Coastal Carolina Tartan 34-C’s Compete for Cup

Talk about a close match!!  After a countdown delay imposed by the race committee to wait out a brief, but quite intense squall, three classic Tartan 34-C's all hit the starting line on starboard tack.  Their respective times to cross the finish line--after the 12.5 mile triangular course in Neuse River near Oriental, North Carolina--were as follows:

    Vessel:                 Time:                     
   " Merry Mary"        3 hours 31:34 minutes
   "Long Run"           3 hours 33:41 minutes
   "Akela"                 3 hours 34:05 minutes

That ostentatious 20" high Challenge Cup was the coveted "trophy" pursued by the T34-C fleet which raced as a separate class in the Summer Solstice Sail-athon.  This annual sailboat race, sponsored by the Whortonsville Yacht and Tractor Club, helps to align the planets so summer can begin in the Carolinas.  Almost forty boats of all sizes and shapes went out to sail in this gala event, but about a third of them called in to the race committee to "retire" before the start, due to a severe, intense, but brief pre-race squall.  The competing boats (including the T34-C's) had all reefed during the countdown squall, but then shook out the reefs by the time of their start.  Surprisingly, the entire race was then sailed in "a gentle breeze," ranging only between 8 and 12 knots!

One of the T34C's became entangled with a Hinckley Bermuda 40' in roundiing one of the marks, and one vessel abruptly discovered it was suffering from a classic case of the "T34-C centerboard droop" upon returning to its shallow, guest slip after the race.

Participating skippers and first mates were as follows:

Hull 523 (1978) " Merry Mary"
George and Mary Duffie, Oriental NC
Winner of the Challenge Cup

Hull No 228 (1972)  "Long Run"
Kevin and Susi Bryan, Whortonsville NC
Second Place

Hull No. 492 (1978) "Akela"
Dan Albert and Betsy Bailey, Chapel Hill, NC
Third Place.

[Photos to be added soon]