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WEYC Does It Again

What a great weekend! With four windy races and with Mt Gay and RTW as sponsors (giving all entries the coveted MT Gay Red Racing Hat) The West End Yacht Club successfully held their 27th Sweethearts of the Caribbean (Schooners) and 23rd Classics of the Caribbean (designs over 30 years) at Sopers Hole, West End, Tortola on Feb. 12th and 13th.This weekend is always special but as we all become a little older (both yachts and captains) it moves up the scale in camaraderie.

Hosted by the Jolly Roger Restaurant, home of the WEYC, the weekend showed plenty of spunk in winds as well as partying.Saturday produced only some 12 – 15 knots while Sunday winds easily reached 25 knots with gusts even higher.Race Chairmen Dave Cooper, with Martin Van Houten, ran the registration on Friday night in addition to the races.END OF THE DAY, owned by Al Sousa & Mitzi McLean, was the Committee Boat out of Nanny Cay with Neil Bails, Mike & Di Kirk and Robin Pinfold comprising the Race Committee.

SNAP, a beautiful custom 1983 52’ Schooner from St John, won the “Spirit of the Sweethearts” Trophy – a new trophy this year dedicated to the memory of Fletcher Pitts, captain and owner of LIBERTY, a 1929 schooner from St John that has many past wins in this regatta as well as Foxy’s Wooden Boat Regatta on Memorial Day weekend. Fletcher died on Christmas Day 2004. In a most humble moment the crew of LIBERTY sailed the schooner over from St. John on Sunday afternoon where she dipped her gaff and fired a cannon in tribute to the West End Yacht Club and their dedication to classic yachts. We are all saddened by the loss of Fletcher, which is why there will be a perpetual trophy in his name for all future races.

Governor Tom Macan took the stand to report about the status of the Tortola Island Sloops. All funds from the regatta go towards the Restoration of Vigilant Fund.VIGILANT is the oldest Island Sloop in the Caribbean being built in East End, Tortola, in 1880, Geoff Brooks and Al Frasier, from the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College, were on hand to show off MOONBEAM, an Island Sloop that raced on Sunday and to tell about the Island Sloop Program.To the Committee’s delight Denise Georges, a USVI Park Ranger and organizer of the 14th Annual Folk Life Celebration on St. John, came over and participated as crew on Moonbeam. She reported having a great time.

Parties were held all three nights of the event with many local and visiting cruisers joining in the fun.The music was fantastic, as usual, with “MJ Blues”, “Cruise Control” and “T-Bird & the Sand Devils” playing for the delight of all.

 

Results were as follows –

Saturday the 12th –

27TH SWEETHEARTS OF THE CARIBBEAN – schooners only

1st- SNAP – Robbie Hoyt – St. John, USVI – WINNER OF THE “SPIRIT OF THE SCHOONERS” Award

SINGLE HANDED RACE – top 5 only

1st – HOTEL CALIFORNIA – Steve Schmidt – USA – 1:46:07

2nd – LYDIA – Charlie Haines – BVI – 2:17:45

3rd – AIR BISCUIT – James Buchanan – BVI – 2:21:23

4th – WINDSHIFT – Ralph Fette – USVI – 2:24:06

5TH – RUFFIAN – Dr. Marty Halpern – BVI – 2:46:08

 

Sunday the 13th – top 5 only

23RD CLASSICS REGATTA (designs 30 years and older)

1ST – LYDIA – Charlie Haines – BVI – 2:08:00

2nd – DIVA – Dr. Robin Tattersall – BVI – 2:08:20

3rd – RUFFIAN – Dr. Marty Halpern – BVI – 2:12:30

4th – WINDSHIFT – Ralph Fette – USVI – 2:14:39

5th – TIGER MARU – Tristan MacDonald – USVI – 2:17:41

 

CLASSICS WANNABE REGATTA (designs 20 – 29 years) top 5 only

1st – HOTEL CALIFORNIA – Steve Schmidt – USA –1:38:15

2nd – CONCHERER – Bill Guy – USVI – 1:40:53

3rd -BLACK PEARL – Mike Masters – BVI – 1:46:25

4th – KAHULI – Tracy Obert – BVI – 1:54:10

5th – WEMICUS – Harry Berfelz – BVI – 2:02:23

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