Space shrinking for Club 420s in BBR
Photo courtesy of Barbara Veneri
Henry Roberts, commodore of the Beverly Yacht Club, outside the club on Sippican Harbor. |
The registration deadline for the 30th annual Buzzards Bay Regatta is fast approaching, and organizers are urging boaters to sign up now.
Registration for the race, to be held Aug. 2-4 at the Beverly Yacht Club in Marion, closes July 29. But space is limited for the Club 420s, a perennially popular class in the BBR. According to BYC Commodore Henry Roberts, 65 of the junior boats have signed up, and there is space for just 100 boats. Interested sailors can register online at www.buzzardsbayregatta.com.
The BBR is doing something different this year. The committee has relocated the launching site for Lasers, Radials and 29ers (a new class racing in the BBR for the first time this year) to the Community Boating Center in New Bedford's South End.
"The CBC is partnering with the BYC and taking about 100 or more boats," said Roberts, noting that, by racing 420s, Radials, and 29ers in circles off New Bedford's South End, the BBR can free up more limited racing areas near Sippican Harbor for other boats.
"The reasoning behind that is that the launching facilities we have for 420s and day sailors is extremely limited," noted Roberts, who is serving as the BBR liaison with the town of Marion. "It's great to have a venue like the CBC where more of these boats can be accommodated."
The number of smaller boats competing in the BBR, such as 420s, Vanguards, J-22s and Lasers (the Radial is a modified Laser), has been growing steadily over the past several years, said Roberts, while the number of PHRF class boats has been dwindling.
However, PHRF racers from all over the East Coast and the area who plan to compete in this year's BBR will need overnight accommodations at guest moorings in the already-crowded Sippican Harbor.
"We are doing our best" to find moorings for guests at local boatyards and in the harbor. Normally, said Roberts, the BYC cruising sailors are out of town on a yacht club cruise during BBR weekend, freeing up a number of moorings in the harbor.
"More and more of the BYC cruise boats want to do the BBR," said Roberts, noting that sailors and others interested in regatta happenings can find out more information from the BBR web site.
"Overall, the regatta is growing," he said, with the participation of multihulls and J-105s, among others. Roberts said that the two biggest problems faced by organizers when the race is held in Marion in even-numbered years (it is held at the New Bedford Yacht Club in alternate years), are "launching and parking."
"We are concerned about overcrowding in the town," said Roberts. Ray Cullum of Marion is this year's BBR parking coordinator and former Commodore Graham Quinn is in charge of boat-launching logistics.
"If we can get through this year without any hiccoughs in launching or parking," said Roberts, "we will have done our best." The BBR organizing committee maintains a "zero tolerance policy" for people who park illegally or in front of someone's driveway.
"We don't ask questions," he noted.
"I don't want to say that racing on the bay is the easy part" of the BBR, said Roberts, "but we are worried about town relations. We are trying to foresee all of the problems up front."
LATHAM LEGACY IN FLEET AT FORT TABER
Already beginning to filter in to Fort Taber Park for this weekend's 25th annual Buzzard -- the colorful regatta for Hobie Cat and other catamaran sailors -- are several members of Fleet 28, co-sponsors of the event with the city of New Bedford. The Buzzard also carries the name of Steve Latham, co-founder of the event who died in 2000. A New Bedford native, Latham was an avid sailor who received the National Sportsmanship Award in 1994 and the W. Van Allan Clark Jr. Trophy.
Registration for the Buzzard, which costs $35 for single-handed sailors and $40 for all other competitors (with a $5 for paid-up Fleet 28 members), opens Friday morning at 9 a.m. Contact Nancy Worth at 781-821-9836 for registration information.
Dan Kulkoski, a leading expert in catamaran racing and current Continental champion, will be on hand at 9 a.m. Friday to "show you how to do it," according to organizer Bob Kunkel.
