2004 Silver Chevron

Saratoga Lake Sailing Club, Balston Spa, NY

July 17-18

After sailing Newport and taking a family vacation in between, we drove

up through Ct with the van and the triple trailer to Saratoga for the 
Silver Chevron Regatta. We set up camp on thursday night and were 
greeted by 50 canadian geese on the lawn the next morning. they stayed 
away for the rest of the weekend. On friday, Charlie and the HSC gang 
showed up for his annual cocktail party, which I believe he has been 
doing for as long as I have been going there which for me, started in 
1979. Thanks for all your years of service , Charlie! It is really a 
welcome thing when you finally get there after being in traffic on the 
Jersey turnpike and I-87.

There were burgers and dogs served on the grill that evening with help 
from the Tedrows. They really outdid themselves this year and put on a 
great regatta proving bagels and donuts at breakfast, lunches and a 
lasagna dinner beer and soda.Pretty much by themselves. thanks again Al 
and Mary Jean !

Saturday morning came with no wind by race time. it did not 
materialize all day. Hence, lots of time to sit and relax in the big 
house on the lake that is Saratoga lake Sailing club. All of a sudden, 
the Zaugg contingent started up a volleyball game. I believe it was won 
by the team that had the boyz from 324 and Sean Defusco on it but i 
digress....

The evening was followed highlighted by the great lasagna dinner the 
Tedrows provided. Then we all adjourned to the lakeside in which Mr. 
Mohan promptly produced a bottle of tequelia . it was quite a sight to 
see Mr. Mohan floating in the lake with his PFD on smoking a cigar! Ted 
Klein entertained us all with tales of piracy and pillaging he did off 
the coast of NJ in his youth. This was done over a roaring bonfire in 
which we roasted marshmellows over.

Sunday dawned with wind. We started earlier and had one race in which 
Sean and Kerrie Defusco became launched in the first leg and never 
looked back. the Benson's were looking very fast in this race also and 
I believe got a third.

The second and final race of the regatta got underway with various 
sides looking good, but it was the Benson's who made it to the mark 
first. followed by #544 and then the Defusco's. After that the wind 
went down to nothing with occassion wisps. It was a very long next 3 
legs. the RC did shorten the leward mark. on the 2nd leg the Benson's 
went high, #544 under them and the Defusco's and Zaugg lowest. By the 
jibe mark, #544 was ahead with the Defusco's second and Zaugg somehow 
generating his own wind,( must be a Mohican thing) and by the leward 
mark, #544 lead for the gun, Zaugg-2nd and the Defusco's -3rd.
	The Tedrow's won district IV. The class is indebted to the Tedrow's 
for their service to the class and running this regatta for so many 
years. Thanks again to Al and Mary Jean for putting on the regatta and 
thanks to Charlie for the garden party all those years!

My first exposure to Saratoga was in 1979 when there were 51 boats at 
the nationals there. I was 17 and sailed with my best friend, Greg 
Randall. we were trying rally hard to win the tailender award which we 
did and I still have. Now you see you need to finish all races to win 
it so in the final race when we flipped we got going again and looked 
at each other and decided to put up the kite. Well the rest of the 
fleet was not sporting kites so when we started to close on McCrea, 
Barbehenn and Brickell, we were starting to look really good, ah , but 
alas, the boat pitchpoled bow first and we flipped again. we did, 
however finish the race and win the plate.

I will never forget Saratoga and amazed that I finally have gotten a 
chance to put mine and my wife, laury's name on that humungous bowl.

All the best to the Tedrow's,

Michael Parramore (#544)

Al Tedrow's Account:

The Jet 14 Class confronted the summer doldrums at Saratoga Lake Sailing Club July 17-18.  Eleven boats registered for the regatta and had to deal with no wind/light wind conditions, as well as potential thunderstorms.  Saturday was spent ashore as the race committee was unable to set a course.  Sunday morning brought a light breeze out of the north-northeast.  One race was sailed and a second started in winds of less than 6 mph.  The wind quickly died and the second race was finished as a true drifter.

Michael and Laury Parramore from the Severn Sailing Association in Annapolis solved the light air and took first in the regatta.  Sean and Kerrie DeFusco of the Hunterdon Sailing Club in Clinton, New Jersey finished a close second, with Marion Zaugg and Carol Van Keuren of the Mohican Sailing Club in Mansfield, Ohio taking third.

Charles and Joanna Smith from Hunterdon won the B fleet trophy.  Allan and Mary Jean Tedrow won the District IV championship.  Hunter Currin from the Kestrel fleet led the race committee with great skill and judgement.  The Kestrel fleet and friends composed the race committee

Al Tedrow (#942)

Pictures

Results Posted 7/29/04

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