Charleston Race Week, April 2010

Charleston Harbor is the site of many important historical naval battles, but most recently several of vacationing combatants were Mudheads and event was Charleston Race Week.  This year it was  warm, sunny, and windy days of great racing at this very well run event that keeps growing in popularity.  The sportboat classes keep getting bigger – this year the Viper, Melges 20 and 24 and J/80 classes totaled 95 boats.  The remaining 11 classes of J/24s, J/105s, IRC and several PHRF classes totaled 89 boats – something’s going on…

 

Mudheads seen at the sandy beach parties (where the Gosling’s freely flowed) included the likes of Bill Canning who sailed on a Mills 43 Cool Breeze that was second in IRC, Steve Stollman whose Primal Scream won the tightly contested PHRF B class, and Peter Rugg whose Jaded was 5th in the J/105 class.

 Most of the invading Mudheads in Charleston though were in the competitive 30 boat Viper fleet out on Circle One just off the historic old city.  Past Commodore Andy Stoddard together with Mike LaChance and Eric Irwin had Smiling Bob out there, though had some early season boat issues that held them back.  Click here for more details of Smiling Bob’s adventures. Art Shaw’s brand new Viper Redline got up to speed over the three days, ending up on Sunday with two 3rds and a 3rd for the day.  They ended up 17th for the regatta - a great first outing.   Rumor is that Art’s pretty happy with his new sportboat.  Neal (some-call-him-Steve) O’Connell was sailing with Ben Steinberg, a Viper from the Cape (Steve had 4 Vipers with Evolution sails from his Old Mystic loft out on the course).  Finally, Moise Solomon and Dave Nickerson’s Viper 3 Grins was second for the day on Friday, had an up and down Saturday, and won Sunday to finish up third for the regatta.  Well done !!!! George Atwood was their third crew – George can really hike when you promise him very cold beer.

 

Think about a little trip south next April – it’s a great event, an excellent cure for cabin fever, and you’ll likely see a several Mudhead friends.  If you are interested, the event site is http://www.charlestonraceweek.com , results are at http://www.yachtscoring.com/emenu.cfm, and some good coverage is on Sailing Anarchy at http://forums.sailinganarchy.com/index.php?showforum=63 .  Alsom, nice highlights video up from the regatta organizers at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iCMBFfwD2k .All photos by Meredith Block, except this one: