DISTRICT 11 GRAND PRIX REGATTA - LASER CHAMPIONSHIPS ARE THIS COMING SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, MAY 31 AND JUNE 1.  The venue is on Hampton Flats. Host yacht club is Hampton YC.  Expectations are for 35-40 boats for this district-wide event.  George Panayides, aka "The Laser Guy", will be defending his 2002 championship title. For info and/or to register contact Leigh Morgan at leigh.morgan2@verizon.net or George Panayides at  gpanayid@wrsystems.com   The NOR is available at www.hamptonyc.com    Spectators are welcome - bring your own boat, though.

Better get your SCREWPILE stuff together.  John Hanna said the regatta will cap entries at 170 boats this year.  The dates for the 2003 Screwpile Lighthouse Challenge are July 20-22.  John said to expect the Sailing Instructions to be posted on the web site in the next week or 10 days.  For info check   www.screwpile.netRadio Control Racing:  This bunch is quietly growing in the southern Bay area and our "seasoned" RC racers do just fine in Bay competitions.  Recently John Atwood, Norfolk Yacht & CC, won the RC Skipjack Class and the Schooner Class at races sponsored Port of Urbanna Parks & Recreation.  Sixteen competitors were there, some from as far away as New Jersey.  RC racing is one way to  hone your skippering, tactics, and/or strategy skills.  You don't have to holler for the other skippers to hear you and you can have a fleet of boats if that is your desire.

Southern Bay racers traveled to North Carolina and helped bring the 1st and 2nd place boats to the finish line in the Albemarle 100 Overnight Race.  Ken Saylor, Bryce Barritt, Rich Calvert, and Andrew Spaulding  were on the winner, a Bavaria 44 named Sea Ya owned by Frank Silver.  Pete Wallio and Dave Alexander were on Chuck Monsees' J/29, Rockette, and finished 2nd.   In Dave's words, "The course took us around a bombing range, under a bridge, and through overhead power lines with visibility of no more than 50 yards!"  The 100 miles was from Colington Harbor to Edenton and back.

This Friday, MAY 30th, is the deadline for entries for the Towne Bank Hometowne Regatta (to run on Saturday, June 7).  For info contact Bob Burnell, event chairman, at (757) 393-4873  or email  T37Solas@aol.com    Portsmouth Boat Club is honcho-ing this race that coincides with Norfolk's Harborfest.  Get your slip, get your accommodations, get you entry fee in el pronto!

YORK RIVER CUP - Saturday, May 31st.  YRYC has planned a 2-races format with the combined scores being considered for awards.   Starts for all PHRF classes and a Cruising class are offered.  A complimentary breakfast is offered before the racing and a barbecue dinner ($6 per person) is included in the post race festivities.  This is CBYRA sanctioned racing.  For info contact Mike Mastracci at  (757) 872-9564.

Two very good, young southern Bay racers have qualified for the USSA Doublehanded National Youth Championship.  Chris Behm and Will Halliday will team up and head to Milwaukee to race 52 other teams June 20-26.  To be one of only 53 teams from the US, Chris and Will had to finish high in at least 3 national level regattas.  The event is open to youth sailors under 20 years old.

As of Saturday evening, the really "big cat", PlayStation, aka Michelob Lite, was still at Little Creek's (Norfolk) Bay Point Marina.  Word is she is waiting for favorable weather developments to give her what she needs to make a run at the 24 Hours Record (distance covered under sail).  While here, sail check and repair was accomplished by the North Loft on Bridge Street in Hampton.  Ken Saylor said the most difficult task was moving the mammoth things.

Schooner historian and retired Virginia pilot, Bill Johnson,  shares this boat name chuckle:  Bill says there was an old Chesapeake Bay buyboat, converted to a semi-yacht cruiser, named IDA MAY.  IDA MAY towed a dinghy named IDA DID.

JUNE RACING CALENDAR:  Now, go! Go now!
Jun 6-8     Harborfest - Norfolk Annual Festival (Fest Events, Norfolk, VA)
Jun 7        Towne Bank Hometowne Regatta (PBC, Portsmouth, VA)
Jun 7        Deadline to beat the $25 late entry fee for Black Seal Cup-SBRW
Jun 7-8     Yankee Point to Fishing Bay [and back]  Races (YPYC, Rappahannock area)
Jun 7        Belmont Stakes (Horses would sail if the non-skid were stronger.)
Jun 13-15 Black Seal Cup - Southern Bay Race Week (HYC-CCV-OPCYC, Hampton, VA)
Jun 15      Broad Bay One Design (dinghy) Regatta (BBSA, Norfolk, VA)
Jun 20      The Leukemia Cup Regatta Junior Sail-a-Thon (FBYC-LLS, Fishing Bay, VA)
Jun 21      Cock Island Race (PortsEvents, Portsmouth, VA)
Jun 21      Single Handed Race (YPYC, Rappahannock area)
Jun 22      Block Island Race Week begins
Jun 28      Leukemia Cup Regatta Powerboat Poker Run (Tides Inn-LLS-Indian Creek Y&CC)
Jun 29      HYC Big Boat Annual Regatta (HYC, Hampton, VA)
Jul 4         Port-to-Port (dinghy) (HYC, Hampton, VA)
Jul 6-7      75th Annual (dinghy) Regatta (HYC, Hampton, VA)

MURPHY'S LAW: The southern Chesapeake Bay sailor population increased by more than 5,000 Friday, when the aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman and her battlegroup returned home to Hampton Roads.  The meaning of Memorial Day was never more obvious.  Thank you to all our men and women of the Navy, Marines, Army, Air Force, and Coast Guard for offering and sometimes giving their lives so we can be free.   Living to race, racing to live. /s/ Murphy the Racing Beagle

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               SOUTHERN BAY RACING NEWS YOU CAN USE, Lin McCarthy, Editor