# 444 SOUTHERN BAY RACING NEWS YOU CAN USE

Strother Scott on Monday May 18, 2009 11:40AM

The Start of the 60th DOWN THE BAY RACE is this Friday,  May 22nd in Annapolis.  The 120 mile dash to Hampton is about to begin! 
 
60th  DOWN THE BAY RACE for the VIRGINIA CRUISING CUP.  May 22-23.    For info and details contact either co-chairman, Vince Behm (Hampton - 757-876-7778) or Wayne Bretsch (Annapolis - 301-332-6773) or go to the event website at www.hamptonyc.com and click on the DTB logo.  Deadline for entries is this Wednesday, May 20.  There are currently 39 entries that are hot to trot.  Even though the start is 4 days away (Friday morning, May 22), weather watchers are calling for a lovely SSE breeze  that should be quite manageable.  Check your most reliable source,  though - this IS, after all,  the Chesapeake Bay!   Good luck to everyone - see you in Hampton!
 
The official Finish Line for DTB will be set up on the seawall at Ft Monroe.  Ft Monroe is open to the public during daylight hours; you do need a driver's license ID for everyone in the car and your car registration in order to receive a day pass.  May 23, Saturday morning through mid-afternoon is a likely time to expect boats to be finishing at a fairly steady pace.  Remember, this is a 120 mile SAIL BOAT RACE - not even Murphy, the Racing Beagle, can accurately predict when finishes will happen.   Finish Times will be posted on DTB Board in HYC Lounge immediately after the boat hits the line.  The Preliminary Scratch Sheet is posted at the event website now -  www.hamptonyc.com (click on the DTB logo).
 
When it's gustin' near 30 knots, the gritty go racing...  and that is exactly what  four 505s and three J24s did yesterday during the  gullywashers and temperature drops!  They refused to let the annual HYC Trapeze Regatta be washed away.  They got in 4 races in record time (30 knots definitely will speed things up a bit).   Sailing 505s and tuning up for the 505 Worlds this August were Keith David / Jesse Falsone, Jeff Ewenson / Tyler Moore, Henry Amthor / Dustin Romey, and Chris Behm / Chris Rasmussen.    And, getting the jump on competition for Southern Bay Race Week were  J/24 teams on USA 193 (Trip Behm),  Roundabout (Alan Bomar), and Silver Surfer (Pete Longhini), finishing overall in that order.   Good on them all!  The intrepid, sopping wet, but undaunted race committee was headed by Bob Thomas, along with mark boat Black Dog (Dave Hamilton), and safety/crash boat (Brian Deibler).
 
THE HUNTER gets a favorable wind late to take CAPE HENRY CUP!  Justin Morris' Hunter 26.5 rambled home to win the PHRF C fleet by the largest corrected margin and the 2009 Cape Henry Cup.   A race that included a beautiful downwind start, short windless spells, sea breezes, and threatening thunderstorms as the last fleets finished brought back memories of all the unpredictable things the Cape Henry Cup can be.  A total of 44 boats, 35 PHRF racers and 9 cruising fleet boats started the race Saturday morning.  The three PHRF spinnaker fleets, A, B, and C went the long course (27.4 miles) making the turning mark just inside the mouth of the Bay, and the PHRF Non-Spin and Cruising Fleet sailed the 20.3 "inside" course.   PRELIMINARY RESULTS:  PHRF A (7 boats): 1.Sea Star, Dave Eberwine; 2.Feather, Phil Briggs; 3.Mirage, Christian Schaumloffel.   PHRF B (12 boats): 1.Callinectes, Ben Cuker; 2.Turbo's Tub, MD Riley; 3.Cool Change, Rusty Burshell.  PHRF C (4 boats): 1.The Hunter, Justin Morris; 2.Spray, Bumps Eberwine; 3.Lona B, Carey Hardesty.   PHRF Non-Spin (12 boats):  1.Kingfisher, Dixon Wilde; 2.Black Widow, Leo Wardrup; 3.Bobinski, Bob Hausmann.   Cruising Fleet (9 boats): 1.Anjalei, Jim Forrester; 2.Moonwind, Mark Merrick; 3.Lamour, John Moore.    Principal Race Officer - Scott Almond.    Awards to be presented at the BBSA Meeting and traditional Pot Luck Supper, Tuesday, May 19,  6:30pm at the Old Dominion University Sailing Center.  For info contact Scott Almond at (757) 471-2663.
 
