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Annapolis to Galesville and The 94th Labor Day Regatta

You have to admire a club with 94 years of history, their own logo, and a sense of humor. The logo represents the clubs motto: Our Own Damn Yacht Club. It is a friendly active club, bursting with young and old sailors, expanding in the next year. There were two races this last week. The Annapolis to Galesville Pursuit race and the 94th Labor Day Regatta.

Annapolis to Galesville as told by John Driver

Two Wayfarers joined the annual Annapolis to Galesville pursuit race. A beautiful Mk I woody, Dawn Treader #8705 sailed by Jim Heffernan and Mike Sigmund and the Mk IV Sirocco #11384 sailed by John and Mary Driver .

The Wayfarer start time was 13:07:23 which slotted them between the Alberg 30’s and the ILCA lasers. The start line was the Severn River just off the Naval Academy wall. The 11.5 mile course in a steady breeze down the Cheasapeake Bay would surely show which Wayfarer type, Mk I or Mk IV was the faster boat. The Mk I started at the leeward end of the line and the Mk IV the windward. The first leg was a 3 mile close reach down the Severn in the Bay. Both boats arrived at the turning mark together with the Lasers, Albacores, & Chesapeake 20’s closing the gap. Upon rounding the mark, both Wayfarers popped their chutes. The Mk I sailed hotter higher angle into the favorable ebbing tide. The Mk IV sailed dead down wind to the next turning mark at Thomas Point. 2.5 miles later at Thomas point both boats again converged. Boat on boat they crossed the 3 mile mouth of the South River to the deep water channel of the West River. With instructions to keep to the channel side of all government marks the race continued for 3 miles up the West River to an orange drop mark to port and a second drop mark to starboard then onto the finishing line in front of the West River Sailing club. The Wayfarers arrived at the first drop mark with the Mk IV on the inside which allowed the Mk I to be on inside at the second drop mark. With 100 yards to the finish, after 11.5 miles of match racing, the Mk I Dawn Treader finished seconds ahead of the Mk IV Sirocco. The thoughtful planning and tactics of the crew of Dawn Treader took the day.

The Wayfarers were unable to to catch up the Alberg 30 which started several minutes ahead and were also overtaken by two Chesapeake 20’s. However they did increase their lead over all other monohulls which consisted of Lasers, 420’s, Albacores, and the rest of the Chesapeake 20 fleet. Starting the race in historic Annapolis, getting to sail close to the only working Screwpile lighthouse left on the Chesapeake Bay(Thomas Point), and racing both rivers and open Bay in perfect 5-10 knot breeze , with two Wayfarers from the opposite ends of the manufacturing spectrum, made for a, ” Really Fantastic Race”.