Oasis Sailing Club

By LEN BOSE

While traveling around the harbor this week, I came upon a place that gave me relief from my troubling situations. No, I am not referring to the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club bar, but rather two particular Catalina 34s sailing out of the harbor most every day of the week. I then came to learn about the Oasis Sailing Club (OSC) at www.oasissailingclub.org.

The OSC has been around for some 43 years and is a part of “Friends of OASIS,” which supports and shares in the operation of the OASIS Senior Center in conjunction with the city of Newport Beach. If you do not know about Newport Beach’s Senior Center, Google “Friends of OASIS.”

Now here is the best part: The OSC has two sailboats at the city’s Basin Marina. Members can sign up for day and evening sails and the occasional overnight sail aboard one of the two Catalina 34s.

So you might ask me what is the “ketch?” No, there are no ketches (a commonly used sailing term, for those who didn’t, um, catch the play on words). To join the OASIS Sailing Club, it’s just $42 for the monthly dues, and sailing is free. The cost of joining Friends of OASIS is $15 per year for a single membership; $25 for a couple and $300 for a lifetime membership per person. Compare that to my Harbor 20 cost of $600 a month, just for slip rent. Ask your accountant if it’s tax-deductible. 

While talking to my good friend Chris Hill, a skipper member of the OSC, I asked if members need to find a skipper and then form a party to go sailing. He replied, “They don’t need to form a party...we do it for them!”

The boats need a certified (by OSC) skipper and a mate (or two skippers) to sail. The sailing schedule for the following month is posted online and in person at the OSC monthly meeting. Skippers and mates sign up first, because without them the boat won’t sail. Then the calendar is made available to all OSC members who, on a first-come, first-served basis, sign up for dates they want to sail.

The skipper has the right to limit the number of crew members to six, while some take up to eight. So, when people sign up, they can see who the skipper will be and who else has signed up to sail. Some choose their sailing by date, others by friends or skippers with whom they prefer to sail. There are groups who go sailing together on a regular basis, bringing food and libations to share and enjoy.

I then asked Hill about some of the other social events the club schedules each year. He mentioned the summer picnic, Oktoberfest, Christmas party, St. Patrick’s Day Party and Opening Day.

I wondered if the OSC offered any seamanship lessons. “We’re not a sailing school and often refer members who have no sailing experience to OCC for initial training,” Hill said. “For those who have some sailing experience, we have a mate candidates training program, where they can enhance their sailing and seamanship skills to eventually become an OSC mate, and in some cases, a skipper. The club has members who came from being new members who knew nothing about sailing, to becoming mates and skippers.

“We also offer seamanship training sessions on anchoring, boat systems, docking/undocking, man overboard and maneuvers, such as heaving and figure 8s. Of course, most of the skippers are very happy to share their knowledge, so informal education happens all the time.”

Another challenge I noticed while reading the OSC website, was the “Eva Challenge Series” where an OSC member takes one of the club boats out and around the oil platform “Eva,” then back to the harbor entrance. The record stands at three hours and 34 minutes, but I would have to think with the 2007 Catalina 34 added to the fleet this record will fall soon.

I asked if the OSC would fill up and limit its membership. At this point, that has not been a concern. I also should point out that any member of Friends of OASIS and the OSC can sign up for a sail. You do not have to know how to sail, you just need to want to be on the water.

This deal ranks up there with the Newport Aquatic Center and the Balboa Angling Club as being one of our harbor’s best kept secrets. I can’t think of a better way than spending an afternoon sailing around in the ocean with your friends, and it would be safe to assume the club will be more than willing to have volunteers come down and help with the maintenance on the boats.

Another thing for our local yacht clubs to consider is giving reciprocal privileges to the OSC members, and for some of our local marine industry members to show this group some love. 

