Issue 31 : Jul/Aug 2003
The founders/editors of Good Old Boat magazine have absolutely nothing against racing. In fact, Jerry Powlas figures he’s been in more than 900 races. Nonetheless Good Old Boat is an unlikely sponsor of racing events. This magazine is about cruising. About modifications to cruising boats. About maintaining cruising boats. It’s about enjoying good old cruising boats. Everybody knows that.
The problem is that some of the good old cruising boats were designed as cruiser/racers. Others were more like racer/cruisers. They served beautifully in these dual capacities. To this day, some people still choose to race them. From the beginning of this magazine, we chose not to say much about racing. It was an “editorial decision” based, we thought, on logic.
It started in Annapolis
We ignored racing until, that is, a serious race series for good old boats was organized in Annapolis, and they called it the Good Old Boat Regatta. It was for “boats of some maturity,” they said . . . those with hulls designed before 1975. It was hard to ignore the fact that the owners of Tritons, Cals, Catalinas, Bristols, Pearsons, Tartans, Columbias, and other good old boats were out there racing for the pure joy of finding others with whom to compare their sailing skills. Besides, they were using our name. The concept and a whole lot of hard work organizing the series came first. Our sponsorship came later . . . after we’d discovered what they were up to.
They’ve been up to a whole lot in the Chesapeake Bay with the Good Old Boat Regatta. It’s going into its fourth season this fall with races on October 4 and 11. Participation has grown mightily, primarily because the older designs were being excluded from other racing events on Chesapeake Bay. The owners of these boats created their own race, dang it, and have been having a great time ever since.
Classic series was next
Once we were onboard with the Good Old Boat Regatta in Annapolis, we began hearing from folks on Lake Michigan, on the West Coast, and in the New England states wanting to start similar race series. It seems there is an untapped need for good old racing opportunities for good old boats. For our own sakes, we had to make it clear that we may sponsor the events — which involves a small outlay of cash and publicity help in the magazine and on our website — but we don’t do the organizational work. We can’t. It’s all we can do to get six issues of this magazine out.
But another group of sailors was undeterred by this news, and a classic fiberglass series will begin this fall in conjunction with a classic wooden boat racing series. This regatta is called the Heritage Classic Regatta Series for Good Old Boats. We admit that’s a mouthful. (Perhaps we can shorten that to the HCRSGOB. Or perhaps not.) This series of fun races will include fiberglass sailboats designed before 1978. Four weekends are set for the 2003 inaugural series of races.
It begins with a race on September 6 in eastern Long Island Sound as part of the Governor’s Cup. Next is a race on September 13 in New York Harbor as part of the ongoing Mayor’s Cup. The following weekend features a race on Gardiner’s Bay as a part of the Greenport Classic Yacht Regatta there September 20. And it winds up on September 27 and 28 on Fisher’s Island Sound with races in conjunction with the Race Rock Regatta.
All in fun
As the Annapolis regatta organizers have already learned, this one will grow over the next several years as the word gets out and skippers emerge from the series unscathed and wearing broad grins. As with the Annapolis series, the Heritage Classic welcomes skippers who are new to racing. They have chosen to level the playing field for all participants by eliminating spinnakers. And while the race will be conducted in a professional manner, they are promising a no-fuss fun time for all involved.
Thank you to Sailrite Enterprises, Inc., for providing free access to back issues of Good Old Boat through intellectual property rights. Sailrite.com
