Multi-Podium Weekend for the Atlas 2
written by: Douglas Wake - June 29, 2022
Tod Sackett and team work downwind with their Atlas 2 in Cleveland, OH (photo by Karl Felger, J/70 Corinthian Nationals)
Vakaros Atlas 2s powered not one, but two teams to podiums at National Championships this weekend. In Cleveland, Ohio, Tod Sackett and his team of Jeff Hasse and Mike and John Gemperline won the final race of their series to claim second place at the J/70 Corinthian National Championship. Perhaps more importantly, Tod and his team secured a bid to the 2023 J/70 World Championship, to be sailed in St. Petersburg, FL. Tom Freytag and his team on MadCap took a close second at the A Scow nationals in their first regatta with an Atlas 2!
Sackett Earns Worlds Bid in Cleveland
When asked about the A2 and its contribution to their success, Sackett, an early user of the Atlas 1 as well, noted that "The new unit is highly accurate". Likewise, Sackett attributed much of his strong starts to the Time-To-Line and Line Bias features, which helped the Cleveland based team to get in position to take advantage of the first shift.
After four days of racing and no charging, the team's Atlas 2 was still over 50% battery. These four days brought a wide variety of conditions, and Sackett's team was remarkably consistent, never scoring worse than a 7. They depended on the Vakaros Connect app as a useful tool to "[tweak] the dampening as needed for conditions". We can't wait to see Tod and his A2 taking on the rest of the J/70 circuit!
MadCap Shows Consistency is Key
Tom Freytag and his I-7 team are routine challengers for the A Scow National Championship. Tom is a legend, having won multiple Melges 24 Class titles, chiefly Corinthian, as well as recently, the 2021 A Scow National Championship. While the team on MadCap were just bested by Vince Porter's Full Throttle, Freytag put down a super consistent 4,2,3,2 to bring home his second A Scow Nationals podium in two years.
V6 battle upwind, photo by Douglas Wake/Medora Media
The A Scow may not be as familiar to those outside the Midwest, but this 38 foot design is capable of reaching speeds in the high 20 kts and is a racing platform for many of the best sailors ever, including Buddy Melges, Brian Porter, and more. The Atlas 2 is a standout instrument in the A Scow and eliminates the need for a two-compass approach. The base of the mast is cleaner and free of tangling and the A2 provides all the information a tactician can desire.
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