Author: Michael Radziejowski

Class Measurer

What is your roll on the board. Where do you sail out of?

-My roll on the board is i14 USA Class Measurer. I make sure everyone is playing by the rules and have up to date measurement certs. I sail out of Santa Cruz/SF Bay

How long have you been sailing/ sailing 14s?

-I started sailing when I was 11 in Lasers. When I 14 I was handed a trapeze harness and taken out on a 18ft skiff. I was instantly obsessed and only wanted to sail skiffs. I quit sailing lasers and started sailing 29ers and International Canoes. The next summer, just from being at Richmond Yacht Club all the time, I got taken out on a 14 and a whole new world of skiff sailing was thrown at me. I knew after that first sail I was in it for life.

What is it about 14s that got you into the class and what keeps you sailing them?

-What drew me into the 14s was how cool and technically advanced they are. The class has always been on the cutting edge of technology. After sailing 29ers, 49ers, and 18 foot skiffs, I can say 14s just always impressed me with the balance between technology and skill that it takes to sail these boats at the highest level. 14s require a finesse that other skiff classes don’t have. The fact that the 14s are a developmental class means that you can think outside the box and develop every aspect of the boat. Now that I am designing and building the sails for the boat, I feel very part of that class development. There are a lot of very smart folks in this class and getting to swap ideas with them and nerd out on all the little carbon bits, foils, rigs, and sails is just so cool. A big draw to this fleet is that there still is a strong core of DIY to it that a lot of other developmental classes are losing. And all of that development means you end up with an impressively fast boat, both upwind and down.

Biggest achievement in the fleet?

-Finishing in the top 10 at Richmond Yacht Club Worlds and Winning Nationals at the Gorge are definitely my biggest sailing achievements in the class. But getting to do that with sails that I designed and built, while sailing with my best friend, and having a hell of a good time, might be the best part.

Personal goals for the class for the future?

-Obviously winning a Worlds is up there, but I also want to help get the USA fleet up in the rankings. The Brits and Aussies have been so dominant in the fleet and so much of that has to do with the amount of fleet participation they have. They race and train together a lot more than we do. I want to get the fleet to work together more on development and practice more. The only way we do better at Worlds is if we do it together. I also want to help build our numbers and get those who show any interest in the fleet into boats. There really isn’t a better skiff fleet to be part of. And yes, selfishly I would love to have more folks ordering sails from me, it only helps the development of my designs.

Any other 14 related anecdotes?

-I really mean it when I say there isn’t a better skiff fleet out there. Not only are these boats crazy fast, technical, and tricky to sail well, but the fleet comradery is unlike any other class. Maybe it’s because of the boats that attract like minded crazies but I’m here for it. Regattas are not just for sailing but also an opportunity to hang out with close friends to do what we all love. And that applies to the rest of the World fleet. The friendships that you make at Worlds carry on. The fleet has a very healthy social component to it that’s embedded in the class history. Find out for yourself, join us, you will have a good time. I promise.

Regatta Report

Turkey Day – 2025

This year’s Turkey Day Regatta, hosted by Alamitos Bay Yacht Club, saw a solid turn out of 10 boats, 6 from Northern California, and the rest from the Southern California Fleet. The fleet was greeted to unsettled cloud cover, intermittent rain showers, and the smell of Turkeys smoking in the parking lot. The event was well attended by many classes and the boat park was buzzing with over 156 boats. The club did a great job of organizing the chaos, and even assigned classes to their own rigging areas – not that the 14s don’t already congregate like the cult it is.

