45th Dixie Bull Regatta Concludes Successfully

Neither Mother Nature nor the spirit of the dread pirate Dixey Bull could spoil the 45th running of the Dixie Bull Regatta. Ten boats completed the 8-mile course around John’s Bay Aug. 24. The race is hosted by the Beaver Island Yacht Club.

As a moderate southwest wind filled in by race time, the race had a clean start at the 12:10 p.m. gun. The upwind leg to the Pemaquid bell buoy was somewhat tedious as the winds were a bit shifty, keeping the skippers and trimmers on their toes.

Those who tacked too soon around the bell lost ground as the wind did not cooperate for the close haul up to and around Thrumcap. It was there that the fluky winds made the downwind spinnaker leg very challenging.

Once out of the Thread of Life, however, the early finishers found a tad more wind, although a wind shift near the finish belied a smooth path to the finish line just outside Pemaquid Harbor. Unfortunately for the later finishers, the wind declined as the day progressed, making for some slow times for the later finishers.

Winning this year’s race was Paul Chase and crew in his son’s J24, Strega, in just under two hours, very closely followed by Jim and Annie Connell in their J30, Sans Serif. Hal Berry took third in his Christmas Cove 21, Follow Me, besting Tom Cusick and crew in his O’Day 28, Sea Breeze.

Fifth place went to Bob Rapp in his Etchells 30, followed by Dave Anderson in his O’Day Mariner Moon Racer. Art Jenkins, sailing his Cape Dory 19 Pegotty with his two young daughters, arrived in seventh place, followed by Tasha Salvo and crew in her Sabre 28 Maverick. Ninth place went to Ben Dover in Dossi, followed by Haywood Jabuzoff in Allie Ale.

Special mention should go to Fred Clifford, who livened up a fairly calm day by grounding out his 46-foot ketch Merrymeeting on the ledge near Pemaquid Beach. For that dubious distinction, Clifford graciously accepted the Disaster Bowl.

The finish line of the 45th Dixie Bull Regatta.

The yacht club is happy to announce that neither captain, crew, nor vessel sustained any physical damage. Some egos might be a bit bent out of shape, however. Nevertheless, Clifford faced his ignominy with aplomb.

Special thanks go to Kris and Lucy Martin, who again manned the committee boat and managed the start and finish.

As usual, Paul and Audrey Chase hosted the awards ceremony and cookout on the Jamestown lawn overlooking outer Pemaquid Harbor and John’s Bay. Commodore Mike Chase and brother-in-law Art Jenkins manned the barbecue grill and whipped up a mess of burgers and hot dogs.

That was accompanied by assorted dips, chips, deviled eggs, sandwiches, and other culinary delights. Numerous protests were written up, heard, and dispensed with at the ceremony.

For more information about the Beaver Island Yacht Club and the Dixie Bull Regatta, visit http://www.biyc.us or contact Treasurer Tom Wales at 677-3857 or twales@adelphia.net.