[Sunday, September 10, 2006. Chicago] Defying their reputation as light-air sailors, on a rough and windy day on Lake Michigan, Tsunami and her crew led by skipper Don Hayes, tactician Tory Enerson, and driver Bryan Hayes beat the rest of the 40.7 section and won this year’s Frank Heyes Regatta. In 2nd place was Tom Weber’s La Tempete with tactician Steve Youngson, and in 3rd place was Clem Boltz’ Cancan Deux with tactician Peter Nielsen. By winning this regatta which was the last in the season-long Lake Michigan Sail Racing Federaton’s (LMSRF) Best 40.7 on Lake Michigan, Tsunami moved into 2nd place for the year. By doing so she knocked Finesse out of 2nd place and Vayu out of 3rd place. She also solidified her 2nd place hold in the Area III Buoy Boat of the Year for the 40.7 class, breaking the tie with Vayu and moving four points ahead of that boat.

At the starting gun for the Beneteau 40.7 section the winds were out of the east at 14-19 knots. Seas were running 4 to 6 feet and rain had been falling intermittently all morning. With crews in foul weather gear the race was on. The race committee called the course at four legs, the windward mark at a distance of two miles on a heading of 90 degrees. Two races were scheduled but as the last boats crossed the finish line of the first race at about one o’clock PM, the race committee announced that further races were abandoned, ostensibly due to the weather conditions.

After the start La Tempete, Vayu and Tsunami let the section to the left side of the course. At the windward mark Vayu led the way by three boatlengths. The wind began gusting into the mid-20 knot range as the boats headed into the first downwind leg. At the leeward mark, as Vayu struggled with fouled halyards, Tsunami, capitalizing on their competitors error, turned inside and quickly pulled into the lead. At the finish line it was Tsunami over La Tempete by one second.