Nov. 29, 2008 — With one of the Cowhorns built decades ago still racing, the Coral Bay Yacht Club Saturday honored the person who started it all.
Longtime St. John resident Augie Holland received the Coral Bay Thanksgiving Regatta's Steve Dawes Spirit of the Regatta award for spearheading the effort that eventually saw nine boats built on Coral Bay's beach.
"It was accidental," Holland said after receiving the award. He started building a boat, but soon there was so much interest he built a mold so he could share the design with others.
The Cowhorn still in use started its life as Gallette. It's now named Callabreeze and owned by St. John resident John Constanzo, who continues to sail the boat out of Coral Bay Harbor.
The folks attending the post-race party at Skinny Legs Bar and Restaurant raised their glasses in memory of Dan McClung, who died recently. With his wife, Marla, McClung owned C4th, a Coral Bay company that manufactures embroidered hats and shirts. They were long-time supporters of the regatta.
"We'll miss him," said master of ceremonies Dave Dostall.
A total of 18 boats raced in Friday's single-handed regatta, with 27 participating in Saturday's crewed race. This year the race committee changed the format for Saturday's race. Instead of racing by classes, the boats raced pursuit style, with the boats starting at different times based on a handicap determined by the race committee.
"We took the results from the last five years," said Dick Burks, who co-chairs the race committee.
The first boat across the finish was the winner, but the committee also gave awards based on boat size.
When the last sail was furled, Osprey, a Luders 44 owned by Larry Best and Lee Stanciauskas of St. John, won in the PHRF class. Best said he got new-to-the-boat sails from Osprey's St. Croix-based sister ship, Frolic, which gave him the edge.
"They were perfect sails on a perfect day," Best said.
He and his crew have raced in the Thanksgiving Regatta about 16 times, and every time he's had Nelson Uzell as his grinder Best said. He gave credit to all his crew, but particularly Uzell for his hard work.
Many of the boats participated in the Thanksgiving Regatta for years, including some whose original owners are long dead, but the event saw a few new entries. St. John resident Brion Morrisette sailed his new Bequia-built 18-foot wooden double ender on Friday, but shortly after Saturday's start the mast broke.
"There was wood rot up by the halyard," he said.
St. John resident Marie Naisby captained a crew of three aboard of the Kids and the Sea boats, an Ensign 23 called Thetes, to a first place finish in the under-30-foot class.
"We had a wonderful crew and we got along well," she said.
Here's a wrap-up of the results. (No times are listed for Saturday's results because it was a pursuit race.):
Friday's results
Single handed under 30 feet
1. Zing — 1:50:30
2. Silmarillon — 2:16:46
3. Zephyr — 2:23.35
Single handed 30 to 40 feet
1. Dream Time — 2:01:40
2. Mystic — 2:02:29
3. Cloud Nine — 2:24:21
Single handed over 40 feet
1. Mangele — 2:49:10
Gaffers 35 feet and under
1. Sweet Ting — 2:27:04
2. Callabreeze — 3:10:27
3. Buxom — 3:32:36
Gaffers over 35 feet
1. Ushuaia — 2:55:27
2. Tamar — 3:03:50
3. Breath — 3:12:50
Saturday's results
Under 30 feet
1. Thetes
2. Online Vacations
3. Yellow Menace
30 to 40 feet
1. Ocean Wave
2. Dream Time
3. Mystic
Over 40 feet
1. Levana
2. Shamwari
Traditional under 40
1. Elinor Louise
2. Tamar
3. Callabreeze
Traditional over 40
1. Breath
2. Liberty
3. Ushuhaia
PHRF
1. Osprey
2. Top Gun
3. Zing
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