Southern Bay J70 racers Blake and Lud Kimbrough crack Top 10 at KWRW.   Blake and Lud, sailing their brand new J70, Nostalgia, hull 99, in the 38 boat one-design fleet at Key West Race Week, finished 9^th overall and 2^nd in the sub-fleet re-scored among J70 Corinthian sailors.  As is often the case with new design classes, word is the fleet was loaded with “expert” talent.  KWRW had great wind for all the race days and the J70s got in 12 races over 5 days of racing.  Noel Clinard, also sailing out of FBYC and owner of the first J70 on the southern Bay, Loonatictu, finished 29^th overall and 8^th in the J70 Corinthian sub-fleet.   Sledd Shelhorse’ Farr 400, Meridian X, raced in the High Performance Fleet and finished 7^th overall, and 2^nd in the Farr 400 sub-fleet.  And, Robin Team, from Lexington, NC, sailed his J122, Teamwork, to 1^st place in the PHRF 1 division (6 boats). Teamwork’s success was not a surprise given the level of effort and past experience of this well regarded group of racers.  One hundred and twenty (120) boats sailed at KWRW this year.

Wolf Trap Lighthouse for Sale. The lighthouse is for sale for $249,500 by a private owner. It was first offered for nonprofit and historical properties under the Lighthouse Preservation Act, but it was auctioned when it received no offers in 2005. Laura Pierce of ERA Bay Real Estate explains, "You would have to restore it and update it, but someone could live there full time or part time." The home measures about 1,500 sq. feet, according to Pierce, with five floors, including the top floor, which contains the light. As an added incentive, Pierce mentions that because the home is a historic property, it's tax-exempt, and the state of Virginia will offer tax credits to the next owner who restores the home to its former glory.  [Note: above is from Chesapeake Bay Magazine, Vol 42, February 2013]    Middle Ground Light and Thimble Shoal Light have gone the way of private ownership and, on occasion, racers are treated to seeing the “homeowners” on the balcony, often taking pictures of said racers.

HALF-DAY MURPHY RULES CLINICS: These clinics cover the rules changes for 2013-2016.  Sign up soon. Spaces are filling.

**** February 23^rd, 0900-1230, MURPHY RULES hosted by Broad Bay Sailing Association at the ODU Sailing Center (Norfolk) – proceeds go to the support of the Cape Charles Cup. For information and/or to register contact Scott Almond at (757) 471-2663. Cost is $19 per person, includes refreshments during breaks. There is a discount for on-line registration at http://www.broadbaysailing.org

**** March 23^rd, 0900-1230, MURPHY RULES hosted by Hampton Yacht Club (Victoria Blvd, Hampton) – proceeds go to the support of Southern Bay Race Week 2013. For information and/or to register contact Lin McCarthy at (757) 850-4225 or email mcbear@earthlink.net . Cost is $19 per person, includes refreshments during breaks.

**** March 16^th, 0900-1230, MURPHY RULES hosted by Neuse River Yacht Racing Association (NRYRA), New Bern, NC, at the Blackbeard Sailing Club.  Check the Neuse River YRA website to registration info.

SBRW 2013 More Early Birds:  Tom Pantelides (Hampton) is first to enter the  SBRW 2013 Cruising Fleet.  Tom brings his Sabre 34CB, Mazi, to the regatta.  Cruisers race on Saturday and Sunday only and party on all four days!  Leo Wardrup’s (Virginia Beach) Irwin 38-1, Black Widow, has entered the PHRF Non-Spin Fleet and two more boats,  Bob and Lis Fleck’s (Hardyville) Olson 911S, Mad Hatter and Dennis Hannick’s (King George) Tripp 26, Goin’, have entered in the PHRF B fleet.  Information about SBRW 2013 is available at www.blacksealcup.com or by contacting Lin McCarthy at (757) 850-4225 or mcbear@earthlink.net   SBRW 2013 - Opening Welcome and Check-in Party is Thursday evening, May 30, Racing/Entertainment/Post-race parties, and lots of good times Friday thru Sunday, May 31, June 1 & 2.  Y’all come racin’!

Paperwork reminder:  NOW is the time to get your PHRF of the Chesapeake rating certificate – renewal or new rating.  Don’t wait.  And, The Cruising Club of Virginia (CCV) has mailed out their membership forms – if you want to be counted in their high point competition, you need to have one of the two memberships available.  The  “Racing Membership” includes specific CCV races’ entry fees + annual party tickets, and the more modest  “Club Membership” lets you be counted in their high point.  This is the time of year most sailing associations and clubs and class associations accept renewals.  And, you can renew or initiate both CBYRA and US Sailing memberships on-line. Stay up to date. 

SBRNYCU Boats for Sale List – Coming Monday, February 4^th.

Her name is Mary Lee and she . . . gets around!  Mary Lee is a 16 foot long, 3,456 pound shark  who patrols the Atlantic seaboard and last Thursday morning (0237) dropped by the Virginia Capes.  She has  been tracked for the past 2 years by ocean researchers.  Southern Bay racer Dave Alexander shares this informative website  http://sharks-ocearch.verite.com/  and provides the following easy instructions:  Click on the orange marker and hit “View More”,  click on each of the pictures on the bottom of the right panel, click on “Where I have been”, click on the “right arrow” on the right side panel to enlarge the screen, click on the various dots to see when Mary Lee was there and to see how long it took her to swim from dot to dot.

MURPHY'S LAW:  Yrs Truly, the Racing Beagle, checked out the travel itinerary of Mary Lee, the shark (see item above).  It’s easy to see that the best advice is to stay well clear of the “location dots”.  So, do those man-over-board drills early this Spring and NOT over a dot.  And, maybe it’d be a good idea to start timing your recoveries – QUICK! could be important.  At 3,456 pounds, Mary Lee is not counting calories!    /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