February 9, 2017. So, a few days ago your webmaster was sitting on the couch nursing a winter cold and looking at Marionette's Log 2016, lamenting that we were planning a stay at home program for the summer - meaning that we would not be able to 'defend' our title at the 2017 Camden Classic Cup regatta up in Maine in late July. Then - a thought! Maybe I could get another Dolphin, native to the area, to represent the class? Then - another thought - why not get several Dolphins interested and organize a Dolphin Rendezvous? And, meet in Camden, and race together. Can't miss that!! Baring the unthinkable, Marionette will be there!

So, here we are. An email went out to the 12 Dolphin owners in Maine and at this writing we had several boats interested! We are standing by to hear from not only the other Maine boats but all Dolphin owners - here's the perfect excuse around which to plan that Maine cruising vacation! The race organizers will set up a special class just for Dolphins if we have 4 or more boats show up.

Maine, Rhode Island and Connecticut represented, so far. These are the boats/owners we have now - - still space for a few more.....

Jamie Weymouth - Dolphin, Camden, ME ..............Josh Gardner, TERN, Rockport, ME****.............Fred Croft - Paper Moon, Lincolnville, ME

Cliff Dasco - Maya Elena, Spruce Head Is, ME........Ron Breault - Marionette, Old Lyme, CT...........Jay Picotte - Recovery, Newport, RI

****Webmaster update, June 1, 2017 Looks like duty calls Josh to the west coast this summer and TERN may not even 'splash' this year. As of today we have the other 5 boats above registered, and 2 more possibles. Here's the link to the scratch sheet

This will be cruising class racing (no spinnakers or foiling boats). The real reason for going, besides meeting up with other owners and inspecting their boats, is the super venue and great shore parties organized by co hosts Lyman Morse (their Rhumb Line Restaurent below left) and the Camden Yacht Club (below right).

click on the photos for a larger image - click the return arrow on your browser to get back here.

And, $50 of the entry fee is Tax Deductible!! It goes to LifeFlight of Maine which provides critical care transportation throughout Maine.

Marionette's experience at this regatta in 2016 is documented in this link - http://dolphin24.org/camden_cup_classic.html. And to see the official 2016 photos/video click here - scroll down to Official 2016 Camden Classics Cup Video

Here is the link to the Race website for 2017 http://www.camdenclassicscup.com/. The top bar at this link gives good regatta info including the schedule, and the Notice of Race which is listed in the Race Info section. We are working with Marnie Read at Lyman Morse on entries and getting more info on possible slips. Out of towners coming in by land can launch at Lyman Morse which is right there in the harbor.

Getting an early start on entries and slip arrangements will be important.

Webmaster Note (8:39AM): Just talked to Steve Pixley, the HarborMaster at Camden and have reservations for up to 6 Dolphins arriving Wed or Thur July 26 or 27 ($2/ft/day) departing Sunday morning July 30. Super location at the head of the harbor where Marionette stayed last year.

Regatta Entries - Marnie Read - MRead@lymanmorse.com; Office: 207.236.4378; Direct: 207.230.8556; Cell: 207.266.9381

Yard Manager Bob Flight 207 236 4378; bflight@lymanmorse.com (launching/hauling)

Dockmaster Nancy Rowe 207 236 4378; nrowe@lymanmorse.com(slips/moorings)

Any questions Contact RonBreault@cs.com

Hello Camden!

Webmaster Note #2, Feb 9, 2017 (9:52AM). Just completed Marionette's registration for this regatta. Saved $25 off the $300 registration fee because I registered early! That's the easy part. The hard part is getting there....Weather note: Winter Storm Chris has already deposited 6" on the ground in Old Lyme, 12-18" expected - indoors planning efforts for this rendezvous will help us weather this storm - provided we don't lose power/WiFi!!) 5:15 PM update 14" so far, wind 25-35 knots....

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February 10, 2017. Yesterday, your webmaster had an exchange of emails with Ted Smith, one of the regatta organizers.

Ron

Great news to have a Dolphin 24 fleet. Should we have some fun and call it the East Coast Championships, or even (like the local Toboggan races) The Nationals? This is our first one design class and hopefully the start of a trend.

All the best,

Ted

In depth consultations were held with the Dolphin24.org board (they voiced great concern over possible geographic envy from Dolphin owners from other parts of the country) if we called it the Nationals. Your webmaster proposed it be called the New England Dolphin 24 Championships, which has a nice sound to it. We'll let that idea roam around the ethernet for a few days before we have the Board vote on it.

Tips on filling out the Entry Form - we are in the One Design Division, and we are racing without spinnakers (Jib and Main)

Here's an aerial view of Camden Harbor with tags that show the key on-shore locations. The center of town is in back of the parking lot next to the Harbor Masters Dock where several Dolphins will docked (Note protection offered by the several nearby schooners)

Stay Tuned

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February 12, 2017. This happening for Dolpins in Camden started as a Dolphin Rendezvous and is evolving. We now have a Dolphin 24 New England Championships avoiding (narrowly) the weight of a National Championships. Dolphin owners/crew, past and present, who are not racing, are invited. And, if they wish, can assist in support roles - yet to be fully developed....

