May 2013 Rivah - The Rappahannock Record

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Small boats, T hese sleek boats, home-built of plywood and fi berglass, measure about 8 feet in length and weigh between 75 and 95 pounds. There are two engine classes, 6 or 8 horsepower, with a top speed of about 18 and 26 miles per hour, respectively. Weight is added to boats with lighter drivers so the boats weigh the same and to keep them competitive. The boats travel around markers in 2-lap heat races that last about 2 minutes each. The top fi nishers transfer to the fi nal championship round, which will be run in 4 classes. Also competing in a race will be Smith Island Crab Skiffs, which have larger engines and are longer. Cocktail Class racing is inexpensive low-speed club racing where driver skill and boat set-up are more important than horsepower. Drivers kneel in the boat and lean toward the bow to keep the boat planing effi - ciently. A race video can be viewed at www.vimeo.com/30987190. Race Venue Lawrence Fuccella of Urbanna, a regatta organizer, is expecting between 30-50 boats for the races that will be staged at the Urbanna Town Marina at Upton’s Point. Racers from Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, South Carolina and Georgia are expected. “We are going to bring 16 by Tom Chillemi big fun! Cocktail Class race boats are homebuilt, either from a kit or from scratch.
Friendly racers will help each other, only until the green flag drops. together a group of like-minded people with a love of the water and small communities,” he said. The Urbanna Creek Cocktail Class fl eet formed this winter and there are 7 boats being built. About 5 other boats are being built elsewhere in Middlesex County, and at least one more is being prepared on the Northern Neck. The Cocktail Class boats are adapted from a 1939 design by Charles MacGregor, originally published in “The Rudder Magazine” as an example of what could be done with a novel new material called “plywood.” The Cocktail Class Wooden Boat Racing Association (CCWBRA) has roots on the Corrotoman River in Lancaster County and was formed in 2010 to encourage and organize family boatbuilding and racing in the Cocktail Class runabout. The Cocktail Class races now have 90 members in 27 states and there are fl eets in Canada. Visit www.CCWBRA. Winning isn’t everything. Driver skill is the key to winning Although Cocktail Class wooden boats are small, the racing is intense. Because the boats are so evenly matched, driver skill is essential in gaining a competitive edge. The race begins with a fl ying start. Racers assemble several yards from the starting line and anticipate the signals. A series of tones are given at 30 seconds, 20 seconds and 10 seconds. The goal is to have your boat at full speed and as close to the start line as possible when the green fl ag drops. Cross the line too early, and the racer receives a penalty. The boats are very light, so the way the driver leans can help or hinder speed. Drivers lean out over the bow to help the boat plane faster. The boats run a triangular course, and turning in a graceful arch is the art of racing. If the driver leans too far to one side, the propeller can rise out of the water, slowing Drivers look for any advantage. by Tom Chillemi the boat. The engine will rev up slightly, indicating the propeller is not pushing and the competition will gain an advantage. Try and turn too sharply, and the prop will lose forward thrust. Position in the turns is important. If a racer tries to pass on the outside, his boat will get caught in the wake of boats in front and be pushed further out, as the competition moves ahead. Drivers pilot their crafts at relatively modest speeds of around 20 mph, looking for any advantage as they negotiate turns. Racing these little boats is “terrifi cally fun and exhilarating,” said Chris Riddick, who placed second in his fi rst race last August. “It’s a blast, especially when you’re neckand-neck with the competition.” Riddick is withholding his race strategy for the fi rst Urbanna Cup Regatta on Saturday, May 18, when more than 30 boats are expected. 17
Page 1: Inside: Places to go and things
Page 4 and 5: 2 Friday, 4-10 p.m. Saturday & Su
Page 6 and 7: Events f 3 Masquerade in May, 6 p.m
Page 8 and 9: Events f 5 The Players Theater, Cal
Page 10 and 11: To avoid disappointment, call the n
Page 12 and 13: Working Waterman’s Weekend to ope
Page 14 and 15: “Nancy” by Ed Headley ‘Northe
Page 16 and 17: The date August 23, 1871 was one of
Page 20 and 21: com for more information. This new
Page 22 and 23: Where can you go in Rivah Country f
Page 24 and 25: Diversions f 21 Dunnsville 443-1903
Page 26 and 27: Spring arrived late this year but n
Page 28 and 29: Marinas f 25 ■ Queen’s Creek Qu
Page 30 and 31: Marinas f 27 12-ton travel lift, ca
Page 32 and 33: Northern Neck Anglers Club: A whopp
Page 34 and 35: Billy Thorpe holds up his winning 3
Page 36 and 37: Listed here are directions to publi
Page 38 and 39: Parks f 35 Bay for marsh-bird commu
Page 40 and 41: Doug Nabhan’s Coming Here Signs o
Page 42 and 43: Unless noted, all rates are per nig
Page 44 and 45: Lodging f 41 Urbanna 758-4661 Virgi
Page 46 and 47: Marine Science Day due May 18 at VI
Page 48 and 49: Museums f 45 The museum is staffed
Page 50 and 51: If You Go Sandpiper Reef 342 Misty
Page 52 and 53: Dining f 49 Hana Sushi 2274 York Cr
Page 54 and 55: Dining f 51 River Lanes and Grill 1
Page 56 and 57: Dining f 53 and steaks. L/D/$$. 58
Page 58 and 59: Tickets on sale for ‘My Sister Ei
Page 60 and 61: Dog obedience classes off ered GLOU
Page 62 and 63: Lancaster County History Indians oc
Page 65 and 66: History Middlesex County was formed
Page 67 and 68: River Lanes & Grill in Kilmarnock

May 2013 Rivah - The Rappahannock Record

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