It was fun to get 11 of us on a Zoom call on December 12 for an hour or so to talk about Alerion sailing and to catch up on each other's lives during this very trying year when we could not meet in person. If not racing, most of us were able to get out for a number of days of day sailing.
Jonah Seiger made a virtual presentation to Amanda McNeil of the "Alerion Champion of the Chesapeake Perpetual Trophy" secured by Caroline's 4 wins in the 5 races that we were able to do as a Fleet this year. We talked about scheduling the same 7 High Point Regattas for next year along with a couple optional short handed events that was prompted by the success this year of Resilient and Liberty Prevails as highlighted below. Hopefully, we will have some Fleet Members able to complete the 5 Regattas necessary along with CBYRA Membership to qualify for the Alerion 28 Cruising One Design Class in 2021.
In non one-design racing news, two of our fellow skippers made the best of this unusual COVID sailing season with the ultimate in competitive social distancing: single and short handed racing. And with impressive results.
Bob Spann on Resilient took 3rd place in his single handed class for the 22 mile long Race to the Lighthouses, and 4th in the single handed class (Solo-JAM) in the Poplar Island Race. Eunice Linn on Liberty Prevails finished 2nd in the double handed class (Doublehanded-JAM) in the Poplar Island Race, only losing to the modified J/105, Muskrat. In a demonstration of the speed of the Alerion and the sailing skills of their skippers, Resilent and Liberty Prevails each sailed the Poplar Island race in different directions, one clockwise and one counter-clockwise, and finished within seconds of each other. Both also did well in various Herrington Harbor Series races this summer; Bob sailing solo and Eunice double-handed and solo. Congrats to them for their successes, and to Caroline for winning the Perpetual Trophy.
We also talked about really wanting to do another Alerion Fleet Rendezvous, which we have not done since 2016 in Oxford. Herrington Harbor and Rockhall were suggested as possible destinations. The safety of when we can all again gather will be dependent on the quelling of the Covid-19 Virus. If not 2021, definitely 2022.
Best to all for the Holidays and a better 2021. Stay well.
- Jack Detweiler, Fleet Captain