After months of planning, the Chesapeake 20 Appreciation Day got off to an inauspicious start.
Willy Keyworth, skippering the dutifully restored Stormy, capsized at the start of the much publicized All-Star Race. Keyworth lost control of the tiller at the wrong moment and the classic racer flipped in a flash - sending the North Sails professional, boat owner Ted Weihe and crew Jamie Leclerc into the Severn River.
That unfortunate incident proved to be the only downside to an otherwise wonderful weekend that showcased the venerable Chesapeake 20 to a new audience of sailing enthusiasts. Jonathan Bartlett quickly restored the pride of the North Chesapeake loft by winning the All-Star Race and Roger Link followed with a command performance en route to victory in the Chesapeake 20 Nationals.
"It was a marvelous sight to see these gorgeous boats sailing off Annapolis again," said Weihe, Chesapeake 20 fleet captain and regatta chairman. "Annapolis was once home to a very active Chesapeake 20 fleet and our goal is to rebuild the class to the point that history repeats itself."
Most Chesapeake 20 racing is conducted out of the West River Sailing Club in Galesville. That is a stone's throw away from where Capt. Dick Hartge designed and built 50 of the beautiful boats from 1935-1950.
Weihe hatched the idea of moving this year's nationals to Annapolis after earning an award from the Four Rivers Heritage Society for his work in restoring Chesapeake 20s. He subsequently applied for a grant from the organization, which led to a partnership with the Annapolis Maritime Museum, which sponsored Chesapeake 20 Appreciation Day.
Annapolis has a strong history with the Chesapeake 20, beginning with the fact Andrew Kramer of Annapolis Banking and Trust was responsible for loaning Capt. Dick Hartge the money to build the boats on a larger scale.
Annapolis Yacht Club had a fleet of approximately 14 Chesapeake 20s from 1940 to 1960 and many of those boats are still on the water. Jack Lynch, a longtime member of AYC who participated in the All-Star Race, once owned Contrary.
"Jack told all sorts of great stories about his days racing a 20 back in the 1950s," Weihe said.
Keyworth, whose success in a long series of one-design classes led to his becoming a professional sailor, used to race Gay Lady in the 1960s.
Weihe is dedicated to sparking a revitalization of the Chesapeake 20 class and knows exposure in major sailing areas such as Annapolis is a step in the right direction. There are five vintage 20s that currently need restoration while longtime class member Peter Bell is eager to build three new boats.
Eastport Yacht Club graciously hosted the Chesapeake 20 Nationals with Rick Jackson serving as principal race officer. Participating skippers asked for multiple races so Jackson and his top-notch team wore out the 14-boat fleet with seven starts in two days.
"It really was a delightful event. Eastport Yacht Club did a superb job, the Annapolis Maritime Museum provided great support and the racing was outstanding," Link said.
Link certainly had fun, steering Osprey to victory in five of the six races he counted in compiling a low score of eight points. The Harwood resident, an 8-year veteran of the class, has become a dominant force on the circuit.
"We had good boat speed, especially downwind, and we caught some shifts that helped us," Link said in typically modest fashion. "Going right tended to pay off and we were fortunate to figure that out fairly early."
Arnold resident Derick Lynch once again provided expert crew work for Link, a 62-year-old forensic engineer who has raced a Flying Dutchman, Snipe, International Canoe and 505. He once crewed in International 14 class for Dr. Stuart Walker, a former Olympian who placed third in Friday's All-Star Race.
"I cannot stress enough how important Derick has been to our success," Link said.
Peter and Mary Bell sailed Kit to runner-up honors, placing second or third in five races in totaling 17 points. Bob Blomquist and Larry Carroll placed third with 24 points aboard Gracie.
Picking up the Margaret Hoffman Trophy as top finisher in a classic wooden boat was fourth-place skipper Alex Shafer, a grandson of Capt. Dick Hartge. He and crew Nigel Pitt had just returned from competing in the Melges 24 World Championships in Italy.
Chesapeake 20 Nationals (14 boats)
1, Osprey, Roger Link, 1-1-(3)-1-1-1-3=8
2, Kit, Peter Bell, 2-2-(5)-3-3-2-5=17
3, Gracie, Bob Blomquist, 6-(8)-1-5-8-3-1=24
4, Stormy, Alex Shafer, (9)-3-6-2-4-5-8=28
5, Ranger, Nick Schlegel, (7)-5-4-6-5-4-4=28