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<P><B><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">ANY NEWS ABOUT THE NEW ORLEANS FLEET?</FONT></B>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">As our national officers seems a mute lot, I wonder if anyone else might have news of the fate of the Southern Yacht Club Luders fleet?</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">We wish the survival of this old fleet and hope for the best. As I recall, they, together with Chicago, began in 1945 - though I am not certain about this.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Were our leaders not so disengaged (OOPS….) from their Luders newsgroup, we might had some preliminary information. (Rarely a peep on any front here.)</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Eventually, it would be nice - for our own information as, too, the historical annals - to have a boat by boat accounting of their fate. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Lunging on another tack, the Mount Desert Island and Frenchman's Bay fleets have given accounts of their August series and we await similar reports from Chicago and the West Coast. Could the series listing include boat names, sail numbers and skippers of all entrants? </FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Some of us were disappointed that the Frenchman's Bay fleet was not accorded fleet status. It is true only two Luders raced actively this season (in the local club's handicap class), but there are about 5 other Luders on the bay and another is en route from a distant State. Given the rather tenuous nature of the national organization, one should imagined they would have tilted toward the hopeful. In contrast, It is curious that Bermuda is allowed entry into the nationals (does anyone seriously believe this event should be labeled "international?"), presuming some official status. Likely this is because the owner of the Bermuda Luders had shipped it to Chicago several years ago where our quiescent national secretary is said to race it. The Bermuda fleet has, I am told, not raced in years. This entry is rather pushing the limits of credibility and, indeed, seems more padding than anything else. But I don't mind - though their seems a double standard.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">The national Luders class is, of course, fading ( cautiously I replaced "dying."). In light of the annual meeting's decision to deny Mount Desert Island the right to host the 60th anniversary nationals (where it was first held), we can see why the class is so moribund. This decision was not logical, it was spiteful. Mount Desert Island has not only the largest, most active fleet, it, together with its sister fleet, are the only ones actually getting larger. We in the provinces are quite aware that our nationals officers make little effort to remain in contact with these pages (which could be used to great advantage one would think.) The little annual parade between New Orleans and Chicago will continue each year (or so), but even that seems in doubt as the formers bout with Katrina remains uncertain. However, we wish everyone well and hope that the occasional noisy darts will keep them awake.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Tom Rolfes, Vice Fleet Captain, of the Mount Desert Island fleet has been hospitalized lately for triple by-pass surgery. We here owe him much for his considerable effort in bringing new additions to our fleet from Mississippi. His great house, Some View, has been a favored meeting place both for Luders meetings and that of Club post-race teas - and, indeed, this year's annual meeting for both groups. We wish him - and Ginny - well in the coming weeks. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Rumor that at least two races were held in the September series, but due to Tom's absence and that of several others (I was on the Isles of Shoals for a week), no more races will be held. (Though I am uncertain if that is true.) Luders remaining afloat will be participating - we hope! - in the annual International One-Design's Columbus Day weekend Trollphy Race. The winners received hideous prizes (An awful troll for the IOD's.). Different rules prevail for this event, the season's final, races. The leading boat cannot use a spinnaker (in a close downwind match, one can imagine the frequent hauling up and down of spinnakers as leads change) and only old sails can be used. All in great fun. An after-race pot-luck supper is held mid considerable frivolity.)</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Following my decision not to race on a regular basis next summer, Ondine has been sold by its owner, Ann Waldron. The new owner assures that she will compete on a regular basis. Her family owns one of the most extraordinary antique auto collections in the Country. Two Herreshoff Bullseyes, built for her family c1930, remain under family ownership to this day. We welcome the new owner to our ranks! </FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Cheers.</FONT>
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