FINALLY the wonderful San Diego wind and weather is upon us! I know we still have “June gloom” to look forward to, but the last few weeks have been heavenly.
As I write, our 117th Opening Day celebration has not yet come about, however I can only imagine the usual GREAT event and beautiful vessels to tour. I do hope that the PC fleet will be well represented and that one of our beautiful vessels will win the coveted PC Trophy.
Thanks to our Fleet Captain, Vance Gustafson and fleet member Dave Grundies, I received wonderful detailed accounts of the March One Design Races. Let me remind you all, that I very much appreciate when members and friends help me “write” the monthly article. Your comments, observations and efforts are refreshing and I encourage you all to submit (or wear the editor’s visor!) to help all monthly articles come to fruition. Please feel free to contact me with a phrase, sentence, paragraph or entire monthly submission. Other writers make our fleet article more interesting and I welcome the aid. That being said, our friends Gustafson and Grundies offered the following report:
Eight boats limped out to start the first race. As we have seen many times before, the winds (on this BEAUTIFUL SUNDAY) grew into near gale force making the second race and entry back into the club a terrific event enjoyed by all. The way Vance tells it, Jade’s sole pieces were about floating bye the time they reached the Harbor Patrol dock. My guess is that Joe Jessop would have been laughing and proud of Vance’s decision NOT to ease the main, in order to stem the flow or’ the toe rail!
The results of the first three places were hull numbers 14, 18 and 21. It is refreshing to see that vessel #14 is still doing so well with George Lindley and Geeves Kenny at the helm now. First owner, Robert Scripps, would be proud to know that! A warm welcome to two new fleet members. Gary Gould, who recently became a co-owner of #14. Friend and new SDYC member, Bennett Greenwald, continues to offer a fine showing with the proven winner, #18 and, of course, the “new kids on the block” Bud Caldwell and Pete Peckham always surprise us with an occasional attack to show well. Other boats in the fray were hull #’s 40, 66, 44, 72 and 9 in that order. Another warm welcome to Bruce Nelson, who recently became co-owner or #40. I am told that a guy by the name of Conner was out there to join in the fun, as well. I want all readers to know that, as a fleet, we really appreciate it when “fresh blood” decides to spend a day out with the PC fleet and I offer a true and hardy thanks, to folks like Dennis and Chuck Skewes, Bruce Sutphan, Sandy Vissman, Artie Means, (delete Bruce Nelson here) Greg Stewart and other experienced (and winning!) sailors who occasionally join in the fray. It makes our regattas more interesting and challenging. I hope you will all continue to find time to sail with us.
I must offer a “special” thanks to fleet member Skip Hanson, who has graciously offered (unto the fleet) the use of his patterns for a PC crutch and tiller handle. Skip is making a sincere effort to organize any plans, patterns and casting ideas that he has paid for and used, and is generously offering them for use by the entire fleet. It is refreshing to know that he is willing to put so much effort and cost into making these things available to the PC Fleet. We owe Skip a vote of “Thanks!”... or at least a beer!
New fleet member, Frank Taliaferro, from SWYC, has already removed the stick from PUFF (#63) and is working on many changes and improvements to the vessel. I am still shocked that this nut case… I mean… new PC Fleet Member… is finding, yet, new innovative ways to make PUFF a better boat… but anyone who knows Frank and is familiar with his propensity to “screwing around with old things that make noise or have a tendency to fall apart", will understand. So, I too, look forward to learning what he has in mind, as to rigging and changes. Go for it, Frank!
While Cissy and I will be in France the last weeks of April and into the following month, I am hoping that DAWN (#16) will be due for a second Christening by the third week of May. If you have followed my writings over past year, you will know that our friend and club member (original owner of DAWN, in 1934), Scofield Bonnet, will be on hand at the launching to Christen and take the helm. Be assured that Cissy and I will notify the fleet as to when the launching will take place at Koehler’s.
Until then, I wish you all a great PC sailing season.
Rish Pavelec
PC #16 DAWN