LEN BOSE YACHT SALES: On the Harbor: Awarding the most deserving sailors

Friday, November 24, 2017

On the Harbor: Awarding the most deserving sailors

Commodore Chuck Wert presenting BCYC Most Active Family Award to the Johnson family

Have you ever been out to sea when it is cold, and you have so many different layers on that you are starting to resemble the Michelin Man? The air is crisp and the stars look so close that can reach up and break them free from the winter’s sky. You have just come on deck with a hot cup of coffee and you are not sure where to set it down, you turn and look forward into the dark cold night trying to adjust your eyes, then lift your hoody over your head. You find a good spot to start your watch, then reach for your coffee when one of your good mates, that you have sailed with for many years, goes into a story that you have heard many times. You smile…take a big sip of coffee, it’s a good story and you listen because there are always slight changes that keep you interested, make you feel good and laugh out loud.

Assuming you have not burned your mouth with the hot coffee, here I go with the 2017 award banquets. I know you have read this story before, and yes, I have had my Christmas Reyn Spooners all dry-cleaned that ready to be worn with great pride this holiday season.

This year’s awards banquet started on Saturday, Nov. 11 at the Balboa Bay Club where Harbor 20 Fleet 1 members gathered to remember the past sailing season and show gratitude for the people that went the extra mile for the fleet. I always seem to read a book from its back to the front, so let’s start with the award that means the most to all Harbor 20 Fleet 1 members, and that is the Arthur B Strock Service Award. This award is presented to members who have performed outstanding service for the Harbor 20, Fleet 1 organization. This year’s well-deserved recipient was Debra Haynes, who shows the most passion for sailing than anyone I have ever witnessed on the water. Haynes and her husband, Peter, show up to most, if not all, of the scheduled H20 events in their Navy blue boat named Spirt. The perfectly named boat for this competitor, it represents she shows up for most events, attends the festivities after each event, and is the first one to give you a big smile and a warm hello at the start of each race day. This award was first presented in 2006 and has been awarded to people like Phil Ramser, Peter Haynes, Jim Kerrigan and John Whitney. All of the names on this award stand for people that have gone the extra mile for our sport, and I will continue to strive to someday see my name on the Arthur B Strock Service Award.

The next two prominent awards given this night is the Fleet 1 High Point Series along with The Phyllis Rawlins Drayton Trophy. The High Point Series is given to the best attendance and performance by A, B and C fleet sailors. This year in C fleet, Mike Kohl sailing his bright red boat Attack Dragon, in B Fleet it was Debra and Peter Haynes, and in A Fleet Walter Johnson brought it home. The Phyllis Rawlins Drayton Trophy was presented to Roxanne Chan for being the most active female skipper.

Next up, was the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Clubs awards banquet on Saturday, Nov. 18. The big award at Bahia Corinthian is the Elmer Carvey Memorial – until 1982, the Balboa Bay Club Yachtsman of the Year – awarded to the yachtsman who most contributed to the organized yachting community. Past winners have been Cooper Johnson, Jim Emmi, Ted Kerr, Hobie Deny, Lorin Weiss, Jerry Moulton and Peter Haynes. The list reads on and on and includes Newport’s best yachtsmen. This year’s recipient was Don White for all his race committee work this season.

Its is all about MacLaren making it happen

As always, I have to give a well done to BCYC Sailing Director Cameron MacLaren, as his presentation is always one of the best. With each junior award came a heartfelt story of the recipient’s achievements. This year’s winners were Jett Brennan taking home the Rowland Perpetual for most improvement in sailing for the year; Adam Mead came up on stage with one of the brightest smiles I had ever seen to accept the Steven Winner Perpetual for the most selfless junior; Brooks Orradre won the award I wish I had received as a junior, The Jon Pinckney Award for the most outstanding racing record; Jake Mayol won the Grand Poobah for junior sailors awards and had his photo taken next to the BCYC Junior Yachtsman of the year award trophy.

One of my favorite people in our harbor, Mary Bacon, received the Commodore Montgomery Perpetual for the most improved BCYC racer. Of course, there is the Woman of the Year award which was awarded to four ladies that “Got it Done” for BCYC this season: Gail Cyprus, Ramsey Johansson, Kari Konapelsky and Rhonda Tolar.

Another racing season has been completed and it is time to look into the winter skies, at the stars, and reach up for the awards you want to see your name on next season.

Sea ya.

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Len Bose is a yachting enthusiast, yacht broker and harbor columnist for StuNewsNewport.