The evening of September 29, 2021 saw the official opening gathering for the 2021 Star Class Vintage Gold Cup, a regatta reserved for restored, reconditioned, and otherwise lake-worthy wooden Star Class sloops, none with numbers above 6000 (the Class boasts number 8573 as the latest boat built). The festivities consisted of a cookout on the docks of Gull Lake Marine, located at the southern end of the lake and a festive party it was. After a great meal of various barbequed meats and fried perch, some business was conducted, including a presentation of vintage Star models to the two gentlemen responsible for creating and continuing the VGC, Don Parfet and Jon VanderMolen. The PRO was to conduct a short competitor’s meeting afterward, but came up speechless after the presentation by Paul Cayard and Larry Whipple, and immediately hoisted AP - meeting postponed to 0930 the following morning.
The forecast for racing Thursday was dismal at best. The aforementioned meeting occurred at 0930, and the RC set off afterward in some variable breeze for an on-time start at 1100. There’s a saying somewhere that, no matter how well prepared everything might be, at the end it all depends on the weather. Well lo and behold, no matter how awful the forecast, Somebody above had other ideas and two races were completed before the forecasted total breeze dropout. After these races (of three scheduled for the day and eight for the regatta), the leaderboard showed a tie for first between Paul Cayard with crew (and son) Daniel Cayard (2 – 2) in Gem IX and Joe Londrigan with crew Phil Toth (3 – 1) in Team Ferrari.
Day two started at 0930 with a short competitor’s briefing, and weather that promised the full contingent of three scheduled races would be easily accomplished. Bright sunshine, a breeze in the higher single digits and relatively steady (it’s a lake, after all) out of the south bending west, made for some great racing. After the second race of the day, it was looking like Joe and Phil were getting ready to run away with the event, posting a score of 2 – 1 to Paul and Danny’s 3 – 5. Arthur Anisov with Guy Avellon posted a 4 -2 to pull themselves comfortably into 3rd place. The third race of the day threw some sand into Team Ferrari’s gears, as they finished the race 14th, while Paul and Danny won and Arthur/Guy placed second. No worries, thinkest they, the forecast for tomorrow looks great, and with one more race we get a discard.
After the racing, the fleet was granted enough time to haul out all the boats and clean them up for the evening’s Meet the Boats parade. Guests from all over the community are invited to come and see vintage Star boats up close and personal, and indeed are encouraged to vote for their favorite (early and often, in fact), for a Best in Show prize that is the basis for the half model awards to be presented the following year. A great time, and the organizers had Team Ferrari and Team Ford fronted by the land versions of their respective racers added to the show. A banquet afterward in the Yacht Club was highlighted by a fundraiser for the Geoff Ewenson Foundation. Geoff was a Star (and other boats) sailor taken from us way too early, and his family started the foundation to offer assistance to others who find themselves in need of such help immediately. A good cause, a lot of fun, and a good deed done by the event.
Saturday, the last day of sailing, was forecast to be spectacular. As the fleet surveyed the racing area in front of the club, doubt started to circulate. It wasn’t good. The Race Committee had amended the schedule to provide for three races in the day, after which we were going to attempt a water-borne take on the Ford vs. Ferrari rivalry, adding the spice of sibling rivalry as Joe Londrigan skippers Ferrari and brother Tom drives the Ford boat in a match race. At the competitor’s briefing, it was explained that the schedule adjustment was to offer the option of getting in the full eight races and had to be posted the night prior. It was decided that the RC would only attempt two, based on the reality of the weather situation and trying to fit in the match race.
The RC went out to prepare for an on-time warning at 1100. The fleet followed, and a short postponement was signaled to allow everybody to arrive in the starting area across the lake. The RC used that time to allow for a couple more shifts in the breeze, picked a direction somewhere in the middle, set up the course and got a warning signaled at 1115. There were some fairly large shifts, none persistent, so the RC let them sail. At the end, Paul and Danny won the race, Joe and Phil second, with Josh Powell and Mark Strube making their presence known with their best finish in the regatta. Best of all, especially for Joe and Phil, the discard came into effect at the completion of the race!
The breeze, however, would have none of it. It dropped out at the windward mark first, and the team up there reported that not much was forthcoming from windward of them any time soon. After ghosting around for a bit, and up against a hard stop, it was decided to hoist AP over A, send them in, and hope something comes up for the match race.
Unfortunately, it eventually came up at about 1600, long after any possibility of conducting the race had come and gone. Next on the agenda was the awards banquet at the Gilmore Car Museum, reason alone to attend this event! There is not enough time in a full day to see it all, and an evening’s taste of it just isn’t enough. After a wonderful dinner there, acknowledgements made and gratitude given to the sponsors and all the volunteers that make this kind of thing possible, daily race and “best in show” awards were made (to Fantastic, Andy Ivey and Kip Gardener), third place overall was awarded to Arthur and Guy, and after the second tiebreaker (RRS A8.2, for those interested in that kind of thing), second place was awarded to Joe and Phil, and the first place VGC wreath to Paul and Danny. Congratulations were appropriately paid to the competitors, and especially to the Organizers Don, Jon, and Wendy Van Peenan for their incredible work organizing and hosting an incredible event!
Photos used with permission by and courtesy of Walter Cooper.