If notification of dues arrives in my mailbox, it must be Spring. Well, Spring  it is not quite yet, but the dues notice is here anyways! As reliable as a robin. So, very quickly:

Dues are $25 for 2017, unchanged for years. BOD met last week and decided to continue dues at current levels. We now have about $4,300 in the account, enough to cover 7 years of   operating expenses if dues dried up completely. We will give $350 this summer to the Herresmhoff Sailing School to help maintain their fleet of aging (aren’t they all?) SS23’s. Other ideas for donations/expenditures welcomed.

Benefits for members continue. Members receive a 10% discount at Jamestown Distributors, Thurston Sails, and Will Sofrin Fine Art Prints (new this year) along with ability to advertise your boat for sale on the  website when that awful day comes.

Your dues support the SSA and our website with its communications and documentation efforts.

Thanks to everyone who has supported the organization with one or more dues payment in the past. Check the website at SSA website/membership to find out how to join/rejoin.

Many thanks.     Carter

It is a little cold up here in New England. Not a lot of sailing going on. Boats are on the hard, wrapped up warm under covers, waiting… The winter solstice is today, which means Spring is not (truly) too far away (really).

So what is a Sea Sprite owner going to do with all the spare time over the next few months? Well, one erstwhile sailor spent some time at the local DMV here in Massachusetts, and came up with a new way to say “I love my sea sprite”. Jon Goff has to win some sort of award for this one:

Have a wonderful Holiday Season, everyone, and a fun filled New Year’s Eve. Raise a toast to all of us sea sprite lovers around the world!!

It was a corker of a day, once again. The Bristol Fleet’s gathering at Lou Marino’s home in Bristol after a race around Hog Island just outside the harbor entrance capped a great summer of racing for 2016.

The day started with bright sunshine and no wind. 8 boats finally gathered around the middle ground mark off the Herreshoff Marine Museum, the wind finally arrived, and the race finally began at 1:30. Best start went to Lulabelle (it was noted later that no surprise there, for Lulabelle was blowing the starting horn). Turns out the course was perfect, with a great beat up the channel, then a reach and run around Hog Island, and a return to the Middle Ground bouy. And lo and behold, when the spray settled, there was Bob and Jon in Bramasole (no surprise there, either) finishing first.

Then on to Lou’s. First up was the award of Mr. Hog to the winners:

Carter congratulates Bob on his win. Their crew looks on. Our competition breeds good friends

Then on to the spread. It was scrumptious. Everyone brought a dish to supplement Lou’s slow cooked pork:

The pulled pork was front and center:

It really is famous!!

Race stories were told:

Gotta be a tall tale here somewhere

Dom races on Wednesday evenings with Bob on his J30. But today they hauled out their sea sprites and went head to head. Our competition does indeed breed good friends!

Newbie Dom with Captain Bob

Lou and his daughter Emilia were great chefs and hosts:

Lou with daughter Emilia.

It is getting cool up here in New England.  Boats will soon be hauled, covered, and put away for winter. Hard to believe. But the memories of great racing, great sailing, and great friends will help get us through the snow and into 2017.