News and Events

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Najad & Friends Rendezvous 2007 - A HUGE SUCCESS

The weather could not have been better - two glorious days of sunshine, and a 10+ day for sailing on Saturday for our first Newport Najad & Friends Rendezvous.   We thank our sponsors:   NAJAD, UK Sails, Cay Electronics, Jamestown Boat Yard, Spence Salmon, Scandia Food, Sail Magazine, Blue Water Magazine and Cruising World Magazine for their support.

Sailing together were:

Najad 460 TILLVARO, Gurden & Kathy Wattles with captain Bill

Najad 440CC, NICOLINA, Jean & Spike Sylvester

Najad 440AC, ELISE, Bruce & Betsy Glassick with friends Erling & Judy

Najad 405, LUGNUTS,Tom Dickson & Sherrie Myers & friends

Najad 405, LOON'S LACE, Alan & Sarah Baines

Najad 380, GEM, Michael & Gayle Markel & friends

PERSEVERANCE, Swan 56, Tom & Susan Puett & friends

CHIPPEWA, Swan 68, Clay Deutsch & Nancy Hood & friends

AFFINITY, Swan 48, Jack & Tomi Desmond

GODZILLA, Beneteau 42, Don & Kitty Weinberg

Headquarters for the event was a tent on the quayside at the Newport Shipyard, bustling with activity due to the start of the TransAtlantic Race to Kiel, Germany, which had the first start at 2 p.m. on Saturday.  

Race 1 headed up the Bay on Saturday, and as happens in sailboat racing, the wind just died, and it was struggle to get back to the finish line.  However, that was soon forgotten, as Bruce and Betsy Glassick invited everyone back to their home for cocktails, on a "instant" lawn as their home is under major renovations!    The major crisis of the day was to make sure the plumbing worked!    It was a beautiful summer evening, with boat groups heading off to dinner together after cocktails.

Saturday morning was not looking so good at 8 a.m., the water was flat as could be, and not a breath of wind.  By 10:30, it was another story, and we ended up with one of the best days of sailing ever!   Start was under the center span of the Newport Bridge, heading around Beavertail Lighthouse and then in to Dutch Harbor for lunch. 

Then off to Race 2, ending under Bridge, completing our sail around Jamestown.   The Najad 440AC and CHIPPEWA had a very exciting mark rounding, GEM & TILLVARO got their spinnakers up, lots of bantering between the boats, and good stories back at the dock.  

The conclusion of the 1st Najad & Friends Rendezvous was the dinner at the Shipyard and final prizing, which in typical fashion, is not one iota of seriousness about it!  

RACE 1

1st      LUGNUTS

2nd    PERSEVERANCE

3rd     TILLVARO

RACE 2

1st      GODZILLA

2nd     NICOLINA

3rd     GEM

RACE 3

1st      NICOLINA

2nd     CHIPPEWA

3rd      GODZILLA

And for the individual prizes:

Last But Not Least, LOON'S Lace

Trash Talk, Runner up for Guy Noir, GEM

Monty Python Rubber Chicken for allowing his Bourdeux to mysteriously disappear & Windshield Envy, CHIPPEWA

Hand-y Man Overboad, TILLVARO

Windshield Envy & Scratching My Back As To Why I Here Again?, GODZILLA

The Honeymoon Suite, NICOLINA

Less Haste More Speed for Leisurely Lunch, PERSEVERANCE

Hitting A Home Run, LUGNETS

Roll-X, ELISE

Palm Tree Windex, CLOVER

The Needs A Bigger Boat, MOSTLY LOVE