Thirteen Classic Moth Boats attended the first of what is hoped to become an annual "Meet in St. Pete". Since most of the boats are familiar to the reader of this newsletter, I shall only mention the two Moths "new" to the racing scene. Wilson Wright journeyed down from Tallahassee, Florida to race Tennis BRACELET, a 1940ish Moth which has more than a passing resemblance to the transom-bow Ventnor Moth of the same era. The second new boat was a newly constructed modified Stockholm Sprite, built by Joe Bousquet for Merv Wescoat. This boat appears to be a cross between Randall Swan's Energizer and Joe Bousquet's TRY-UMPH. Owing to her unfinished state, she did not compete. Menr hopes to have her fitted out and race worthy in time for the June Brigantine regatta.

We also welcomed a skipper new to Moth racing (but obviously not new to racing) in the person of Fred Martschink. Fred came down from Rockville, SC with Lewis Hay and wound up racing Erky Gregory's OL YELLOW when Erky proved too [II from the flu to race. I would also be remiss not to mention the fantastic job which Lewis has done in restoring his Harry Cates built Moth, Nr 1338, since I saw this boat at the Charleston regatta last August.

The presence of Classic Moths, racing at St. Petersburg YC for the first time in perhaps twenty-five years, provoked a fair amount of interest locally. A small piece about Moths appeared in the St. Pete Times a few days before the regatta (see below), and several Mothists from earlier eras dropped by the club to get a look at the boats and watch the racing. The Moth boat Alumni present included the 1940 Moth National Champion, Aleta Van Sant Spellmeyer, (she sailed STORMY, Nr 490, a soft chine Dorr Willey built boat); Charlie Morgan raced ALLEGRO and other Moths in the 1940s); Harriet Sturm (raced in the 19309); Earl Peterson (raced one of Doug Halsey's Moths in the 1960s); Harold Balcom (raced GREAT BEAA, Nr 123 in the 1930s & 40s). I'm certain I've missed several others as the viewing deck on the city pier seemed quite crowded when we were out on the course. I hope this activity will translate into getting boats, hiding In Florida garages, out on the race course where they belong.

The racing was conducted on a short triangle with an additional windward leg and a leeward finish. This had the advantage of permitting the next race to start immediately after the last boat crossed the finish line. Eight races were held; five on Saturday and three on Sunday. Winds were light and very shifty for the first three races on Saturday, with the winds filling In slightly for races 4 and 5. Sunday provided us with about 15 knots of breeze and lumpy three foot swells on Tampa bay.

The race committee comprised of Dave Ellis, Harriet Strom, and Bob Johnson did an outstanding job of settings marks, timing, recording, etc. The weather was fine. The natives were friendly. And while this year's regatta was a low maintenance lull in the SPYC racing calendar, we were apparently well behaved enough to be invited back next year for a club supported event. For the benefit of all of you who elected to stay home and freeze, it just doesn't get much better than racing your Moth Boat in January l My advice is to start thinking about next year, now Finally, Dave Ellis made a video of the racing. Copies are available from Dave at a cost of $20.00 each. You can call Dave at the St. Pete YC Sailing Center or e-mail him at <Spycspscl@aol.com>

The table below shows the absolute scores. Trophies were awarded for the first three in the under 55 age group and the first three in the 55 and above age group. In the under 55 group Joe Bousquet was first, Walt Collins was second and Fred Martschink was third. In the 55 and over group Randall Swan was first, Merv Wescoat was second and Joe Courter was third.

THE REMAINING CMBA Sailing Club: The first spring regatta of the '98 season, the Merrimac Regatta will take place on Saturday the 23rd of May, 1998. Contact Walt Collins for more details on(757) 366-0254. Those who have internet capabilities should visit the PSC's web site, which is accessible by hot link from our home page. Also, PSC race chairman Michael Heisner can be contacted via e-mail at <bf82mmk@bellatlantic.net>, for info about lodging, directions to the race venue, etc.

8th Annual Brigantine Classic Moth Boat Regatta: This one day regatta will take place on Saturday, the 20th of June. It appears that this year, after a gap of six years we may have a few Australian rigged "modern" Moths racing in addition to the Classic Moths. Yes, all you modern guys, I still have the trophies I bought in 1992 which none of you showed up to race for! I intend to cover the dates with duct tape and write 1998 on 'em! We will need to start earlier than In past years because the club house is reserved for en Optimist dinghy dinner. Registration will be from 8 to 9 AM, skipper's meeting at 9:30, first race at 10;00. We'll start the lest race no later than 2:30 in the afternoon so that we can get the barbecue going around 3 PM. For more Information, contact George Albraugh on (301) 484-0757.

