Ever wonder what it is like to cross an ocean? How about a race across an ocean? Just how fast was Leopard going? 25 knots, 32 knots, 37 knots??? What prep is involved? What conditions can one expect to encounter? Find out the answers to these questions and more. Clarke Murphy and Will Passano present video footage from their Transatlantic Race on board Leopard. A midwinter cruise guaranteed to part your hair and wash your face. What other crazy things happen on a cruise like this? And in case that is not enough, the 2011 cruising season awards will be presented and there were be several other surprises.

2011 Mid-winter cruise flyer

January 2012 GIYS Answering Pennant
December 2011 GIYS Answering Pennant

Click here for photos by Mitch Koppelman

GIYS Sailors

Murray Leigh, Aubrey Berringer, Aaron Maas
Tom Price, Jeff Oak, Tyler Gooder
Scott Schluederberg, Katie Schluederberg, Jim Beh

SCC Sailors

John White, Bruce Empey, Kyle Comerford
Susan Taylor, Donna Schlegel, Lilli Salvesen
Arrthur Libby, Jr., Kenny Comerford, Willy Comerford

Race Committee

Rebel Boykin, Terry May, Claude Engel, Janet Leech, Margaret Clarkson, Walter Mitchell, Tony Kupersmith, Beecie Kupersmith, Geoff Wadsworth, Sue Mikulski, Greg Cukor, Bob Urban, Kimberly Gooder, John Sherwood

Umpires

Jack Lynch, Peter Jost

September 17, 2011 marks the 60th anniversary of the annual team race between the Gibson Island Yacht Squadron (GIYS) and the Sailing Club of the Chesapeake (SCC). Originally referred to as the GIYS/SCC Challenge, it acquired its current name when an old broom, to which the burgee of the winning club is attached and hung in the Gibson Island clubhouse, became the perpetual “trophy.” I have been directly involved in the Broom Race as a competitor (always on the GIYS team) from as early as the 1950s, when I crewed aboard my uncle’s Owens Cutter RUBICON, and indirectly as a lifelong member of Gibson Island and a member since 1969 of the Sailing Club, although I haven’t sailed in it since the mid-1990s.

The Owens Cutter, a 40’ cruising/racing sailboat, came into being in 1946. It was designed by Gibson Island member Norman Owens and built primarily by the Owens Yacht Company in Baltimore. In addition to Norman’s own boat (FANDANGO), several Owens Cutters were sold to GIYS members. These boats quickly showed their racing prowess under the CCA (Cruising Club of America) rating rule, the predominant rule of that time. The success of the Owens Cutters on the Chesapeake came against a variety of good, well sailed, stock and custom boats.

While relaxing at the AYC bar after the first AYC Fall Series race in 1951, the owners of two of these good boats, Al Kuehnle (Mackinac 40 VIXEN) and John Trumpy (S&S 40 SEA CALL) boasted that their boats could beat the Owens Cutters under any conditions on a boat-for-boat (no handicap) basis. The two GIYS Owens Cutter sailors present (Miller Sherwood and Norman Owens) “…thought that was impossible.” (Kuehnle letter, 10/28/83) The decision was made to have a race to settle the matter. Kuehnle suggested that it be a team race between GIYS sailing the Owens Cutters and SCC sailing the challengers, three boats per team. The four boats noted above would participate. FUN (Tom Closs, Mackinac 40) was added to the SCC team and FALCON (Harold Williamson’s Owens) was added to the GIYS team. A single race was held the weekend following the last AYC Fall Series race that year. It was won by GIYS — by one point! Later the format was changed from a single race to best two-out-of-three.

It can be presumed that shortly after that race the SCC issued a challenge to GIYS to race again in 1952. I have clippings of the (single) races that were held in 1953 and 1955, both won by GIYS, with the Sailing Club winning in 1954. These clippings also reveal elements that would be reflected in subsequent races. One was flexibility with regard to the composition of the team boats. For instance, Tom Closs (SCC) sold FUN to Tom Raby where she became DESIRE and joined two Owens Cutters on the GIYS team in 1955. However, with the exception of one event (1992) sailed using PHRF handicaps, the racing has been in one designs or at least closely matched boats. Negotiating the composition of the fleets so that they were regarded as equal became an integral part of the contest! Second, that the clubs would pack their boats with strong talent from their fleets, regardless of whether these crew members were regulars on those boats. Third, that the clubs, and the Bay big boat racing community took these contests seriously with spectator fleets following the action and the yachting press reporting the results. Fourth, that good sportsmanship would prevail. The latter is reflected in the fact that there have been few protests, or even worse, collisions. However, in an early 1960s race in a strong northwesterly the NY 32s RAIDER (Tom Closs, SCC) and PROTON (Charlie Price, GIYS) collided before the start with the former being badly damaged and the latter dismasted. My recollection is that it was deemed an unavoidable accident.

