Useppa Sandpiper Race

January 25, 2014

By Race Committee Chair Bob Stevens

We got lucky Saturday!  The breeze from the north was just right at the start, diminished a bit, but held on enough for a fun "race-around-the-Island"  to start the season.  It simply went away during the afternoon.

Six boats were on the water for the delayed start at 10:30.  The trip around the Island took the lead boat about an hour.  Charlie Chapin, with crew Kim Lockhart, sailed Buttercup with his usual wisdom, and won handily.

Charlie started on the beach side of the starting line, made a tight beat to North Point, where Buttercup's centerboard left a line in the sand in the shallows, and led the way around the west side of the Island.

Jay Taylor went too far north at the start, but made up considerable distance rounding the south end of the Island, and with his crew Ginny and Linda O'Connell, finished second, sailing the Millers boat, Seacat.

Walt Corbin, with Jim Doherty as crew and tactician in Osprey, made up a lot of distance after, too, going out to far at the start, and finished in third place.

The others sailing were Wiggy captained by Charles Shook with his wife Rhonda aboard, Amrita with Mike Albert at the helm and Dan O'Connell as his crew, and Cats-Up skippered by Suzy Trino and crewed by husband Vic.

Hamburgers and hot dogs, chips, cookies, and peach pie made for a delightful Bill’s Grille on the beach.  Kay Chapin, Amy Lockhart, and the Swigerts, with help from Rhonda Shook, provided the lunch.