"In addition to the results of the local club races, it was announced that several members of the Valcour Sailing Club finished high in the Lake Champlain Racing Conference during 1974. Harry Walcoff, sailing his Ranger 26 {Wiki-Wiki} captured first place overall as well as first in Class C. Peter Hornby came out on top in Class D." {RdF - other records of 1974 LCRC races show that BODACIOUS took 6th place out of 21 boats competing in Class B; VALCOUR VI 3rd, BAREFOOT 4th, and MISTEE 7th in 14 boats competing in Class C; NIMBLE TOES 5th, TURTLE II 6th of 19 boats competing in Class D. Clearly, members of the VSC were having greater success in the LCRC competition for smaller boat classes. 1974 was also the first year that a VSC skipper placed first overall in LCRC although that was also the first year, since 1968, when there were no overall season winners awarded for all classes.}
"Negotiations are currently taking place to acquire a waterfront facility for the Valcour Sailing Club, according to club officials. Plans were discussed at the club's annual fall banquet to offer picnicking and swimming facilities along with a center for regular sailing and social activities. Also announced at the banquet is the expansion of race classes. A special class will be added to accommodate those wishing to compete in racing but not wanting to buy expensive sails and equipment for their boats."
EXPANSION OF ACTIVITIES IN THE CLUB
The Fall of 1974 marked the beginning of a period of adjustment in the Valcour Sailing Club as it approached its tenth anniversary since founding in 1966. Although the Club had a small facility for storage of marks and other equipment at Janco's, which has been alluded to as "the club house," post-race social activities were held in the Swinging Turtle, a restaurant at Peter Covert's marina. The Club did not own or lease an on-shore facility that could provide a focus for family activities as well as a place for racers to meet for their post-mortems of on-water events. Also, there was no convenient facility from which a junior sailing program could be organized. Wayne Hostetter, out-going commodore, alluded to the mood of the times in his letter to the members regarding the fall banquet; part is given below.
"The annual election of officers will follow the meal along with a business meeting in which some very important issues will be discussed and voted upon. These issues will determine the direction that our club will follow for 1975. I would briefly like to give you some insight into the discussion topics, so that you can do some serious thinking about them prior to the meeting. First of all, the club did not meet the expectations or needs of the majority of VSC members, therefore I will have proposals to offer for 1975 that will be of interest to everyone. The most important issue pertains to the club renting some water front property for the 1975 season. Three possibilities exist at the present time.
- The 5th Hole Cottage at the Bluff Point Golf Club
- The Valcour Lodge
- The Valcour View Campsite
Each of these possibilities will be discussed in detail and all questions will be answered. A general membership vote will be taken on this issue. "Since the 1974 VSC agenda did not fill the needs of the majority of our members, I would like to task each one of the membership to seriously consider what type of club he or she would like to see for 1975 and present these ideas at this meeting. These inputs will aid the new officers in their planning of the 1975 club activities. The future of our Valcour Sailing Club depends on YOU, the membership."
The records indicate a flurry of activity by the executive committeee over the winter of 1974-75. The needs of the members of the Club apparently were broader than just sailboat racing or even other on-water sailing activities. There appeared to be a broadly based desire for more social activities that could include families, and this need was seen as being addressed primarily with the introduction of an on-shore facility. Along with this came higher dues, sixty dollars in 1975, but even this amount was much less than dues at the yachts clubs in Vermont. In late January 1975, a lease for the Fifth-Hole Cottage at the Bluff Point Golf Course was drawn up by the law firm of Fitzpatrick, Bennet and Trombley for the Valcour Sailing Club. David B. McDowell had been elected Commodore in November 1974 and he signed that least on February 1st. On February 26th, he reported to the membership in a letter:
"In accordance with the instructions of the membership, the executive committeee has proceeded with arrangements to lease the Fifth Hole cottage from Bluff Point Country Club........ By terms of the lease we will pay $300 a month for five months beginning in May. We will be unable to have moorings at the club other than on a transient basis but will have storage available for board boats and a landing space available for dinghies. The grounds will be open for picnicking and the beach for swimming.
