NBYC hosts Early Bird Regatta by Mark Kondracky

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Niantic Bay Yacht Club hosted the Early Bird Regatta on June 6.  The weather held, and 24 boats (two spinnaker and one canvas class) came out to play.  With winds out of the North east the Race committee did a great job setting up a windward leeward course of about 10 miles around Hatchet reef and white Rock.  The tide was flooding so the strategy was to head in to the shore for the first beat.  Euphoria made it to the windward mark ahead of Salude, another Pearson 30.  On the second beat Euphoria, who was sailing with only four crew elected to use her number two head sail.  As the breeze moderated Salude who was carrying a number one was able to motor past.  This great rivalry will be continued at Offsoundings, and throughout the season.  P.R.O. Harlen Frederickson indicated that it was a fun race to watch because tactics played a major role in the beats.  The current was tricky so the starting line had to be offset.  Harlen also indicated that this was the first year that the Arthur Meyers Jr. trophy was presented to the winner of Class two. The trophy is presented in memory of Art who passed away in 2002.  He was a past commodore of NBYC, and an avid racer. The winner was Sagacious owned by Bob Geary.  As always, Niantic Bay hosted a great party.

Class 1 - Spinnaker Bill Healy                  Niantic Bay             Sirprize       Sirena 38            1 Jerry Shea                Niantic Bay             Cup            J 105                  2 Bruce Cathcar           Mudhead                Gremlin      Tripp 36              3 Nicholas Amendola    Milford                   Maximus    Mumm 36            4 Ron Levine                Essex                    Hot Flash    Farr IMS 40         5 Bill Canning               Mason's Island       Wild Horses Mumm 30           DNC Tom Doyle               Thames                  Bagatelle      Kiss 44               DNC Class 2 - Spinnaker Bob Geary               Thames               Sagacious                Express 34                1 Reinhard Sarges       Shennecossett      Salud                       Pearson 30               2 Doug McDonald       Niantic Bay          Euphoria                  Pearson 30               3 Stu Craig                 Thames               Goombay Smash      J 30 HP                    4 John Tracy              Essex Corinthian   Cold Duck               J 30                         5 Mike O'Brien            Niantic Bay           Shamrock               Tartan 35                  6                       Class 3 - Non-Spinnaker Jim Scalise       Shennecossett         Santarella          Baltic 40       1 Sandy Lieber    Mudhead                 Petard              J 34C C        2 John Bourget    Niantic Bay              Illusion            C & C 30      3 Dave Kelly        Niantic Bay Mast     Transit II         J 27 HP         4 Bob Almieda     Niantic Bay               Piper Too      Tartan 34        5  Douglas Craig   Thames                    Bryan Station Catalina MKII  6 Hunt Foster       Niantic Bay              Fair Wind       Ranger 28       7 Art Carlson        Niantic Bay             Viking            C & C 35        8 Pete Spano         Niantic Bay             Copy King  Pearson 30        DNC            Ensign Ward Woodruff        Niantic Bay            Night Wind                     Ensign      1 John Brousseau        Niantic Bay             Grasshopper                  Ensign       2 Robin Durrschmidt   Niantic Bay             Magic                            Ensign      3 John Macina                                          Firebird                         Ensign      4 Gene Fiese               Shennecossett          Indeseas                       Ensign      DNC Rick Conley                                            Friendly Spirit               Ensign     DNC -------