 Gurganus One-Design
Regatta |
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| Sailors from across
North Carolina descended upon Blackbeard Sailing Club for a weekend of
sailboat racing and good times. Following breakfast and the
Competitors' Meeting Saturday morning, the Race Committee set a course
and did not change it the entire day. Seven classes of boats competed:
Club 420, Flying Scot, Isotope, San Juan 21, Sunfish, Thistle, and
Wayfarer. In champagne racing conditions on the beautiful Neuse River,
the Race Committee got in five races, which required 30 starting
sequences! The breeze was a steady 8-10 knots the entire day. The
competition was very keen, with bullets going to multiple sailors in
each fleet. After a long, but satisfying day on the water, the good
members of Blackbeard Sailing Club rolled out their legendary
hospitality, serving a tremendous meal of baked ziti, salad, garlic
bread and a number of desserts. Sunday morning, another tremendous breakfast was offered featuring Olwen's famous breakfast casserole and hearty bagels with all the fixin's. Out on the water, the Race Committee started the Isotope and Thistle fleets on time. However, just as the boats got off the wind shifted significantly. The race was abandoned, the course was quickly reset, and racing resumed. The breeze was oscillating more than the day before, testing the sailors' ability to stay in phase with the breeze. The sailors, I believe, were somewhat relieved when the Race Committee called it a regatta after two races on Sunday for a total of seven for the event. The sailors were greeted back on shore with a lunch of fried chicken, sandwiches and more desserts. The prize giving followed, closing out a tremendous weekend of camaraderie and sailboat racing. |
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.  Racing on Saturday. - larger image here  The regatta sported a very strong youth Club 420 fleet.  Flying Scots reaching to the finish line.  Wayfarers more Jerry Thompson photos |