By Sydney Jarrard
DOVER POINT -
The Great Bay Yacht Club is hosting its annual Spring Laser Regatta at Dover Point on Sunday, May 6. Proudly declaring itself “the most unpretentious yacht club in New England,” the GBYC has its roots in deep in the Seacoast and has many fierce competitors gearing up for the big race day.
The history of the Great Bay Yacht Club extends back more than half a century, beginning with a group of friends who simply loved to race boats. In the 1940s, New Hampshire native Ned McIntosh was living in Panama, and found himself busy with a boat-making hobby. This wasn’t his first time discovering his love for making boats – he built his first one at just ten years old.
Upon returning to New Hampshire, a friend suggested that McIntosh make a couple of boats for the two to race in. Before long, more and more requests were coming in for these inexpensive, well-constructed boats, which had been nicknamed “MerryMacs” because of Ned’s cheerful disposition, matched with his last name.
McIntosh and his friends began racing regularly, holding scheduled competitions on Sunday afternoons by 1954. They called themselves a “club,” and by 1958 decided to make it official by registering as a nonprofit with the state. Soon after, the club purchased a space to build docks, buildings, lockers, and porches to watch races from. Despite the lack of funding, the club came together over time, with nearly all the work being done by volunteers.
The club now boasts fifty members, who are part of the most welcoming boating club around. “The main idea for the club is just to get out there and sail,” says June Pinkham, treasurer of the club. “It’s a bunch of hardy sailors who love to get together and talk about boats and sailing.”
On May 6, the Hilton State Park in Dover will be teeming with sailors, spectators, and sailing enthusiasts for the Laser Regatta. Regattas, which are simply organized series of races, follow many rules and procedures for the safety of sailors, and this one in particular falls under the guise of The Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS), the Laser Class Rules (ILCA), the NA Masters Rules, as well as the Notice of Race (put out by the Piscataqua Sailing Association), and the issued Sailing Instructions (SI).
In short, about twenty-five racers (depending on the weather) of all ages will launch laser sailboats at the State of New Hampshire Ramp in Hilton Park, and in a designated area of the river, race upstream. “These sailors are fierce competitors, and it’s impressive to watch their maneuvers as they race up the challenging Piscataqua currents,” says Pinkham.
Laser sailboats are lightweight fiberglass boats that are generally raced by one person, and are an extremely popular boat because of the size, portability, and storage capabilities, with the mast being in two pieces. Beyond the laser boat, it’s really about skill. “It’s one-design racing so people can only tune up their boat to a very limited amount. Anyone who doesn’t have a leak or a stretched out sail has a chance of beating the next person over, based on where you place yourself in the boat or where you have the sail and the rudder. It becomes a real game of skill and some people just know how to do it,” says Wally Johnson, a former GBYC commodore and current race committee support group member.
Racers of all skill level, from beginners to experts, will be participating. The racers will compete in five races throughout the day, and have the option of throwing out their lowest score so only the highest four are tallied, which can really help the final count. Johnson explains, “The boats are quite tippy and on a windy day, you can have a gear problem or a line get tangled and go over.” The low score resulting from capsizing can change the race’s outcome.
All laser racers begin the race at the same time and start racing into the wind, which means they have to decide the best way to sail to the destination point, about ¼ mile away. “The number one rule is don’t hit anyone else, even if you have the right of way,” says Johnson. “The next rule is to know the rules and exercise them. The important thing to know is that the rules are made to avoid collisions.” Racers will work within the guidelines to reach the destination point safely – and quickly.
The Great Bay Yacht Club regattas have drawn the interest of racers from all over New England, and several regatta racers have sailed in the Olympic trial events in Cape Cod. Because of the warm welcome of the club, people keep returning to these events. “It’s generally a fun time,” says Johnson. “We’re an old small boat club and that’s why we feel we have an obligation to promote sailing in the river and we try to have one or two regattas a year.”
Arguably, the most fun to be had on May 6 isn’t watching the race, but enjoying the cookout and awards ceremony after the competition. Friends, family, and racers will enjoy some great food and share stories about past races, and ultimately find out the winner of the day’s festivities. Says Johnson, “People will go home happy, or they’ll go home mad, but by the time they’ve had a hamburger and a glass of beer, they put away their animosities – until the next race.”