The history of this competition is filled with instances of the clubs adapting to changing circumstances, especially in the matter of finding equally matched boats. I have “mini brooms” (formerly given to members of the winning team) from victories in a wide range of boats: Peterson 34 (1982), Farr 37 (1983,1987), J/22 (1990), NY 36 (PHRF) (1992), and Beneteau 310s, borrowed from the Columbus Cup in Baltimore, in 1993. I know I sailed, and that SCC won, in a J/30 (1994) and a J/22 in 1995. We sailed several times out of Galesville using Tartan 10s. I think the SCC won all of the competitions sailed in the Tartans. Recent events have used the GIYS 210s. Two GIYS wins stand out for me. In 1987 (Farr 37s) we, aboard the borrowed BLOODSHOT, were able to cover two SCC boats at the last windward mark of the third race to help Jack Quinn get through for the win. A photo of the fleet running to the finish of that race is on the clubhouse wall in the Bay Bar. In 1993 John White and I teamed up on the last windward leg off Hackett Point to pull off a win sailing the Beneteaus. SCC teams have also made a number of classy moves to pull out strong victories.

It is worth noting that team racing was practically unknown in the U. S. for the first several decades of the event’s existence, so this was pioneering competition. Though intensely contested, the racing and attendant social activities have been exemplified by great camaraderie among competitors and members of the clubs. For 2011 I wish good luck to both clubs and hope that everybody has fun!

Junior Fleet Members at the Indian Landing Regatta:
Henry New, Jack McDonnell, Magnus (Maxi) Weissenberger, Gunti Weissenberger, Tyler Davis, Jack Savage.
Gunti was 1st in Optimist Green.

Kip Strong placed 3rd in the Laser Radial fleet.

Winds were on the light side http://gibsonisland.com/yachtsquadron/wp-admin/post-new.phpas expected for this annual July racing series for Stars. Excellent races were run on both days, though challenging for both the Race Committee as well as for the Star boat crews. Ten boats were on the starting line after the long tow out from behind Gibson Island. A moderate leftover Northeast breeze from the evening’s thunderstorms gave us false hope all morning but as the sun rose higher the breeze slowly expired and veered towards the East.

At the start, crews were hiked and the Stars looked brilliant clearing the line in an 8 knot breeze. Three quarters up the beat, boats coming out from the right side looked good. Tom Price with Alex Schwab crewing took a lot of sterns but worked late to East and in a new, stronger veer led the fleet to the weather mark. Down the run, John Vanderhoff very sensibly took the low lane and sailed past Price and the pack to his left and went on to win. Price and MacCausland finished 2^nd and 3^rd. Click here for full results

Race 2 was a light, slow one but interesting. No other boat than a Star could have had decent racing in the light air and mercifully flat water. At the start, Price, Keith Donald and Mike Hecky immediately banged right and went all the way to the lay line on a light breeze that continued to veer to the East and even edging south of that. The strong ebb current stayed all day making the runs relatively painless. Way out in front and racing the time limit, Price carefully sailed “Bop” around the second lap, wisely shortened in length by the Race Committee. Only 4 boats were able to finish within the time limit. A challenging, frustrating race that was put out of its misery after being thrown out by a protest committee for being shortened, contrary to the sailing instructions. A race best forgotten!

Hungry Star sailors enjoyed a great Gibson Island Club dinner and the air conditioning to end the long day. In the morning on Sunday, the breeze was again light but had every indication of being reinforced by a thermal if it would only develop soon enough. Sure enough, after a short wait that beautiful darkening on the horizon spread across the course and 9 Stars went off in a nice little southeaster. Hopping from puff to puff and holding off John Vanderhoff (with Adam Dolezal crewing) and John MacCausland with Arnis Baltins, Tom Price took the gun after a strong pass of Murray Leigh (sailing fast with Courtenay Jenkins crewing) and Vanderhoff, late on the first downwind leg.

The final race became a battle between Vanderhoff and Price, tied, each with a 1,2. John MacCausland led all the way around, showing his normal speed and finesse in the strongest breeze of the weekend. Vanderhoff and Price started side by side and matched tacks up the beat, each preserving their starboard advantage, swapping places frequently. Price finally worked to the advantaged right side only to lose Vanderhoff in the last left shift of the beat. Downwind, Price got to the 3 boat circle first and rounded just ahead but couldn’t hold Vanderhoff on the last beat. On the run, Price worked high, fishing for John Vanderhoffs wind but John stayed comfortably ahead to take second and the Regatta!

It was a great weekend of Star racing at Gibson Island and the Race Committee, led by Ms Rebecca Boykin (Rebel) did a wonderful job in challenging conditions. With excellent support and regatta organization by Murray Leigh from the host Chesapeake Bay Star fleet, the Stars were a welcome sight on the Bay north of the Bridge. In their Centennial year, the Star still provides the best racing you could hope for in the typical July conditions.