"The proposed schedule for next summer has six sailing weekends, two of which are LCRC events. We anticipate an active season for Lasers. We also anticipate a 'Working Sails Only' class on three of the weekends. The modified quarter-ton event is also scheduled.
"We are now registered with Lloyds and NAYRU. The new burgees are here and available from Peter Hornby for paid members at a price of $3.00...."
MINUTES OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Incorporation - Bill Empsall and Pat McGill are writing the articles of incorporation to be submitted for approval by April 16, 1975.
THE FIFTH HOLE COTTAGE
The clubhouse at the Fifth Hole Cottage at Bluff Point was the focal point for on-shore activities of the Valcour Sailing Club in the summer of 1975. The clubhouse was to be open every weekend through May 31st. After that, it was to be open daily for the use of members and guests. Club stewards, who lived in the Cottage, were to be available throughout the summer to maintain the general upkeep of the building. As it turned out, there were no takers for the job which offered housing but no pay.
A set of detailed house rules appeared in the 1975 Yearbook which generally entreated the members to maintain the clubhouse in a neat condition and also "conduct themselves with decorum" while using the club facilities. Mooring of boats was limited to temporary visits but a club dingy was provided "for use of all members as an alternative transportation to and from boats...." The accessibility problem - the cottage was just adjacent to an active fairway - is revealed in these rules:
"All club members and guests will refrain from trespassing on the greens and fairways of the Bluff Point Country Club. In fairness to the golfers, VEHICULAR TRAVEL on the Bluff Point Country Club grounds must always be UNDER 10 MILES PER HOUR. Club members and guests will please respect the golfers while they are playing."
While the members of the Club were asked to respect the golfers, the converse apparently did not always exist. On July 17th, Bill Empsall, Club secretary, wrote to Don Terry, President of the Country Club:
"The membership of the VSC has asked me to write you concerning an incident at the Fifth Hole Cottage.... several golfers entered the building and consumed about $20 worth of beer owned by the VSC. In addition, they tracked in a considerable amount of mud and left empty beer bottles throughout the building... restitution should be made to the VSC and accordingly we will withhold $20 from our next rent check."
ONE OF MANY VSC QUESTIONNAIRES
In May of that year, a questionnaire was sent to all paid and potential members regarding what kind of interest there was in racing and social activities. In the former category, several potential classes were proposed: Class A (CCA over 22.0 ft.), Class B (CCA 22.0 ft. and under), Working Sails Class using some "simplified handicapping system," Boardboat Class (Laser, Sunfish, Force Five etc.), and one design dingy classes. Other on-water activities suggested were a day cruise with a rendezvous for a picnic lunch, overnight cruises, and a cruise combined with a race to a rendezvous point. Also questioned was the possible interest in Saturday and week day racing and whether anyone was interested in teaching or receiving instruction in basic sailing, racing rules and techniques, and navigation.
LOOKING BACK ON THE FIRST TEN YEARS
Two brief assessments of the first ten years of activity in the Valcour Sailing Club are found in the records for 1976. The following, by David McDowell, is taken from the 1976 Yearbook.
"The Valcour Sailing Club was formed in 1966 to promote the sport of sailboat racing in the Plattsburgh area. Races at that time were conducted for classes of Cape Cod Knockabouts and Snipes. As the club membership increased, so did the different classes of boats. Mixed classes were originally handicapped using the Portsmouth Yardstick and later, the CCA Rule. Larger daysailers, Ensigns and Bluejackets, gradually replaced the smaller centerboard boats in the late 60's and early 70's. By 1971, several members had purchased cruising type boats in the 24 - 30 foot range. A separate racing class was formed for these boats which participated in local races and Lake Champlain Racing Conference events. In 1975, the club decided to expand its activities by promoting more cruising and social events. A lakeshore clubhouse was leased and the club became registered with Lloyd's. The Valcour Sailing Club now operates as a full fledged yacht club and provides varied activities for its members."
