Fifth Annual Good Old Boat Regatta

Sponsored by Good Old Boat Magazine
Hosted by Shearwater Sailing Club

October 2 & 9, 2004
Annapolis, MD

Race Results ›

2004 Good Old Boat Regatta Report

Bigger, Better But Changes Coming...
by Don Frye

Judy Sensenbrenner, aboard her class-winning Tartan 37, Reflections, ponders some distant company before the start.

With 94 entries this year (up from 21 in 2000), this year's race, sponsored by Good Old Boat Magazine and Heritage Marine Insurance and hosted by Shearwater Sailing Club, brought a lot of old faces back plus some outstanding new ones.

One was Jim Graham who moved to Annapolis two weeks earlier with his 1964 Columbia 5.5 Meter, Cheater. After repairing some shipping damage, he flew his old crew from San Francisco and won the second week's Full Keel Class by over seven minutes.

Steve Van Pelt's 1972 Pearson 39 RSVP at the start of race day #2.

And if there had been a trophy for an entrant traveling the longest distance, Brit Malcolm Hill would have taken it easily. After crossing the big pond and arriving in Annapolis a week earlier, Malcolm heard about the GOBR and entered his 1970 Parker 53 ketch, Sun Dancer. Unfortunately, the light breezes weren't enough to make Sun Dancer's 45 tons dance so he dropped out after the first leg. He did, however, lead the way to the party.

But two week's of light air didn't dampen anyone's fun. New classes entered, such as the Tartan 34Cs and Alberg 30s. Other classes added more entries, such as the Tartan 30s which boasted nine boats this year. And many races became more competitive, such as the Catalina 27s whose five entries all finished the second race within 90 seconds.

Then There Were The Parties...

Jim Graham's gorgeous 1964 Columbia 5.5 Meter taking first place in the Full Keel Handicap Class. The crew on the lee rail shows how light the air was.

GOBR parties have become a tradition and as much of an attraction as the races. Hosted, again, by Shearwater's Cindi and Bob Gibson at their home on Mill Creek, it was another good old blast. Music was provided by Cal 29 owners, Alfred and Bebe Poor, on mandolin and bass, accompanied by GOBR co-founder, Charlie Husar on guitar, bass, and beer can. Charlie's improving on the latter through his extensive search for the can with the best tonal quality. Snacks were provided by Herr's, Inc. through staff member and Cal 29 owner, Les Hester. And everybody pitched in with the cooking, serving, and clean-up. There's a sense of community at these parties unlike any other sailboat racing parties.

And the trophy presentations were a hoot, as usual. Every time a Cal owner received a trophy, up went the chant, "Cals rule! Cals rule!" But when it happened after the announcement that Ed Poe and his Cal 29, Capricious, had won the Good Old Boat Magazine Perpetual Trophy for the second year in a row, the Tartans rose up with, "Tartans rule! Cals drool!" Only at a GOBR party.

Big Changes for Next Year

Mike Lehmkuhl's Pearson 39, Troubadour, looking for a breeze before the start.

After a straw poll among entries at the parties, Shearwater Sailing Club decided to combine the two Saturday events into a single weekend next year. The date selected is October 8-9, Columbus Day weekend. The feeling is that out-of-town racers can anchor off of the party site and have the holiday Monday to sail home and, possibly, visit the Annapolis Sailboat show. And, yes, there will be a party and trophy presentation on both Saturday and Sunday night.

Most of all, after four years and eight hard fought, competitive races, the Good Old Boat Regattas are protest-free. Can this be sailboat racing?

Now for the biggie...

Brit Malcolm Hill's Palmer 53 Swan Dancer crosses the starting line one week after crossing the Atlantic. But the day's light air wasn't enough to drive her 45 tons around the course.

Everybody wants to keep the party at the present site but it's getting overrun. So, in order to keep things manageable, entries will be limited nest year to the first 80 received! That means get your entry in early if you want to be sure to enjoy what has become the most enjoyable gathering for old boats in Annapolis.

A really tense GOBR race committee ponders: "Where, oh where are we going to send them today?" before the start of Race #2.

Ed Poe (yellow hat) and his Cal 29, Capricious, on the way to winning the Good Old Boat Magazine Perpetual Trophy for the second year in a row.

Back To Top

Race Results

Saturday, October 2, 2004

  • Cal 25
    1. Solataire, Bill Natter
    2. Chicken Little, Charlie Husar
    3. Ronin, Peter Sheils/ John Woodridge
  • Cal 29
    1. Christina, John Hills
  • Catalina 27
    1. Makani Kai II, Todd Casey
    2. Red Rum, Carl Engel
  • Finn Keel Handicapped
    1. Diamond in the Rough, Jim Mumper
    2. Checkmate, Bob Gibson
    3. Delphinius, Bob DeYoung
  • Full Keel Handicapped
    1. Tern, Rick Bacon
    2. Pelago, Eric and Jackie White
    3. Tangaroa, Todd Taylor
  • Pearson 30
    1. Adventure, Pat Nolan
  • S2, 9,2
    1. Bay Retriever, Kevin Sherwood
  • Tartan 30
    1. Miranda, G and C Gottschalk
    2. Celeste, Bernard Asphago
    3. Windrift, Robert Whitehurst
  • Tartan 34C
    1. Lady Meadow, C. and S. Gladding
    2. Temujin, George Colligan
  • Tartan 37
    1. Reflections, Lyle Sensenbrennar
    2. Maighdean Meara, Rick O'Donnell

Saturday, October 9, 2004

  • Alberg 30
    1. Skybird, Rolph Townsend
    2. Argo, T.C. Williams
  • Cal 25
    1. Chicken Little, Charlie Husar
    2. Solitaire, Bill Natter
    3. Quintet, Mike Miller
  • Cal 29
    1. Capricious, Ed Poe
    2. Pentaquod, Alfred Poor
  • Catalina 27
    1. Makani Kai II, Todd Casey
    2. Katitude, Donna Powers/Jeff Sanger
  • Fin Keel Handicapped
    1. Checkmate, Bob Gibson
    2. Diamond in the Rough, Jim Mumper
    3. Elusive, John Littrell
    4. Delphinius, Bob De Young
  • Full Keel Handicapped
    1. Cheater, Jim Graham
    2. Willow, Michael Brassert
    3. Tern, Rick Bacon
    4. Too Tuna, Mike Cahall
  • Pearson 30
    1. Saint Somewhere, D. Hagler/ J. Elwood
  • S2, 9.2
    1. Bay Retriever, Kevin Sherwood
  • Tartan 30
    1. Miranda, Gene & Cyndi Gottschalk
    2. Mya, Rob Gleeson
    3. Windrift, Robert Whitehurst
  • Tartan 34C
    1. Temujin, George Colligan
    2. Loon, Barry Smoger
  • Tartan 37
    1. Reflections, Judy Sensenbrenner
    2. Pelican, Dan Garner
  • Triton
    1. Overdraft, Dave Hoyt
    2. Sandpiper, Dan Lawrence

Good Old Boat Regatta Overall Awards

  • Best Performing CBYRA Racing Boat: Capricious, Cal 29, Ed Poe
  • Best Performing Non-Racing Boat: Temujin, Tartan 34C, George Colligan
  • Good Old Boat Magazine Perpetual Trophy: Capricious, Cal 29, Ed Poe
  • Oldest Competing Boat: Teleia, 1953 Bounty II (Rhodes 41), Goldwin Smith