It is currently a quiet time in the local Star Fleet, though it is the season for warm water regattas in sunnier climes. An amazing number of regattas occur over the winter, all of which are fully reported on the ISCYRA web site, www.starclass.org.
Plans for the local Star season have begun. The Black Star Regatta will take place on the weekend of April 28-29. The organizing committee had its first meeting on January 26. We are looking for more Fleet members to participate in the planning phase of the regatta this year. Please call BSR Chairman Sherwood Smith, if you’d like to help: 866-8567. We meet every few weeks prior to the event, and the food and drinks at the meetings are first class.
We anticipate a full, weekly racing schedule again this year, as Norm Smit has planned. This will begin the Monday of the week following the BSR, and run through August. Weekend events are also scheduled. Hopefully we can get 20+ boats out every week.
Last summer, the antique hoist at West Bay was condemned by L&I, and removed, which has put a serious crimp in our launch and retrieve capability. We rented a crane and did the haul out in one day, instead of three, last October. We anticipate doing a one-day launch with a rental crane again this spring, so it is not too soon to start preparing your boat for launching, even in February.
Speaking of which, please contact Bill Brosius soon, to schedule your bottom job, and whatever else you might need, in his shop, so that you are ready for launch day. Bill will be spending part of February in Hawai’i, so call him soon to book your slot. The antifouling properties of the paint are fully effective, even if the interval between painting and launch is 60 days, so there is no problem if you paint early.
The SSSS Meeting on February 14th will feature a presentation by myself and Bill, all about Alcor, his 1932 wooden Star. Its past history, the story and photos of the restoration, will accompany an illustrated narration of the “old goats in old boats:” Alcor in the Bedford Pitcher and Star Centennial regattas last September in Westport, CT and Larchmont, NY. Hope to see you there!
Sherwood Smith, Upstart, Star 6660