Sea ya!

~~~~~~~~

Len Bose is a yachting enthusiast, yacht broker and harbor columnist for Stu News Newport.

Ensenada Race Seminars. " How to increase your boat speed."

Is it your turn for the podium?

It's FREE!
"I have participated in the race more than once. Some people might wonder what keeps me returning to this race, I have to say it’s all about the good memories from no wind to gale force winds. The thrill of victory to the agony of defeat. Quotes from past crew members “ Why do we do this to ourselves” to “We are going to be there before the bars close.” Sleeping in Volkswagen vans to the suites at the Coral Hotel. Falling off real and statue donkeys or waking up with a new hat on. It’s all been good times and I want more while I can get them. That’s why I sail this race and stay for the party.”  Len Bose

Now you are planning to participate in this years Ensenada Race and you really want to beat that team down the dock that rubs your bottom the wrong way? You are willing to do whatever it takes to keep your crew safe and greet those competitors on their arrival to the dock at the Coral with a friendly “ How was your race?”

Bruce Cooper from Ullman Sails Newport Beach and Len Bose from the Santa Cruz 50 Horizon will review most of their secrets to achieve your top performance. If you can beat Cooper or Bose then you need not to attend, as you will learn “ keep your friends close and your top competitors closer.”

Topics you might find interesting:

Review the logistics of the race and delivery home.
Focus on your VMG.
Watch systems
Develop a game plan
Safety Requirements

This is the Second year Cooper and Bose have done this seminar together and have improved their performance and confident that you will do the same.

*January 31  Seal Beach Yacht Club 6:30 PM

*February 6th Dana Point Yacht Club 7:00 PM

*February 13th Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club 7:00 PM

*February 20th Long Beach Yacht Club 7:00 

*February 27th Silver Gate Yacht Club 7:00 

*March 26th Del Rey Yacht Club 7:00 PM

The Newport Beach Sailing Hall of Fame

I would like to introduce to you the Newport Beach Sailing Hall of Fame. My interest in our Harbor's history has always grabbed my attention and affection. So yeah, I like doing this kind of stuff. I started with the Newport Harbor Yacht Club history book, three yacht club roster books and my phone. I interviewed David Carol, Phil Ramser, Larry Somers, Don Ayers, Brad Avery, Tom Schock, Henry Sprague, Jane Farwell, George Twist, Dennis Durgan and Dave Ullman.  To qualify, inductees into the Newport Beach Sailing Hall of Fame must have spent most of their lives competing in or Harbor. Their attendance would most certainly increase boat's performance, and I recognized their advance skill level in the sport of sailing.

This is a living document and will be amended as more information is gathered and better photos added. If I have the information or have forgotten someone you feel should be added, Please do not hesitate to contact me at Boseyachts@mac.com

A sailor's story is always an interesting one....quite often funny and sometimes sad. I had my share of laughs and tears while researching and writing this. I hope you enjoy it and are inspired to see your name or that of a loved one on the list.

                                                                                                 Respectfully Len Bose 1991 

The Silent Generation from 1925-1945

Walton Hubbard

Walton Hubbard: 1927 Star World Champions Active boat builder” Walton Hubbard pronely did more to develop new yachtsmen and new yachting activities within the range of everyone. Famous Star boat builder, Falcons, Albatross, Rhodes 33 He owned South Coast Boatyard He passed away at the age of 36.

Dick McKibben

