Dear Friend of CHARIAD:

Sad to say, but I am thinking of the end of summer and end of the summer sailing season. This is our first cool week in New England.

There has been a funny exchange on Facebook as follow up to my previous note to the Friends. Since many of you will not see it on Facebook, here is gist of the exchange.

You will remember that my note to you was entitled CHARIAD School Bus Wins Last Race. This was the fun pursuit race hosted by the Eastern Yacht Club in Marblehead. My claim was that we had a moral victory over a superbly sailed professional crew called AFRICA that finished 1st .  With 14 friends of the crew on CHARIAD for a fun day on the water, we finished just behind AFRICA and beat the other 16 boats racing.

Apparently professional sailor, Bump Wilcox, who was on AFRICA, was not getting the free drinks to which he thought he was entitled. He posted a picture of the fist place trophy to prove he finished 1st in this casual race.

Here is my Facebook posting in response.

Professional sailor Bump Wilcox has posted a claim on Facebook that seems to be countering my message to the Friends of CHARIAD. Wilcox wrote “There seems to be some confusion as to who won the EYC pursuit race last Saturday”

My posting was entitled “CHARIAD School Bus Wins Last Race. … Out of 17 boats, CHARIAD finished “1st.” Well not quite 1st. The first boat to finish is owned by Jud Smith an Olympic Silver medalist and Rolex Yachtsman of the Year. We finished shortly after Jud’s boat. You can decide how you want to score our finish.”

Here is a picture of our “not quite 1st” trophy. What a treat to be sailing in Marblehead with such great sailors including Bump and Jud Smith. The “School Bus” is what the EYC Race Committed called CHARIAD because we were not in full race mode and had 14 friends of the crew on board. While the School Bus did not beat the  pros for the pursuit race, CHARIAD did beat all nine Class A boats and the ten Class B boats on the BYC overnight race to Provincetown. I know Bump will raise a toast to our success.

Potluck Pursuit 2nd place trophy for CHARIAD, Marblehead, MA

Hope you are well. Keep smiling.

Rick