George & Greg:

Carolina Yacht Club Classic Boat Regatta, May 17th 2003, commerating the 150th anniversary of the club. Boats racing were supposed to be built 1970 or earlier. Seventeen boats raced together (no handicaps): one Laughing Gull, four Crown Points, four Moths (Oscar Grant, Randall Swan, George Bailey and Greg Duncan [Nancy Swan sailed third heat in Greg's Moth), one Windmill, one 18' Sharpie, one 27' Sharpie, two Fireballs, one Bluejay, one Jet 14 and one Snipe. The Windmill and the Snipe were not built prior to 1970 but were allowed to race due to the overall informal nature of the event. Three short triangular heats in 14-18 kts gusty coming off the island. Overall results: fourth: John Fragakis in the Windmill, third: Randall Swan in his moth (2,5,4), second: George Bailey in his Moth (1,4,3), first, the Snipe (3,2,1, not on registration list so do not know skipper's name). In the Moths, Oscar was DNF, Greg was third (3,3, Nancy 3), Randall was second (2,2,2) and George was first (1,1,1).

The day started off overcast and cool, with 18 kt. gusts and a light chop. By the time the races started (1:00 PM) it was sunny and down to 14 kts with occasional gusts higher. The starting line was off the pier. You could almost lay the weather mark if you started very close to the pier (where there was not much wind). Hence the choice was to get close and try to lay the mark or start farther down the line with better wind and have to tack. We all tried both, with mixed results. The first heat only Randall and George got right up on the line (Randall timing it better) and so led the fleet around the course. The second heat almost everyone tried to get in the same spot on the line by the pier which was interesting. The third heat the boats were spread out again at the start so Randall and George got in pretty good starting positions relative to the larger boats.

The club provided lunch and dinner. All competitors received a nice polo shirt, a club hat and a notebook with photos of all the boats that raced (taken before the races started, so that the notebooks could be prepared while we were racing). Everyone got the same set of photos so we all have photos of everyone else's boats as well as our own. Crews got notebooks as well as skippers, a very nice touch.

A large (27'?) sharpie remained on a trailer. It was beautiful. Looked like it never went in the water. It was brought down as part of the classic boat display.