Sunday, the rains came, but at least there was no  s-n-o-w  on the southern Bay.  Lasers, big boats, and one-designs, hunkered down to buckets of rain, north winds, and warnings for small crafty people.  On Saturday, though, the FBYC Spring Series (Day 2) completed 4 races and 19 boats had a great pre-storm day.  Craig Wright, Afterthought (J109) won the day in PHRF A and has the lead in the Series.  Close behind Afterthought in PHRF A is another J109, Sam Mitchener's Double Eagle in second and Rob Whittet's and Steve Utley's Wavelength in third.  In PHRF B, Miles Booth, Shenanigan, had a 2-1-1-1 day and is atop his fleet, followed by Eric Powers in Nereid, second, and Dave Hinckle's Elancer in third.  In the PHRF C fleet, Noel Clinard's Prophet had a grand day in ideal conditions, taking 4 first places.  Prophet moved to the top of the fleet standings, followed by Sam Marshall's Play it Again and Denton Roberts' Ardent.  In the PHRF Non-Spin fleet, George Burke, Reville, has a one point lead over Sherard Cole's Nutcracker.  Among the four J105's racing in the FBYC Series, Strother Scott, Loose Cannon, leads the pack.  Principal Race Officer - Mike Chesser    The FBYC Spring Series (Day 3) continues this coming Saturday, April 28.  Go to www.fbyc.net for info and to enter.
 
At Charleston Race Week:  A number of southern Bay (and beyond) racers were competing in Charleston this past weekend in a variety of fleets. Here is how they did.  Ken Saylor (Hampton, HYC) was aboard Bruce Gardner's (Annapolis) L'Outrage as tactician; she won the extremely competitive PHRF D fleet of 12 boats by one point over 9 races.  Complete results are available at www.yachtscoring.com .  Travis Weisleder (Deltaville, FBYC) finished 2nd in the Melges 20 thirty (30) boat fleet.  Sled Shelhorse' (Virginia Beach, HYC) Meridian X finished 4th in PHRF A,  Robin Team's Teamwork (Lexington. NC) took 2nd in PHRF B, Pete Hunter's (Kill Devil Hills, NC) Wairere finished 3rd overall in PHRF E, and Dennis Hannick, (King George, DYC), Goin' was 7th overall in PHRF F.  In the one-design fleets, Ron Medlin, Bash took 7th and Mike Veraldi (Virginia Beach, HYC) Quicky, was 9th in the 23 boat J24 fleet.  And, in the 40 boat Viper 640 fleet, Tyler and crewbie Jane Moore  (Hampton, HYC) finished 9th overall.  

TODAY is the last day of  SBRW Early Bird Entry Special Savings.  Save $10 on the entry fee, receive 10 free regatta drink tickets in your welcome package, and, SBRW 2011 returnees also receive the $5 returnee discount. Click on  www.blacksealcup.com  or contact Lin McCarthy at (757) 850-4225, if you have questions or a "the-dog-ate-my-Early-Bird-entry" story.  Y'all come racing!

This coming Sunday, April 29, CCV Spring Series ( one middle distance race - #3).  Racers who have taken a CCV Racing Membership are automatically entered.  ALL others, CCV Club members and non-CCV members alike,  must submit an entry form and fees to Principal Race Officer John McCarthy, 4401 Chesapeake Avenue, Hampton, VA 23669 by the deadline on the day preceding the Race Day.  All racing for this Series is in Hampton Roads Harbor.  For info and/or details, contact John McCarthy at (757) 850-4225 or  mcbear@earthlink.net .
 
Media Watch:  Check out the May 2012 issue of SAILING WORLD magazine.  Start with the cover picture of  Rives Potts' McCurdy & Rhodes 48 footer, Carina.  And, then read the related article, "Spliced Passages" beginning on page 30, about a truly wonderful ocean racing adventure. The Potts family has deep roots and membership at Fishing Bay Yacht Club.  Next, in the same issue of Sailing World, check out "The Jobson Report" (page 24) where Gary Jobson gathers opinions from pros regarding encouragement of sailing juniors, e.g. how much is good, necessary, or too much.  He quotes among others, Hampton Yacht Club's Carolyn Grant, who "toils" every summer as Director of Sailing at  a prestigious New England yacht club.  And, experience a blush of "been there, done that" reading in Stuart Streuli's article ("Sweet Misery") about racing on Robin Team's J122, Teamwork, in the 2012 Fort Lauderdale to Key West Race.   Southern Bay racers from Hampton Roads, Deltaville, and beyond (Teamwork, Lexington, North Carolina) abound in this SW issue.
 
