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<TITLE>Maine Luders - Report from the Provinces</TITLE>
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<P><B><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">FROM MOUNT DESERT ISLAND, =
MAINE</FONT></B>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">The Provincial Luders. A =
Report.</FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">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. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">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.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">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.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">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.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">The agenda included the =
following:</FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">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.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">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.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">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.)</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">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. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">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.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">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.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">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.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">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).</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">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. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">NOTE: Those with Luders for sale =
might contact this secretary.</FONT>
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