SOUTHERN BAY RACE WEEK for the BLACK SEAL CUP.    May 29 -31.   Preliminary Scratch Sheet is posted at the website now.  Note that PHRF A Fleet as well as PHRF B Fleet  each will be split  to improve the quality of racing.  Watch for a special SBRW edition of SBRNYCU  for details on splits as well as event updates.  For info and entry forms: Lin McCarthy at (757) 850-4225, or email at mcbear@earthlink.net  or check out the event website at www.blacksealcup.com  or www.hamptonyc.com (click on SBRW website).   The $50 late entry fee for SBRW kicks in this week;  Friday,  May 22, is the last day for the regular fee.  Don't get run over by that  train - get your entry in NOW!
 
HULL #1  of  the brand spankin' new Santa Cruz 37 design will race Down the Bay this coming weekend and stay in Hampton Roads for the heated competition in Southern Bay Race Week (May 29-31)   The Santa Cruz carries a PHRF rating of 30 and will be in the Hampton River area  during the week between events and during the SBRW regatta.  For info contact  Robert Percival at  (410) 867-2631 or (410) 562-1255.
 
SBRW officials have announced that the  J24 One-Design Fleet has made for Southern Bay Race Week.  So far, four local Hampton Roads boats,   Quicky, Mike Veraldi  (Virginia Beach)  roundabout, Alan Bomar (Williamsburg),  USA 193, Tripp Behm (Hampton), and Blue Bus, Chris Johnson (Hampton), will be on the line along with Bash, Ron Medlin (Goldsboro, NC). 
 
Brian Bennett, the Viper 640 rep,  was in Hampton this past weekend. He gave introductory rides to sailors who were interested in testing out this fast craft.  The first two racers to take Brian up on his offer may surprise you.  Bright and early Saturday morning, grinning from ear to ear as they glided out Hampton River, were two of our southern Bay  best,  Ron McLean (Meridian 2 main trimmer and Sledd Shelhorse's main man) and  Nick Worth, both of  whom competed very successfully on the big boat, big time circuit,  sat elbows to rib cages in the Viper 640  go fast machine.  For more info on the Vipers contact  Brian Bennett at  (401) 683-8260 or email brian@rondarboats.com
 
MERRIMAC MEMORIAL REGATTA, Saturday, May 23 - "A small boat race for sailors of all ages" organized by Portsmouth Boat Club.  For details go to www.portsmouthboatclub.org  or  contact  Rodney Paice at (757) 971-0202.  Look for fleets to include Moths, Lasers, multi-hulls, others and an open fleet for Portsmouth Yardstick boats.  It all happens at the Portsmouth City Park (launch at small boat ramp).  This event has shown steady growth, especially the past few years.  Perfect for small boat sailing families as well as any "big kid" dinghy racers. 
 
If you are suddenly near the Northern Neck on Saturday, May 30, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and would like to attend the YPYC's "Suddenly Alone" seminar, which tells your spouse (or crew member) what they need to know when faced with an emergency at sea, please contact:  Ruth Bush at 804-435-7776.  The seminar, moderated by John McConnico, will be held at the Yankee Point Marina and is FREE.
 
JUNE is great on the southern Bay - race every time you can.  Here are a few of the opportunities coming up!
June 6      Hometown Regatta  (PBC) - Larry Bryant, 757-472-5969 or Dave Bennett, 757-676-1047
June 6      Cut Channel Race (FBYC) - John Beery
June 5-7   10th Anniversary of City of Hampton's Blackbeard Festival - 757-727-0900
June 13    Hampton Roads Hospice (HYC) - Glenn Giles, 757-851-9690
June 13    YPYC Spring Singlehanded Race
June 20     YPYC Women's Regatta
June 20    Cock Island Race (Portsmouth Parks & Rec, PBC) - R.Spratley, 757-393-8481 or L. Bryant, 757-472-5969
June 27    The Executive Cup (CNU Sailing Foundation) 
 
MURPHY'S LAW:   Yrs Truly, the Racing Beagle,  didn't even have to go to the boat ramp to launch yesterday.  Just woke up, rolled over, and zoomed down the gutter to the storm drain - arrived in the creek race ready and rumblin' !   Ya gotta stay positive when dealing with Mom Nature!  /S/  Murphy the Racing Beagle, the sailing spirit in us all.
 
To subscribe directly, send an email to mcbear@earthlink.net , put SBRNYCU on the subject line, give your name, and say, "Sign me up!"  SBRNYCU is free.  You may reprint or forward all or any part of this publication as long as you give credit to:
Fishing Bay Yacht Club
Office Mail: Fishing Bay Yacht Club, 2711 Buford Road #309, Bon Air, 23235,
Clubhouse Address: 1525 Fishing Bay Road, Deltaville, VA 23043 (no mail delivery)

Phone Numbers: Club House 804-889-2327

Contact Webmasters