[L16-usa] Maine Luders - Seal Harbor Regatta Results

[Sturgis Haskins]

SEAL HARBOR REGATTA
Mount Desert Island, Maine

One of the highlights of Mount Desert Luders racing is the annual Seal
Harbor Regatta. This year's race was held on Wednesday, August 3rd. The
smaller classes, that is to say, Bullseyes, Mercuries and 420's, compete in
both morning and afternoon races.  The larger boats, mostly Luders,, but
including several International One-Designs and a lone Northeast Harbor
A-class boat, race in the afternoon for the O'Brien Cup.  This handsome,
gold two-handled trophy was first won in 1949 by Nelson Rockefeller sailing
his International One-Design, Queen Mary. Subsequent winners include his
brother, David, and a host of well-known local skippers. This writer has won
it for the past three years in the Luders Ondine.

Regatta day dawned bright and cool with gentle northerly breezes wafting in.
Predictably, by noon the northern front had brought with it stiff winds and
some very lively sailing. While the Luders normally compete in working jibs,
the local rule is bent for regattas where the class is in competition with
other one-designs for an overall cup.  In deference to the strong winds,
only one Luders owner was thought to use his genoa.  Under normal
circumstances, the Seal Harbor club sets the same course for the O'Brien Cup
racers - that is to say, out to  open sea via Western Way and around the two
Cranberry Isles and the more distant Baker's Island, returning to the finish
off Seal Harbor. Sutton's Island, sort of in the way, may be rounded or not,
depending on the whim of the skipper. With a spectacular backdrop of Mount
Desert's mountains, contrasted with the bold, fir-bound off-shore islands,
this is a race to savor. One might throw in, too, the three lighthouses
dotting this  scenic circumnavigation. Likely, however, racers are riveted
on the transoms ahead of them, less mindful of passing vistas.

Such were the gusts blowing down Western Way (between the Manset shore,
Southwest Harbor, and Great Cranberry Isle) that only three Luders seemed to
attempt spinnakers.  Weetamoe's went up, filled and was soon down. Ditto,
Bill Eacho's Sea Biscuit - which lasted longer. This skipper, at the helm of
Ondine, held the longest until a fierce blast approaching Baker's Island
broke the pole in half.  As an economy measure, the Coast Guard has recently
removed the gong off the southern tip of distant Baker's.  As there are
several precipitous ledges here, doubtless all skippers proceeded with some
prudence, standing a comfortable distance off-shore. The sound of crashing
surf served as a cautious reminder. Unlike most lighthouses, the Baker's
Island light stands in the middle of the thickly wooded island - barely
visible above dark tree tops.

The return to Seal Harbor was a rail-down beat to windward. Here, we gave
thanks for the smaller working jib. Like last year, we made an effort to
stay in the lee of Baker's and Little Cranberry as much as we could.  The
ebbing tide rips strongly out of both Somes Sound and Frenchman's Bay and is
noticeably diminished in closer to shore. Andy Pew, single-handing aboard
his 28-foot gaff-rigged A-boat gave a stellar performce, riding much closer
to the rocky shore than we dared - all the while rail down.  A glorious
sight it was to see his 1936 sloop healed over so far. His Gull, carrying
sail #50, was the last built in the class in 1936 (the originals debuted in
1912).  Only two remain afloat on Mount Desert now. (Though one of my crew
owns #44, it is has not been launched for a decade.)

My crew consisted of Sherdy Carr, a local welder and descendant of the
Island's oldest settlers, and Diana Gazis, newly retired as Dean of a
Caribbean Medical College. No spring chickens we,  but with brave effort
managed to haul ourselves up to high rail after each tack - looking much
like beached, wet seals. At one point our traveler shot off the track, but
was quickly reattached. Gull and Bill Eacho's Sea Biscuit seemed to gain
with each new tack and soon we were aware that the International One-Designs
were  fast creeping upon us. (A pursuit handicap race, faster craft start
later).  However, we  managed to stay ahead with the following final
results:

1st Ondine, Luders, Sturgis Haskins
2nd, Eagle, IOD, Courtenay Jenkins
3rd, Sea Biscuit, Luders, Bill Eacho
4th, Gull, A-Boat, Andy Pew
Etc.


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