Dick McKibben: Was the first winner of the first two Flight of the Snowbirds in 1936 & 1937. McKibben boat was named after his mother’s nickname  “Wa-Wa.” 1937 was a good year for McKibben winning the Staff Commodore IB Potter Perpetual  which is a high point series for the Snowbird fleet. He also won the Griffith Trophy that same year. McKibben was also apart of the crew of Walt Elliot’s Cal 32 “Escapade” 5 Time Lipton Cup winner. 

Left to right Hook Beardslee & Barney Lehman

Harlan (Hook) Beardslee:  1934-35 won two Star internationals/Worlds with Barney Lehman. It was written that in a Star Mid-winter regatta that Beardslee withdrew from a race because he had fouled another competitor, who did not file the protest Beardslee withdrew. “The Rhodes class always showed up with a sizable fleet, but the race was usually for second place when Hook was sailing his # 8 Seabee” Won 9 out of 10 Rhodes 33 Championships between 1939 & 49. Tom Schock said, “He was a man of very few words, he was bigger than life.” NHYC Burgee of Merit Winner

(No Photo)

Barton Beek:  Flight of The Snow Bird winner and top Star sailor. “Under that crusty exterior was a huge heart (even with the pacemaker). With Linda by his side, Barton participated and showed us all what it was like to be a true competitor in the corinthian spirit. The Star Class was his passion and one of the reasons it remains THE CLASS of yacht racing after 90+ years is the dedication and spirit of guys like Barton” quote from The Star Class web page. 3rd Place 1976 Star Worlds, Star Baxter Bowel Winner 1979 & 86. Lehman 10 Lehman 12 champion. He was a BYC Sportsman of the year and NHYC Burgee of Merit recipient. 

Fred Schenck

Fred “ Mr. Snipe” Schenck: “Was one of the best dingy sailors come out of the harbor.” Dave Carol said. When Humphrey Bogart was racing Lehman 10’s, Bogart asked Schenck if Bacall could sail with him to learn more. Schenck was 19 years old and had seen photos of Bacall, yet in person, she was even more beautiful. “She was something else.” Said Schenck. He was the sailing master Circus II for Howard Ahmanson and sailed to Hawaii in the Trans Pac race. According to Dave Carol, he could sail anything. Dragons off the coast of Spain, part of the crew of Walt Elliot’s Cal 32 “Escapade” five Lipton Cup Wins. Lehman 12 sailor. Won the Snipe Worlds once and crewed in the worlds 4 times, won Lehman 12 Champs 1963 & 65, NHYC Burgee of Merit

Don Elder

Don ( D.K.) Edler: Part of the crew of Walt Elliot’s Cal 32 “Escapade’ won the Lipton Cup 5 times, 1964 Won the Star world championships. 2nd Star worlds 1960, Star Baxter Bowl Winner  1956, 57 and 61, active Lehman 12 sailor National Champion Lehman 12 1961, Tom Schock: Big man, “When Edler talked everyone listened” A lot like John Wayne walked and talked like.” NHYC Burgee of Merit Winner

Tom Frost

Tom Frost:  Quoted from Sea Magazine “A sailing whiz kid, 19-year-old Tom Frost from Newport Beach, Calif. Won the Snipe Nationals for the second year 1953 & 54 in a row. His record of two firsts, a second, a third, and a fourth against the country's top 24 Snipe sailors makes him a crown prince among small-boat skippers.  Sept 14 1952, The Newport-Balboa News-Times: “Tom Frost has done it again! The Newport Harbor schoolboy, who placed second in the World’s Snipe Sailing Championships off Monaco along the French Riviera last week, today holds the honor of being the Snipe sailing champion in the International Regatta, at San Remo Italy. Tom and his crew Fred Schenck. In 1950 & 51 Frost was NHYC Junior Champion and Flight of the Snowbirds winner. Tom Schock said, “Greatest small boat sailor that ever was.” NHYC Burgee of Merit recipient.

Dick Deaver

Dick Deaver: “Probably one of the best sailors in the Harbor,” Said Dave Carol, He sailed PCs, with Lowell North. Two-time winner of the flight of the snowbirds 1949 and 50. 1976 & 78 Congressional Cup winner. Won Bronze metal Dragon Class 1964 Olympics. A crew member of three Trans Pac winning teams. Winner of the 1976 One Ton Worlds and skipper of an Admirals Cup Team in 1979. Best known for being apart of the beginning of North Sails and being very thorough in his racing preparation BYC Wall of Recognition.

