| River Race Chestertown to Rock Hall 10 June 2022 report by Paul Miller W971 |
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Right about the time
“Wrong Way” Corrigan was flying solo from New York to
Ireland (he claimed he was trying for California!) 84
years ago, a handful of small boats raced down the
Chester River from Chestertown to Rock Hall to
participate in the Rock Hall Regatta (for many years
there was also a return race). This year 34
various small boats, including four Wayfarers (our
fleet has been absent for a few years), made the 12
nautical mile trip down the river. Chestertown, MD is
a quaint, colonial small town filled with traditional
architecture, tree-lined streets and numerous great
places to eat. It is also home to the river front
Chester River Yacht and Country Club. The club has a
launch ramp, beach and hoist and enough dock space to
handle fifty or so small boats. The 43-mile Chester
River runs down to the Chesapeake Bay and with as many
switchbacks as a mountain road, it also has numerous
shallow spots, fish weirs and other uncharted
obstructions.
The Wayfarers included 971 with Dawn and Paul Miller from CT, 2428 with locals Ken Noble and Wendy Costa, 3854 with Uncle Al and Stacy Spaulding (from the MD-based Chesapeake Traditional Sailboat Association and whose partner, Ray Wiles, took great pictures with Al’s camera) and 11158 with sisters Peggy Mezies and Kathy Sanville from Michigan. According to Ken, 2428 was “an e-bay special” which lacked rigging for a kite, plus many other parts. Hopefully we can help him track those down and we will see him at more events! Thursday night the out-of-towners took advantage of the free camping at Rock Hall Yacht Club and pitched their tents near the swimming pool before heading off to crab dinners at Waterman’s. Friday morning started with a pleasant temperature and a light northwesterly (“down river” means roughly south) with the forecast of a slight building with some backing to the southwest. After a short skipper’s meeting in the shady waterfront pavilion, the boats jostled for the start on a line that spanned the river. Not wanting to be over early in the dying ebb, the Wayfarers held back, and the spinnakers didn’t start flying until a minute or so later. Uncle Al took an early lead that held for about a mile until the Millers, staying in deeper water with favorable current, nudged out to a 50-yard lead that they held for about six miles, until Peggy and Kathy, finding a bit more wind, took the lead.  In spite of us agreeing that this would be a leisurely, cruise-like affair, the boats closeness meant that concept was ignored! Meanwhile, the A-Class cats had done their expected horizon job and the Comets, Windmills, cats, Lasers and others were all around the Wayfarers. Gradually as the wind backed, it filled into a beam reach with about 12 knots and the Wayfarers even planed a bit, before the wind settled to the southwest and lightened down to 1-4 knots. Playing the shallows in the fitful wind, the Millers slowly crept up to 11158 and by ducking inside the last fish weir managed to grab the lead for the last half-mile to the finish at Rock Hall Yacht Club. Overall, the race was won by an A-Cat which was fast enough to get in before the flood started running, but the next three boats were all Wayfarers 971 (just 51 seconds behind the A-Cat after nearly four hours of racing), 11158 a minute later and 3854 a few minutes after that, showing yet again the great versatility of the Wayfarer design. 2428 finished 23rd of the 31 finishers. Uncle Al and Stacy were in the hunt until Al tripped and gashed his arm badly. Fortunately, after the race our vet tech student was able to patch him up with vet wrap and gauze, scratched him behind his ears and after some crab cakes sent him home to Julia. Later, while Peggy, Kathy, Dawn and Paul were relaxing on the club’s patio we heard numerous comments from other tables about the “Wayfarer domination” of the race! Point-to-Point races often provide more scenery and variation then round-the-buoys races, and this year’s Down River Race was no exception! No doubt, Wayfarers will be back to again for a leisurely cruise down the Chester River!
 Peggy Menzies with sister, Kathy Sanville, who did alas live up to their boat name's threat. |