Paquotank River Yacht Club Regatta: This CBYRA sanctioned event will be held In late June or early July. Contact Erky Gregory on (919) 385-4221 for the latest update.

Carolina Moth Boat Regatta: Once again this single day regatta will be held at the Carolina Yacht Club, down by the historic Charleston battery. The date of the regatta is Saturday the 22nd of August. The Charleston area Moth fleet is growing both in numbers and level of competition. For more information contact Randall Swan on(843) 884-0133.

Norfolk Yacht a Country Club Labor Day Regattas: This one day regatta will take place on the weekend of September 5th e 6th. Contact Walt Collins on(757) 386-0254 for more info.

10th Annual MOA/CYBA Classic Moth Boat Regatta: Contact Erky Gregory on (919) 335-4221. The 1998 regatta marks the 10th anniversary Of the Museum of the Albemarle's first attempt to "bring back the Moth boat". This two day event traditionally takes place on the third weekend of September. This year the third weekend falls on the 191h 8 20th. The festivities begin with the measuring of boats and sails on Friday followed by an evening of socializing and admiring boats as Mothists from up and down the Eastern seaboard gather in Erky and Alma Gregory's back yard. If you have not raced at Elizabeth City please consider it this year. In i 989 five boats competed. For the lOth anniversary I'd like to see fifty Moths on the Pasquotank At this year's regatta it is hoped that we can have a separate race for Vintage Moths in addition to the normal racing for Classic Moths. More details will be forthcoming on this development as they are firmed up.

And now, something for the modernists in the audience: Rod Mincher brought the following web sight to my attention. It is that of Andy Patterson's Bloodaxe Boats in Britain. <http://members.aol.com/~bloodaxelw/main.htm> For those unfamiliar with Mr. Peterson, he is the designer/builder of the "Axeman" series of Modern Moths. Andy also custom builds rudder blades and centerboards for various classes of racing sailboats. This site is well worth a visit.

One must go back the 1960s to find any record of Moth Boats in Hawaii. So it Is with pleasure that I report the construction of a modified Cates Florida Moth by Pete Dunn-Rankin in Honolulu. Pete contacted me after seeing our internet web site and ordered a set of Cates plans. After several e-mailings between Pete, myself and Walt Collins reconstruction got under way. Pete modified the plans so he could build the boat using stitch and glue techniques. The mast is a modified windsurfer stick. Pete had a local North Sail affiliate build his sail. After finishing the boat, Pete joined the CMBA as our western-most member and applied for hull Nr 51. Recently, Pete sent me a few photos of his boat. She has a slightly wider transom than the standard boat and an arc bottom rather than a vee aft of the CB trunk. All in all she looks like a great boat, but don't take my word for it. Soon (perhaps by now) Greg Allen will scan the photos into the picture gallery on the web site. Well done Peter For those who have e-mail, Pete can be contacted at the following URL: <pdrankln(BDlava.net>. Now, If we can just convince him to put he! into a container and ship her east for a regatta

For Sale: McCutcheon built Shelley Moth Nr 2996. Wood hull, good condition, high aspect rig with needlespar mast. Fittings removed from hull for painting, but complete. Could easily be rerigged as a Classic Moth or used as is. Asking $900.00 OBO. Contact Walt Collins on(757) 388-0254.

For Sale: Two high aspect (modern) Moth sails. Both are loose footed with full battens and 17 foot luffs. One Is a WALLIO in good condition, $75; the other Is a HOGSHlRE and is in falr condition, $40. Contact Walt Collin (Chesapeake, VA) on(757) 388-0254.

For Sale: Cates "Florlda" design Moth, plywood construction, painted green and white, Nr 2186; has long bow cutwater, "platform" type floorboard, aluminum daggerboard, wooden spars, and Rockhell sail.

Challenger Moth: missing rudder, and the deck stepped mast is broken in half. Otherwise complete. For more information on either of these boats contact Kristen Schmidt(Cherry Hill, NJ) on (609) 988-9350, or her father, Carl Schmidt (Millville, NJ) on (809) 327-1836. Carl may be interested in buying a mast for the Challenger. r

Wanted: Mast and boom suitable for a Classic Moth. Contact Gerald Carter, Jr., (Charleston, SC); phone: (843) 571-7818.

Wanted: Classic Moth sail in good condition. Contact Randall Stonay; (Mt. Pleasant, SC); phone: (843) 884-8627

 

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George Albaugh - albaugh@307.bhnrc.usda.gov