Saturday’s unsettled weather meant winds were light and shifty. The Fleet managed to only get one race off after a postponement. Evan and I managed to get off the start line in somewhat of a clear lane leading off to the left side of the course. A header sent us back, sailing from puff to puff. The few boats that ate further into the header off the line seemed to benefit the most with Michael Leitch on 1195 with Terry Gleeson guest helming (while Elizabeth grows a future World Champion) leading the pack into the weather mark. Michael Lazzaro on 1161 and Brad Ruetenick on 1200 were right behind from the left side of the course. Evan and I on 1204, and Cameron Puckey with new crew Max Roth on AUS 681, managed to hold our own and just squeak in front of Michael Lazzaro around the top mark. Downwind wasn’t immediately obvious but we chose to gybe out early which paid off as the folks who dug into the right side hit a wall. From there it was just a matter of keeping the boat moving.Terry and Michael did a great job of staying in the puffs and held on to their lead. The second lap around the course was more or less a repeat of the first, with folks just trying to stay in whatever little micro puff they were in. Sailing these boats in such light conditions is a true test of your focus and flexibility as you attempt to make yourself into the smallest, most uncomfortable ball possible. The race ended with Terry and Michael taking 1st, us in second, and Puckey closely behind us, though the rest of the fleet wasn’t too far behind. Unfortunately, the wind completely shut off and we were all sent in.

Saturday night, ABYC hosted its catered Thanksgiving dinner, and the food was phenomenal! Smoked turkey and all the fixins. It was a great opportunity for the fleet to catch up and mingle. Afterwards, a bunch of the 14ers found themselves at a very solid dive bar in San Pedro where further “debriefing” happened.

We were greeted to beautiful clear skies and warm weather Sunday morning, which meant more normal wind conditions for November. A solid 6 to 10 knots meant we were able to get 3 quick double lap races and a 4th race with a single windward-leeward. There were still some big shifts on the race course that required some vigilance, which made for some good tactical racing. The first race saw a big shift right at the start which made getting across the line difficult. We set up for the mid to pin end of the line (which happened to be the committee boat) and the boats that set further towards the pin ended up piling up with a capsize. It was ugly and to avoid the mess we managed to sail over the line early. Nothing like immediately starting at the back of the pack. We had a good beat but really gained back on the first mark rounding and doing an immediate gybe set allowing us to go from DFL to finishing 5th. Brad and JP walked away with it even though they, too, piled up at the start. 1202 with guest helm Chris Hendo and Patrick Wilkinson got 2nd, and Puckey rounded out the podium.

Race 2 we had a little redemption with a good start leading out to the left hand side with Brad, only to blow it right before a tack due to a miscommunicated mainsheet pass that caused us to go for a swim. But again, we sailed really smart and ended up in 4th. Brad once again took the win, followed by Hendo and Pat, and Puckey in 3rd. The next race was a mirror in conditions and shifts so we managed to repeat our strategy which paid dividends. We sailed smartly and kept the boat upright. We also had a smart gybe which allowed us to get in front of Puckey right before the finish allowing us to get 2nd. Brad and JP once again showed us how it’s done in tricky light air conditions and won by a good margin. The last race of the day was the sprint and we took a gamble on which side of the course was going to pay off on the upwind. We didn’t do terrible, but we didn’t do great either, so we had to settle with a 4th. Should not come as a shock, but Dr Brad and JP finished the day with a perfect score sheet. A little shake up and Terry and Michael got 2nd, and Mike Lazzaro and Robin Kivlen got 3rd. Both boats made huge gains hitting the left side of the course on the upwind.

A huge congratulations to Brad and JP! They are very hard to beat in these light conditions. Consistently fast and smart. They took the prized turkey home. Evan and I were pleasantly surprised with 2nd. We struggle in conditions like these, but as everyone knows, you can’t always sail at the Gorge or Berkeley Circle, so this was a huge learning weekend for us. Puckey and Max took 3rd, though they did tie with us after the throw out. Puckey as always, sailed very fast and was consistent. It felt like he was always right next to us. I also should say that the rest of the fleet was right there. I am seriously impressed with the entire fleet. We have come a long way as a fleet and there is no longer an “A” and “B” fleet. There were many lead changes over the weekend and almost no waiting between races. It’s awesome! I also have to shout out our newest boat to the fleet with Lucca Farrell and Gabriel Rios on their Bieker 3. These guys are new but they are already proving themselves by finding themselves in the front of the fleet at times. Looking forward to seeing those guys grow.

