Richmond YC is just packing away the last of the great memories from the Moore onslaught that is the Roadmaster Series – nine regattas all over the western states, in rivers, lakes and saltiness too. Just one throwout from January through October.
RYC was host to a fabulous Moore National Champs and somehow we were invited back in, despite a few excesses brought on by being able to camp at the regatta site. Put it on the calendar and they will come is the old lore and then suddenly August 27/28 was upon us and the simple plan was hatched.
Get twenty boats, make it free, just one page of instructions and required naps for the RC. In addition, a Buick ROADMASTER as a trophy and let’s go racing.
Four races Saturday, then 15 gallons of free beer then three races Sunday and everyone was happy. The circle was perfect with 10 to 18 knots and two lap races lasting an hour. Many times the fleet split to bang their corner only to reconvene like shuffled cards. It was unbelievable just how well these boats are being sailed, the top nine boats were in spitting range to two days. Well perhaps hooting and hollering range as many thumbs-up, shouts and waves were exchanged without a single red flag. Everyone had just the best of intentions, not to say there was no contact, but perfect circles were executed without any fuss for a foul. What a great fleet and what a great old-school way of sailing.
Some new boats and new people showed up too, Tommy Southam on OxyMooron and Carmen Maio on Slight Disorder came to join the show. Some original owners showed too, we’re talking pre 1980 here, Wet Spot with Michael O’Callaghan and Lester Robertson’s Legs came to enjoy the comradery and also the comforts of the newly rebuilt RYC. Terry Hensley, with his new ride, replied somewhat abruptly that “I don’t name my boats AnyMoore” and of course the name stuck, as will Scott Sorenson’s “Lochte Leaving Rio”.
The racing was like this… a Weather mark way up toward Pt. Blunt, a Start line/Leeward mark/Finish Pin in shallow water and the committee boat off to the starboard of this triple function mark and we were all set for racing in about ten minutes. Twice around and a downwind finish, it couldn’t be more simple. Total expense was zero, well actually was $101.33 for six 12 packs, 3 for third, 2 for second and just one for the winners!
Gruntled with Bart Hackworth, Simon Winer, Ron Tostensen and Mike Quinn were the slippery guys, as they have been all season. They won six of the Roadmasters with one to go. Their secret… sail together, laugh a lot, ease the sheets and get that puppy rolling through the chop. The Moore is better than ever at umm… 45 or so years so come and join the fun and relaxed fleet that also knows how to haul the oats on the rivers, lakes and saltiness. The early stringer boats, longitudinal stringers, are pre hull number 35ish (of 156) and they are more desirable than ever. Is there a languishing Moore in your marina?
Ohh the roadmaster… yip that assembeled in Texas, 280 HP fire-breathing icon was claimed by Ballard Sails (Seattle) and Alex is travelling north as we speak. He purchased ten cans of matt black as he was pulling outta town.
