Saturday October 17 dawned cold and cloudy at Kent Island YC. But that did not deter the participating racers, some traveling all the way from Georgia to make it to the event. The morning started off very chilly, with some sun peeking through the clouds and luckily very little wind. But the peace was soon broken during the first heat of the 8-hp mixed class. While racers were coming around the second-to-last mark, two boats collided, sending one racer in with a hand injury, but not to fret! Cocktail Class racers are a tough breed. As the injured racer was escorted up the dock, with bystanders asking of his well-being, he simply said “nothing a shot of whiskey won’t fix!”
And with that situation taken care of smoothly and efficiently, the races continued. Robert Edmonds swept the men’s Heavy divisions, winning all four races (8-hp mixed included). Then newcomer Kate Schmicker, on her second official race, swept the women’s division with three straight wins. The competition was tough, but as usual, good sportsmanship was the creed of the day, with racers continually congratulating each other after each race.
In the youth division, Morgan Carew wowed the crowd in Edmond’s,
Shaken Knot Stirred. After accidentally missing the last mark, she whipped back around, rounded the mark (to the chagrin of escort boats), and still managed to take the win.
During the awards ceremony, racers and committee members congratulated each other on a fantastic season. CCWBRA secretary BreeAnn Edmonds was awarded the Sportsmanship Trophy. Submissions for this award were taken throughout the season and then voted on in time for Oktoberfest. Recipients for this award will be placed on the Perpetual Awards list, along with all of the National Champions, year after year.
The next race is the Governor’s Cup Regatta, which will take place Feb. 27 in Florida. So racers, take the winter to iron out the kinks in your boat. And for would-be-racers, perhaps you should ask Santa for a Chesapeake Light Craft (CLC) Cocktail Class kit. We guarantee you won’t be disappointed!
For more info on Cocktail Class racing, and for race results (not yet posted at print time), click to
ccwbra.com
| 8 hp Mixed |
Robert Edmonds |
Shaken Knot Stirred (70) |
| 6 hp Early Classic Women |
Kate Schmicker |
River Madness (214) |
| 6 hp Early Classic Mixed |
Tom Kerr |
Rajic (46) |
| 6 hp Early Classic Heavy |
Robert Edmonds |
Shaken Knot Stirred |
| 6 hp Late Classic Women |
Kate Schmicker |
River Madness |
| 6 hp Late Classic Mixed |
Tom Kerr |
Sundowner (83) |
| 6 hp Late Classic Heavy |
Robert Edmonds |
Shaken Knot Stirred |
| Youth |
Morgan Carew |
Shaken Knot Stirred |
| 6 hp Post-1979 Women |
Kate Schmicker |
River Madness |
| 6 hp Post-1979 Mixed |
Steve Brendlinger |
Kamikaze (999) |
| 6 hp Post-1979 Heavy |
Robert Edmonds |
Shaken Knot Stirred |
- Steve Brendlinger, #999 Kamikaze
How did you get into racing? In October 2012 I was perusing the Chesapeake Light Craft catalog looking for a winter project. I was thinking about building a kayak when I spotted the Cocktail Class Racer kit. It looked like a fun project, so I ordered the kit, and it kept me busy until spring. I bought a motor and thought maybe I would go to one race. My wife and I travelled to Urbanna for the 2013 race, and I learned two things: First, I had purchased one of the slowest motors around, and second, I was hooked!
How many races have you participated in? So far I have attended and raced at 14 formal races, and many informal events.
Do you have friends or family who also race? My daughter and her husband, Kara and Dan Lehner, race whenever they can. They both have raced at several events, and have done very well. It's a lot of fun watching them race, although Dan races in the same class as I and is a constant threat! Since I joined the club, I have found a lot of friends who race and I enjoy getting together with them. The club is blessed with a great group of people.
What was the inspiration behind your boat name/colors? My boat is named after the drink Kamikaze, which I have never tasted. To me, it brings to mind the image of a small craft, fearlessly attacking a much larger one. (We ignore the fact that it is a fatal attack.)
Do you have a favorite memory or favorite race? One of many memorable moments occurred at the 2013 Oktoberfest race in Philadelphia. The previous weekend I made a six-hour road trip to Sea Isle City, NJ, to purchase an eight horsepower motor. I never had time to get it on the water, so race day was the test. The first run, I had a good start, and pulled away from the pack. Nobody had a chance of catching me… except when it shut off right before the finish line!
2. Jack Pettigrew, #82 Havin’ Fun
How did you get into racing? I gave my grandson a CCR kit as a Christmas present in 2012. We, to include his father, built it together over the winter. I remember as a kid (back in the ‘60s) going to the Urbanna boat races on Memorial Day weekends and thought it would be really cool to participate in them myself as an adult.
How many races have you participated in? So far, I have participated in 16 ‘official’ races, and I hope to add to that total for years to come.
Do you have friends or family who also race? Actually, when we built our boat we did so in a class with some cousins and a couple of close friends. In all, five boats have been constructed. Needless to say our competition began long before our boats ever saw water.
What was the inspiration behind your boat name/colors? The name
Havin’ Fun came from the experience we had building our boat (not to mention the fun we are having racing it.) Its full name is
A Pair of Jack’s Havin’ Fun. I was once asked for the recipe for the cocktail for which we derived our name. I replied: “A little boat, a lot of water, mixed in with some really great people.”
Do you have a favorite memory or favorite race? My favorite memory was at the Urbanna Cup Regatta in 2014. This was my grandson’s first race, and we got to participate against one another in the relay races on the second day. He, in his boat, legitimately beat me racing in a borrowed boat. It was awesome. My favorite race was the 2014 Governor’s Cup Regatta in Florida when
Havin’ Fun got to go head-to-head with the infamous #83
Sundowner.
3. Tom Kerr, #46 Rajic
How did you get into racing? My friend Fred Allerton let me run his boat. I loved it. I came to Kent Island in 2013, borrowed (I think the PropTalk boat) and got a third in my first race.
How many races have you participated in? 14 to date, starting in 2013.
Do you have friends or family who also race? Just one, so far.
What was the inspiration behind your boat name/colors? When I was a teenager living in Ft. Lauderdale, my father built small 14-foot runabouts as a business. We lived on the water, and I could travel anywhere in a boat. My nickname was “Rajic,” so my dad named my boat the same. When I built the
Rajic, my older sister
told me I had to name it the same. I always do what my older sister says.
Do you have a favorite memory or favorite race? No favorite race—they’re all great. The races are more about fun than winning, but I do like winning.