Cape Fear Yacht Club Oak Island, NC

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Provision Company

Stede Bonnet Regatta

October 29, 2011

This year's Stede Bonnet Regatta sponsored by the Provision Company and hosted by Paul and Maria was another tremendous success.

Last year there was no wind. This year we had eighteen knot winds and then some. We did not realize the wind would come with the coldest day lately as a package deal. However, the Pirate Wenches did not let that deter them from looking their absolute best. The guys were another ghastly story. There are some real ugly pirates out there.

Thirty-seven pirate vessels registered to race with six failing to start the race for various reasons only Pirates understand. The excuses ran from I got a Bloody Mary up my nose and missed the start while looking for a rum and coke to clear my head to I ran aground before the race started and couldn't get off even if I tried. Where is Tow Boat John when you need him? The beer is running low.

During the race, the mighty pirate crews managed to do just about one of every thing there is to do in a no holds barred free for all. The pirate vessel Corncake, Captained by Miles MacQueen, managed to get all tangled up in the line anchoring the starting line ball and drag it a hundred or so feet off course. Not to be out done by that little maneuver, Luna Sea, Captained by Jim Hardt of Raleigh decided to win fame and fortune by slamming into the Committee Boat, Flip Flop, broad side while tossing the Race Committee around like rag dolls. It was even more disastrous when we noticed John Boy Crawford lost his beer during the jousting about. It was fast becoming a hardship cruise.

Stiff currents, arctic blasting winds, barfing pirate crewmembers and Captains who lost their sense of direction all made for an interesting day on the water. The two largest pirate vessels, Sundance and Carolina Gale, both demonstrated how to run aground with no dignity to spare. It was ever so funny watching Carolina Gale, Captained by David Pryor trying to sneak by Old American Fish Company like nothing ever happened. We explained to Dave that a 52-foot pirate vessel does not do much sneaking. Sundance, Captained by Murray Seidel won the longest aground award returning to the pirate's lair about 8:30 PM. That adventure earned Murray and his crew free drinks for the night. Now that we think about it, that could have been a planned grounding. Paul and Maria are ever so generous a pirate couple.

One pirate vessel severed their mast during the Regatta, but in all the confusion, antics, fudging and sneaking, the Race Committee lost track of the vessel's name and Captain. He is still thanking us. The blame lies at the feet of none other than John Boy Crawford. Did you expect otherwise?

The awards ceremony went something like this:

Only seven pirate vessels completed the eleven (11) mile course under sail. No others finished the complete course.

Racing Class

First Place - Lucky Stumbler - Scott Kaseman

Second Place - Fat Bottom Girl - Jamie Deale

Third Place - Jive - Claude McKernan

Cruising Class (Spinnaker)

First Place - Short Pants - Ricky Evans (Flew the only spinnaker, mostly sideways for 3-5 minutes)

Second Place - Kellie - Ed Pierce

Third Place - Stray Cat - John Bates (Smallest vessel to finish)

Other Significant Awards

Auxiliary Double Boob Award - Yacht Basin Eatery - Special award (slightly gnawed on pizza) presented by Paul and Maria for the piggyback ride on the Stede Bonnet Regatta by the Yacht Basin Eatery Stede Bonnet Pirate Wench contest.

Double Boob Award - Luna Sea - Jim Hardt - A pirate can't broad side the Race Committee Boat and not expect to receive special recognition. Jim and his pirate crew were great sports.

Since there are only six awards and seven vessels finishing the Regatta, Paul and Maria decided that all finishing under sail deserved an award. Therefore, Lucky Tiger II, Captained by Ed Schrum, was awarded a case of beer for finishing the Regatta in true pirate form. Totally out of beer, thirsty and non-repentant.

Begin planning now to return next year for the 2012 Stede Bonnet Regatta. It will be another new adventure all over again.

Race Committee:

John Crawford

Bob Griffith

Kelley Griffith

Woody Wilson

Dave Weigel - Captain of Flip Flop

Safety Boat:

Ian Davidson

Dan O"meara - Captain of Moon Beam

The October 31, 2009, Stede Bonnet Regatta sponsored by Maria and Paul of the Provisions Company was a total pirate success. John Boy Crawford, Jerry Gable and I acted somewhat like a Race Committee on "Wayfarer". There were 34 sailing pirate vessels entered with 8 die hard pirates finishing the Regatta under sail. Scott Kaseman and crew on "Lucky "Stumbler" finished second in the non-spinnaker class for our best finish. Ed Schrum and his "Lucky Tiger" crew finished fourth in the Spinnaker Class under sail, but no cigar. Last seen Ed had a pirate wench in tow headed back to his trusty pirate vessel. Bob Griffith and his Kelly Allen pirate crew lost steerage before their start time and had to withdraw and accept a tow back to their slip. The real story was rumored to be they had already run out rum and had to replenish stocks, plus Bob was caught last year using his engine so he knew we had his number. The party and band at Provisions was great fun and the food was better than most pirates deserve.

SPINNAKER CLASS:

First Place -- Nugget ---- Capt. Bob Cowan ---- Wrightsville Beach Ocean Racing Association

Second Place -- Mr Dog ---- Capt Jamie Deale ---- Southport Sail & Boat Club

Third Place -- Sundance ---- Capt Murray Seidel -- Wrightsville Beach Ocean Racing Association

NON-SPINNAKER CLASS:

First Place -- Jive --- Capt Claude McKernan ---- Bald Head Island

Second Place -- Lucky Stumbler - Capt Scott Kaseman - Cape Fear Yacht Club

Third Place -- Blue Water Melody - Capt Steve Fogerty -- unaffiliated

Double Boob Award (Be careful with this one) Maybe the Double Coconut Award?

Russ Ferris, the Protest Chair, was awarded the Double Boob Award for getting his prop tangled up in a towline or marker line while helping the sailing vessel "Kalayaan" Captained by Kevin Ramsey that had run aground at the start line. Russ gets to maintain the award until next Regatta and then he gets to present it to some highly deserving pirate.

		2008 Stede Bonnet Pictures