WOODPUSSY SOLO BOWL 2025
Saturday July 26

It would be an understatement to say the SSYC WP fleet showed up in force as we hosted this year’s Solo Bowl. Every one of the 13 WPs on the first rail went into the water to race Saturday morning. We can’t remember when that last occurred. Four boats joined us from Monmouth Boat Club. Seventeen WPs in soldierly alignment along the floats rocked in waves pounding the bulkhead. The wind was easterly at perhaps 12 mph, gusty into the teens, and variable. The tide was up with plenty of chop. Occasional white caps flashed. Yes, we realized we were flirting with the very edge of our ability in WPs, but there was that forecast of a diminishing wind that coaxed us on. Lessening, however, would prove minimal. Fortunately, Paul Clauss committed to our fleet again as PRO accompanied ably by Kim. And we needed his experience at this particular regatta given the conditions. Comet Fleet Captain Jessica Gruskos arranged, as she’s done repeatedly for our fleet, mark/rescue/finish boat crews, which included Jessica/Kevin, Jay/Robert, and Dianne/Howard. Paul arranged three W3 races.

Jeff Jacobi managed a good start along the crowded line in the first race. He kept his boat mostly flat while the rest of us struggled with that goal and so he took first. Erik Beshore came in second while Stuart Van Winkle secured third.. Jim Brinkman maneuvered into fourth followed by MBC skipper Dot Lucyk in fifth. Despite three windward legs, the first race was over in 23 minutes. Wind gusts had begun to take a toll on equipment before and during the first race. Three SSYC WPs and one MBC boat were forced to retire. In the second race Jeff again found clear air and took first. Stuart slipped into second while Anita Waters worked her way to third place in her first WP regatta. Jim Brinkman proved consistent with a fourth place and our own Commodore, Phil, found himself in fifth place. Meanwhile, two more WPs suffered equipment issues. Erik and MBC’s Taugh Lynch had to bow out for the day. By the third race we were all tired, but Jim found a way to take the lead while Jeff held second and Talbott Ingram coaxed his boat into third. Anita tenaciously seized fourth place and Stuart captured fifth. Despite conditions, no one capsized as skippers seemed to know their limits and raced conservatively and responsibly especially down wind. Jibes (six) were challenging to say the least. Some were fairly ugly, but were managed, nevertheless.

Trophies for five places went to Jeff Jacobi in first place, Jim Brinkman, in second, Stuart Van Winkle in third, Anita Waters in fourth, and Dot Lucyk for MBC in fifth. We were delighted with the turnout of SSYC WPs. Thank you to Brenin Ford and John Gearon for loaning their boats to the Ingrams. Brenin devoted nearly a week preparing his WP to race. A great regatta was had thanks to commitment, collaboration, and experience exhibited by the PRO and partner, support crews, and skippers.

WP skippers:

Jeff Jacobi, Erik Beshore, Stuart Van Winkle, Jim Brinkman, Anita Waters, Jack Foster, Dave Usechak, Talbott Ingram, Robert Welch, Phil, Arnheiter, Mac Barnes, Chris Pratt, Lee Ingram, and four brave souls from MBC Dot Lucyk, Taugh Lynch, Delan Boyce, and Marc Taranto.

Link to Pictures by Robert Gruskos:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1FaXJ5P2XMl74TE_BvMV30AUtUKfcaw4T?usp=sharing