Saturday's events open with bagels and coffee at 8 a.m., registration 8-10 a.m., a skippers meeting at 10:30 a.m., with the first race starting off East Beach at 11 a.m. Following a series of races on Saturday, Fleet 28 and Hobie Cat Division 12 are planning their "legendary" beach party following a barbecue dinner at Fort Taber.
Sunday's breakfast begins at 8 a.m., with a skippers meeting at 9 a.m., followed by the first race at 10 a.m. After racing completes (sometime after the last race at 2 p.m.), there will be an outdoor barbecue lunch and awards ceremony.
Doreen Coughlan is Fleet 28 Commodore and chairman of the Buzzard.
You can get more information about this weekend's events, including a map of parking, launch and camping facilities online at: http://www.tedknowlton.com/f28/
REVERSE FIGAWI RESULTS
Results for the Reverse Figawi race, held Monday, May 27, are finally in, and Charlie Prefontaine of Mattapoisett in his Alberg 35 Helios was the first to reach Hyannis in the non-spinnaker class. Spinnaker class winner was Brad Pease of Chatham in his Rhodes yawl Infanta. Winds were lighter for the return trip than in the Figawi race (where one boat was dismasted). The average speed for the winners in 10 divisions was 4.1 knots.
HOT PURSUIT IN MATTAPOISETT
The Mattapoisett Yacht Club's Pursuit Race followed by the Commodore's Party and Clamboil is on tap for this Saturday, July 13. Entry forms for the race are available on the club's web site at http://www.mattapoisettyc.tripod.com/, and deadline for entries is no later than Friday, July 12. Completed applications and the $15 entry fee go to Don Bailey, 61 Ocean Drive, Mattapoisett, MA 02739.
Following the race, the MYC will sponsor the Commodore's Party and Clamboil at the MYC clubhouse at the Mattapoisett Boat Yard, beginning at 4:30 p.m. Cost for the clamboil is $12.50 per adult, with children ages 8-12 costing $7.50. Children under 7 attend free. Register for the clamboil and pre-pay by July 9 (send to Don Bailey at the address given above).
MYC SERIES RESULTS
Results for the MYC Wednesday night series, Series 1, Race 2 on July 3 are:
Class A (protest pending): 1. In Deep, Bob Warren, 01:56:16; 2. Horizon, John Flood, 01:56:36; 3. Elusive, Ed Normand, 01:59:25; 4. Club A, Steve Andleman, 01:59:25; 5. Revelation, Tom Muldoon, 02:00:32.
Class B: 1. Tomahawk, Wesley Wood, 02:05:32; 2. Helios, Charles Prefontaine, 02:06:23; 3. Undine, Mike Dahill, 02:06:28; 4. Lung Ta, Paul Silva, 02:07:16; 5. Courtship, Charlie Peck, 02:08:13; 6. Heinzee, Dick Gleason, 02:09:13; 7. Mikaela, Steve Kelleher, 02:09:36; 8. Antares, Dave Wordell, 02:18:23.
Class C: 1. Carina, Jim Broadwater, 02:10:37; 2. Sele, William Spark, 02:12:16; 3. Survivor, Brian Lynch, 02:13:04; 4. Gryphon II, Sue McGowan, 02:14:21; 5. Joint Venture, Jon Henshaw, 02:15:22; 6. Heron, Richard Prouty, 02:19:40; 7. Mariner, Craig Correia, 02:29:03.
Class D: 1. Barkley, Harvey Pentleton, 01:25:29; 2. JanCap, Dave Jenney, 01:29:50; 3. Little Miss Magic, Dennis Walsh, 01:32:31; 4. Poop Deck Pappy, Bob Saltmarsh, 01:37:27; 5. Kichigai, Joshua Saltmarsh, 01:37:48.
If you have news about boating in and around Buzzards Bay, contact Barbara Veneri by e-mail at bveneri@hotmail.com. To join an online discussion of boating issues, enter www.southcoastnavigator.com in your browser, then click the Port of Call link.
This story appeared on Page B4 of The Standard-Times on July 11, 2002.
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