DOVER POINT -
The Great Bay Yacht Club is hosting its annual Spring Laser Regatta at Dover Point on Sunday, May 6. Proudly declaring itself “the most unpretentious yacht club in New England,” the GBYC has its roots in deep in the Seacoast and has many fierce competitors gearing up for the big race day.
The history of the Great Bay Yacht Club extends back more than half a century, beginning with a group of friends who simply loved to race boats. In the 1940s, New Hampshire native Ned McIntosh was living in Panama, and found himself busy with a boat-making hobby. This wasn’t his first time discovering his love for making boats – he built his first one at just ten years old.
Upon returning to New Hampshire, a friend suggested that McIntosh make a couple of boats for the two to race in. Before long, more and more requests were coming in for these inexpensive, well-constructed boats, which had been nicknamed “MerryMacs” because of Ned’s cheerful disposition, matched with his last name.
McIntosh and his friends began racing regularly, holding scheduled competitions on Sunday afternoons by 1954. They called themselves a “club,” and by 1958 decided to make it official by registering as a nonprofit with the state. Soon after, the club purchased a space to build docks, buildings, lockers, and porches to watch races from. Despite the lack of funding, the club came together over time, with nearly all the work being done by volunteers.
The club now boasts fifty members, who are part of the most welcoming boating club around. “The main idea for the club is just to get out there and sail,” says June Pinkham, treasurer of the club. “It’s a bunch of hardy sailors who love to get together and talk about boats and sailing.”
On May 6, the Hilton State Park in Dover will be teeming with sailors, spectators, and sailing enthusiasts for the Laser Regatta. Regattas, which are simply organized series of races, follow many rules and procedures for the safety of sailors, and this one in particular falls under the guise of The Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS), the Laser Class Rules (ILCA), the NA Masters Rules, as well as the Notice of Race (put out by the Piscataqua Sailing Association), and the issued Sailing Instructions (SI).
In short, about twenty-five racers (depending on the weather) of all ages will launch laser sailboats at the State of New Hampshire Ramp in Hilton Park, and in a designated area of the river, race upstream. “These sailors are fierce competitors, and it’s impressive to watch their maneuvers as they race up the challenging Piscataqua currents,” says Pinkham.
Laser sailboats are lightweight fiberglass boats that are generally raced by one person, and are an extremely popular boat because of the size, portability, and storage capabilities, with the mast being in two pieces. Beyond the laser boat, it’s really about skill. “It’s one-design racing so people can only tune up their boat to a very limited amount. Anyone who doesn’t have a leak or a stretched out sail has a chance of beating the next person over, based on where you place yourself in the boat or where you have the sail and the rudder. It becomes a real game of skill and some people just know how to do it,” says Wally Johnson, a former GBYC commodore and current race committee support group member.
Racers of all skill level, from beginners to experts, will be participating. The racers will compete in five races throughout the day, and have the option of throwing out their lowest score so only the highest four are tallied, which can really help the final count. Johnson explains, “The boats are quite tippy and on a windy day, you can have a gear problem or a line get tangled and go over.” The low score resulting from capsizing can change the race’s outcome.
All laser racers begin the race at the same time and start racing into the wind, which means they have to decide the best way to sail to the destination point, about ¼ mile away. “The number one rule is don’t hit anyone else, even if you have the right of way,” says Johnson. “The next rule is to know the rules and exercise them. The important thing to know is that the rules are made to avoid collisions.” Racers will work within the guidelines to reach the destination point safely – and quickly.
The Great Bay Yacht Club regattas have drawn the interest of racers from all over New England, and several regatta racers have sailed in the Olympic trial events in Cape Cod. Because of the warm welcome of the club, people keep returning to these events. “It’s generally a fun time,” says Johnson. “We’re an old small boat club and that’s why we feel we have an obligation to promote sailing in the river and we try to have one or two regattas a year.”
Arguably, the most fun to be had on May 6 isn’t watching the race, but enjoying the cookout and awards ceremony after the competition. Friends, family, and racers will enjoy some great food and share stories about past races, and ultimately find out the winner of the day’s festivities. Says Johnson, “People will go home happy, or they’ll go home mad, but by the time they’ve had a hamburger and a glass of beer, they put away their animosities – until the next race.”
Photo caption: Sailors vie for top prize (courtesy photo)
