Latitude 38 July 2012
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Latitude 38 Latitude VOLUME 421 July 2012 WE GO WHERE THE WIND BLOWS JULY 2012 JULY VOLUME 421 MASTER MARINERS REGATTA — Memorial Day weekend is always a special time of remembrance and family get-togethers, and, for the members of Light, Alma and others turned out this regatta: “It showed that there is still life the Master Mariners Benevolent Associa- year, all in fine form. in the old boats and the crews that race tion, a much-anticipated opportunity to The mix of yachts entering the re- them. Even though the boats are classics strut their stuff across San Francisco gatta changes a little each year, often and their crews are somewhat similar depending on whether — and, of course gentlemanly — when boatyard projects are Bright Star, Elizabeth Muir and Pursuit completed in time. After rounded the Southampton mark, the years spent on a res- competitive surge was still on display as toration, being able to the distance between them was not more compete in the regatta than 4 feet. The yells and calls for room is a sweet payoff for an were all in good spirits. It was a day of owner’s countless hours of labor. Sometimes the more competitive crews get Conditions were near- a surprise. I overheard perfect for these one second-place winner say he was astonished heavily built beauties. he hadn’t placed first because he hadn't real- ized how far ahead one great fun, particularly in watching the ALL PHOTOS LATITUDE / ANDY EXCEPT AS NOTED EXCEPT ANDY / LATITUDE PHOTOS ALL of his competitors had magnificentPursuit race again and out- Seen here crashing through the chop off Crissy stayed the entire race. C’est la vie. point the fleet.” Field, the 108-year-old yawl 'Vixen' was this Peter competed in Master Mariners year's T-shirt cover girl. during the ‘80s on his gaff schooner Bay. Within the fleet’s largest class, Taurua. Back in the early ‘60s he knew After this year’s regatta, on May 26, Marconi 1 (nine boats), Tim Murison’s Babe Lamerdin, who built Elizabeth Muir all the skippers I spoke with were happy Island Clipper Bolero took top honors. Below: A bevy of Bird Boats run across the just to have been racing their boats on Tim’s been racing in the Master Mari- Central Bay. Inset: Class winner 'Sunda' leads that gorgeous day regardless of the out- ners since 1984, apart from taking some 'Credit' to the Blackaller jibe mark. come — even those who had equipment breaks when he spent time in the South- failures and other glitches. The revival ern California classic yacht circuit. Tim of the Master Mariners Regatta in the enjoys the fact that Master Mariners is mid-1960s was intended to create a eye- a group of “like-minded people that take popping parade of beautiful classics, and pride in their boats.” For him this race it remains so to this day. illustrates that “you don’t have to have Conditions were near-perfect for an overpriced racing machine to have these heavily built beauties, with 20-25 fun sailing on the Bay.” At times there knots of breeze on much of the course was more wind than his boat generally — enough power to move many boats at likes, but it made up for the parts when hull speed with all their canvas flying. the wind was light. Of the 52 starters, 50 finished. Pursuit, the striking M-class sloop Seeing the region’s wide variety of that had the final start at 1:05, won graceful schooners is always a highlight the Dead-Eye perpetual trophy for best of the event — Elizabeth Muir, Brigadoon, elapsed time of a Marconi over 30-ft Freda B, Santana, Bluenose, Yankee, Gas LOD. Ron MacAnnan has owned this 82-ft thoroughbred for more than 50 With similar rigs and paint jobs, the scow schooner 'Gas Light' (to leeward) and gaff years, living on her for the first 30 until he retired and moved ashore. At 86 years P schooner 'Freda B' reach to the finish. V young, Ron says he’s still a crayi slave to his boat, working on / it six and a half days a week. PRO In fact, he was recaulking M/ Pursuit’s deck when I caught CO up with him several days M. after the race. Sadly, the big sloop’s 10’5” draft prevented Ron from bringing her to PRINTROO the awards party raft-up at Encinal YC. Peter Haywood of the 48-ft McInnis schooner Elizabeth Muir summed up this year’s CHRIS RAY/WWW. STRUTTIN' THEIR STUFF along with John Linderman. He crewed been successfully restored up north. with Lamerdin on the Olin