Brad Ruetenik and JP Barnes. Winner winner, turkey dinner. Photo Credit: ABYC

All in all, it was another fantastic 14 event. ABYC did a great job hosting. The fleet comradery was all time and the stoke was high. Now is the best time to be in the fleet, so get your boat out on the water or reach out to us if you want to join! Next up on the calendar is Richmond Yacht Club Small Boat Midwinters.

Remember, “Imitations come and go, but 14s are forever!”

-Mikey Radziejowski

USA 1204

Meet the Board

NorCal Govenor

What is your roll on the board. Where do you sail out of?

-I am the NorCal Governor for the local 14 fleet and sail out of Richmond Yacht Club (the best club in the bay).

How long have you been sailing/ sailing 14s?

-I’ve been sailing my whole life. I sailed for the University of Hawaii and started sailing 14s in Kaneohe Bay during my time on Oahu. I was first connected to the fleet through my teammate at UH, Michael Pacholski, and the fleet helped me get a Bieker 3 with Maddy Kennedy at Kaneohe Yacht Club in time for the PacRim Championship at KYC in 2022.

What is it about 14s that got you into the class and what keeps you sailing them?

-Growing up I had seen 14s sailing in the bay and had always wanted to get into skiff sailing. I mostly sailed c420s in high school, but had the chance to hop in a 29er a few times and loved the speed and technicality of skiff sailing. After College sailing at UH, I wanted to continue competing at a high level, but still had that urge to go faster. I sailed various foiling boats and wing foils, but I’ve always enjoyed sailing as a team sport. The 14 fleet was super welcoming and gave me a platform to improve my boat handling and tactics while learning more about rig tuning and gear shifting to keep the boat going fast through a wide range of conditions. Small changes to your set up affect so much in these boats. It’s always a new challenge to keep the boat locked in and accelerating. 14s have really helped me understand and identify the subtleties that give you that edge across many different classes, and it pushes me to keep learning every time we go sailing.

Biggest achievement in the fleet?

-My biggest achievement in the fleet was winning the 2024 National Championship at RYC. It was a challenging regatta in 16-20kts+ with big chop in the Berkeley Circle. The fleet was incredibly tight throughout the regatta and pushed hard in difficult conditions. We were consistent in rounding the top mark in the top 5 and focused on our boat handling to finish top 3 in 6 of 7 races.

Personal goals for the class for the future?

-In the fall of 2023 Mike Pacholski and I bought “Blue Balls”, a Chris Henderson built Bieker 6, with the intention of making a run at the 2026 World in Kingston, Ontario. Mike and I are training hard to show the rest of the world what our blue balls can do. The ultimate goal is to see our US fleet competitive in the top 10 on the world stage.

Any other 14 related anecdotes?

-The US I14 fleet is always looking for new blood. If you are thinking about joining the fleet, reach out to any of us. If you are local to the bay, we have a strong fleet of about 8 boats at RYC and the upcoming Small Boat Midwinters is a great opportunity to hop in a boat with one of us. I will be happy to connect you to a skipper or crew in need of a fill in

Meet the Board

Hawaii Governor

What is your roll on the board and where do you sail out of?

– Governor of Hawaii Fleet. Sail out of Kaneohe Yacht Club

How long have you been sailing/ sailing 14s?

-I’ve been sailing for 21 years. I stepped into my first fourteen ten years ago and have been seriously campaigning for the past five.

What is it about 14s that got you into the class and what keeps you sailing them?

-Skiff sailing is really fun. The boats are fast, technically quite challenging, and the competition is excellent. I’m a big proponent of double handed sailing because there’s someone to share the experience with, whether it’s success or a big fail, there’s always a good story.

Biggest achievement in the fleet?

-2024 National Championship at Richmond Yacht Club where I learned to sail skiffs.

Personal goals for the class for the future?

-I’d like to see the most US boats in attendance of a Worlds since 2018 in Richmond. I am working on rallying the Hawaii fleet to find boats/pair up with mainland based teams this season to help make that possible.

Any other 14 related anecdotes?

-I’ve been sailing many different boats with many different people for the past 10 years. I don’t think there is another double handed class that is this into sailing fast, developing the competition, and spending time together off the water.

