I just read the July Mainsheet. When I finished reading the PC Fleet “Article”, I could not help but wonder why .I was not sailing #16, DAWN on a wonderful day like this? I also have to ask, “Why do I hurt everywhere and why did I spend most of the day at the yard working on the boat?? “ Bottom line is that she is not yet completed and we are running behind. When will I learn?? The end is near and I do, in fact, see the light at the end of the tunnel… but I am feeling the pains of not being able to push off of E dock and spend a lovely PC day on the water. I will be down at Koehler’s most of the week and find that each day makes me more and more anxious to have her completed so I can sail with the fleet again. To make matters worse, I am getting weekly calls from the real skipper, Sco Bonnet, asking me why the heck this project is taking so long!? Luckily, he is so enamored with my wife, Cissy, that he is cutting me some slack!
I have elected to have #16 documented, instead of wearing California Registration numbers. Learning the process was quite an education for me. In the process I am learning what equipment is mandatory for a PC. Of course, the State of California regs are different from the US. Coast Guard. What is “required for your boat, may not be required for the PC sitting next to you. I began to wonder how many of the fleet boats are carrying the proper equipment and supplies to keep their vessel within the law. Because all our boats have been around for so long and (I suspect) rarely experience a “visit” from the Harbor Patrol or Coast guard, I can only guess that many of us are a bit short of the requirements. I visited the Harbor Patrol and USCG offices and stumbled into club member John Benya, who is also a member of the USCG Auxillary. John was helpful and offered to spend some time with me on the phone ot try to explain the requirements. I will report back in my next article. We all need to remember that rules still apply to us, even though the PC Fleet is “special”!
Last, I will remind everyone that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the PC Fleet. I remember that #1, SCAMP, was so popular that a total of 9 boats were completed by 1932. The Kettenburg PC Trophy was won by Charles and Wally Springstead who cleaned up with #5, IMP, against Ed Depew’s #8, WINGS, Doug Giddings #10, WINDY, Joe Jessop and Ed Peterson’s #9, NI-NI-NIE and George Kettenburg Jr’s #1 SCAMP. By this time, the other 4 completed PC’s (#2, BLUE JACKET, #3, TIANA, #4 JEAN and #7, JADE) were in Hawaii. Those who know your PC history will remember that #6 was never assigned and the numbers jumped from 5 to 7, skipping over 6 entirely. Our present fleet of 30 boats is testament to how great our yachts are. The photo in this month’s article is of Robert Mann sailing #7 in Hawaii (1932). I found the club jib interesting.
With this I close the July PC Mainsheet article. We all look forward to the results of the PC Nationals. I will give a full report of the regatta in next month’s article and HOPEFULLY give report of member Scofield Bonnet’s boat, PC #16, sailing again!
Enjoy your summer. I am trying… but it isn’t easy so far!
Fair winds!
Rish and Cissy
PC #16, DAWN