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Neuse River Solo Regatta 2013
Singlehanders Allowed a Second Hand
October 7, 2013

T
he Neuse River Solo Regatta’s name might well serve as a simplified form of its rule book. The race is open to sailboats crewed by a sole person. Autopilots and self steering gear are not allowed. This year’s race featured a twist in the rules. Three of the 15 boats crossing this year’s finish line contained an item never seen in the event’s 30 year history – a second crew member.

Scott Blais skippered My Dog Bites, his S2 7.9, to overall victory in the 2013 Neuse River Solo regatta. He also won the Class C division. It was his first time racing the Solo. Presenting the trophy is Bob Luhrs of the Oriental Dinghy Club. Bob sailed the race in Cielo, his O’Day 272.

For the first 29 regattas, the Neuse River Solo has been solely a singlehander’s race. The rules state each competitor must sail their boat alone, without mechanical, electrical or electronic steering assistance. While the helm can be lashed in place, it must be tended by the skipper, not a steering device. This calls for considerable coordination and endurance.

It’s a rule that’s been adjusted for the effects of time.

The race is held by the Oriental Dinghy Club. At a meeting, race organizer Bob Luhrs says some members told him, “I’d like to do the race. But I’m getting too old to do it myself.” He says, “the club decided to accommodate those sailors who felt they needed a bit more help.” It added a new class to the regatta – the Double Handed division.

The new category allowed a vessel to race with two crewmen aboard. All the old rules applied but one new one was applied. The combined crew age had to total a minimum of 150 years.

Bob says, “the first month we only had one boat sign up”. By noon Saturday, 5 double handed crews showed up to race.

Wind. No Wind. Wind.

The Neuse River Solo operates under the PHRF (Performance Handicap Racing Fleet) rating system. This allows sailboats of all types – from heavy cruisers to lightweight trimarans – to compete together.

In Saturday’s race, boats with a high PHRF rating – considered slower vessels – crossed the starting line first. Bill Kirsch aboard the Ensign Zip crossed the staring line first. Faster boats had later starting times. Manfred Rott, aboard the Corsair F27 trimaran, took took to the course last.

Known as a pursuit race, competitors would converge at the finish line. The first across would be the winner.

This year’s race featured wind that came. Then went. Then returned.

Manfred Rott reacts to winning Class E. Two sailors competed in the division. Manfred aboard his Corsair F27 trimaran Vector and Henry Frazer aboard his Etchells Oriental Express.

Mark Weinheimer says, “it was not an easy day to be an early starter”. Mark’s San Juan 21 Deuce’s Wild was among the first racers to cross the starting line. During the first leg, as he was well along the course, he says, “a huge right shift hit”. The change in wind direction put him in an unfavorable position compared to boats that started behind him. Boats that started later in the fleet benefited from the new wind direction.

Mark Weiheimer and Deuce’s Wild won class A. He overcame a wind shift early in the race that put him at a disadvantage. Regarding the shift, and the race in general, he says, “Some days chicken. Some days feathers.”

Midway in to the race, first time Solo competitor Don Munn says, “the winds turned light”. Heavier boats, like Don’s “cruise prepped” Hunter 23, made little or no progress. Eric Lind aboard Lansa experienced the same drop in performance. Fifteen years ago, he sailed the Bristol 29.9 from San Francisco to North Carolina. During the calm spell, the cruising boat’s red sails offered little in the way of propulsion.

Lighter vessels and those with tall, light masts and large sails crept along. Henry Frazer, who has sailed in “all but about 2” of the past 30 Solo races, says the race turned into a “driftathon”.

Then the afternoon sea breeze kicked in.

Henry, who started the race second to last on his Etchells Oriental Express says, “that made a lot of boats to climb through.” He says he only missed, catching “one or two”, to finish third overall. One competitor reported sailing at over 6 knots.

The awards ceremony and post race party was hosted by Whitaker Pointe Marina. The afternoon breeze that sprang up in the later stages of the Solo race held through the gathering. Here, a cat boat sails within sight of the ceremony.
Mates and crew mates. Susan and Jamie King share a table with John Messer and Pat Thomaier. Earlier, John and Jamie raced in the Double Handed division aboard John’s Endeavor 33 Midnight Mary. To meet race requirements, their combined ages had be 150 years or older. Though the crew declined to reveal their individual ages, John says, “it’s 151-plus…almost 152.”

So what was the oldest combined age of crews that felt another hand would help?

Bob Luhrs says the oldest Double Handed crew was Art Tierny and Bill Arndt aboard the Bristol 35.5 Quixotic. Their combined age was 159 years. They won the new double handed division.

First Place Winners were:

Overall: Scott Blais on My Dog Bites
Class A: Mark Weinheimer on Deuce’s Wild
Class B: Bob Luhrs on Cielo
Class C: Jeff Tsai on Abacus
Class D: Scott Blais on My Dog Bites
Class E: Manfred Rott on Vector
Double Handed Class: Art Tierney and Bill Arndt on Quixotic

Committee boat: Jim and Sheila Flaherty, John Rahm
Chase boat: Paul Olson

For the overall Solo Division results, click here.

For results by finish order, click here.

For results by class, click here.

Posted Monday October 7, 2013 by Bernie Harberts


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