and placed second in the 1979 Sunfish Worlds sailed in Medemblik, Holland. He arrived in Aruba for the 1980 Sunfish Worlds two and a half weeks prior to the event. He said that he often does this to acclimatize himself to the differences in time, weather and food. He only sailed three times on a borrowed Sunfish — he said that he doesn’t think sailing is the best way to psyche up for a regatta. He prefers to see the area or country he is visiting. This sightseeing gives him plenty of time for relaxation which he considers essential to good sailing. Like most good sailors, Cor always arrives at the starting area at least ten minutes before the start. He checks the wind and wave conditions and makes last-minute adjustments to his rig. He starts at the favored end of the line, but never starts too aggressively. He is careful not to be disqualified for starting early or fouling another boat. He claims that his tactics are the key to his success and that his boat speed is secondary. But on the reaches he felt fast. He uses wave steering to his advantage, but makes a point of steering toward the mark as much as possible. In heavy air, he feels that the Sunfish needs a lot of vang. In order to foot off, you must vang in your sail so that the boom does not go up when easing the sheet. He feels he needs as much power as possible. Cor plans to continue sailing the Sunfish especially since he is a dealer. His next major championship will be the European Sunfish Championship which is being sailed in early July in France.
With more than 50 boats competing, Serge Marsolle of Guadaloupe emerged as overall winner of the fifth Sunfish World Championship held in Aruba this month.
