Notice: The Regatta has been moved to November 10th Due to Hurricane

2012 Regatta

Saturday, November 10th, 2012

This year’s Stede Bonnet Regatta sponsored by The Provision Company and hosted by Paul and Maria was another tremendous success.

Last year there was no wind. This year we had eighteen knot winds and then some. We did not realize the wind would come with the coldest day lately as a package deal. However, the Pirate Wenches did not let that deter them from looking their absolute best. The guys were another ghastly story. There are some real ugly pirates out there.

Thirty-seven pirate vessels registered to race with six failing to start the race for various reasons only Pirates understand. The excuses ran from I got a Bloody Mary up my nose and missed the start while looking for a rum and coke to clear my head to I ran aground before the race started and couldn’t get off even if I tried. Where is Tow Boat John when you need him? The beer is running low.

During the race, the mighty pirate crews managed to do just about one of every thing there is to do in a no holds barred free for all. The pirate vessel Corncake, Captained by Miles MacQueen, managed to get all tangled up in the line anchoring the starting line ball and drag it a hundred or so feet off course. Not to be out done by that little maneuver, Luna Sea, Captained by Jim Hardt of Raleigh decided to win fame and fortune by slamming into the Committee Boat, Flip Flop, broad side while tossing the Race Committee around like rag dolls. It was even more disastrous when we noticed John Boy Crawford lost his beer during the jousting about. It was fast becoming a hardship cruise.

Stiff currents, arctic blasting winds, barfing pirate crewmembers and Captains who lost their sense of direction all made for an interesting day on the water. The two largest pirate vessels, Sundance and Carolina Gale, both demonstrated how to run aground with no dignity to spare. It was ever so funny watching Carolina Gale, Captained by David Pryor trying to sneak by Old American Fish Company like nothing ever happened. We explained to Dave that a 52-foot pirate vessel does not do much sneaking. Sundance, Captained by Murray Seidel won the longest aground award returning to the pirate’s lair about 8:30 PM. That adventure earned Murray and his crew free drinks for the night. Now that we think about it, that could have been a planned grounding. Paul and Maria are ever so generous a pirate couple.

One pirate vessel severed their mast during the Regatta, but in all the confusion, antics, fudging and sneaking, the Race Committee lost track of the vessel’s name and Captain. He is still thanking us. The blame lies at the feet of none other than John Boy Crawford. Did you expect otherwise?

The awards ceremony went something like this:Only seven pirate vessels completed the eleven (11) mile course under sail. No others finished the complete course.

2011 Regatta Results:

Racing Class

First Place - Lucky Stumbler - Scott Kaseman
Second Place – Fat Bottom Girl – Jamie Deale
Third Place – Jive – Claude McKernan

Cruising Class (Spinnaker)

First Place – Short Pants – Ricky Evans (Flew the only spinnaker, mostly sideways for 3-5 minutes)
Second Place – Kellie – Ed Pierce
Third Place – Stray Cat – John Bates (Smallest vessel to finish)