For additional information contact:  Lin McCarthy, (757) 850-4225
Southern Bay Racing News You Can Use   #479
SBRNYCU is an independent weekly publication of southern Chesapeake Bay racing happenings. Founded in April, 2000.
 
Remember your Sweetie!  VALENTINE'S DAY  is this coming Sunday, Feb. 14th.  Gifts for race boats are appropriate!
 
They are out of court (for now) and on the water - BMW Oracle (Golden Gate Yacht Club) vs  Alinghi (Societe Nautique de Geneve).  America's Cup racing was to begin in the wee hours this morning, but there was a "lack of wind" delay.  Gary Jobson and Randy Smyth have the call on the race for viewers ofwww.ESPN360.com  The best of three races duel is taking place live from Valencia, Spain - Race 1 on Monday, Feb. 8th at 3:45 a.m. ET.  Race 2 on Wednesday, Feb. 10th at 3:45 a.m ET,  and -- if necessary -- Race 3 on Friday, Feb. 12th, at 3:45 a.m. ET.  If your high speed Internet connection is with an affiliated service provider, chances are you'll be able to watch.
Another online viewing option:  The event website for the 33rd America's Cup will provide live onlinecoverage with Peter Montgomery, Andy Green, and Cam Lewis commentating for the official Host Broadcaster. -http://www.americascup.com   You can most likely see it here too.
 
The first J/24 is entered in SOUTHERN BAY RACE WEEK.  Alan Bomar, roundabout,  is leading the J/24 charge to a one-design fleet for SBRW 2010.    PHRF A  stalwarts, Sledd Shelhorse's Farr 36, Meridian 2,David Eberwine's J/36 Sea Star, and the Leroi Lissenden/Scott Birch Tripp 38, Voodoo 2 are ready to go, too.  For info and entry forms for SBRW 2010, check out www.blacksealcup.com or call (757) 850-4225.
 
A grand dame of southern Bay race courses, Pearson 37, Battlewagon, previously owned and raced by John Hanna, has been given a "face lift" by her current owner, Paul Cross.  With the "nip & tuck" has come a paint job - she'll keep the same color, but take a new name.  Look for her as GRAY EAGLE on the race course.
 
It's a FACT:   You must have a 2010 PHRF certificate to race in the PHRF class.  PHRF of the Chesapeakeissues the valid PHRF ratings for southern Bay racers.  PHRF says, "Applications may be sent to PHRF by dialing the automatic Fax machine at 410-414-3270, however No valid certificates will be issued until handicapper review is complete (allow up to 4 weeks) and the required  [PHRF] fees have been received.       Electronic (via e-mail) submissions of applications will not be accepted.   If you still need help with the form, call 410-414-3270, or contact your area handicapper.  If the information on the application form is not complete, it will delay issuing you a valid rating certificate."  For info and forms, go to  www.phrfchesbay.com   Get your 2010 rating certificate now, before the PHRF handicappers get swamped.
 
NORFOLK REBEL could use some assistance!  The famous sailing tugantine, Norfolk Rebel, had to be towed home from Baltimore because the engine died just before the 2009 Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race.   Owner Steve Briggs, one of Lane Brigg’s four sons, is in hopes of having the engine rebuilt in time for Harborfest - June 11-13.  Engines are expensive, so friends are trying to help out by raising some funds. Checks can be made to Friends of the Norfolk Rebel, and sent to 1501 Bayville St., Norfolk, Va. 23503.  Any donation is a gift, and purely that, and is not tax deductible.  For information please contact BB Schenk at (757) 587-4968.   [ NOTE: Part of Lane Brigg's extensive legacy to the Chesapeake Bay was the creation of the annual Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race. A fixture on the Bay and in the GCBSR, Lane's tugatine, the Norfolk Rebel, has long been considered a piece of "living history" on the Chesapeake.]
 
Randy Smyth, who has teamed up with Gary Jobson for the ESPN360  America's Cup presentation, is no stranger to southern Bay racers in general and to multihull racers in particular.  Randy has more racing awards than Carter had Little Liver Pills, but he  made a special impression on beachcat sailors when he won the Worrel 1000  5 times and set the course record of 75 hours.  The Worrel 1000, back in the day, was a non-stop 2-man catamaran race from Ft Lauderdale to Virginia Beach, a distance of 1000 miles.  One pundit described the Worrel 1000 as a "... Race for Iron Men on Glass Boats", or words to that effect.   A few years before it's demise, the Worrel 1000 had gained international popularity and had changed to a format of nighttime stopovers as the boats hip-hopped up the Atlantic coast.  Randy is the perfect multihull expert to have on the AC coverage; it  was Randy who advised Dennis Conner on the quirks of multihulls when he skippered the 60' catamaran Stars and Stripes  to victory in the 1988 AC.
 