Bill Ficker

Bill Ficker: 1957 Star North American Championships 2nd ,1958 Star Baxter Bowl, 1958 Star World Champion Winner, 1962 Lehman 12 National Champion, 1970 America Cup winner aboard “Intrepid”, 1974 Congressional Cup Winner 1974. Lehman 10 & 12 competitor,

George Twist “ He was a very meticulous, thoughtful personal person without natural talent very organized and knew what he needed to do”. Peter Wilson said, “Ficker had a unique way of motivating the crew. He wanted all of us to decide how best to do our jobs,”. NHYC Burgee of Merit Winner, Two-time BYC Sportsman of the Year recipient. 1993 America’s Cup Hall of Fame, 2016 US Sailing Hall of Fame.

The Baby Boomers from 1946-1964

TC

Tom Corkett: Grew up sailing Snowbirds in our harbor, 1963 at the age of 21 he won the Trans Pac overall and became the youngest skipper to compete and win, 1969 1st Class 2nd Overall Transpac, 1967 & 68 1st in class Acapulco Race, 1964 & 65 Mazatlan Race 1st in Class, 1966 2nd overall 1st in class. 1992 Pacific Cup Double Handed winner aboard the 60’ “Peregrine”. Was active in the Etchells fleet and today is very competitive in the Harbor 20 fleet. NHYC Burgee of Merit recipient.

Henry Sprague

Henry Sprague III. Two Time winner of the Flight of the snowbirds, 1961 Sailed with Tom Shock  in the Sears Cup, 1963, he won the Sears Cup with George Twist, 1974 Finn National, and World Championships. 1969 Congressional Cup winner, Lehman 12 Champ 69,73, 74,76,77. Now known as “Super Sprague”, Tom Schock described Henry as “Pure natural sailor.” 1967 Collage Singlehanded National Championships for USC, George Twist “ When it was his turn on the tiller the boat seemed to go a little faster”. Known as a natural sailer, Two-time winner of NHYC Burgee of Merit.

(No Photo)

Fred Miller: Finn National Champion 1960 & 1961 and North Americans champion in 1961. Placed 3rd in  Finn World Champions, Active Snipe Sailor.  Henry Sprague described Miller as  the “Original Harbor Columnist five days a week in the Daily Pilot, true Guinness, went undefeated, continuously smoked  “Salam” cigarettes. Was known as a perfectionist and would help people organize their boats for side work.”

Nina Nielsen

Nina Nielsen: Snowbird champion, 1969 Jr. Sabot National Champion. 1969 Balboa Sabot fleet Joe Wells Perpetual winner. 3rd 1976 Adams Cup; Dick Sweet recalled “My bravest student was Nina Nielsen. Nina was so small that she didn’t have enough weight to keep the boat upright. Because of this, she would tip over nearly every day, but she never complained or called for help. Nina was the smallest girl with the smallest voice and the biggest heart that he had ever seen sailing. Nina later went on  to win the Intercollegiate sailing championships three times for Princeton and become the first.  Top Snowbird and Lehman 12 sailor, Active Etchells sailor.

Scott Allen

Scott Allen: Flight of the Snowbird winner. 1968 & 69  College Sailor of the year, 1967 Cal 40 class winner Trans Pac with14 boats in his division. Prince of Wales winner 1967 and Congressional Cup winner 1967,  NHYC Burgee of Merit Winner.

The Durganizer

Dennis Durgan: Grew up as an active Sabot and Lehman 12 sailor within the harbor. “If you can make your Sabot go fast you can pretty much make anything go fast,” Durgan said. He was tactician for Bill Ficker 1974 and Dennis Conner 1975 Congressional Cup Winner. Congressional Cup-winning skipper in 1979 and 1980. In 1980 he was Dennis Conner’s tactician aboard Freedom for an Americas Cup win. Sailed in the 1979 Fastnet Race “ I learned a lot about myself on that one Len” Durgan said while interviewing him. 1991 Trans Pac Overall Skipper aboard Chance. Two time Lipton Cup-winning skipper 1978 & 1991 NHYC Burgee of Merit Winner.