A second summary, a brief historical sketch of the early years of sailing in the Valcour Sailing Club, was handwritten by David McDowell, probably in that same year although it was undated. Inasmuch as parts of the text were difficult to read, Dr. McDowell was asked to read his remarks to a recorder in 1986. While doing so, he added some comments to the text and those are included here parenthetically. Additional clarifying remarks, shown in braces, are those of the author. Because this type of narration is so rare in the records of the VSC, it is included in its entirety with the hope that it may encourage readers, who may in future be responsible for VSC records, to be more prolific in their anecdotal efforts.
"Competitive sailing first came to the Plattsburgh area under the auspices of the Plattsburgh Yacht Club about 1960. Regattas were organized there on several occasions, involving boat owners from the Plattsburgh area and the Essex area. There was also an Essex Regatta sponsored by the town (or village) of Essex which included sail and power events. The split Rock Yacht Club at the Crater Club south of Essex had conducted sailing events for a number of years. Their members participated in the Plattsburgh Yacht Club events and in the Essex Regatta.
"I believe I am the only local sailor to sail in the Essex Regatta and sailed there in my Cape Cod Knockabout, Valcour III, (for) two years. These regattas were discontinued (in) about 1962.
"Early sailors in this area were Harry Walcoff, with initially a Pennant, then an Electra. Dr. Leonard Schlensinger had an Ariel, Bob Glenn had an Archer-like double ender, George Copeland had a Star, Ed Redcay a Corsaire, and John Washbourne a Raven. Having taught sailing in Cape Cod Knockabouts at Ecole Champlain over on the Vermont side, I was impressed by them [Knockabouts] as a daysailer on Lake Champlain. I was overjoyed to find one on the Sibley estate - now the Education Center [Plattsburgh State University College Education Center at Valcour]. Jim Morse, in Essex, had also built the Champlainer which really - despite his denials - was a modified Knockabout.
"John Grant turned up a Champlainer in Port Henry and John Tanner turned up a Knockabout in Shelburne - and the stage was set. In the interim Derek Allan appeared with his Winabout." With a fleet of Champlainers in Essex, it looked like we could one-design sail on this side of the lake.
"Dr. Joe Rudmin had a Snipe. The relative ease of kit construction tempted us into a Snipe fleet as well. Tom Sweeney from Keeseville built a Snipe and Major Strang from the air base bought a Snipe. About five men ordered Snipe kits in the biggest swindle of 1966 - the company folded.
"Plank owners of VSC include George Copeland, John Grant, John Tanner, Derek Allan, Ed Redcay, Scott Worrall, Bud Seawell, Dave McDowell, Tom Sweeney, Joe Rudmin. We organized in 1966 with Knockabouts, Snipes, and a cruising class. The first President, subsequently to become 'Commodore', was John Grant. George Copeland was the Secretary-Treasurer.
"There was greater success with the Knockabout acquisition than with the Snipe fleet. John Tanner bought a plastic Knockabout, followed by Scott Worrall, John Grant, John Washbourne, Tom Brown, Dave McDowell, George Boolukos, and Paul Agnew.
"To back track a moment, Scott Worrall had a ---- (North Haven) sloop with a red sail that was a classic. Hal Klein and Frank Schumacher were combined in a Champlainer - with an original set of sails that went back to the thirties.
"I will never forget commissioning Scott's Knockabout "Savage" in a wild north wind - and when Scott ruined his foul weather gear. [1987 footnote - Dave McDowell recalled that Scott was wearing what Dave characterized as a set of "El Cheapo" foul weather gear costing about ten dollars; they apparently lasted about ten minutes under the considerable strain of that launching.]
"The cover photo on the 1969 brochure [it first appeared in the 1968 brochure], and subsequently a cherished water color by Derek Allan, epitomized the best of Knockabout sailing.
