Now that frostbiting is in full swing and boats are secured in their winter home at various shipyards around the area, it is time to celebrate the accomplishments of our racing friends who were out on the water this past season doing what they do best: spend an afternoon out on the bay and on Long Island Sound, trying once again to get that perfect start or mark rounding, a speedier spinnaker set, or just inch out their closest competitor at the finish line.
All three yacht clubs on our bay had their awards evenings in the past month. The first of the events was over at Manhasset Bay Yacht Club, held at their club on Nov. 9. This year, for the first time, the two MBYC fleets, the Sonars and the MBODs, hosted a joint awards celebration. Bill McCollum, the Sonar Fleet Captain, handed out the awards with assistance from skippers in both fleets.
Top boats for the Sonar Fleet: 1. #451, Ping, John Browning & Sue Miller (1st Championship Series, 1st Saturday Series and 1st Sunday Series); 2. #781, Horden, Bahar Gidwani (2nd Championship Series, 2nd Saturday Series, 2nd Sunday Series and 1st Tune Up Series); 3. #568, Laurie B2, Bob Baskin (3rd Championship Series, 3rd Sunday Series, 2nd Tune Up Series); 3. #396, Delight, Bob Kirtland (3rd Sunday Series). Andrew Bates, USMMA, won John Barry Award, which awarded to the Sonar team that wins the Sonar Fleet #11 Match Race. Yalcin Tarhan, #781, Horden, was first in the crew race.
Top awards for the MBOD: 1. Miss B Haven, Ralph Heinzerling/Claes Larsson/Peter Bergen, and 2. Dogged, John Silbersack.
The Awards Ceremony at Port Washington Yacht Club, was held on the evening of De-Commissioning, Nov. 16. After cocktail hour and a delicious dinner, the following awards were presented by Commodore Theresa Capoziello and Rear Commodore Howard Kurd: Sou’wester Bowl, awarded annually to a non-junior son or daughter of a club member, for outstanding performance in the season’s racing: Luis Nees V; Breakaway Crew Trophy, awarded each year to a crew member of PWYC who best demonstrated the skills and spirit contributing to winning a major yacht race: Joseph Gallo; Nor’easter Bowl, awarded to the class boat skipper of the PWYC with the best performance in season racing in his class or at outside-sanctioned events: Dr. Daniel Griffin; Buccaneer Trophy, awarded to the PWYC yacht with the lowest corrected tie overall in the annual YRA Day Race conducted by the Club: Avalanche – Alfred C. and Craig T. Albrecht; Mayero Race Committee Award was donated by the PWYC in recognition of race committee work done by Commodore Don Wefer and his family over the years for the club. The award is given to race committee members who have exhibited a level of excellence in regatta management: Thomas F. Egan, Jr. The Edward I. duMoulin Memorial Trophy was donated to the PWYC by Richard duMoulin, Walter S. “Duke” and Marian Dayton. This trophy is awarded to the member of the club who, in the opinion of the Awards Committee, has made the greatest contribution to the advancement of junior sailing: Joseph and Sharon Abruzzo. The Abruzzos were the Chairs of the Junior Sailing Program for many years, and continued their volunteer work with the junior program long after their chairmanship ended. It was their daughter, Caitlin, who brought the Make A Wish Junior Regatta to the club and after twelve years and thousands of dollars raised to grant wishes, the event is part of PWYC history.
North Shore Yacht Club awards were also held on Nov. 16 at a gala dinner dance at La Parma in Williston Park. Always a well-attended evening, this year was no different. Bill Palafox and Bob Ebenau awarded the following trophies: Commodore’s Cup: 1. Osprey, Richard Raskin, 2. Sojourn, Robert Coles: Snyder Cup: 1. Sundance, Joel Ziev, 2. Sounion, Paul Meilink; Borden Cup: 1. En Passant, Bob Ebenau, 2.Dybbuk, Roy Israel, 3. En Garde, Charles Cannam; Epstien Trophy: 1. Dybbuk, Roy Israel, 2. Vision, Marc Epstein and 3. En Garde, Charles Cannam; Smith Cup: 1. En Garde, Charles Cannam, 2. Vision, Marc Epstein and 3. Dybbuk, Roy Israel.
