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Sails Aloft for 55th Annual
Day Sailer North American Championship Regatta

by Kat Szmit
The Cape Cod Chronicle

CHATHAM ─ Many great sailboat races are steeped in tradition, and the Day Sailer North American Championship is no exception. Helping this event endure for more than five decades is the generations of families taking part.

From July 21 to 25, sailors from across the country participated in the 55th Day Sailer North American Championship, held on Pleasant Bay off the Chatham Yacht Club, a host of the event along with the Orleans Yacht Club, Pleasant Bay Community Boating, and Stage Harbor Yacht Club.

Among the competitors was Bruce Richards, who sailed with his 84-year-old father Nolan and his 6-yearold grandson Isaac Lovell, while sister Robin Richards skippered another vessel.

“It’s a fulfillment of a dream,” Bruce Richards said. “My 6-year-old grandson and I have been crewing for my father since [Isaac] was 2.”

Richards said Nolan steered the boat he’s sailed for 55 years, a Day Sailer 857 named the Hinemoa that Robin called “the cornerstone of our sailing family.”

“Both my brother and I slept on it as folks raced,” said Robin, who added that she and Bruce also learned to sail on it.

Bruce Richards said creating family memories is what makes the annual competition special.

“It’s the gathering of like-minded sailors who love the boats and like the game, and gather once a year from all corners of the country, [this year] for three perfect days on Pleasant Bay,” he said. “What a unique game that you can play into your 80s and even 90s with your grandchildren, your children, your friends.”

The Richards family was one of several in the championship. Sailing to an overall victory were Jonathan Foot and daughters Lucy and Elizabeth, who took turns crewing with their father.

According to event chairman Ted Dickson, Foot’s parents met on Pleasant Bay, as did Dickson’s.

“Jonathan’s parents met at Pleasant Bay Camp in 1956 or 1957,” said Dickson. “His mom was a swim instructor and his dad was the head sailing instructor. They got married in 1959.”

Dickson said Foot taught sailing at Pleasant Bay Camp in 1980, its last season, while Dickson was running the Chatham Yacht Club sailing program. Although the two crossed paths, they cemented their friendship at Princeton, teaching sailing together in 1982.

“We started racing together in Day Sailers in the summer of 1983,” Dickson said. “Jonathan met his wife Barbara while racing Day Sailers with me. Eventually [we] were in each other’s weddings.”

Dickson’s father’s family owned land on Pleasant Bay just west of the Narrows, adjacent to a home owned by a family that were neighbors of Dickson’s mother’s family in Minnesota. After Dickson’s grandparents retired to Chatham, Dickson’s mother met his father, and the rest, as they say, is history.

“They married in 1960,” said Dickson.

Such stories are woven throughout the championship, and what binds them is a love of sailing that is, quite simply, in the blood.

“There’s something admirable, honest and pure about it,” said Richards. “You’re out in the elements and you have to respond to them as they’re presented to you. I love that in Hebrew the word ‘wind’ translates to ‘hand of God.’ You can’t see it, but you can feel it and you try to bend to its will as best you can. And you try to do it a little better than your competitors. We just had a magical, memorable week on the Cape.”

Deb Mason-McCaffrey's photos  from NACR are available for viewing, download, etc. at

https://ddmm.smugmug.com/Sailing

Use NACR2015 as the Password. Photos are FREE for your personal use. You may download and print anything you want. If you publish anything or post it on the web, please let Deb know via email at debmm@comcast.net and include the following photo credit: Photo copyright 2015, Deb Mason-McCaffrey. Used with permission.



2015 North American Champions Jonathan Foot, with daughters Elizabeth and Lucy, take first place in the 10 race regatta held at Pleasant Bay, Cape Cod.

Principal Race Officer John Dickson kept the racing lively with mark changes as the wind shifted throughout the week-long regatta.

