"The best things in life are little." (Anon.)
"The best things in life are little." (Anon.)
by Don Boyd
Tony McBride won the Canadian Championship on October 26 and 27 at the annual Frosty Fest staged by the Montreal fleet. Peter Kelly was second, and George Stedman third. All three are from the Montreal area. Toronto's Bob Stiff is this year's King of the B fleet.
Fourteen boats participated, enjoying a perfect weekend of 5-10KM breezes, sunny skies, and warm temps.
by Nat Philbrick
The skies were bluer than the eyes of a "Clapper" (Nantucket-speak for scallop) for the tenth annual running of the Scallop Cup. The winds were a little on the light side, but so what? No one got wet, the racing was tight and tactical, and the town of Nantucket was a vision of loveliness on this Indian Summer afternoon on a harbor thirty miles off the New England coast.
There were twelve Frosties on the line, with Scott McManus putting more than eleven points between himself and the competition. Brown University's Ross Weene nipped out John Field from the Big Apple by only a quarter of a point for second, while back a bit was the Father of Us All, Tom Leach. Tied with Tom for fourth was Paul Hull, who traveled all the way up from Annapolis with Deke Sheller and their respective wives. Also making appearances were Scallop Cup stalwarts Tracey Taylor-Eastman, Tim O'Keeffe and Ken Simpson. Several junior sailors from Nantucket Island Community Sailing took turns in the Philbrick Phamily Phleet, with Billy Fredericks, John Hayford, and Jennie Philbrick making the hometown folks proud, as did local ace Darren Legge in Speed Seed, who had to leave in mid-stream, so to speak, for a wedding.
For the first time in the long history of this historic event, Lasers were included, with six of the mammoth, Titanic-sized yachts sharing the harbor with their more diminutive brethren. Ian McNeice, former Figawi Folkhero, won easily, with local Laser Master Legend Neil Cocker in second and that Benedict Arnold, Peter Eastman, abandoning the Lilliputians so he could pretend to be a Goliath. Honestly folks, it was great to have the Lasers with us, and we look forward to having them sail with us in the future.
The Nantucket Yacht Club once again provided the venue. Special thanks to Alan Newhouse and Anne Marie Fredericks from Nantucket Island Community Sailing for providing crashboat assistance. Thanks to Ethan Philbrick for race committee help. The Philbrick house once again hosted the after-racing party (thanks, Melissa!) where, for the first time Perpetual Trophies were presented: a petrified scallop retrieved from the mountains of France by Tom and Marianne Philbrick (of the Cape Cod Philbricks) and a mahogany Laser Rudder provided by Laser sailor and carpenter Neil Foley. The tradition continues.
In short it was the best Scallop Cup ever, and we look forward to another decade, especially since Cynthia and Ken Simpson of Hesperus Pottery, Brewster, have graciously offered to provide keeper trophies for next year's regatta, to be sailed on October 15. There has also been a request by participants to reserve a block of rooms for next year. Eight rooms have been reserved under the name of "Scallop Cup" at the Jared Coffin House, only a few blocks from the water. You can have them for both Friday and Saturday nights or just Saturday (if that's what you want), but you must call the Jared Coffin House before March 15th; the number is (508) 228-2400. If you have any questions, call me at (508) 228-5216 (H) or 228-2505 (W).
See you on October 15th!
Scallop Cup Frosty results:
Place Competitor Points 1. Scott McManus, Waltham, MA 16.25 2. Ross Weene, Providence RI 11.00 3. John Field, New York NY 27.75 4. Tom Leach, Harwich, MA 40.00 5. Paul Hull, Salisbury, MD 40.00 6. Tracey Taylor-Eastman, Barnstable, MA 43.00 7. Tim O'Keeffe, Centerville, MA 46.00 8. NICS Green 49.00 9. Ken Simpson, Brewster, MA 53.75 10. Deke Sheller, Salisbury, MD 56.00 11. NICS Red 71.00 12. Darren Legge, Nantucket, MA 77.00
This year's Scallop Cup will be sailed on October 15, a week earlier than last year's regatta. Since hotel rooms are apt to be scarce then, eight rooms have been reserved under the name of "Scallop Cup" at the Jared Coffin House. If you would like a room for either Saturday night, October 15, or both Friday and Saturday nights, October 14 and 15, call the Jared Coffin House no later than March 15; the number is (508) 228-2400. If you have any questions, call Nat Philbrick at (508) 228-5216 (H) or 228-2505 (W).
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This year's battle for the world's most coveted plumbing fixture was won by the world's most experienced Frosty sailor, Tom Leach. With last year's winner, Jen Kano, sidelined by the flu, six sailors ventured out into Lewis Bay for the contest, together with an accompanying fleet of three DC-10's. The breeze was moderate and the sky was sunny, but the air was bone-chillingly cold. Frosty results were as follows:
Place Competitor Points 1. Tom Leach 7.5 2. Ross Weene 8.5 3. Don Stucke, Jr. 21.0 4. Sean Kelley 22.0 5. Dave Jost 29.0
by Steve Bailey
I would like to clear up some misconceptions regarding the self-rescuing Frosties, of which Fleet #9 has three.
