International Star Class Yacht Racing Association |
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Note: This report
has been scanned in by Ed Sprague. For a collection of Worlds' reports
plus photographs contact Ed Sprague ejspraguejr@mac.com
to order his book "The San Diego Bay Star Fleet". There is no Star Fleet currently sailing out of Marblehead; but from the beginning of measurement September 14 through the final race Saturday September 26 the club and its facilities were entirely devoted to the Stars. One would have thought they never did anything else, so well were they organized. The measurement went smoothly, with the usual problems with sails, rudders, etc., and then to the end of the pier and a final drop off the edge of the world into the harbor and off to a mooring for the week. No haul outs, and almost no complaining about it. The tune-up race Friday Sept. 1 8th gave the contestants and the race committee a chance to get acquainted with each other and with their own problems. Naturally the wind died to a drifter so no conclusion was reached. Saturday greeted us
with a gale of wind and pouring rain for the flag raising ceremony in
front of the club, overlooking the harbor. Welcoming remarks by Eastern
Yacht Club Commodore Stephen Connolly and Star Class President Malin Burnham
were followed by a telegram from Senator Edward Kennedy addressed "Dear
Don" to Don Blodgett, Regatta Chairman, expressing regrets at missing
the ceremony. The Marblehead Artillery in full Revolutionary battledress
sloshed to their cannon and fired a couple of rounds from the three pounder.
I probably imagined the sound of breaking glass across the half mile wide
harbor. A Dixieland band played as the flags of the various nations represented
were raised. In spite of the weather, it was a colorful enjoyable opening
ceremony followed by a chowder buffet in the clubhouse. A well attended
and spirited annual meeting of the Class was held later |