Sawyer,Twist, Duffield, Durgan

George Twist: Americas Cup with Ficker in 1970 aboard Intrepid, 1961won the Sears Cup as crew with Tom Schock, In 1963 Won the Sears Cup as crew with Henry Sprague, Crewed on the 1973 Lipton Cup Boat, Came in 5th in the 1987 Soling World Championships, Competitive Finn sailor, 1973 Lehman 12 Champ, Etchells Fleet 6 Champion 1976,77,79,  Etchells 22 North American Champion 1982 . 2019 Flight of Newport Beach Harbor 20 5th Place “Was one of the best crew members in town, he was a really top notch crew. Every boat he stepped on always seemed to go faster”.  Tom Schock. “Twist was my best friend, we dominated everyone that sailed in the same water as we did”. Henry Sprague

Terry & Duffy Duffield

Marshall “Duffy” Duffield: 1973 & 77 Lipton Cup Team winner. 1979 & 80 Congressional Cup Crew with Durgan, Trans Pac 1991 MVP award aboard Chance the Overall winner.

Burke Sawyer: Best known as the owner of Watts sails and big boat sailing. 1958 Flight of the Snowbirds winner, 1968 Prince of Wales skipper winner. Sailed with top Cal 32 sailors,1972 Acapulco Race 1st class, 2nd overall. Tom Schock: “He really bloomed into a world-class sailor when he took over Watts sails sailing on the different IOR boats around the world.”

Campbell at the tiller

Argyle Campbell: Grew up a harbor Sabot sailor at the age of 8, Lehman 10 & 12 competitor, Congressional Cup winner in 1970 & 72. Four-year Intercollegiate All American at USC, 2001 Melges 24 National Champion, 2011 Etchells Worlds Grand Master winner, 2015 Etchells Jaguar Series Winner, 2nd Place in Harbor 20 Fleet 1 Championships 2018 & 19. It has been said, by more than one of the interviews I did, that Campbell started very young and lost every race but he kept at it and became one of harbors best. He really, really worked at it.“Persistent yet consistent” BYC Sportsmen of the year award and BYC Wall of Recognition

Tom Schock

Tom Schock: Grew up sailing snowbirds on the harbor. Participated in 1961 & 1962 Sears Cup. 1959 Thistle Fleet, District, and Pacific Coast Champion, Intentional 14, Lehman 12,Lido 14, Harbor 20 Champion, 1998 Harbor 20 Fleet 1 Champion. George Twist “ He is persistent and kept going at it.”

Dave Ullman

Dave Ullman Grew up sailing Prams and  Balboa Dinghies on the Harbor, active Lehman 10 & 12 competitor, Lido 14 National Champion 9 times, Three-time World Champion in  470s 1977,78 & 80. Snipe National Championships 1973, Thistle, Sabot and Coronado 15 National Champion, Gold metal Snipe in Pan American Games 1975. US Sailing Champion of Champions 1980, 5-time winner of the Lipton Cup, US Team Racing Championships, Melges 24 World Championships in 2007, Rolex Yachtsman of the year in 1996, 2016 Sailing Hall of Fame. Four-time winner of BYC Sportsman of the year award.

Tim Hogan

Tim Hogan: Grew up sailing Snowbirds and Sabots on the harbor. Active Lehman 12 Team racing sailor, 1962 Junior Champion, Three time-All- American, 1969 “College Sailor of the year” Competed in twenty-two sailing events and won twenty. 1972 Prince Of Wales winning skipper, Won the 1973 Lipton Cup Team. 1972 North American Match Racing Championships Prince of Wales, Santana 20 National Champion 1977, 1988 Etchells North American win, 1980 Lipton Cup win, Competitive Finn sailor, NHYC Burgee of Merit

Jim Buckingham

Jim Buckingham: Grew up sailing Sabots on the harbor. 1979 Intercollegiate All-American. Competitive world Star and Etchells sailor, Five-time Lehman 12 National Champion 1982,83,85,88 and 89. Top of the Harbor 20 Fleet 1 in A fleet, Placed 4th in 2019 H20 Class Champions. As crewed in Trans Pac and Cabo offshore racing.

Bill Menninger

