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<TITLE>Maine Luders - In Martha's Wake</TITLE>
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<P><B><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">REPORT FROM THE PROVINCES - The =
Mount Desert Island, Maine, Luders Fleet</FONT></B>
</P>
<P><B><U><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">The Seal Harbor =
Regatta</FONT></U></B>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">14 August 2003</FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Preface: While it may seem =
self-serving for this Secretary to report an event in which he won first =
place, nevertheless, it is nice - on a larger front - to give an account =
of a Luders event to show that the class is very much alive (& =
revived) in New England.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Course: Baker's Island green can =
- circumscribing the two Cranberry islands (both of which maintain year =
around communities) , Sutton's (optional) and Baker's - the latter which =
lies in open sea. A long course by local standards and characterized by =
strong currents from both Somes Sound and Frenchman's Bay.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Silver: O'Brien Cup - lst won by =
Nelson Rockefeller in 1949.</FONT>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2 =
FACE="Arial">1st &=
nbsp; Ondine =
Luders, =
MDI-32 &=
nbsp; &n=
bsp; Sturgis Haskins, skipper, Ann =
Waldron, owner</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 =
FACE="Arial">2nd &=
nbsp; Phantom International =
OD  =
; =
Avery Bourke</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 =
FACE="Arial">3rd &=
nbsp; =
Gull &nb=
sp; Northeast Hbr. A-class, # =
50 Andy =
Pew</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 =
FACE="Arial">4th &=
nbsp; Sea Biscuit Luders, =
MDI-29 &=
nbsp; &n=
bsp; Bill Eacho</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 =
FACE="Arial">5th &=
nbsp; Chinquapin Luders, =
NEH-16 &=
nbsp; &n=
bsp; Jane Zirnkilton</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 =
FACE="Arial">6th &=
nbsp; Voodoo =
Luders, =
NEH-30 &=
nbsp; &n=
bsp; Folger, Fraley</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 =
FACE="Arial">7th &=
nbsp; Red Hot Luders, =
MDI-33 &=
nbsp; &n=
bsp; David Schoeder</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 =
FACE="Arial">8th &=
nbsp; Julie =
J Luders, =
NEH-7 &n=
bsp; &nb=
sp; Fred Ford</FONT>
</P>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Bullseyes, Mercurys and two Beetlecats =
raced different courses and were competing for other cups. It was =
noteworthy, too, that this occasion marked the first time this season =
that the Ford and Zirnkilton Luders have raced. Both boats, it is =
believed, have been in their respective families since launching in =
1946. Jane Zirnkilton, at the helm of her Chinquapin for the first =
time in 16 years, was national women's sailing champion in the =
1950's.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Comments: It would be hard to =
imagine a more beautiful - or pristine - setting than that =
accorded by these waters. The many mountains and hills on this =
beautiful island could not have been shown to greater advantage than =
this prospect afforded today. One could not, of course, give =
an accurate description of these vistas without giving prominent =
mention, too, of the handsome summer homes which dot the shoreline =
- including those of the Rockefeller and Ford families as well as that =
of Martha Stewart - the latter perched high on a ridge =
overlooking Seal Harbor (the former Edsel Ford estate, Skylands). =
Most certainly, a grandly unique setting - much appreciated by those =
privileged to experience it. Off Baker's Island an enormous =
schooner, flying a British flag, which seemed to be about 125-feet =
long, swept by on a new wind, later to zoom past the fleet again as it =
entered the Eastern Way off the entrance to Seal Harbor. Slightly to =
windward, it was a grand sight against the headlands of Mount =
Desert. As Ondine neared the finish line, Martha Stewart motored =
by in her cream-colored Hinckley boat - which, to her credit, she =
usually pilots herself. Even the finish line was notable by the =
two very handsome vintage Bunker and Ellis motorboats on station - the =
local equilivant of the venerable Rolls Royces.. The diminutive =
Seal Harbor Yacht Club, which had earlier furnished a nice noon lunch, =
is itself an architectural gem - built in 1912 from the board of =
the noted architect Duncan Candler. This, surely, was a day to =
remember and savor. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Today is the Northeast Harbor Fleet's =
annual Hayward Cup regatta - which will not feature many Luders due to =
the fussy requirement that all boats must have a club member =
aboard. Ondine, ever resourceful, snatched a youthful innocent to =
meet this rule. Tomorrow is the Little Cranberry Island =
regatta and the weekly Luders series race follows on Friday. On =
Wednesday, Bob Wallstrom, the ranking Luders historian, will speak at =
the MDI Community Sailing Center, in SWH, on the history of the Luders =
Marine Construction Company. This is a pot-luck and slides will be =
shown. It is expected, too, that the owners of one or two Luders 24's =
(larger versions of the Luders 16's) will be present.</FONT></P>
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