Congratulations to JP Clowes, Eastern Great Lakes Vice President and fleet captain for DS #98 in Columbus, Ohio, who was awarded the Rebel Perpetual Trophy for having done the most as a regional vice president to promote the class in his region. Although not present at this year's NAC for the official awards presentation, (He was in Australia!), JP was presented the award at his home club, Leatherlips Yacht Club, in central Ohio. 


for a complete list of race results...2015 Regatta Results

for the Al Santoriello Pairings...click here 2015AlanSantorielloPairingfinalrev.pdf

2015 Perpetual Trophies
Hans Gottschalk DSA Merit – Dave Keran – Given to an individual who has made significant contributions to the Association over a period of time.

Treadway Family Tankard - Jonathan, Lucy and Elizabeth Foot – Immediate family team with highest standing in that year’s NACR.

Cruising Award – John Alesch – Given in the basis of accounts in the DAY SAILER for cruising exploits – group or individual.

Robert Smith Memorial - Jack Murphy, Brendan Murphy, Connor Blanchet – Young competitor who shows particular racing promise and exemplifies the Corinthian spirit.

Rebel Vice President – J.P. Clowes – Regional Vice President who has done the most to promote the class in his or her region.

Al Santoriello Memorial – Nolan Richards, Bruce Richards and Isaac Lovell Skipper and Crew - The highest “team” of pairs based on the standings after the first day’s racing at the NACR.

Robert Radtke Memorial – Nolan Richards (84 years old) and Isaac Lovell (6 years old – great-grandson) – Team with the greatest age span between skipper and crew at the NACR – this must be a record!

Dolores Bayer “Old Salt” Trophy – Ralph Hansen (89 years old – almost 90!) – Highest placing skipper over 70 at the NACR

Orin Adams Corinthian Spirit - Bruce Richards – Awarded by the NACR participants to the sailor who they feel best “exemplifies ultimate sportsmanship and the true spirit of our class.”

Bottoms Up – Steve Braese and Bob Blake, Jr.– Awarded to a team whose boat goes over during the NACR racing – while no boat capsized, both the skipper and crew of this boat went “bottoms up” by falling out of the boat at different times.

Photos from dinner hosted by Stage Harbor Yacht Club
Sunset from the shores of Chatham Yacht Club on Pleasant Bay

5 photo(s) Updated on: August 01, 2015

Junior Regatta Won by Fuller Family Members

Congratulations to Junior Skipper Julia Fuller and Crew Natalie Coleman-Fuller, members of Chatham Yacht Club, for winning the 2015 DS Junior Championship (photos to come). For complete details, click here: Junior Nationals - Results

2015 Perpetual Trophies

Hans Gottschalk DSA Merit – Dave Keran – Given to an individual who has made significant contributions to the Association over a period of time.

Treadway Family Tankard - Jonathan, Lucy, and Elizabeth Foot – Immediate family team with highest standing in that year’s NACR.

Cruising Award – John Alesch – Given on the basis of accounts in the Day Sailer Quarterly for cruising exploits – group or individual.

Robert Smith Memorial - Jack Murphy, Brendan Murphy, Connor Blanchet – Young competitor who shows particular racing promise and exemplifies the Corinthian spirit.

Rebel Vice President – J.P. Clowes, VP Easter Great Lakes Region – Regional Vice President who has done the most to promote the class in his or her region.

Al Santoriello Memorial – Nolan Richards, Bruce Richards and Isaac Lovell Skipper - The highest “team” of pairs based on the standings after the first day’s racing at the NACR.

Robert Radtke Memorial – Nolan Richards (84 years old) and Isaac Lovell (6 years old – great-grandson) – Team with the greatest age span between skipper and crew at the NACR – this must be a record!

Dolores Bayer “Old Salt” Trophy – Ralph Hansen (89 years old – almost 90!) – Highest placing skipper over 70 at the NACR.

Orin Adams Corinthian Spirit - Bruce Richards – Awarded by the NACR participants to the sailor who best “exemplifies ultimate sportsmanship and the true spirit of our class.”

Bottoms Up – Steve Braese and Bob Blake, Jr.– Awarded to a team whose boat goes over during the NACR racing – while no boat capsized, both the skipper and crew of this boat went “bottoms up” by falling out of the boat at different times.

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