Bill Menninger: 1980 J24 Nationals 3rd, 1982 J24 Worlds 6th, 5th 1987 E22 Worlds, 1st 2016 Master Regatta, Crewed on 3-Lipton Cup winning Teams, Crewed on 4 Baldwin Cup wins, Harbor 20 Fleet Champion 2008,10,11,12,13,17, Harbor 20 Class Champion 2019

Gaudio        Photo provided by Joysailing.com

Mark Gaudio: Grew up sailing Sabots and never left home. Won the Jr Sabot Nationals in 1972 First Flight of the Laser winner, Won Senior Sabot Nationals (17 ) Times, (4) Lido-14 Nationals, (1) Cal 25 Nationals, (4 ) Cal 20 Nationals, (1) B-25 Nationals and (4 )Harbor 20 Fleet Championships in 2004, 05 and 06. Spends most of his time now on the water coaching the Jr. Sabot Sailors.

Ann & Kurt Wiese

Ann and Kurt Wiese: Kurt sailed sabots as a kid in the harbor and was Intercollegiate All- American in 1977 and 78. He and Ann have sailed Lehman 12, Lido 14’s and Harbor 20's for over forty years together in the harbor. Always being at the top of the fleet in each class, never winning a class championships. Although it is a safe bet that they have won more one-design regattas than everyone on this list.

Generation X

Nick Scandone

Nick Scandone.  Grew up sailing Sabots on the harbor. 1988 Sabot National Champion, Lido 14 Competitor, 1988 UCI National Champion, and Team Race National Champion, Intercollegiate All- American, 1991 470 North American winner, 2005 2.4 Metre World Champion, 2nd Place IFDS Sailing World Championships,  2008 Beijing Paralympic Games Sailing Gold Medal, National Sailing Hall of Fame, US Sailing Rolex Yachtsman of the year, NHYC Burgee of Merit, BYC Sportsman of the Year and Wall of  Recognition,  BCYC Kennedy Memorial. Scandone is the only person to have won NHYC, BYC and BCYC top awards.

Jon Pinckney Center

Jon Pinckney: Grew up sailing sabots on the Harbor, Won the Junior Sabot Nationals in 1980, (7) Time Flight of the Laser winner, (1) The Flight in Harbor 20’s. Four-Time Intercollegiate All- American 1986,87,88, and 89. 2016 Lipton Cup Skipper, 2014,15 and 16 Harbor 20 Fleet Champion. Baldwin Cup Winning Team in 2014,15 and 16. Phil Ramser said, “Best sailor I have ever seen on our harbor.”

Mike Pinckney

Mike Pinckney: Grew up sailing Sabots on the harbor. 1983 Intercollegiate honorable mention, 3 Time Intercollegiate All- American 1984,85 and 86. 1988 Sears Cup-winning crew, 2016 Won 50th Anniversary Governors Cup alumni regatta. Mike has spent most of his time coaching Junior programs. When he shows up on the racecourse odds are very good that he is going to win the day. Jack Franco said Mike Pinckney is one of the best he had ever competed against.

Millennial

Justin Law

Justin Law: Grew up sailing a sabot on the Harbor. Twice the runner up in the Sabot Nationals. FJ National Champion, Intercollegiate honorable mention, 3 Time Intercollegiate All- American. Finalist Intercollegiate Sailor of the year. 2017 Trans Pac Division Winner, 2017 Cabo Division Winner, 2015 ISAF Team Racing World Champion. (4) Time Baldwin Cup winning skipper, 2019 Lipton Cup winning Skipper. NHYC Burgee of Merit





Sea ya

On the Harbor: Gearing up for the Newport Beach Sailing Hall of Fame

The first of the Baby Boomers generation of “Hall of Fame Sailors.” Standing (L-R): Saint Cicero, Skipper Walt Elliott, Dick McKibben and Don Elder. Front row (L-R) Chuck Pickering, Fred Schenck and Tom Skahill. Four of these sailors will be included in the Newport Beach Sailing Hall of Fame story

By Len Bose

Now that the New Year’s festivities are behind us and we can focus past our bow sprints again with resolutions made to keep our bottoms clean and mast tuned we look forward to the 2020 yachting season. That’s exactly what I have been doing over the holidays by pulling the Santa Cruz 50 Horizon out of the water to inspect her rudder bearings, mast and bottom in preparation for the upcoming sailing season which will include this year Puerto Vallarta and California Ocean Race Week.