Meet the Board

SoCal Governor

Dr. Brad has been a long time fixture of the fleet, with a deep knowledge of the class past and present.

What is your roll on the board. Where do you sail out of?

-Southern California Governor. Represent and present SoCal interests and ideas to the board and communicate with the SoCal fleet. I sail out off San Diego Yacht Club

How long have you been sailing/ sailing 14s?

-I grew up on the Great Lakes in a small sailing town on Lake Erie. Started sailing as a small child with my mom off our beach on small dinghies and then Hobie 14s, 16s and 18s close to 60 yrs ago. Then moved up to sailing MORC, IOR and early one design Keel Boats (Tartan 10s) on Lake Erie. The small town I was from is where the first Thistle was built by Sandy Douglas who took the Uffa Fox lines from the famous ‘Alarm’ and blew the hull up to 17’. A Thistle is what old 14s looked like. I also sailed Jet 14s as a kid, which were an early fiberglass 1960s 14 hull with a Snipe rig in it, but also had small kites. It is a two person hiking boat which was great fun. The Thistle and Jet 14 sailing lead to my looking into International 14s later in life. The 14 History was a big reason for getting involved with the fleet initially as some of the names on the US and International trophies are a who’s who in sailing history. My first 14 was purchased in 1996, after finishing med school. I spent $1000 on an old rules (pre 1996 amalgamation with Aussie/Kiwi boats) boat that I bought from Ernie at Bozo Boat works. I told myself; if I’m still having fun, and when the boat slows me down (not me slowing the boat down) I’ll get another better boat. I’m now on my 7th boat. I cheated some as I’m still slowing the boats down!

What is it about 14s that got you into the class and what keeps you sailing them?

-The International 14 is the Oldest internationally recognized dinghy class in the world. The history of this class is a history lesson in sailing. These boats always have been and remain one of the most difficult and rewarding boats to sail. The class is well over 100 years old and still leading the way in technology and innovations. People often ask when are you going to foil like the Moths? 14s were foiling within months of the Moths. We decided as a class to not go down that road at that time as it would just become a two person Moth. The kites would go away and the boats were already challenging enough to sail. I also hear people say that skiffs are not tactical, my answer is that they are very tactical, but your boat handling just isn’t good enough yet for you to play!

Biggest achievement in the fleet?

-Tough one. I’m certainly proud to have won 3 US Nationals titles, 3 Pac Rims and several other West Coast events over the years. My best Worlds finish was 11th at 2013 Toronto Worlds, always happy to make the top 20. But probably happier/prouder to have introduced and brought several great sailors into the fleet who have gone on to great sailing careers in the 14 class as well as in other sailing classes. I really enjoy seeing the new sailors light up when they sail 14s. The boats certainly aren’t for everyone, but if you are willing to work hard and put away your ego, they are one of the most rewarding boats in the world to sail! I’ve been fortunate enough to take my skiff knowledge to offshore events and sailing locations around the world in other classes and boats from 70s, to 52s, to 100 footers, but most love coming back to the 14!

Personal goals for the class for the future?

-I suppose just trying to continue to introduce sailors to the boats and enjoy watching them grow and improve in the 14 as well as overall sailing.

Any other 14 related anecdotes?

-I sometimes tell a story from years ago when I was sailing offshore on a 52 with 3-4 other 14 sailors and a bunch of pros. It was really amazing to watch all the skiff guys standing on deck trimming kites and sails, A small puff would come through and all the skiff sailors simultaneously/automatically take a step to the left for weight. All the Pros just sat in the same spot and didn’t move. Did it make a difference? Maybe, maybe not, but it did show how in tune the skiff sailors were to slight pressure changes, heel and importance of movement and how that translates into speed and boat handling. Also fun to see who is driving the AC, and GP yachts over the last several years – Huge percentage skiff sailors!

Meet the Board

Class President

James Clarkson – Class President

Today we are starting a new series to introduce the hard working and dedicated individuals on the class board. These volunteer positions are elected by the class and are what keeps the US fleet ticking along!