Stephens- He’d gone to see her. She was built in designed 55-ft yawl Santana during the 1923 for the commodore of the San time she was owned by Wally Nichols. Diego Yacht Club, George Gay, who In contrast to the large M-1 class, was Rogers’ great-grandfather. Marconi 2 ended up being the smallest class (two starters) because several boats didn’t make it to the starting line, and The Bird boats and Bear boats another had to drop out. Bob Rogers’ 35- keep going strong, with Curlew tak- ft sloop Sunda sailed a good race regard- ing first place among the Birds and less, winning first place and the Aloha Chance taking first among the Bears. perpetual. At the awards party Bob was These designs both date back to the tickled to tell me that the R-Class sloop early 20th century, and both were Aloha — the trophy’s namesake — has created specifically for San Fran- cisco Bay condi- tions. (Birds will celebrate their 90th Due to electrical problems the Commodore's birthday later this boat, 'Aïda' didn't make her start. But she ran summer and Bears the course anyway — unofficially. will celebrate their dar each year, and has a great course. 80th.) Asked about Chance’s win this year, For Glenn Tres- Glenn said his tight crew gave him an er, who’s owned advantage with quick spinnaker sets and raced his Bear and take-downs. That was a far cry from Chance continu- Chance’s past, when she endured life ously for 40 years, as a mastless ferry boat on Lake Tahoe the Master Mariners with a four-cylinder engine installed. Her Regatta is one of darkest hour was when she sank as the the highlights of the result of an engine fire. But Jens Hansen fleet’s racing calen- bought her from the insurance company for $25 and did a major restoration in Redwood City before Glenn bought her. He’d crewed on Magic previously. The smaller boat Marconi classes, 3 and 4, both had good turnouts and some fine sailing. The San Francisco Sea Scouts’ 30-ft whaleboat Viking won M-3, with Linda and Steve Kibler’s 31-ft yawl Vixen taking the Homeward Bound perpetual. Steve said he got a wonderful lift around the North Tower of the Golden Gate Bridge and was able to lay the line from Little Harding to Blackaller, where there was “big wind.” They'd never had their 108-year-old beauty going so fast before. “The run down the Cityfront with the tides was spectacular. It was exciting to see that many boats out, but I wish there’d been more.” In M-4, Ted Hoppe’s 28-ft Nichols Buccaneer Black Jack won first place, with Keith Dunlop and Steven Mavromi- halis’ Feather Class sloop Eos taking the Lyle Galloway perpetual. But probably no one in M-4 was happier to be out racing than Victor Early. He’d spent four years restoring his bright-hulled, 25-ft Pacific Clipper Olive, and this was his first MMR. “I had a great crew and we kept her going fast,” he said. “It’s good that the regatta is just once a year, as it puts a lot of stress on the boat, but it’s July, 2012 • Latitude 38 • Page 81 MASTER MARINERS REGATTA — really fun going through the Slot!” Victor is the current commodore of the Encinal YC, which has generously hosted the racing her in the regatta was nice and some younger crew. “There were great awards party for years. “old fashioned, like a train on railroad boats out there and it was good to have In the Ocean class, the regatta saw tracks.” Bluenose in the race,” Terry added. the return of the 33-ft Sparkman & Ste- The 40-ft Chappelle-designed gaff phens speedster Spirit. George Kiskad- schooner Bluenose was brought back don’s family had owned Spirit until his There were three Gaff classes. Terry to the Bay Area last year by Dennis father sold it forty years ago to Pete Klaus’ 88-year-old L. Francis Herreshoff Peitso. He and several other MMBA Sutter. Since then, Spirit has had several schooner Brigadoon won Gaff 1 as well members were dock neighbors in the changes of ownership, and was sailed as the Billiken perpetual. Remarkably, Berkeley Marina a couple of decades far and wide — in the Caribbean, on the it was Terry’s 35th consecutive MMBA ago. Many members also spent time in East Coast, and elsewhere. Knowing how regatta. “It was a good sail, with good the Sea Scouts when they were young. little headroom Spirit has, I asked about weather. We hit 10.7 knots off Alcatraz!” Terry Klaus is one of that group, as is the comfort factor: “There’s full standing The crew of Brigadoon has been together Mike Proudfoot.