Laser Racers:  While Sunday racing was snowed out at both ends of the Bay (Willoughby to Annapolis), the more thoughtful of the Laser tribe took matters into their own hands.  Len Guenther (FBYC/Alexandria VA) is in Florida as one of  60+ sailors competing in the Laser Masters Midwinters. Master (more than 35 years old)  Len will sail in three regattas over the  course of "Laser Masters Week" in sunny Florida.  The Masters Midwinters East is supposed to finish today; then, comes the Masters Midweek Madness, followed by the Florida Masters.  Now, that's getting your money's worth!
 
Moth Boat Midwinter Championship:  It's a dirty job, but someone had to do it - go to sunny Gulfport, Florida, on Boca Ciega Bay (north of St. Petersburg) and race Classic Moths.   Mark Saunders (Seaford, VA), Joe Bousquet(Norfolk), and Walt Collins (Chesapeake, VA) took on the chore and represented all the southern Bay racers who were stuck at home defending the fort against all manner of attack from Mother Nature.  Mark,  Joe, and Walt finished 3rd, 4th, and 5th respectively in the 15 boat fleet.  There was no sailing on Saturday, 30 knots of wind and 3 foot waves, but Gulfport (FL) YC organizers got in 7 races on Sunday, although, 6 boats did not finish a race.
 
TIFFANY YACHTS boatyard, a well know, 80+ year old establishment near Wicomico Church at Glebe Point, suffered a major fire Tuesday, February 4, 2010.  Over 100 firefighters responded.  No one was injured fighting the fire, but damage is extensive.  For details  go to  www.rrecord.com/vid-2-4-10_boatyard-fire  to read the article by Starke Jett and see the photographs.  In his article, Jett writes that "Randy Cockrell [ founder Tiffany Cockrell's son] said the buildings were insured and the company will rebuild. “We’ll get back in business as soon as we can,” he said.   [SBRNYCU reader Jerry Latell sends this report.] Tiffany Yachts is well known on the east coast and beyond as a builder of highly customized, one-of-a-kind yachts up to 80 feet long.
 
The 2010 Southern Bay Racing Schedule includes a plethora of  "races for good causes".  Race in one - you'll feel good!
May 22         Hampton Roads Hospice Regatta  -  for the support of HR hospice organizations
June 26       Executive Cup - for the support of the Christopher Newport University Sailing Foundation
July 10-11   Southern Chesapeake Bay Leukemia Regatta for support of  the Leukemia Foundation
Aug 7           Albemarle Hospice Regatta for support of  Albemarle Sound area hospice organizations
Oct 9-10     Turkey Shoot Hospice Regatta for support of Northern Neck (Virginia) hospice organizations
 
MURPHY RACING SEMINAR 2010 - "Rules Around the Race Course"  is filling up fast.   Register now - bye-mail, send your name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address to  mcbear@earthlink.net   Put MURPHY RACING-2010 on the subject line.  OR,  phone (757) 850-4225. Saturday, February 20, 2010, 9am-3:30pm  at Norfolk Yacht & Country Club.     .  A view especially  from the racers' perspective on the race course - learn what  you can do,  when  you can do it,  and to whom!    Sharpen up your tactics and strategy - master the game.  Twelve (12) days and counting.
 
Match Racing Opportunity - Open to All: The inaugural  TIDES CUP MATCH RACING 2010 event is open for entries.  The 2010 event will run over the weekend of May 1-2, 2010, on J24’s with main, jib and spinnaker for crews of four.  Guaranteed two days of fun, exciting racing, umpired by ISAF umpires, and the event will be an ISAF graded event so you can get yourselfstarted on the ISAF match race ranking list.  The entry fee is $250 per team.   Newcomers to match racing will be most welcome and the organizers will include a free match race training day prior to the event.   This is the first year of what is expected to become a significant event on the US Match Racing calendar.  This is your chance to get involved from the very start!  The 2010 event is limited to four teams.  Please contact  Arabella Denvir at Premier Sailing    Tel: 804 438 9300 Email:  info@premiersailing.   Get your best buds together and get in on this!
 
MURPHY'S LAW:  Yrs Truly, the Racing Beagle,  is having visions of dog-paddling around the boat while waiting for the wind to fill in at the start.  These visions are brought on as the Murphster stares at the screen  showing the America's Cup boats under the postpone while they wait for the wind to arrive.  Some truths really are universal. (Report filed by Murphy, the Racing beagle, from an undisclosed location.)   /S/  Murphy the Racing Beagle, the sailing spirit in us all.
 
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SOUTHERN BAY RACING NEWS YOU CAN USE,  Lin McCarthy, Editor