To start off, we introduce the class President, James Clarkson.

What is your roll on the board?

– I have been President of the US I14 fleet for the past 2 years. I joined the board and became president because I’m excited about the fleet and the boats.

Where do you sail out of?

– I sail out of Richmond Yacht Club, on the SF Bay, where several other I14s are based. RYC has a long history with the I14 fleet including being host to two World Championships. In general, there is a choice of wind and wave state, depending on how the wind and Angel Island are lined up.

How long have you been sailing/ sailing 14s? What is it about 14s that got you into the class and what keeps you sailing them?

– I learned to sail on a sunfish at a small lake in Mississippi and at summer camp on 420s in New Orleans. I restarted sailing in grad school and got connected with the 14 fleet at RYC. I’ve been in the fleet for about 12 years now and enjoy it for several reasons. The boats and fleet are just exciting and awesome. The development class enables your brain to keep working on tweaks to your systems and maximizing performance, or at least entertain you. Sometimes you just need to keep it simple. The fleet members are extremely friendly and helpful. They will share tips on sailing technique, rig tuning, rigging systems, and repairs. And finally, it’s a boat that I feel that I can sail competitively for 30 years or more. People sail these boats into their 60s and 70s and still kick ass.

Personal goals for the class for the future?

– I’m interested in getting some coaching set up in the various regions (San Diego, LA, SF Bay, and Seattle) to make each region a bit faster. I’ve spent my 14 career sailing with some of my best friends (and my now wife), fumbling through a technical and physical boats. We aren’t half slow and with some input, we might be 3/4 fast. I’m also excited to see where the foil designs and development go.The boats are getting faster, so the foils can get thinner, lower drag, and a bit tweakier.

Regatta Report

Nationals – 2025

Cascade Locks, Oregon
July 25-27, 2025

This year, US Nationals was held at the Gorge. It’s been a while since we’ve been here, and it lived up to the expectations set by every past event held at this incredible venue.

It was a lightly registered and attended event — 9 boats registered, 8 attended. Maybe the threat of sailing in mid-20s breeze was a deterrent for most. But those who did attend had a blast and enjoyed everything the Gorge threw at us.

The plan for Friday’s racing was an initial “warm-up” race, followed by the long-distance race. The breeze was already well into the upper teens, with expectations that it would continue building. The race committee (RC) ultimately chose to skip the warm-up and go straight to the distance race. There was some initial discussion about moving it to a different day, but the forecast for the next two days was about the same. The Melges and 505s joined us for the distance race. Although we were originally scheduled for the first start, we requested to be third to give us more time to reach the line.

The race began well for the many boats that started, with most making it to the weather mark — led by 1204, followed by 1159, with 1206 and 1198 rounding a bit further back. It thinned out from there. 1204 and 1206 exchanged places a couple of times. At one point, 1206 ran into a kelp patch and ended up dragging 50 lbs of weed on both the centerboard and rudder, requiring a forced upwind capsize to clear it. The race came down to the long downwind leg to the distant leeward mark. In the far left corner, 1204 got caught up with the Melges and stuffed it with the kite up. Meanwhile, 1206 had a smooth downwind, choosing to sit in about three-quarters of the way down to maintain stability and keep the boat upright. 1206 doused and two-sail jibed around the leeward mark, then headed on the long upwind beat to the finish, followed at a distance by 1204. Rounding out the only other boat to finish was 1198. Kudos to everyone who attempted the race, and congrats to 1206 for pulling off a great distance race win to open the regatta.

Saturday brought the strongest breeze of the weekend, with five races scheduled. We ended up doing only two, mostly due to sitting around for an hour between each race, trying to save energy and keep the boat upright. The racing was exciting. All boats started on a standard starboard tack, but 1206 opted for a port tack start, believing the current and breeze made it favorable — despite the worse chop. This required ducking 1204 and 1198, but they hit the line with speed. The racing was intense, with 1204 and 1206 again trading positions around the course. In the end, 1204 edged out 1206, taking the win in both races — but it was oh so close. 1159 followed with third in each race, and 1198 brought up the rear, finishing both races as well.