On the harbor, the city’s new patrol boats have arrived and have been in service for a month now. Title 17 of the Newport Beach Municipal Codes will be going in front of the City Council within the next couple of months and scoops of funding will be gathered to dredge the low bay over the next two years. Before I forget, remember that our first of two winters King Tides will be arriving on January 10,11 and 12th. The second will arrive on February 8th and 9th and should we have a winter storm roll through at the same time the conversation will quickly change to 

sea-level rise.

So with all this going on around the harbor, I decided to take a step back in time and piece together The Newport Beach Sailing Hall of Fame with the intentions in the upcoming years do the same for Angling, Rowing, and Stakeholders of the harbor. This is not a new idea and has been tried before by other publications yet I wanted to give it a try and add a little more zest into it. Zest means research, research equals time. While the task is overwhelming, my passion for the harbor remains high. The response has been extremely positive when contacting people like Dave Carol, Brad Avery, Don Ayres Jr, Larry Somers, Tom Schock, Henry Sprague, George Twist, and Jane Farwell.

The theme of The Newport Beach Sailing Hall of Fame is to go back as far as I can in the past and up until the present identifying our harbor’s best sailors. I’ve started by checking out the Newport Harbor Yacht Clubs history book and skimming through the pages, reviewing the different yacht clubs trophy case’s looking for the names that have continuously been engraved upon them. With this information, I went to the names listed above for their observations and memories and have slowly gathered up the information. My next step is to find the best way to categorize and present our history on the harbor.

My first thought is to identify the generations within the United States. For example, the first name that comes to mind from the Silent Generation is Harlan (Hook) Beardslee. In 1934 and 1936 won, with Barney Lehman as crew, two Star World Championships. It was written that in a Star Mid-winter regatta that Beardslee withdrew from a race because he had fouled another competitor, who did not file the protest Beardslee withdrew. It was written in the Rhodes 33 class, that always showed up with a sizable fleet, yet the race was usually for second place when Hook was sailing his # 8 Seabee” Beardslee Won 9 out of 10 Rhodes 33 Championships between 1939 & 49. Tom Schock said, “He was a man of very few words, he was bigger than life”. 

From the Baby Boomer generation the first name that appears is Fred Schenck: Who is said to be one of the best dingy sailors to ever come out of the harbor. When Humphrey Bogart was racing Lehmen 10’s, Bogart asked Schenck if Lauren Bacall could sail with him to learn more. Schenck was 19 years old and had seen photos of Bacall, yet in person, she was even more beautiful. “She was something else”.  Schenck said to his friends at the yacht club dock after Bogart and Bacall retired to the pirate’s den. Schenck was the sailing master of Cirius II for Howard Ahmanson and sailed to Hawaii. It was said he could sail anything, from Olympic class Dragons off the coast of Spain to part of the crew of Walt Elliot’s Cal 32 “Escapade’ Lipton Cup wins. He won the Snipe Worlds once as skipper and 4 times as crew, won Lehman 12 Champs 1963 & 65, NHYC Burgee of Merit.

Each generation had their champion sailors and I am continuing my research to bring them to you and will starve to complete my task by the end of this month. Yet at the same time, this will end up a life’s long project as I uncover more information and photographs. Your help will be appreciated with any old stories you would like to tell me or photos you would like to share with me. Please contact me at boseyachts@mac.com or call me at (714) 931-6710.

Sea ya