[L16-usa] Frenchman's Bay Racing

[Sturgis Haskins]

FRENCHMAN'S BAY LUDERS FLEET

The addition of the Frenchman's Bay Luders fleet to the national Luders
website is welcomed news indeed. Luders racing on this beautiful, still
relatively pristine bay goes back to 1946 and the Bar Harbor Yacht Club. It
has here, too, that the founding national championship was held in 1947.

Though the Bar Harbor Yacht Club no longer races Luders, and has not for
some years, the class has regrouped 3 miles across the bay in Sorrento and
Hancock. The  recent addition of two glass boats from distant places,
together with four others here should make for lively racing this summer.
The fleet is evenly divided between glass and wood hulls - all of which are
in pristine condition. 

Were it not for Lawrence DeMilner, who last hailed from - yes - Nepal there
would be no Luders revival. All Ludersdom owes this man much thanks for his
enthusiasm - and purchasing prowess!!  A very welcomed addition for all of
us.

Frenchman's Bay is dominated by the panorama of Mount Desert Island - most
notably the conspicuous range of blue mountains  - the highest on the North
Atlantic coast - which rise directly from the water's edge. The bay is
entered from open sea past the high-cliffed, wooded Porcupine Islands, all
of which have, remarkably, remained unsullied by building or human
encroachment. Frenchman's Bay proper is deep, scenic and open. Off in three
directions are lesser bays - each smaller, shallower and contrasting in
differing ways. Remarkably, even on the best of summer days, one is apt to
be the single sail visible. 

There are four yacht clubs on Frenchman's Bay; Bar Harbor, Hancock Point,
Sorrento and Winter Harbor. Gone are the days when Bar Harbor (in 1903)
raced  a dozen 50-foot long Herreshoff  one-designs. But racing has survived
and thrived and this season promises much. This summer will witness the
national Flying 15 championship, the 100th anniversary of the Winter harbor
Knockabout class and - nicely - the revival of serious Luders racing.  FB
Luders racers are mindful, too, of the large Luders fleet on the southern
side of Mount Desert Island.  Too far away for regular mingling, still the
two fleets are hopeful of at least one joint activity this season.

Here is a brief summary of activity:

1) Bar Harbor. Yacht racing in this once posh resort dates back to the late
19th century. Over the decades BH's successive yacht clubs have seen a
checkered history. Only one of the BH YC's earlier Luders remains on station
- here moored, rather nicely, off the last of the colony's grand estates.
Another original Luders is held in storage for eventual restoration. One
other Luders, a recent import, is kept in use.

2) Hancock Point.  This lovely peninsular jutting into Frenchman's Bay has
been a quiet summer colony for well over a hundred years.  Tennis is the
favored sport, but sailing is popular, too. Though this club maintains its
own identity and sponsors an annual regatta and sailing instruction, it  has
long participated in the Sorrento yacht club races. Four of the active FB
Luders are kept here.

3) Sorrento. Like its near neighbor, this tiny town is a long peninsular
jutting in Frenchman's Bay. With a winter population under 300 and no stores
or schools, this community is a quiet one. Sailing is a major activity here
and the club was founded in 1925. Up until the second WW, two classes
prevailed - Wee Scots and Herreshoff S-boats.  Now Flying 15's hold sway
with  desultory fleets of Mercury's and Alerions (and the ubituous Optimist
Prams).  The Saturday handicap class is a popular adjunct and dominated by
two 1912 A-class sloops and an S-boat (now 70 years in the same family).  In
the 1970s Luders raced independently in this fleet, but in the handicap
class in recent years. This season they will compete in their own series.

4) Winter Harbor.  This august club was founded about 1890. Its sprawling,
immaculate club house was designed by a noted Philadelphia architect of the
period. In 1907 Burgess & Packard, of Marblehead, were commissioned to
design a new class of one-designs for the club. Six were built. Two others
were added in 1922 and 1924. Though 7 of 9 boats were sold away for an
interval, all have since been returned to the club, restored, and are now in
active competition. There is also a large fleet of plastic Bullseyes which
race on different days.  The  Saturday Knockabout races are preceded by a
club luncheon and, afterwards, tea (read cocktails). In previous decades
hired men would ready the Knockabouts during lunch and would sail in on clue
and pick up their owners. Rather grand motorboats have always been a
tradition here and the resort's major domo keeps his  120-foot yacht
tethered to Club floats - adding a conspicuously weighty presence. The
Club's spiffy committee boat likely has no rival in New England.  Winter
Harbor is remote, tiny, beautiful and exclusive. They wish to keep it this
way. This is good. Peeking at other worlds is not without its adventure.

Centenary Knockabout races will be held this summer - one can assume a bit
of a show.

NOTE: The author crews of Knockabout #3.  He tip-toes to and from the dock,
scarcely daring to breath. (But, ahhh, the re-telling !!)








-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.l16.org/pipermail/l16-usa/attachments/20060303/e3bcd549/attachment.htm