Sunday started a bit lighter (by Gorge standards) but built to a solid breeze for Race 3 and eased slightly for Race 4. 1204 continued their success from Saturday by taking the first race of the day, followed closely by 1206. Five more boats successfully finished, making for a strong start. 1206, tired of near misses after their distance race win, came out firing for the next two races, swapping places with 1204. Seven boats finished Race 2, and five finished Race 3. The regatta was tied after six races, with 1206 leading on countback. But it felt wrong to have just six races for Nationals, so — without hesitation — those still on the course voted for a fourth race of the day: the regatta decider.

Racing was neck and neck until 1206 botched a jibe near the port gate rounding, leading to the reaching mark. This gave 1204 a nice buffer on the final reach, leeward, and windward legs. 1202 passed 1206 while they were recovering, only to stuff their own jibe. 1206 recovered and finished second, followed by 1198, with 1202 closing out the regatta.

Congratulations to 1206 (Clark and McDonald) for winning the distance race. And congratulations to 1204 (Radziejowski and Sjostedt) for winning the Nationals. I rave about Huntington, but the Gorge is even better. I’d even say it’s likely better than Garda. We’re lucky to have such a venue so close. Even Cam McDonald (thanks for coming all the way from Australia to race!) commented on how ridiculously good it is. I’m sure he’ll want to be back.

-John Clark, USA 1206

Tags International 14, Nationals, Regatta Report

Regatta Report

Pac Rims – 2025

Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii
April 24-27, 2025

Thursday kicked off the event with light and shifty breeze. We saw every direction in the bay beginning with light trades, shifting north, then shifting west before the sustained southerly for the sail in. Multiple races gave us 180º shifts and large holes in the course. This proved to be very tricky and somewhat up to chance keeping the top 5 all within a few points. The race committee did an excellent job to get 3 races in with the little breeze we had. After racing some of the fleet joined in for the Thursday night bulkhead race and a classic KYC night at the bar.

Friday the fleet was welcomed with 8-12kt tradewinds bringing the top speeds of the event. Mikey Radziejowski and Evan Sjostedt put on a masterclass in the fresh breeze with a 1,1,3, DNF (disappearing tiller issue while leading the race).

Friday night the fleet was invited for a BBQ at the hilltop house in Lanikai which is a historical home filled with surf and sailing memorabilia including the original Transpac Trophy from 1906!

Saturday kicked off with our youth i14 clinic where we showed off the boats. The beautiful light wind morning allowed us to take some incredibly talented and stoked young kids for a rip! Racing begun at 2pm with light 6-10kt tradewinds dying to a very light 3-6kt final race.

Congratulations to Brad Ruetenik and JP Barnes in single spreader B6 1200 “Astragulus Too” for an expertly sailed regatta in a challenging variety of conditions. Michael Pacholski and I took 2nd in double spreader B6 1202 “Blue Balls” followed by Channing Hamlet and Paul Allen in the single spreader red B6 1193. The whole fleet is improving with the top 8 boats winning races throughout the regatta.

In the classics fleet, we had a close battle with 6 boats with old style rigs with upper shrouds to the mast. Congratulations to Gavin Ball and Zach Severson for taking the win in a freshly renamed B5 1167 “One Ball” run up by Maddy Kennedy and Mackenzie Cook in B3 1176 “Miss Match” and Pearl Lattanzi and Aaron Tsuchitori taking third in the B3 1187 “Nanotek”.

Sundays Hawaii State Championship distance race found light conditions and had to be modified to a bay tour. It was a reverse order start pursuit race beginning at the launch ramp, out the south channel around F buoy to starboard, E to port, RG to starboard, A to starboard, in the south channel to the finish. Congratulations to Gavin Ball and Zach Severson for crushing it in the light breeze and bringing home the gold. Runner ups Kristian Henderson and Martin Fabiansson from Sweden in 1192 “Bondage” followed by John Clark and Eike Ehrig from the German fleet in the new Ovington B6 120 6 “Amused”.

-Patrick Wilkinson, USA 1202