By Chuck Carroll
Eric Frank invited the Mid-Atlantic Weta Fleet to Blackbeard Sailing Club in New Bern, NC for the 2023 Turkey Trot One Design Regatta scheduled for 1 day of racing on Saturday 18 November. This was my second trip this season to Blackbeard’s. It is a great location nestled in a nice gated community on Upper Broad Creek just off the Neuse River. It was the Perfect weekend!
Three Weta sailors participated and, after rigging our boats, we all got together with some additional friends on Friday night for dinner in town. It was a great evening enjoying each other’s company and chatting about everything from the weather, to motorcycles, to troubles at sea, to Edward Teach’s intellectual acumen, to New Bern as the state’s first capital.
Race day began in the usual way with a 10:00 skippers meeting. I was again impressed by Blackbeard Sailing Club’s appeal to young sailors. There were 29 boats participating and teenage and younger sailors were well represented in the 420 and Sunfish fleets. Despite fears of cold November sailing, the temperature was in the low 70’s with a steady 8-12 kts of wind from the mainland. The day before had been very calm, so it was going to be pretty flat seas. The parade of boats sailed out Upper Broad Creek to the Neuse River.
The 14 Sunfish started first, followed by 420’s, then San Juan 21s, with the Wetas last. The first race was about 4.4 sailing miles in 12-ish knots of wind with calm seas. It was a triangle followed by a windward/leeward, followed by an upwind finish halfway between the windward and leeward marks. The conditions were great for the Weta and we finished well into the Sunfish fleet. The winning Weta almost caught the winning Sunfish despite a 15 minute head start. Weta rooster tails were reported by some monohull sailors.
Race 2 and 3 were shorter windward/leeward courses. Race 3 was very tight for 2nd and 3rd. Mike Willette had closed on Eric during the last downwind and really made up ground on the turn upwind to the Start/Finish line. None of the Weta sailors could tell who crossed first.
Race 4 was a Triangle course with a super fun Gennaker near reach to the bottom mark.
When we got back to Blackbeard Sailing Club they had a tasty potluck dinner where the club provided the main dishes. At the Awards ceremony the winner in each class received a turkey and second place got a turkey breast. It was a Turkey Trot after all.
What a truly wonderful day of sailing! For Results check here.
On Sunday, Eric invited Chuck, Mike, Mike’s wife Kelly, and their dog Potter to sail on his Sabre 32. Winds were light, but it was a comfortable sail up to New Bern where we stopped at the City Docks. We walked into town and had a nice lunch. On the way back to Eric’s, we had a beautiful spinnaker sunset sail. We concluded the evening with a couple games of darts at Eric’s. Mike and Kelly are the undisputed dart champions. “Camp Eric” was a fantastic experience!
The club was nice and the folks were friendly and helpful. There were some folks who asked questions and seemed to have an interest in the Wetas. I would return if we could a few more of us on the starting line.
ps That dart tournament had Kelly super excited to play more, so she found a electronic dart board on Market place and we now have it hanging up and playing. She says she finally found something she is good at. 😄
Sounds like it was an awesome weekend.
Sounds like a great weekend.
Congrats on the "w" Chuck! You've been working hard this season.
Practice does the sailor good!