NBYC Whaler's Race was no breeze

Barbara Veneri
Sea Notes

bveneri@hotmail.com

The New Bedford Yacht Club Whaler's Race took off as scheduled last Saturday, but fell victim to light air and lack of wind on the return trek in the annual 105-mile race down Buzzards Bay to Block Island and back.
Of 13 yachts registered to start the race, only four completed the entire 105-mile course. The first boat across the finish line was Arthur Burke's Spice Sunday afternoon, and the last boat over the line was Blake Cady's Wobegone Daze late Sunday night.

Spice, of the NBYC, was the only boat to finish in the Class M (multihull) PHRF Racing division. In the multihull PHRF Cruising competition, Henry DeGroot's Restless, also from the NBYC, won, coming in second overall. Second finisher in the Cruising-M class was Sea Hawk, skippered by Fred Kern of the Blue Water Sailing Club. Third place went to Wobegon Daze, skippered by Cady of Brookline.
In the Class D racing competition, Alegria, skippered by Victor Pinheiro of the NBYC, finished first sailing an abbreviated course. Gryphon, skippered by Joe Harris of Hamilton, finished second behind Pinheiro.

As the events of Sept. 11, 2001, unfolded, I found myself glued to the TV like almost everyone else. After a few hours of shock and numbness, I clicked off the remote, gathered up my dog, some water and soda and my sailing gear and headed down to the boat. Sailing alone against a light easterly wind that got a bit more breezy as the afternoon wore on, I felt some small measure of control and freedom in the new world we now inhabit.

I offered that sail up to the victims of this terrible attack on our way of life.

Other boaters must have felt the same surge in patriotism, because this past Sunday, as I sailed with a group of friends to Weepeckit, we saw at least three boats traveling up Buzzards Bay before the wind with red, white and blue spinnakers set. What a sight! Countless other sailors and powerboaters flew flags from halyards, stays or stanchions, bringing us together in a patriotic show of support for the freedom that allows us to pursue our passion.

Coming up Saturday is the Fort Rodman Marine Association/Low Tide Yacht Club Last Chance Regatta. Deadline for entrants in the annual 15-mile pursuit format race is today at 6 p.m. Contact Dick Fontaine at 508-996-5409 for more information.

The Last Chance Regatta gets under way at noon Saturday at a starting line near the Butler Flats Lighthouse in the city's outer harbor. Participants compete in three classes: Racing (spinnakers); Cruising (no spinnakers) with PHRF rating of 149 or lower; and Cruising (no spinnakers) with PHRF rating of 150 and higher.

A skippers' meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday at West Marine on Pope's Island in New Bedford. Racers should monitor VHF Channel 68 for any last-minute changes in course or starting times.

There is no entry fee for boats owned and sailed by members of the FRMEA/LTYC. Non-members may enter the race for a $10 fee provided they have raced in at least one FRMEA/LTYC series in 2001. NBYC members may enter and skipper boats provided they pay a $10 entry fee.

Today is the deadline to enter the New Bedford Yacht Club End of the Summer Regatta set for Sunday, with boats entered in the following classes: PHRF – spinnaker and non-spinnaker; Etchells; and Rhodes 19s.

Racers in the Etchells fleet are competing for the NBYC James Stanton Jr. perpetual trophy to be awarded at the NBYC annual roast beef dinner Friday, Nov. 2.

Racers must submit a completed entry form and a current PHRF-NE certificate with a $10 entry fee to the NBYC office no later than end-of-business today.

For more information, contact the NBYC office at 508-997-0762.

The skippers' meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. Sunday at the NBYC.

The Mattapoisett Yacht Club plans its annual awards dinner for Saturday, Oct. 20, at the Century House in Acushnet.

The final standings for the MYC 2001 racing season are:

Class A: 1. In Deep, Bob Warren, 21 pts.; 2. Horizon, Jack Flood, 23 pts.; 3. Lung Ta, Paul Silva, 29 pts.; 4. Undine, Mike Dahill, 36 pts.; 5. TireLess, Gil Canastra, 38 pts.; 6. Elusive, Ed Normand, 44 pts.; 7. Revelation, Tom Muldoon, 45 pts.; 8. Tomahawk, Wesley Wood, 46 pts.; 9. Lela, Mike Costello, 71 pts.; 10. Summer Pride, Mike Bailey, 78 pts.; 11.Triage, Scott Sullivan, 86 pts.; 12. Mikela, Kelleher, 90 pts.; 13. Antares, David Wordell, 92 pts.; 14. Courtship, Charles Peck, 96 pts.; 15. Helios, Charles Prefontaine, 100 pts.; 16. Club A, Steve Andleman, 111 pts.; 17. Heinzee, Richard Gleason, 113 pts.; 18. Twende, Greg Parker, 125 pts.; 19. Willowind, Capone, 146 pts.

Class B: 1. Carina, Jim Broadwater, 14 pts.; 2. Gryphon II, Sue McGowan, 20 pts.; 3. Survivor, Brian Lynch, 21 pts.; 4. Joint Venture, Jon Henshaw, 30 pts.; 5. Sele, William Spark, 49 pts.; 6. Velocity Made Good, Paul Hyde, 49 pts.; 7. Heron, Dick Prouty, 50 pts.; 8. Chickadee, Charles Smith, 50 pts.

Class C: 1. Barkley, Harvey Pentleton, 11 pts.; 2. Jan Cap, David Jenney, 18 pts.; 3. Mariner, Craig Correia, 36 pts.; 4. Poop Deck Pappy, Bob Saltmarsh, 37 pts.; 5. Firebolt, Joshua Saltmarsh, 37 pts.; 6. Minnow, Penny Cole, 53 pts.; 7. Felicity, Potter Trainer, 55 pts.; 8. T-Bone, Chris McGowan, 57 pts.; ;9. Easy Wind, Walter Wordell, 76 pts.

Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Buzzards Bay continues to offer courses this fall as part of the 2001 MMA Marine Education and Training Program.

Included in the fall lineup are the following courses:

Sept. 22: Outboard Engines.

Sept. 29: Watchkeeping for the Mariner; American Red Cross Standard First Aid; Outboard Engines (Advanced).

Sept. 29 and 30: Marine Refrigeration and Air Conditioning.

Oct. 13: Fish Finder and Sonar; The Use of the Sextant; Understanding Your Inboard/Outboard; Diesel Engines; Marine Hydraulic Systems.

Oct. 20: Radar Navigation Practice; Diesel Engine Teardown, Westerbeke; Basic Fiberglass Techniques.

Nov. 10: Outboard Engines; Marine Sanitation; Net Mending.

Nov. 10 and 11: Introduction to Welding I.

Nov. 17: GPS Navigation and Equipment; Outboard Engines (Advanced).

Nov. 17 and 18: Introduction to Welding II.

Nov. 24: American Red Cross Standard First Aid; Aquaculture Seawater Systems.

For more information on registering for these and similar courses, contact the MMA Marine Education and Training program at 508-830-5019 or 508-830-6485.

Barbara Veneri sails a 28-foot Soverel yawl in Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound. To reach her, send e-mail to: bveneri@hotmail.com, fax (508) 997-7491, or call the Standard-Times Sports Dept. at 508-979-4460.

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