Volunteers manning the drink tickets table and the beer truck taps have calluses on their fingers and bulging biceps, respectively, this morning. The Friday Scavenger Hunt (conducted on the water while awaiting wind) involved thongs and tramp stamps. On the final day, racers eased the pain for motorist backed up on the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel – 94 crewed up sailboats paraded past on their way to the Sunday race courses, all off of Ocean View (Norfolk). The HYC Saturday night fajitas bar was a racer gastronomical favorite. SBRW Bag Ladies handed out more than 200 welcome bags to skippers and event sponsors. Everyone knew to refer to the special area by the small hoist as the Viper Nest. Thomas Bowen’s (Reach Around, J70) travel rig has become a landmark on the host HYC property. . .and known for its mudslides.
When the US Navy Submarine entering the harbor on Saturday “challenged” the SBRW boats finishing the distance race . . . he won. When announced as PHRF Boat of the Day award winner, Checko co-owner, Steve Smith (with Don Barfield), in his excitement, literally dashed his full beer cup to the ground and scaled the awards platform. “Heck”, the Checko Syndicate said later, grinning, “we’re an inspiration – if we can do it, they all can!”
For more SBRW tall tales, talk to your racer friends. Each year southern Bay sailmakers, North, Winters, Doyle, Ullman, and Baxter sponsor the SBRW Boat of the Day awards (and more), thank them when you visit them. Next year, the weekend after Memorial Day, SBRW 2016 will open Thursday night June 2, racing June 3-5, 2016.
MAD HATTER, Bob Fleck’s Olson 911s, takes home 2015 SBRW BLACK Seal Cup. Bob Fleck, residing in Hardyville, Virginia, put his name on the Black Seal Cup winners list for the third time at Southern Bay Race Week this past weekend. Bob, sailing his S2 7.9, Horizon, shared the Cup with Ben Weeks (Rumble) in 2012, the “tornado year”, and won it outright in 2013, again with Horizon. This year Fleck sailed Mad Hatter in PHRF B, and won the most competitive fleet of 15 boats by one point. The top spot came down to the last race on the last day. The wind gods brought an easterly racing wind for the three courses each day after delays early on. Ninety-four (94) boats raced in the event. --Lin McCarthy
RESULTS:
PHRF A (15 boats):
1.Craig Wright, Afterthought;
2.Sledd Shelhorse, Meridian X;
3.Eric Schwab, Dorothy Kate.
PHRF B (15 boats):
1.Bob Fleck, Mad Hatter;
2.Ben and Michele Weeks, Rumble;
3.Rusty Burshell, Cool Change.
PHRF C (13 boats):
1.David and Jacki Meiser, Easy Button;
2.Carey Hardesty, Lona;
3.Paul and Julie Ann Wash, Cheeky Monkey.
PHRF Non-Spin (7 boats):
1.Walt Boatwright, Puff Card;
2.Jake Brodersen, Midnight Mistress;
3.Don Barfield and Steve Smith, Checko.
ONE DESIGN DIVISION – J24 (6 boats):
1.Ron Medlin, Bash;
2.Mike Veraldi, Quicky;
3.Alan Bomar, Roundabout.
J70 (8 boats):
1.Jenn and Ray Wulff, Joint Custody;
2.Thomas Bowen, Reach Around;
3.Latane Montague, Full Monty.
VIPER 640 (10 boats):
1.Tyler Moore, Tumbling Dice;
2.Mary Ewenson, Terminally Pretty;
3.Henry Amthor and Dave Eberwine, Viper 227.
CRUISING DIVISION: CRU (10 boats):
1.Larry Bryant, Whisper;
2.Jim Beaudry, Black Dog;
3.Bob Howell, Cymru.
CRU2 (10 boats):
1.Bill Barnes, Restless;
2.Andrew Arola, Nu, Pogodi!;
2.Chuck Thompson, Packer Tacker.
Event Chairman, Jack Pope; Principal Race Officer (Event and PHRF Div), John McCarthy; Race Officer (One Design Div), Brian Deibler; Race Officer (Cruising), Tom Connors; Official Scorer, Dariene DeRyder; Signal Boat (PHRF), Bill and Eleanor Brown; Signal Boat (One Design), Jim Shoemaker; Signal Boat (Cruising), John Ritter; Mark Boats, Dave Hamilton, Joe Lupton, Bill and David Gibbings, Tom and Jane Fowler, Marshall Findley, Noel Clinard. Chief Judge, Eric Rasmussen. For complete, detailed results, please go to http://www.yachtscoring.com/emenu.cfm?eID=1250
