2023 Kent Island Kickoff Regatta Report

The following, is background notes from Roger Vaughan, on how this kickoff regatta and fleet got its start.

On Saturday, June 10, the Oxford RC Laser Fleet produced a “Kickoff” regatta at the Kent Island Yacht Club in Chester, Maryland, designed to help that club start its own RC Laser fleet.

It began several months ago when Carla Larrick, a recent member of KIYC (and a former, full-size Laser sailor), decided KIYC should have a fleet. She’d occasionally been racing with the Oxford fleet, and had gotten the RC bug. After retiring as a senior vice president for operations of the Washington-Bethesda-Chevy Chase YMCA, Carla put her executive skills to work. Her first convert was her husband Fred, an engineer, who jumped in with both feet. Next was KIYC Commodore Jeff Smith, who invited the Oxford fleet to organize a regatta at Kent Island the day of its annual car show. The Oxford afterguard took one look at the broad, inviting Kent Island water so easily accessible, and began putting it together.

A gorgeous day consummated lots of hard work and planning to make the Kent Island Kickoff regatta a resounding success.

Special thanks from the Oxford side go to Carla and Fred for getting the ball rolling; to Cdre Jeff Smith, for daring to pair an RC regatta with his club’s annual car show; to Garth Wells for providing the essential chase boat; to Craig Patterson for capably driving said boat; to Chris Tochko for ably monitoring the start/finish line; to Pete Bailey and Jim Karr from Oxford for setting a good course; and to all 12 skippers who showed up to tackle a challenging westerly assortment of wind velocity and shifts. Thanks also to AMYA Treasurer, Bob Shapiro (Wilmington, MA) and AMYA Region 2 Director, Dave Branning (Ocean City, NJ,) for supporting this event.

While the Kickoff regatta was just step one in the formation of an RC Laser fleet at KIYC, the good energy brought to this event is a sure sign of a fleet to come.

Summary of Kent Island Kickoff Regatta
Date: June 10, 2023
Class: RC Laser
Chevrons: Green
Location: Kent Island YC, Grasonville, MD
Host Club: Oxford RC Laser Fleet #299
Entries: 12
Winds SW 4-13
Races Completed: 11
Scoring: low point with two throw-outs.
Race Committee: Starting Line PROs: Chris Tochko; Buoy tender/Chase boat: Craig Patterson

RESULTS
Place	Skipper	Points
1	Don Barker	17
2	Bob Shapiro	27
3	Dave Branning	32
4	Glenn Chalder	38
5	Roger Vaughan	45

Other finishers: Jim Karr, Dave Pulzone, Pete Bailey, Dick White, Arsho Sarfofian, John Tochko, Fred Larrick