MAY 24TH RACE RESULTS: 

In January when I made the schedule for the Spring Series I did not know the weekend of May 23-24 was Memorial Day, after all, next Sunday is the 31st.   Okay now I know it’s always the 4^th Sunday.  So when I sent out two e-mails about the upcoming race on the holiday weekend asking for replies and got not a single one, I just assumed no one would show up.  I even told Sterling Mehring, an A-Cat sailor, when he called about race committee duty, not to bother coming. Was I wrong!  We had six boats on the race course; held five races in an oscillating and gusty southerly; and had a fabulous time.   

Burt Palmer from the Flying Scots was our race committee (he hadn’t called ahead) and we set a course from the WRSC dock, around the last WRSC buoy, out to the red flasher at the entrance and back.   Bob Blomquist wanted three minute starts, a great idea; because it was an easier countdown and you didn’t need a watch.  Sometimes it was easy to get blanketed and behind early at the start and on the downwind leg.  Sometimes going left, and at other times going right hit the most gusts to the red marker.  On the return, it was quick trapeze work and getting the right lifts to secure victory.

Thus, it is easy to see why Bob Blomquist in Gracie with his crew of Jim and Donna Reuter in their 18^th season together dominated.  They had excellent boat handling, fast in-and-out trapeze work and made up any lost ground on the upwind leg.  Gracie had four firsts and a second.  But, the rest of the fleet had their moments.  Robin Hartge with crew, Ron Tate, in Spirit compiled an excellent series but was not as dominating as last week in heavier air.  They got to race everyone in the fleet with a first, two seconds, a third and a fourth.

Most amazingly, Clay and Pam Taylor with son, Thomas, raced without a jib, yet did surprisingly well – always in the pack until the upwind leg slowed them down.  Clay reported that part of Endeavor’s speed may have come from the constant talking and extra wind created by Thomas who had kind words to say to all of the passing boats.

My boat Stormy had excellent downwind speed, but with a new 20 sailor and WRSC member, Gerhard Klose, we abstained from any trapeze work, and still got a couple of seconds.  Welcome Gerhard. Jay Addison and Chris Snowber in Aurora roamed throughout the fleet with three thirds.  Andrew Resnick with Molly Winans, who loves the trapeze, had a great time again, and definitely showed some flashes of speed.  Don’t miss her painting exhibit on Friday, June 5^th at the Annapolis Yacht Club Sailing Center in Eastport with a reception from 6 to 9 pm. We are all invited.

The after-race get-together was fun aboard Jenny Girl where I learned two facts about those e-mails: one owner who will remain anonymous says that he automatically deletes them, and another said that “no reply” means he’s showing up.  Go figure? Organizing (or whatever you want to call it) 20 sailors is harder than herding a litter of cats, is all I can say.

Our exhibit at the Annapolis Maritime Museum is going to be awesome.  Pam and Clay, both museum aficionados to begin with, have really put their hearts and minds into this exhibit.  They have plans for a giant C-20 racing photo, hands-on 20 parts coming out of the walls, posters, Serenade on display, buttons, T shirts and so much more. Pam has located professional display cases in NY which we hope to get.  Otherwise, we will build our own. This is going to be a major hit in Annapolis and, yes, we do need your responses to our call for volunteers, support and other ways of making it a most important event in the history of the Chesapeake 20 class.  Pam is sending emails with a timeline and dates and duties.  Please help out as much as you can.

FINAL STANDINGS IN SPRING SERIES: 

We held two days of racing with one rain out.  The final standings are:

Spirit: 19 points

Gracie: 23 points

Aurora: 27 points

Stormy: 29 points

Contrary: 46 points

Endeavor: 47 points

Congratulations Robin and Ron and all who raced.  We are in consultations with major corporations about what the prize should be.

UPCOMING HERITAGE RIVER RACE:

This one is always one of our favorites and a test on “grounding skills” (at least for me) – the Heritage River Race takes place this coming Sunday, May 31 with a one o’clock start off the WRSC dock.   All West River fleets are involved including Nacras, Flying Scots and Albacores.  We race up Rhode River and around Flat Island (either way) to the Parish Creek entrance, then the head waters of West River and finish at the club. 

Ever wonder were the term Heritage came from?  This race used to be sponsored by the Shady Side Museum, but has not been for many years.  Last year I approached them about getting Vanity back into racing, but they show no interest in her restoration or continuing the sponsorship of this event.  Maybe there are some of you with connections to the museum to reawaken their interest in the history of our class.  Whether you e-mail me or not, hope to see you on Sunday.