# 406 SOUTHERN BAY RACING NEWS YOU CAN USE
on Monday August 11, 2008 11:54AM
Racing this past weekend on the southern Bay was
filled with extreme wind shifts, T-storms, and "dead sea"
conditions. Mother Nature was her most uppity on Sunday. Oh,
well, it's August!
Meanwhile, up on the Rappahannock / Piankatank
Rivers, on Sunday, Lady Nature left racers at
Fishing Bay Yacht Club's 69th Annual One Design
Regatta breathless - truly. The sound of thunder and lack of
wind sent the dinghy fleets in on Sunday with little accomplished, although, as
in Hampton Roads, it "weren't for lack of trying!"
The Annual One-Design Regatta ran Friday through Sunday, and during the first
two days most classes got plenty of racing. The Mobjack Class, for many
years a very popular class on the southern Chesapeake and as far north as the
southern Delaware Bay, held their National Championship and crowned Len
Guenther the 2008 National Champion. Len beat out 6
other racers. Mark Arnold, from Virginia Beach was second
overall and Meg Roberts, who grew up sailing the noble
Mobjack with her dad, Tom Roberts, finished third. Meg
calls West Point, Virginia, her hometown. REGATTA CLASS
WINNERS: Albacore (6 boats) - Robert Bear.
Flying Scot (21 boats) - David Neff.
Laser (12 boats) - Eric Hesse.
Front Runner (9 boats) -
Bobby Phillips. 420 (4 boats) -
Tony Protogyrou. Hampton One
Design (4 boats) - Latane Montague.
San Juan (4 boats) - Hans
Lassen. In addition to the adult classes there were 17 junior
sailors racing in Laser Radials and Optimist Classes. PRO -
Rick Klein.CCV FOUNDERS RACE. Thirty-seven (37)
boats were on the course off Ocean View (Norfolk) Sunday, when Mother
Nature threw them a serious curveball. A violent pop-up
thunderstorm, lightning included, appeared just west of the racers at the
mouth of the James River. Race officials stopped the
racing. Racers pulled down sails and battened down in
time to ride through Mother N's major snit. Lots of smiles and sea stories
at the traditional CCV post-race party hosted at Hampton Yacht
Club.
NORFOLK'S HARBORFEST FESTIVAL
TO MOVE TO FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND IN 2009. The change
is being made in conjunction with the new Town Point Park Project.
As of now, the date change is intended only for 2009, because of
the need to complete the Town Point Park improvements / changes during the usual
Harborfest time frame (early June). Harborfest officials say they will be
putting together the slip plan for Harborfest '09 in February.
OLYMPIC
SAILING website. Via Ken Saylor at the
North loft on Bridge Street in Hampton, comes the following info on one way to
get an Olympic Sailing fix. This site takes you to the NBC
website showing complete coverage times throughout the Olympic games to watch
sailing
Chuck Eldred, Gail Force,
wins 2008 ADMIRAL'S CUP. Fourteen (14) PHRF boats
raced in the ADMIRAL's CUP on the York River on Saturday, in Saturday's cool,
light air. The event is sponsored each year by York River Yacht Club
and Seaford Yacht Club. RESULTS: PHRF Spinnaker Class (A,B,C
combined - 5 boats): 1.Mike Austin, Movin' On;
2.Steve Bowen, Dream On. PHRF Non-Spinnaker
Class (9 boats): 1.Chuck Eldred, Gail Force;
2.Dave Crossett, Gator; 3.Rachael
Blake, Jade.
Virginia
H Wins the Tom Brady Master's Race: Seven
(7) boats filled to the gunwales with seasoned sailors (each 55 or older) made
their way around Hampton Roads Harbor Saturday, in the race that was the
brainchild of Tom Brady, a long time fixture on the southern
Bay. Tom's son, Malcolm, and Malcolm's wife, Kathy, have
continued to run the annual event since Tom passed on. After the
pleasant afternoon race (8+ miles, single headsail only), the top three
boats on corrected time were: 1.Andy Armstrong's
Virginia H (Soverel 30); 2.Bumps Eberwine's
Spray (Olson 25), and 3.Louie Lewis' Incentive
(O'Day 27).
RACERS AND THE RULES QUIZ:
Situation: The Race Committee gun or horn misfires and makes no sound when
the Prep Flag goes down one minute before the Start, thus causing confusion in
the fleet. Is a racer who feels he was disadvantaged at the start entitled
to redress? (Answer follows in this issue of
SBRNYCU.)
Steve Hunt, one of the Southern Bay's own,
dropped by for a visit this past weekend. Steve said he's
"...living his dream - sailing and racing full time for pay and
coaching a high school team in San Diego." What a great turn of
events for one of the best from the southern Chesapeake. And, Steve looks
like life on the other coast agrees with him just fine.
