[L16-usa] Maine Luders - Report from the Provinces

[Sturgis Haskins]

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FROM MOUNT DESERT ISLAND, MAINE

The Provincial Luders.  A Report.

The Luders revival continued on course this past season with a
substantial increase in boats - about 21 at last count. (And 3 more
north of the Island on Frenchman's Bay.)  Less than half raced due to
late arrivals and new  boats requiring work. It is - hopefully -
anticipated that next year's numbers will represent an even greater show
of at the starting line.  

Four wooden Luders are in a local boat yard awaiting winter's
restoration.  A 5th Luders is expected to join them soon. There seem to
be about 5 potential Luders owners looking for additional boats.
Further, there is talk among the Frenchman's Bay Luders owners of
reviving their fleet there (it raced for a few years in the 1970s.). It
has been suggested that they start in the Sorrento Yacht Club's handicap
class, but also compete among themselves, as the Herreshoff S class did
for several years.

The 2003 racing season concluded early due to the threat of a hurricane.
Two September races were held under the auspices of the Southwest Harbor
Fleet, the Northeast Harbor Fleet, and the MDI Community Sailing Center.
(The aforementioned two clubs are the only ones in Maine that use Fleet
instead of Yacht Club in their name.) The fall racing was a first -
except for a traditional NEH Labor Day weekend series. The Luders, with
5 boats, proved the largest class.  Three International One-Designs also
competed and two Bullseyes.  A good beginning -sans hurricanes- that
bodes well for future autumn racing. The series was won by WEETAMOE, a
beautifully maintained wooden Luders, skippered by Glenn Squires. Tom
Rolfes, in a Mississippi import (PALADIN), was 2nd.

While traditionally the Island's summer colonies empty out after Labor
Day, many people are now staying longer or have retired here. The
revived Luders fleet also includes people who live here year around.
But it was surprising, last week, when a gathering of the class drew
over 20 people.  The occasion was hosted by Tom and Ginny Rolfes at
their large new home, SOME VIEW, at the head of Somes Sound. Though the
occasion was called to compare the sizes and shapes of sails (especially
working jibs - which are used in preference to ungainly genoas...), a
variety of other perky things were added to the program. This writer,
Fleet Secretary, presided.

The agenda included the following:

1) Two examples of recycled old sails - class insignia and sail numbers
cut out and framed - the frame and matting colors reflecting the colors
of the boat. Also shown were framed blueprints of a proposed class
commissioned for the Island in 1940 from L. Francis Herreshoff.  The
famed Hinckley boat company built two - one of which is now owned by a
local Luders owner and kept in his barn.  WW II created a building
hiatus and no more of the 28-foot sloops were constructed and local
yacht clubs opted in 1946 for the more advanced Luders 16.

2) Art Paine, a Luders hopeful, who writes and paints on nautical
themes, told the gathering about the launching of Bill Stewart's huge
new ketch (155 Loa), SCHEHERAZADE, which had been launched two days
earlier.  Paine had been on hand and, indeed, aboard the yacht itself.
The salon contains several of his paintings and he has been commissioned
to write a book about the boat.  Mr. Stewart will keep SCHEHERAZADE on
the Sound and, in fact, it will be moored within sight of the Rolfes' s
home.  Local papers reported the building costs as exceeding 20 million
dollars - perhaps, even as much as 40 million. Several houses down from
the Stewart's, along the Sound's Gold Coast, another owner has a
145-foot yawl, the REBECCA.  But two houses north of Stewart, the
retired president of Landsend Catalog has another immense ocean going
yacht - probably over 100-feet also.  There will be much gawking in
Luldersdom next summer.  Had not the launching of the SCHEHERAZADE been
delayed from early August, the Island Luders fleet had arranged to
finish their last season's race off the Steward estate and visit aboard
the new boat.  They are hopeful about a re-scheduled visit next summer.

A local boat modeler, Carl Kelly, was on hand and talked briefly about
his model making.  It is hoped that Luders owners might commission one
of their boat from him.  As Kelly's models are quickly sold, he only had
one to show - that of a  28-foot Northeast Harbor A-class half hull.
That class raced for over 50 years beginning in 1912.  The last A-boat,
# 50, still in the Pew family, has been on Mount Desert since its
launching in 1936. (A numbers 1 & 7 are in boat museums.)

Ann Waldron, one of this season's new Luders owners, spoke briefly about
Luders photos.  She had with her pictures and negatives taken by a local
news photographer (Aaron Porter) and five contact sheets from another
(Peter Travers) from which interested people might order copies.  

In appreciation of the fine way in which the committee boat was run this
summer, Tom Rolfes presented the Homer brothers, Dick and Steve, with
gifts.  This brought a round of applause. (Both Homers own International
One-Designs.) Also present were SWH Fleet Commodore and Mrs. Allan
Hayward.

The new director of the Mount Desert Island Historical Society was
presented with a copy of the 2003 racing records  by Ann Waldron.  This
is likely the first time in Maine any racing fleet has given its records
to a historical society.  On behalf of Bob Waldron, the Luders company
expert, a set of Luders blueprints were also given.  On an amusing note,
Sturgis Haskins gave writer Norman Mailer's old sailing hat (c1972) for
the Society's archives. Norman Mailer had once owned one of the Bar
Harbor Luders which had later expired in a boat house fire.)  Copies of
photographs of this season's racing will also be given to the Society as
also the contact sheets - should members wish to order pictures in the
future.

It had been hoped that Jane Zirnkilton, owner of a bright yellow Luders,
would be on hand to talk about early Luders racing on Mount Desert.
Unfortunately, a newly scheduled board meeting had drawn her elsewhere.
Mrs. Zirnkilton had been given a Luders, in 1947 by her father as a 16th
birthday gift.  She continued to own the boat to this day and this past
season it had been launched (& raced) for the first time in 16 years.
Mrs. Zirnkilton has become an enthused supporter of the new revival.

Glenn Squires, of MDI Community Sailing, introduced two local
sailmakers; Phyllis Aschenbrenner (Acadia Sails) and Will Welles
(Quantum Sails) who led a sail comparison in the Rolfes's cavernous
lower level.  There proved several variations in the shapes of working
jibs.  It was agreed - informally - that new jibs would be cut to the
same pattern of those made new this past season - no deck sweepers.
Only two mainsails were compared and seemed about the same size.  A
discussion about entry in next year's internationals in Pass Christian
seemed to indicate that at least one crew would be sent - perhaps, a
second if that could be arranged.  There seemed, too, general agreement
that Island Luders owners did not wish to race with genoas though they
would be permitted in regattas if the class was competing for an overall
cup - as was done in this season's Seal Harbor regatta (won by a
Luders).

Ample refreshments were provided for the occasion and guests invited to
visit the tower room from where one can look straight down Somes Sound.
All in all, as in its particulars, this was a successful occasion and
amply demonstrated the enthusiasm and vigor of the local Luders fleet. 

NOTE:  Those with Luders for sale might contact this secretary.













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