Classic Characters

Classics week wasn't just about the beauty and racing.  Each and every yacht in the Classics Regatta has a story.  Or two!  We got to hear a few.  We witness a few on the dock and a few others on the race course.  We even got to met a few of the characters behind those stories.

Old Bob is a local favorite that has almost a cult following.  We saw the boat a few weeks before on a mooring in Jolly Harbor.  She/he didn't look so good.  But hard work, tons of elbow grease at the 11th hour and they put on quite a show.

Susie, owner of Spirited Lady of Fowey is another favorite each year.  We met her the week before.  Lovely lady.  She lives aboard her spirit of tradition class yacht full time with her two dogs.

Everyone seems to know Susie.  Her signature color is hot pink.  Her crew wears hot pink and she has a hot pink spinnaker.  Two snaps.

LOOK at the brightwork and she lives aboard full time.  wow!

Even kids got into the act.   Both of these yachts had kids aboard.  I am not sure if they live aboard full time but they did for race week and their sense of familiarity gives me the strong feeling that they are full time liveaboards and love it.  This kid raced.  I think the two girls on the other yacht raced as well.  

Speaking of kids.  The is s/v Grayhound.  It was build just two years ago.  It's a replica of a 1776 ship. 

It tacks like a river barge fully loaded with grain.  Day two of racing they dropped out because while the first yachts was crossing the finish line, s/v Grayhound had yet to make the second mark.  We heard them on the VHF to the race committee -  "We're going to call it a day and go in for gin and tonics but we have thoroughly enjoyed the day and we will be back out racing tomorrow!"  

Oh yeah....a young couple build this vessel, live aboard and have two very small kidos.  They were yah tall....I would guess 2 1/2 and maybe 4'ish.   

LOOK at the cockpit

The opposite of s/v Grayhound is s/v Whitehawk.  She is one fast lady.  She has a professional, full time crew of four.  FOUR!  Not one spec of rust, salt spray, corrosion, flake of varnish - nope, nada, zip, zero.  She is absolutely pristine 110%.   We had a chance meeting with the first mate a couple of days before the regatta started and then chatted with him several times during classics week.  When I commented on how perfect the yacht looked and that I needed to get busy on our brightwork, he brilliantly pointed out "Yeah but I get paid a ton of money to make her look like this and you don't."  Well there you go! 

The grandfather of race week Kenny Coombs died unexpectedly in Oct 2013.  There were many memorial tributes to him during 2014 Classics.  He was captain of s/v Adventuress.  Their crew raced with added purpose.  

Crew of s/v Adventuress pre-race crew meeting and pep talk

Last but not least, there was the tug Flying Buzzard.  

She acted as the race committee boat.  Good thing too as day two it was blowing stink out on the race course.  We got to meet and chat with the owners of this very unusual, liveaboard vessel.  They are equally unique as you might imagine.