Feather, may have won, by
virtue of sheer numbers, the unofficial award for the Highest Aggregate
Age in the Saturday, Tom Brady Master's Race. Crewing, driving,
tactic-cating, rail-meating, navigating, and generally wrecking havoc
were: Phil Briggs, Bill Peach, Kirt "The Kid"
Schuldt (Kirt just recently met the age 55 requirement), Bob
Mosby, Glenn Giles, Dave Gundlach, Jim Shoemaker, Bob Martin, and Al
and Gretchen Martin. Crew privileges and grog were allocated
based on seniority.
The Cape Charles Cup Invasion Fleet is already at more
than 60. CAPE CHARLES CUP, August 23-24.
This is the point to point and back again event, where southern Bay legends are
created, mostly at the Saturday night party at Bay Creek Resort Marina in Cape
Charles. On Saturday the race is from Little Creek to Cape Charles and on
Sunday from Cape Charles to the finishing line off Buckroe. Skippers
Meeting and Check-in Party is Friday at Bay Point Marina on Little Creek
(Norfolk) at 6:00PM Awards will be presented at the post-race
party Sunday, which is also at Bay Point Marina on Little Creek, beginning
at 6:30pm. There is racing for all PHRF classes, as well as for Cruising
classes. The race for the Cape Charles Cup is a happening.
For details and answers to questions contact Scott Almond at (757) 471-2663
or CCCup@broadbaysailing.org
NOR and Sailing Instructions are available at www.CCCup.net Both races
are sanctioned events for PHRF classes and are part of the Chesapeake Bay
Distance Racing Series. CCC is sponsored by Broad Bay Sailing Association.
Jump on this August happening!
Two other Southern Bay "celebs" Rob and Andy
Overton stopped by for a visit this past week, too. J/24 racers
especially remember the Overton's when they campaigned their J/24 Speed
Limit up and down the Atlantic coast, before heading off on a
lifetime dream of bluewater adventure. They are still at it - currently
meandering around northern South America.
Down on the Albemarle, at E. City...
The first ever Albemarle Hospice Regatta and Party is all set for Saturday,
August 23rd. There's a welcome reception on Friday,
August 22nd, with the racing and the post-race dinner on Saturday. An area
clubs (PRYC, EYC, CYC, and OYC) will be competing for the Archer Farmer Cup
(based on overall low point score). This is the beginning of a hopefully
annual "good thing"! For info contact Jim Elliott or Sean Robey at info@albemarlehospiceregatta.com
or call Jim at (252) 267-5530.
When Momma Nature blew through the last day of this
year's Screwpile Lighthouse Challenge Regatta, she blew some good deals
toward Screwpile Racers. CHESAPEAKE CUSTOM EMBROIDERY, supplier
and sponsor of the Screwpile Challenges, offers, at reduced prices, all apparel
made exclusively for the SPLC event. They
will ship them to you. Call 301-862-4848 OR visit CCE at
www.cceink.com Here's a chance to outfit
the whole crew in regatta gear! And, a Christmas gift opportunity,
too!
Answer to RR Quiz Question: No
redress. Rule 26 clearly states that the absence of a sound signal shall
be disregarded. Watch the flags; they are the controlling signal at the
start.
COMING UP THIS WEEKEND: Friday - Sunday,
August 15 - 17:
2008 Plantation Light Race Friday,
August 15. Race starts in Hampton Roads harbor, first warning at
1900 / 7PM, on Friday. Be sure to obtain a copy of the
courses prior to hitting the starting line. For info contact
Bob Thomas at (757) 898-9407. Entries are due no later than 1700 /
5PM on THURSDAY, August 14. The PLR is sponsored by Hampton Yacht
Club and is one of the nine Chesapeake Bay Distance Racing Series
races. (The Series is sponsored by Broad Bay Sailing Association.)
Smith Point Race, Saturday,
August 16. The first warning is at 1400 / 2PM at the mouth of the
Piankatank River. This is part of the FBYC Distance Races Series.
Racers will need the pre-determined marks of the course, so best get in touch
with Mike Dale at (804) 347-7409.
Heads-Up. Remember, September 12-14, at
Norfolk's Town Point Part, VIBES - the VIRGINIA IN-WATER BOAT EXPO AND
SAILFEST!
CCV has announced the inception of an additional
Wednesday night series - CCV OCTOBER RACE SERIES (October
1, 8, 15, 22, 2008). The series is intended to extend mid-week
racing in the Hampton Roads area. The cost is FREE, BUT BOATS MUST
SUBMIT a CBYRA Standard Entry Form. Racing will take place in
Hampton Roads harbor. Starting time will be 1800 / 6PM and there is a 2000
/ 8PM time limit. There will be only two fleets - spinnaker and
non-spinnaker. For info contact David Taylor at (757)
344-5292. Do it now, October will be upon us before we know
it. As a point of information, this Fall, Daylight
Savings Time ends on November 2, 2008.
MURPHY'S LAW:
Actually, Yrs Truly, the Racing Beagle, found
yesterday's thunder squall a fine way to wash-off those foulies that have been
a'moldering in the bilge all summer. Much like an on-the-water
car wash for racers and gear.
/S/ Murphy the Racing Beagle, the sailing spirit in us all.