Jon Deutsch won the Laser District 12 Championships in Columbia, SC, this past week.  And, from there he went on the handle event chairman duties at the Chesapeake Bay Laser Masters Championships, hosted at Fishing Bay Yacht Club on Saturday and Sunday.   Forty-five (45) sailed in the two day, 7 races event.  Apprentices (35-44), Masters (45-54), Grand Masters (55-64), and Great Grand Masters(65+)  came from far and near.  Laser racers arrived from Michigan, Massachusetts, New York , New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Maryland, Washington DC, and of course, Virginia.  TOP TEN OVERALL: 1. John MacCausland-CRYC (M); 2.Gavin O’Hare-Eastport YC (A); 3.Mike Schmidt-Magothy River YC (M); 4.Henry Amthor-Hampton YC (M); 5.Ken Swetka – CSYC (M); 6.Bill Vickers-Severn SA (M); 7.Bob Tan-Severn SA; 8.Len Guenther-Fishing Bay YC (M); 9.Harumitsu Yamamoto-CLSA (M); 10.Michael Moore-Diego Garcia YC (GM). And, Newton Wattis- Surf City YC won the Great Grand Master division and was 13^th overall. Principal race Officer-Rick Klein.  Complete results are available at  www.fbyc.net    And, a Masters Regatta tradition was upheld on Saturday night – Laser sailor chef Alain Vincey prepared the post-race meal.  This year it was Osso Buco for the sailors, race committee and guests.

ROUND THE LIGHTS RACE, the annual fall trek around two lighthouses, Thimble Shoal and Middle Ground, is THIS COMING Saturday, October 20^th. This is a great chance for day sailing navigators to brush up on their current reading and wind predicting skills. Racers get to pick which light they round first and therein lies the challenge. And, this is a staggered start (pursuit) race, with the slower boats starting first and the faster boats last. The handicaps are figured in at the start, instead of, as is usual, after the finish. The race starts and finishes in Mill Creek at the Old Point Comfort Marina docks. So, roll out the charts, charge up the GPS, or find that old placemat from the seafood restaurant – it’s time for the Round the Lights Race! This event is administered by Old Point Comfort Yacht Club. For additional info, please contact Jeff Rogers at 757-449-2931 or Bob Williamson at 757-489-8991.  Get your entry in – this is a great Fall event!

Tragedy strikes Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race sailor just after finishing the race.  Paul Stephen Case, 68, of Racine, Wisconsin, was knocked overboard by a sail while sails were being lowered on the schooner Cuchulain, just after her finish around 4 pm Friday near Windmill Point near the mouth of the Rappahannock River.  He was not wearing a life jacket and conditions have been reported as windy and choppy.  Mr. Case was unconscious when the crew rescued him and attempts to resuscitate him by crew and by Coast Guard personnel were not successful.  Mr. Case was an avid sailor and this was his second year  aboard the Chuchulain, a 43 foot schooner, sailing out of Pasadena, Maryland.  Thoughts and prayers are for Paul Case’s family, friends, and fellow sailors.

Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race:  Twenty-two (22) of the just over 30 entries finished the 2012 GCBSR on Friday, after a Thursday start and sailing through the night.  Part of the fleet finished at the Windmill Point line near the mouth of the Rappahannock and the larger schooners at the Thimble Shoal Light line in Hampton Roads.  The schooners docked in downtown Portsmouth after racing from Annapolis.   

Willoughby Racers Memorial Regatta.  Sixteen (16) of BBSA’s Willoughby based racers enjoyed a beautiful Saturday and honored former brethren.  Dave Hughes and the crew of his raceboat, Jammin’ , did the race committee work while the fleets sailed the 8.5nm course in Willoughby/Little Bay.  This is a non-spinnaker, staggered start / pursuit race: RESULTS  Fleet 1 (5 boats): 1.Don DeLoatch, Stingray; 2.Jack Clayton, Melantho; 3.Kathy Barber, Figaro.  Fleet 2 (6 boats):1.Roy Weisert, Arete; 2.John Edwards, Recovery; 3.John Wandling, Eclipse.  Fleet 3 (5 boats): 1.John Ritter, Temeraire; 2.Doc Foster, Bluejacket; 3.Richard Basye, Miss B Haven.   Next up at Willoughby is the Hot Buttered Rum Race on Saturday, November 3^rd – contact Broad Bay Sailing Association.

On Wednesday, October 24, at The Mariners’ Museum in Newport News, join Gary Jobson, world-class sailor, television commentator, editor and author, as he shares his insight into the America’s Cup and his passion for sailing.  Jobson will present a talk entitled: Sailing: Speed and Passion. The event is free to the public.  Reservations are highly recommended as seating is limited. The Mariners’ Museum members may make reservations by calling 757-591-7751. General Admission seating is available for non-members the evening of the event.  For more information, call 757-591-7751, or visit www.MarinersMuseum.org.

PHOTOS make great gifts for skippers, crew, friends and yourself! 

****TURKEY SHOOT REGATTA  participants and their friends can find over 300 shots taken by owner-captain of Contessa (race signal boat), Mike Thompson at  http://www.photobucket.com/yphospice2012/  The images here are low resolution for viewing, but if anyone wants the full size 10 megapixel image, which can be printed up to poster size, Mike says just please make a donation to the local hospice and he will e-mail you the full size image. The image number will show in the image URL and starts with DSC. Contact Mike at  lanbuilder@va.metrocast.net

****SOUTHERN BAY RACE WEEK,  SCREWPILE REGATTA, and  CAPE CHARLES CUP are all included on the PHOTOBOAT list of covered regattas.  Go to www.PHOTOBOAT.com  and click on your regatta for your boat pictures. 

MURPHY'S LAW:  Yrs Truly, the Racing Beagle, is happy to report that, according to Alan Bomar, PHRF handicappers have upgraded their meeting location.  This past week the Southern Bay PHRF handicappers met at the DoG Street Pub, on the Duke of Gloucester Street in Williamsburg.   The Murphster  loved it.  In addition to the catchy name, there is even a basement room where dogs (and others) can watch TV coverage of America’s Cup action. With a name like “DoG Street” it’s gotta be good!  /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