DiMaggio, Eagle fly to Victory at Sea
BARBARA VENERI/Standard-Times special
Twelve-meter yachts Weatherly (US-17) and Columbia (US-16) vie for position near the starting line as they await the signal from the battleship U.S.S. Massachusetts to begin Saturday's Victory at Sea regatta in Mt. Hope Bay to benefit Battleship Cove educational programs. |
In an unusual downwind start as the guns of the U.S.S. Massachusetts boomed, four 12-meter yachts raced under the Braga Bridge in the Victory at Sea Regatta in Mount Hope Bay last weekend. The event, in its second year, raises money for Big Mamie, the Joseph P. Kennedy, the PT boats and the educational programs at Battleship Cove in Fall River.
Aboard the Intrepid, the action was nonstop as guests and "celebrities" either took positions as grinders on the vertical winches that control the positions of the mainsail and jib, or got out of the way of Capt. Michael Patterson and his two professional crew mates, Rob and Danielle.
The secret to winning, apparently, is Dom DiMaggio, honorary chairman of the two-day fundraising event, who has been a celebrity guest aboard the winning boat both years the regatta has sailed.
Last year, it was Weatherly. This year, it was the American Eagle.
The four one-designs -- America's Cup contenders in the 1930's, 40's and 50's, before Dennis Conner and the larger boat syndicates took over that competition -- ran downwind under the Braga Bridge, then back up for a practice race, then back down for the start of the "real" race. The second race saw the four yachts tacking upwind and down for several legs before crossing the finish line -- again to the booming guns of Big Mamie.
DiMaggio, 85, of Marion, thinks there's more to winning than having him aboard, although he admits it doesn't hurt.
"I like sailing, but I'm really not much of a sailor," he said. "I'm a stinkpotter from way back."
A stinkpotter is a powerboat enthusiast. As the boats readied for the race, DiMaggio confessed his real love is fishing. But his winning touch continues to help the Victory at Sea Regatta raise money for Battleship Cove.
The four yachts in this year's regatta are among several that have been purchased and restored by various private owners. They compete in area waters for local charities. Two years ago, several of them raced out of Clark's Cove on behalf of the Coalition for Buzzards Bay.
The 12-meters also compete in area regattas, including the Buzzards Bay Regatta.
Aboard Intrepid, Captain Patterson, who learned how to sail on a styrofoam boat on a lake in his home state of Colorado before attending the Maine Maritime Academy, used the first race as a tune-up.
"We can see how it goes, how we work together," he said. At the start of the second race, Patterson, who has been with the Intrepid for 4½ years, called for us to pay attention.
"This is where we show them what we're made of."
The Intrepid, the only one of the four boats to actually win an America's Cup, raced upwind, down and back up again, getting sandwiched on one leg between Weatherly and Columbia, with none of the captains willing to head up or fall back.
The regatta started in earnest after Columbia went aground in nine feet of water on the north side of the cove shortly before the starting sequence was scheduled to begin. By bringing all the weight (i.e. all the people aboard) forward, Columbia's captain managed to sail the big boat off the bottom and compete in both races Saturday.
Celebrities -- aboard our boat we had local Democratic party activist Mardee Xifaras of Marion and philanthropist Max King -- helped liven up the action aboard each boat, as well as provide an incentive to donate to the cause.
Besides DiMaggio, actor Perry King and America's Cup contender Bill Koch were among the other celebrities in the race.
Sponsored by the Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund and Fidelity Investments, the Victory at Sea events make money through ticket sales for the yacht race, a dinner and silent auction, and a second race back to Newport.
Upcoming boating events ...
Saturday, July 27: Coalition for Buzzards Bay annual Pull for the Bay, kayaking and whaleboat racing, Clark's Cove, New Bedford, 11 a.m.
Saturday, July 27: Fort Rodman Marine Education Association/Low Tide Yacht Club annual "Steakout" and auction for educational programs, LTYC new HQ, Fort Taber Park, New Bedford, 5 p.m.
Friday and Saturday, July 26-27: Beverly Yacht Club, Parker Converse Tower Race. Contact the BYC at 508-748-0540 for details.
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Aug. 2, 3, and 4: Buzzards Bay Regatta, with venues at the Beverly Yacht Club in Marion and the Community Boating Center in New Bedford. See www.buzzardsbayregatta.com for more information.
Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 10-11: New England Beetle Cat National Championships, FRMEA/LTYC clubhouse, Fort Taber, New Bedford. Contact Mark Thornhill, past commodore of the LTYC, at 508-994-6069 for more information.
MYC RESULTS
Results for the Mattapoisett Yacht Club Wednesday night race, July 17:
Class A: 1. In Deep, Bob Warren, 02:10:03; 2. Probable Cause, Glen Cudmore, 02:11:11; 3. Elusive, Ed Normand, 02:18:41; 4. Dream, Tom Brownell, 02:19:19; 5. Summer Pride, Mike Bailey, 02:20:03; 6. Revelation, Tom Muldoon, 02:21:08.
Class B: 1. Lung Ta, Paul Silva, 02:17:48; 2. Tomahawk, Wesley Wood, 02:18:41; 3. Helios, Charles Prefontaine, 02:21:42; 4. Mikaela, Steve Kelleher, 02:23:22; 5. Courtship, Charles Peck, 02:23:45; 6. Heinzee, Richard Gleason, 02:27:42; 7. Antares, Dave Wordell, 02:28:08; 8. Airborne, James Dildine, 02:28:48.
Class C: 1. Survivor, Brian Lynch, 02:01:16; 2. Joint Venture, Jon Henshaw, 02:04:07; 3. Gryphon II, Susan McGowan, 02:04:45; 4. Sele, William Spark, 02:04:55; 5. Carina, Jim Broadwater, 02:05:11.
Class D: 1. Barkley, Harvey Pentleton, 00:43:59; 2. Poop Deck Pappy, Bob Saltmarsh, 00:44:23; 3. Jan Cap, Dave Jenney, 00:45:16; 4. Little Miss Magic, Dennis Walsh, 00:47:11; 5. Kichigai, Joshua Saltmarsh, 00:47:29.
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 B5 of The Standard-Times on July 25, 2002.
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