The boats are constructed with a bulkhead athwartships at the front of the centerboard trunk. The mast/mast support tube must be sealed in order to maintain integrity of the resulting buoyant air space. Side tanks are constructed by torturing 1/8 inch ply to run from the chine to the inside of the gunwale, from the transom all the way to the forward tank. It's recommended to apply glass at the forward end of the side tanks to protect against damage from knees during those less-than-smooth tacks.
The self rescue sequence is as follows:
Questions, suggestions, etc., may be directed to me at 18 Tuck Road, Hampton, NH 03842, tel.(603) 926-0471.
Again Fleet #1's Tim O'Keeffe dominated a five race-day fall series. Heavy air followed the fleet to its various venues, even making Wychmere harbor a thriller. With one throwout allowed and 10 points awarded for a DNR, results were as follows:
Place Competitor Points 1. Tim O'Keeffe 3.00 2. Tom Leach 12.00 3. Tom Philbrick 16.00 4. Jen Kano 17.00 5. Gary Prahm 24.00 6. Neil Donovan 28.00 7. Marianne Philbrick 30.00 8. John Field 34.00 9. Tommy Leach 35.00 9. Scott McManus 35.00
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Attentive readers will note that for the first time in several years Frosty regattas are being sailed in something less than hurricanes. Let's hear it for the weather bureau!
All of Frostydom extends its congratulations to Manhattan sailor John Field on his recent marriage to Kris Bearse.
Cape Cod classical music station WFCC has gotten so desperate for local color that it has taken to dedicating any sea-related pieces to "those brave Frosty sailors."
Frosty sailors, brave or not, who are within striking distance of Newport, RI, should keep in mind the annual FRAC (Frostbite Regatta--All Classes) fracas to be sailed on March 15 at the Newport YC. For years Frosties have competed in the event, a chance to sail in the hallowed waters of America's yachting center and to see the other popular frostbite classes in action. Call Tom Leach for details.
The Frosty News extends its deepest apologies to those countless subscribers who maintain complete files of back issues and who may have been confused by the erroneous dating of our print fall issue. The masthead should have read as follows: October 1996. We are grateful to loyal and thorough reader Moose Cahoon for bringing this matter to our attention.
The Grand Designer cops the silver: Tom Leach and Jen Kano at last year's NAs. Ansel Cahoon photo.
[This concludes the series of interviews that the Frosty News conducted with the Father of All Frosties.]
News: What ideas do you have about tuning? You've been sailing these boats longer than anyone else.
TL: I still use a wooden mast. I think, if you search the lumber yards hard enough, you can find a wooden mast that's stiffer than the aluminum ones. The wood seems to get stiffer with age. And I like the way wooden masts bend when they do bend.
News: Do you play with the rake of your mast?
TL: I never change it.
News: Is there an ideal mast-rake angle?
TL: Ninety degrees from the plane of the hull, straight up and down. Originally I recommended a little bit of forward rake, thinking that the minute you torque up the vang, the mast is going to come straight. But now I think no rake is best.
News: What about heavy air? Any special techniques?
TL: One thing I've learned from Jen Kano is to foot off in choppy water. At last year's Hangover Bowl regatta at Hyannis she would take the course really wide--she must have sailed twice as far as I did on the windward legs and yet she'd beat me to the weather mark two out of three times. You can see the same thing at the North Americans--the winners don't pinch.
News: But you can pinch in smooth water, at Wychmere, say?
TL: At Wychmere it's so shifty that if you don't stay right on the wind, you can miss a huge lift that will take you right up to the mark. You can catch a tremendous veer, maybe, and you don't know why it's taking you up, but you're going to stick with it as long as it holds out. And the guy next to you will be sailing off to nowhere--I love it.
News: You generally tack by turning your body aft--why?
TL: I think there's less disruption of the boat that way. When you get up on your knees and turn forward, it's counter-productive from the point of view of the physics. It shifts your weight aft during the tack and makes the boat wobble.. I learned to tack by turning aft from Dal Dalglish.
News: Any other tips on boat-handling?
TL: Yeah--you've got to stand up every other race or sit on the gunwale or do something. Otherwise you're going to kill yourself--twenty years from now you'll be in a wheel chair unless you get your circulation started again.
News: Thanks for the interview, Tom. And there's no doubt that the National Association of Chiropractors thanks you too.
Cape Cod Frosty News
Copyright Cape Cod Frosty Class Association 1998 all rights reserved.
Editor: Tom Philbrick
Art Director: Jen Kano
Published biannually by the Cape Cod Frosty Class Association for the edification and amusement of its members, their families, and friends. Subscriptions to the paper edition are available through membership in the Class Association.