SBRW Fleet Update:  Every  year the coming of Early Bird Entry deadline brings a sudden jump in fleet numbers and this year is no different.  As of publication this morning, 64 boats, a high percentage treasured returnees,  are sitting on go with the first warning for SBRW 2012 more than 5 weeks out.  In the surge are the first of the J105s (Flying Colors, Richard Payne, and new to the fleet Special K, Dave Wilbar), and a number of PHRF boats including long time SBRW racers, Graham Field, Independence, and 2011 SBRW Black Seal Cup winner (Boat of the Week),  Craig Wright's Afterthought.   The 2011 C2 fleet winner Pete Wallio with his J22, Not So Blue, is in along with C-fleet notables Brad Miller's Schiehallion and Justin Morris' The Hunter.  And, the SBRW Cruising fleet has blossomed to 20 early entries, including new comers to the event Dick Jones' Carmel,  Rick Perkins, Levante,  Joe & Mary Greblunas' Tiki Rose,  Larry Baun's Base Runner,  Chip Jones' Virginia Breeze, and, Ric and Sharon Bauer's beautifully restored and maintained Hinckley, Desperado.  TODAY is the last day of  SBRW Early Bird Entry Special Savings.  View the complete list of current entries and obtain SBRW regatta details and entry form at  www.blacksealcup.com  or  contact Lin McCarthy at (757) 850-4225  Y'all come racing!  SBRW 2012
 
Regatta officials have announced there will be a format change to the A fleet for SBRW 2012. All  A boats will start together. For scoring, first, all  A boats will be scored together and trophies awarded accordingly. Then, the  A2 boats  will be broken out and scored separately with its own set of trophies.
 
 23,000  miles in an Albin-Vega.   On Wednesday, April 18th, Matt Rutherford became the first person to solo, nonstop circumnavigate both North America & South America!   He sailed over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel at 10:48 EST this [Apri 18th] morning, crossing his original track and completing his challenge! Matt’s plan [was] to make his first landfall this Saturday the 21st of April at noon in Annapolis.  Matt's motivation for the trip is to show people, particularly those with disabilities, that there are no limits to what can be accomplished in life; and to raise money for Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating (CRAB), a nonprofit sailing program for people with disabilities, based in Annapolis, Md.  Click on http://www.solotheamericas.org/  for the whole story.  ( NOTE:  From web posting within the hour of Rutherford's crossing the CBBT on Wednesday, April 18, 2012)
Wednesday, April 25, Yankee Point Racing and Cruising Club opens their Wednesday Night Racing Series.  For info go to www.yprcc.org.
 
 Friday, April 27, Norfolk Yacht and Country Club opens their Friday Night Spring racing Series. For info go to www.norfolkyacht.com
 
SAFETY AT SEA SEMINAR, May 5, 2012, hosted by The Mariners" Museum and Landfall Navigation.  Capt. Henry Marx will lead this full day of excellent instruction.  Topics include:  Damage Control - Coast Guard Rescue Procedures - Crew Over-Board and Rescue - First Aid - Chesapeake Bay Weather - Life Raft Demonstration.   Seminar fee of $60 ( $50 for TMM members) includes lectures, demos, course materials and box lunch.  Register now, seating is limited.  Telephone (757) 591-7749 or go to  www.marinersmuseum.org/safety-at-sea
 
Collegiate Sailing:  The Old Dominion University women’s sailing team placed sixth and qualified for the ICSA National Semifinals in May at the MAISA Women’s Dinghy Championship on the Elizabeth River this past weekend.  Georgetown won the event followed by Navy, St. Mary’s College (Md.), Cornell, Hobart and William Smith, and ODU.  ODU will now compete in both the women and the coed semifinals of their respective ICSA National Championship events in May.
 
MURPHY'S LAW:  Medical advice columnists would do well to take note of a comment attributed to  Sir Francis Chichester, Gypsy Moth., who said, "I . . . went below and mixed myself my anti-scorbutic. The lemon juice. . . not only keeps physical scurvy away, but if enough of the right kind of whisky is added, mental scurvy as well."   Yrs Truly, the Racing Beagle, continues in Sir Francis' footsteps, in the march to wipe out scurvy.  Always, always, ask for a slice of lemon or lime for your Dark 'n' Stormy!    /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