KUDOS are in order for your CBYRA. The 2011 Board of Directors reported at the annual meeting Saturday that the organization's previously overwhelming debt (many thousands of dollars) has been paid off. Under the leadership of CBYRA President Karin Mazi, the organization reported a final figure in the black for the first time in a number of years. And, it was done without dues increases - "We made difficult cuts," Mazi said, "and we had a very successful CBYRA (Annapolis) Race Week."
JINGLE YOUR HOLIDAY SPIRIT BELLS! Mike Veraldi, J24, Quicky, is the main man behind a drive to collect toys for the FOR KIDS organization, serving families all year and with this special effort in the holiday season. Ken Saylor and the folks at the North Sails loft at Bridge Street in Hampton (next door to Hampton Yacht Club) are serving as the drop-off location for Peninsula area sailors. Purchase your gift toy, do not wrap it and leave the price tag on it and drop it off at North Sails on the peninsula or, Southside sailors contact Mike at (757) 343-4909. for pick up or drop off info. Get this done NOW - Mike will pick up the toys at the North Sail drop point on THIS FRIDAY, December 9th. Or, for the electronically savvy, go to www.toysrus.com , order your gift toy, and have it shipped to Mike at 2324 Rookery Way, VA Beach, 23455. This is an especially worthy cause for families who are down, but working hard toward getting back on their feet. Mike can tell you more. Help him fill the truck!
PTERODACTYL WINS FIRST OVERALL IN 34TH GABOON. Gene Thayer's Evelyn 42 strutted her stuff yesterday in the annual Gaboon Race, a staggered start (slower boats start first) race in Hampton Roads harbor. Gene's Pterodactyl was the fastest rated boat in the fleet of 24, so he started after everyone else. But, he passed all 23 and finished well ahead of most. Second across the finish line and very close to Pterodactyl was Rumble, Ben and Michel Weeks' J29, sailing out of Yorktown. Third overall was Phil Briggs' J36, Feather, which put him 2nd in PHRF A. RESULTS BY FLEET: PHRF A: 1.Pterodactyl, Gene Thayer; 2.Feather, Phil Briggs; 3.Stardancer, John and Beverly Blais. PHRF B: 1. Rumble, Ben and Michele Weeks; 2.Cool Change, Rusty Burshell; 3.Callinectes, Ben Cuker. PHRF C: 1.Sub-Surface, Brendan Drinkwater; 2.Sunrise, Roy Tate; 3.Spray, Bumps Eberwine. Event Chairman (for the 34th time)-Phil Briggs; Start/Finish Line - John McCarthy, Buk Lawrence, and John Ritter.
Temporarily former racers, Mike and Eve Nestor, are living a dream. They left the USA (Ft Lauderdale) last week on Tell Tales ". . .heading for the Bahamas....Exumas....Turks & Caicos...Puerto Rico area.....then finally to USVI by mid December." Mike and Eve did most of their racing in the southern Bay on Glory Days, prior to switching to Tell Tales and planning to live "the life".
Brother and sister, Alexander and McKay Hanna, are key players on the southern Bay (and beyond) youth sailing scene. Both (Alexander is a freshman, and McKay is in her junior year) are on the talented Poquoson High School team. Both McKay and Alexander have been named to the Virginia All-State Team and each has had a wonderful season of racing. McKay , along with crew Mellie Ligon, won the VISA (Virginia Inter-Scholastic Association) Women's Championship. Alexander, racing in the Optimist North America Championships, finished 5th out of 187 racers from all over the world. The Hanna siblings come by some of their sailing prowess genetically. Their dad, John Hanna III, sailed with their grandfather, John Hanna, for a number of years on the southern Bay and beyond. And, you still the granddad at various regattas as valuable crew on friends' boats.
It's a puzzle???? The 1st in Fleet Trophy for the 1951 Cruise Week VIRGINIA SAILING REGATTA. This pretty bronze(?) Balfour Company (Attleboro, Massachusetts) bowl shaped trophy has made it's way from a garage sale in League City, Texas (Cliff Guidry rescued it), via John Sherwood in Annapolis, to the southern Chesapeake Bay. At this point, there is no clear proof of who may have earned this trophy in 1951. If you have an idea, please let Lin McCarthy know - (757) 850-4225. Hint: It is NOT related to the Down the Bay Race for the Virginia Cruising Cup.
2012 Southern Bay Racing Schedule complete and available. Well over 50 individual yacht club and sailing association officials have been working like mad since before October to put together the southern Bay (CBYRA Region 4) schedule for 2012. And, it is done. Contact your club official for a copy or email SBRNYCU at mcbear@earthlink.net , on the subject line put "2012 Racing Schedule" and say "I'm going racing and I need my schedule!" It will come to you by return email as an attachment, courtesy Southern Bay Racing News You Can Use. And, be sure to thank your club Race Captain, Fleet Chairman, Vice Commodore, et al for his or her efforts!
HEADS UP - MARK YOUR CALENDAR - SOUTHERN BAY SEMINARS coming in 2012:
**February 4, 2012 - 2012 MORNING WITH MURPHY - A Racing Rules Discussion hosted by BROAD BAY SAILING ASSOCIATION at the Old Dominion University Sailing Center. Interactive discussion of the Racing Rules of Sailing - bring your rules questions and mark rounding war stories - led by John McCarthy, USSA Senior Judge and Regional Race Management Official. OPEN TO ALL. Watch SBRNYCU and the BBSA website for details, registration, and costs. For additional info on "Morning With Murphy" contact John or Lin McCarthy at 757-850-4225.
**March 10, 2012 - USSAILING (Basic)One-Day Race Management Seminar hosted by US SAILING and RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER YACHT CLUB (Irvington)- OPEN TO ALL; meets seminar requirement for Club Race Officer certification or renewal and will offer test (optional to participants) that is required for CRO certification. John McCarthy is primary instructor. Watch SBRNYCU, the RRYC website, and the US Sailing web calendar for details, registration, and pricing. For additional info contact Debbie Cycotte at (804) 761-3048
Good Grog is a Good Thing! Southern Bay racers are well aware that Gosling's Black Seal Rum sponsors Southern Bay Race Week and that Mount Gay Rum is big at Screwpile Lighthouse Challenge. And, now US Sailing has taken on a partnership with . . . Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky. They say Old Pulteney "...has a long standing association with the sea and is known as the “Maritime Malt.” Its carefully crafted taste carries the windswept and rugged character of the North, the salty and fresh air of the North Sea, and the distillery’s rich maritime heritage runs through every drop of this fine malt." Well, OK then . . . here's to ya!
Another Nautical Holiday Gift Opportunity: Looking for a unique gift? Do your holiday shopping at the Old Coast Guard Station Museum and support the museum at the same time! Receive 10% off purchases in the Old Coast Guard Station Museum Store* December 1 - 23, 2011.
Discount is in addition to regular museum membership discount (limit up to 30%). Located on the Boardwalk at 24th and Atlantic Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA.
Remember - DANA DILLON MEMORIAL NEW YEAR'S MADNESS RACE, January 1, 20012! FOR INFO AND TO ENTER CONTACT STEVE RITZ AT (757) 218-2775. More details in upcoming SBRNYCU.
MURPHY'S LAW: Yrs Truly, the Racing Beagle, is keenly aware of the food-al and drink-al situations that are sure to arise during the coming holiday season. Why, just the anticipation adds calories and weight for the rail - so it's all a good thing! /S/ Murphy the Racing Beagle, the sailing spirit in us all.
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SOUTHERN BAY RACING NEWS YOU CAN USE, Lin McCarthy, Editor