12 Wayfarers enjoy challenging River Race and help set attendance record!

The annual 12-mile Down-the-Chester River Race from Chestertown's Chester River Yacht & Country Club to the Rock Hall YC (see course chart above) is usually something a little different. In 2007, it was a lot different. Despite the fact that the majority of our 12-boat Wayfarer contingent took almost five hours to complete this year's race in patchy, mostly light winds, our guys all enjoyed this unique racing experience.


The oddities began early as we arrived to a boat parking lot (above) that was mostly under water due to an exceptionally high spring tide. The above photos were taken about 40 minutes after high tide.


John de Boer (above) and Tony Krauss who had launched the previous afternoon, arrived to find their boats tied to a submerged dock - an interesting and novel experience.


Even the CRYCC's main dock went under, and if you looked from the right angle (above), you got some real Jesus walking on water impressions! But the tide was going out fast, and by the time we had all paid our $5. entry fee and listened to a 1015 hrs competitors' briefing, the docks and parking lot were dry land once more.


Another unique experience awaited us. We were about to get our first view of the fabled Chesapeake Bay Log Canoe (above) in action.  As the 1100 hrs start time drew near, many found it challenging to make good the 100 yards or so involved in getting from the launch ramp to the start line off the main CRYCC dock. With only a patchy 5 knots or so of breeze blowing more or less straight down the river and a serious tide to fight, it was not easy work. Not surprisingly, the first start attempt resulted in a general recall as numerous sailors misjudged the strength of the current rushing them downwind towards the line. A second attempt was aborted when the one-minute signal went at the two-minute mark. Third time was, indeed, lucky, though I suspect that Race Officer, Chip Lieber, was (wisely!) not too strict when he sighted the line.

Marc and I got off to a good start near the pin end where Marc was more sanguine about our chances of getting a consistent breeze. Up went the chute and we gybed towards the left side of the river where the ripples seemed promising.


And the wind actually held for 5 to 10 minutes, long enough for us to admire the majestic log canoe as it rolled effortlessly through our lee (above). Shortly thereafter, Marc and I decided to cut the first corner somewhat, figuring that the favourable current would be stronger in mid-river. Alas, the wind soon faded for us, and Frank and Sarah Pedersen (and, I seem to recall, Jim and Linda Heffernan) who had hugged the left shore, moved out into the Wayfarer lead. There was lots of interesting manoeuvering as gusts occasionally came in from in front throughout the race. The trick was trying to figure out whether we would get the wind from in front of us or behind us. I do know that Marc and I raised and lowered our spinnaker at least ten times.

Ultimately, staying safely away from both shores in breezes that frequently came from the side paid off for us, as we got steadier winds and moved back into the Wayfarer lead. In fact, we got so blessed with wind, that by mid-race, Nick and Julie Seraphinoff's distinctive pink spinnaker was the last sign of Wayfarers to fade out of sight astern. Still, we had lots of boats to speed test with: an A-Cat or two, the pair of Comets, the Vanguard and the last of the Chesapeake 20's. With their higher masts seeming to pick up a stronger breeze above the tree line, we found ourselves totally outgunned by the 20's this year, after giving them all they could handle in previous years.

In the last quarter of the Chester River part of the race, we got into a fine race with Wick Dudley and Andy Wood in their red Comets as a strengthening westerly breeze let us sail a close reach on starboard. The latter had more zest for living on the edge than the ultra-conservative SHADES team, and amazingly got better pressure right in under the trees. But this was one time where we would not go up there to get our share of the better breeze, As Al noted to Marc: "They can only put their head under the guillotine so often, before it gets chopped off." Finally the Comets did hit one or two juicy dead spots under the trees and we edged past them once more.

As we neared Nichols Point where we would turn west into what wind there was for a quarter-mile beat to the finish, we felt a new strategy was called for: now that the trees had ended, replaced by the low scrub off the point, the shore no longer needed to be avoided. Indeed, last year, with the wind from the same direction, we had gotten a nice funneling effect, not to mention a nice starboard lift as we hugged that point. Besides which, it was now getting close to 1500 hrs and the rising tide would be starting to flow against us, a handicap that could be lessened by sailing in shallower waters.

So we tacked onto port, just nicely cleared Wick coming along on starboard, and headed inshore where we got to tack a few times in oscillating shifts. More importantly, I think we got better pressure and ended up beating Wick by nearly two minutes, albeit not a huge distance since the winds were getting set - like Uncle Al - to have an afternoon nap. A few more boats dragged themselves wearily across the line: Geoff Becker in his Vanguard, Dan Litten in his Hobie 16, Chris Bolton in his Hobie 20 (only two seconds after Dan!), Sterling Mehny in his A-Cat, and Andy Wood in the other Comet. And then - nothing! The horizon was ominously blank.

As we let the tide carry us towards the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, a.k.a. the Dark 'n Stormies at the Rock Hall YC bar, we felt truly sorry for the boats who were now apparently trying to fight the incoming tide and had no wind with which to do that. But give them full marks, 15 of them, including 10 Wayfarers, toughed it out, and nearly 40 minutes later, John and Dolores de Boer ghosted across the line as the 2nd Wayfarer, followed some six minutes later by Nick Seraphinoff with his daughter, Julie.

And it wasn't until nearly 10 minutes later that Allen Chauvenet crossed the line in his lovely wooden Windmill Beauty & the Beast, something we Wayfarers took a special interest in since there had been a lot of good-natured banter the previous afternoon between Allen and us Wayfarers. Allen was finally going to get to sail a River Race with a top-notch crew, and was determined to finally show us that the Windmill - as their Portsmouth number of 89.5 versus 91.7 for the W suggests - is indeed the faster boat. Alas, as Allen explains in his lovely email below, the demonstration will need to wait until we meet in another River Race:


Mike Murto and Dave Hepting of Lake Eustis, FL sailed to a fine Wayfarer 4th, edging out North Carolina's Jim and Linda Heffernan. who in turn were followed by a pair of Maryland Wayfarers: Tony Krauss with Mary Abel (6th) and Frank Pedersen with daughter, Sarah representing the Rock Hall YC. Ottawa's Lori Beehler and Jason Hassard gave a good account of themselves in their first Chester River Race, placing 8th. The final three Wayfarers to finish provided the RC with some doubtlessly much needed excitement as Mike Anspach and Paul McVey crossed as mere 6 seconds ahead of fellow Michiganders, Bob Frick and Peter Every, both over 80 years old, who in turn edged Jim Lingeman by a mere one second. Jim finished his race solo, after his pick-up crew, Riley Lieber (9), decided that the maximum two and a half hours of racing his dad, RHYC Commodore, Chip Lieber, had promised him were up. Riley made his escape on one of the passing safety boats.

Ottawa's Andy Douma and Joan got a tough row to hoe in this their Wayfarer debut and eventually accepted a tow, but not until they had given it a good shot. Perhaps, having heard us drool about Dark 'n Stormies, Andy and Joan just couldn't stay away from the bar any longer. Also in the ranks of the nine unfinished among the record 46 entries, was Virginia's Wayfarer 2526, Bill Harkins, a regular participant in the annual Wayfarer cruising rally, who on this day sailed in his Sailing Canoe. He, too, was quick to refresh himself on this by now hot afternoon, with a couple of Dark 'n Stormies.

Thanks to Chip Lieber, our Race Officer, and especially to those who manned the finish line for hour after hour. You gave us a challenging and eminently enjoyable day of sailing. See you at next year's River Race!!