Team Niagara, New York - Don Finkle, Skipper

Don Finkle sails a Beneteau First 36.7 Seaweed out of the Youngstown YC on Lake Ontario, which he used to win the 2004 Niagara Hospice Regatta. It was a special thrill to have Tim Beatty aboard for our win, as the Niagara Hospice Regatta is named in honor of Tim's father Jack, a very successful local racing sailor who died of cancer several years ago.

Don has sailed all his life, and has competed in many different boats such as Lasers, J/24s, J/30s, C&C 29s, and others, with generally good success. For the last three seasons he has campaigned in Beneteau First 36.7s all over North America, winning the 2004 San Diego and Detroit NOODS, and finishing second in the 2003 36.7 North Americans. Sailing Seaweed is a family and friends affair, as we have many different people sail with us over the course of the season. We enjoy sailing with new sailors too, and we especially enjoy it when our crewmembers bring their kids along. Don's wife Heather won the local season championship in 2004 in the genoa-only class.

The winning team for the 2004 Niagara Hospice included skipper Don Finkle, Tim Beatty, Jim Egloff, Mary Egloff, Mike O'Connor and Will Booth. Due to various conflicts only Tim Beatty and Don will be able to make the Nationals, so the rest of the crew will be made up of fellow YYC sailors Tim Booth, Paul Hays and John Goller.

Don is CEO of RCR Yachts, which operates marinas and boat sales facilities on Lakes Ontario and Erie. His wife Heather is also an active sailor, and they have three grown sons. They live in Youngstown, NY, just north of Niagara Falls on the US-Canadian border.

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