Summer Solstice Sailebration '98

Borrowing from the John Deere slogan, the Whortonsville Yacht & Tractor Club proudly proclaims "Nothing runs like a W.Y.T.C." on its tee shirts this year. This year's annual race seemed to prove the slogan was accurate. Racers were treated to a unique brand of racing that attracts fun-loving sailors and food lovers.

A total of forty-eight sailboats converged on the waters of the lower Neuse River to compete in the Ninth Annual Whortonsville Yacht & Tractor Club's Summer Solstice Sailebration on Saturday, June 20^th. The boats ranged in size from 14' in length to 44' and included one catamaran.

The Sailebration is designed as a pursuit race, which allows the slower boats a time advantage over the faster boats to cover the 10.2 mile triangular racecourse. This year's event included thirteen different starting groups with the fastest boat starting two hours and forty minutes after the slowest boats. Weather conditions for the event ranged from dead calm and sunny to fresh breezes and heavy down pours. This created challenging conditions for all participants.

The top finishers in this year's were Mick Roberts who sailed across the finish line seven minutes ahead of Dick Lampe in a Bristol 35. Paul Bogardus in his S-2 30 won third place honors. The fastest time over the course for a mono hull was two hours and forty-one minutes registered by Henry Frazer in his Etchells 22, who finished in 20^th position. [Click here for more WY&TC Info]

1998 SUMMER SOLSTICE RESULTS
SKIPPER	BOAT TYPE	TIME	PLACE
Mick Roberts	San Juan 23	3:47	1
Dick Lampe	Blue Norther	3:40	2
Paul Bogardus	S-2 30	3:44	3
Don Whitehouse	Morgan 22	3:54	4
Bob Boris	Hunter 33	3:45	5
Nick Santoro	Endeavour 32	3:45	6
Jack Cruchfield	Columbia 36	3:25	7
John Hinners	Bell Bird	3:48	8
Richard Bigham	Endeavour 32	3:49	9
Jack Bentley	Morgan 41	3:57	10
George Schenck	Bristol 34	3:53	11
Gary Johnston	Freedom 35	2:40	12
Ron Kilburn	Sea Pearl 21	4:06	13
Warren Johnson	Halberg Rassy 34	3:41	14
Simon Whitehead	San Juan 34	2:45	15
Art Tierney	Bristol 35.5	3:03	16
Jack Kimble	Peterson 44	2:59	17
Caleb Marsh	Gulfstar 44	3:56	18
Donald Klein	Pacific Seacraft	4:23	19
Henry Frazer	Etchells 22	2:41	20
Don Ogren	Freedom 35	3:19	21
Don Kraus	Bayfield 32	4:35	22
Bert Quay	Ranger 23	3:26	23
Turtle	Laser	3:44	24
Joe Sevage	Bristol 35.5	3:36	25
Bill Kirsch	Sabre 362	3:11	26
Ed Bliss	Sabre 362	3:18	27
Brian Brown	Erickson 38	3:43	28
Bill White	Pearson 39	3:29	29
Kevin Bryan	Tartan 34	4:45	30
Tom Maynard	Valiant 40	3:31	31
Keith Payne	Islander 36	3:57	32
George Benedict	Ranger 28	3:45	33
Skip Fenner	Tartan 37	3:21	34
Weinheimer/Parins	Stilleto 27	2:35	35
Gerard DeBaun	Niagara 42	3:53	36
John Swansey	S-2 24	5:20	37
Hans Nickstadt	Seidlemann 29.5	4:21	38