"There were some great days - the Knockabouts descending upon the Split Rock Yacht Club, devastating them under sail, and surviving the tea following - always suspecting that the locals had secreted some booze someplace.
"The end of the Knockabout fleet came in the fall of 1969 - in a North-Wester with gusts to fifty knots - on a spinnaker run, McDowell was over {into the water} first - to Grant's glee - despiteMimi's accusation 'you told me they wouldn't tip over!' Grant, Brown, and Worrall followed suit shortly. With an assist from our power {boat} friends all was well -- with only butts and pride bruised.
"The center boards of the Snipe and Knockabouts gave way to the keels of Ensigns and Blue Jackets. There was a brief dalliance with the French connection with Corsaires by Ed Redcay, Bud Seawell, Robin Hood, and Sherwood Keyser.
"About this time Electra 177 with Skip & Lucy Barnett became the unbeatable trio and VSC went big-time with the Valcour Races (1969). (This, I might add, was the first race we sponsored for LCRC.) [Listed in the 1969 schedule as the "Lake Champlain Racing Conference Invitational Race" although it was called the "Valcour" race in the LCRC yearbook and subsequently retained that name. Latter, it became the Valcour I race with the Valcour II race being the original name of the Isle St. Michel race.]
"Harry Walcoff was pushing Ensigns and I was pushing Blue Jackets and the fleets were great! Grant, Brown, Bob Moore, Herb Koerner, Al Walker, Sherwood Keyser, and Dave McDowell in Blue Jackets, with Harry Walcoff, Herman Doh, Derek Allan, Skip Barnett, Bud Seawell, Jerry Resnick, Adam Krakowski, and Hal Klein (in the Ensigns). [Also in an Ensign at that time was Bob Sutherland.] Good competitive sailing! Picnics and parties. No quarter given or expected. The Tanzer 22 came along and D Class (in the LCRC) was born.
"The LCRC came along and some of us went up. [i.e. in boat size] Pearson 26s, Tartan 26s. Rum punch parties at Bill Rowe's, walking through a stream, generations of 'Crisis' (Crisis was always the name of Bill's boat in those days.)
"The constant search for identity - what do people want, what is the thrust of a sailing population (don't ask a gynecologist)? Do we play the Series race and upstage cruising? Do we become subservient to and work around LCRC? Why can't they really understand measurement on the Vermont side? (I might add at this point [1986] that we were sailing under the measurement rule of the CCA at that time which required weighing the boats; no one on the Vermont side would weigh their boats, they would just get an estimated weight from the manufacturer.)
"By this time {1975} Harry Walcoff was wining everything with "Wiki Wiki". Skip (Barnett) had a brief affair with "Folly II" and was back with "Nepidae" and cleaning up. (Folly II was a 1/4 tonner which never really moved and Nepidae was his old Electra. [The record shows that the Electra was Folly and Nepidae an Ensign.] Pete Hornby had pushed the Cal 21 to its limits and subsequently reverted to cruising. Paul Laramie had pushed "Remedy" to the results that Pete Cover and "Turtle" had approached. Joe Garcia had learned to make "Dave's Old Boat" hump. Ric Schneider walked "Barefoot" through the fleet ("Barefoot" was the name of his boat and that was a Ranger 26 as was Wiki Wiki). "Valcour VI" and "Mistee" were in the van - bridesmaids but not brides. The gauntlet was well flung in Classes C & D of the LCRC and the VSC was always in the running.
"The great experiment of 1975 - a clubhouse - beautiful locale - tremendous parties as always - but at a cost - a rallying point that was cut off but never really made the grade.
"Physical facilities are fine - interest, dedication and ability [to sail well] are better! (This is when we rented the old cottage at the Bluff Point golf course.)
"1976 - ten years of VSC - the arms race has accelerated but the purpose is the same - SAIL - new faces - old friends lost - memories of a Halloween party in Willsboro Bay - It is all woven with the same thread. Sail and Lake Champlain - show in the.... [illegible even to Dave]. Cruising and racing are not mutually exclusive."