An example, Stu Polhamus and wife Cathy are coming up from Irvington, Virginia to meet other Dolphinites. His Equinox (http://dolphin24.org/Equinox.html) is his 3rd Dolphin, having bought his 1st Paciic Dolphin #271 new in 1977. In an exchange of emails, that started with a webmaster effort to get Equinox to compete, Stu emailed back (consolidated and edited)

Ron

Cathy and I have decided to come up (via automobile). Will arrive on the 26th and leave on the 30th. Sounds like a fun time. Will sign up for the parties both nights. All for a good cause. I think we actually belong to that 'assistance' program. We will be in Rockport

Best,

Stu

The Board will be meeting in coming days to develop an assignment for Stu and Cathy. Stay tuned

The ink is not yet dry on Stu Polhamus's offer of 'assistance' but we already have an assignment for him - the selection of the winner of the Ed Glover Award. Ed, a past owner of Dolphin, an early O'Day homeported now in Camden, passed away a few months ago. His Dolphin is competing in the New England Championships. The award will be a bottle of Jack Daniels. Click here for a larger image and you 'might' make out Jack's label. The Board hasen't decided yet what this award will be for - stay tuned. Webmaster postscript: Stu knows what he is in for - his comment re his assignment Interesting. "Jack" is one of my sailing buddies also......

February 20, 2017 -Since the Board approved our recommendation that this event be the host for our 2017 Dolphin 24 New England Championships, we have been working on a 'permanent' trophy with the help of Ron Noe, winner of the last Dolphin 24 Nationals Championship (1964?), and past owner of En Charette, Lunn #200. With a little luck, it will be found buried in one of those boxes he has in his attic/cellar. We hope to reconstitute it as our New England Championships Trophy. Stay Tuned And, this morning we got the following email from Marnie up at Lyman Morse (minor edit)

Hi Ron,
I received checks from Stu Polhamus for party tickets and a donation for LifeFlight. We had a lovely conversation via phone.
Thanks so much for all your promoting!
Marnie

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February 27, 2017. The Board has made a decision re the NE Championships Trophy. Ron Noe (Encharette) did find his 1964 Nationals Trophy, a pewter tankard with glass bottom, but it was in pretty tough shape.....However, while searching, he found another trophy won that same year that the Board thought would do just fine. There is a Marionette connection....

The old engraving will still be on the trophy, hidden behind the new disc, but viewable by simply removing the magnet on the back which holds the new center disc in place (below)

Encharette won the 1964 Off Soundings Club Spring Series - total entries 52 - and Ron was awarded the trophy below. It's a pewter (WRONG Sterling Silver!!!) dish with a perforated edge (left). We will mount it on teak blocks with new gold/brass, black lettering engraving plates, and a new center section disc for the new engraving. Click on the photos for larger images

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The magnet, below. On the right is the trophy on it's partially cleaned up blocks, freshly polished with new center plate in place, not yet engraved, and gold/brass plates not yet done. Click on the photos for a larger view In the 53 years since Ron Noe won this Off Soundings Club series Dolphin 24's have won it 19 times! In the 1960s and 70s there have been as many as 8 Dolphin 24 entered in a given series. A summary of Dolphin 24 winners will be in a separate 'exhibit' on display in Camden - a mock up of which you can see by clicking here.

March 5, 2017. The permanent trophy still awaits two brass/gold engraved plates but has had an important 'international' component added. The trophy now has a custom made cast bronze dolphin - see right - mounted on the lower block. For the past 5+ years she has been laying on my computer moniter base reminding me to check what going on 'down under'. This dolphin came all the way from Australia and was made by Alan Mountford (Blue Gum) Queensland, Australia. Her story is found by clicking here. On her cruises in Maine Marionette has many times been escorted by dolphins, and it seemed this dolphin should to go to Maine also. And, she will go in style. Click here for a larger image

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March 7, 2017. So, what about the Ed Glover trophy? Doesn't it need a a proper presentation? A quick tour around the Internet looking for Jack Daniels' bottle holders - and there it was - RusticShedHeads - $35 (photo at right) Hey - I can do that! I just happened to have a model in my liquor cabinet, there's scrap wood all over the barn, nautical rope, too cold to work on the boat.... Click here for a larger image

Jack in the Box! Perfect fit! - note the latch The Ed Glover Award will have a brass/gold plate with black letters - it is on order. It will go below the latch, centered on the door. And, there will be a full bottle behind the door! Click here for a larger image of the photo on the right. Wonder what we will award this trophy for? Think I'll have a drink....

Postscript March 8, 2017. We'll have an accompaning 'exhibit' explaining this award on display at Camden - a draft of which can be seen by clicking here. And, Jamie Weymouth advises we may be able to get Ed's 98 year old mom, Grace, to help Stu Polhamus with the award presentation.

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March 8, 2017 Webmaster Note: Telling the webmaster you are entering this regatta is not the same as entering. Click here to see the up-to-date scratch sheet. And click here to go to the regatta Register page - The organizers use Regattaman as their system - it starts with asking for your email address, enter it and click search - the system guides you from there.

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March 11, 2017. Engraved plates for our trophies arrived on the 9th, and had 6" of snow yesterday, so a good time to finish up the trophies before shovelling. Here they are below with their accompanying descriptive displays. And, we got Ron Noe (at right) to pose for a picture with his reconstituted 1964 trophy. Ron will be in Camden on Saturday to help us present the award. Click on the photos for larger images.   Click here for an enlarged image of descriptive display for the Ed Glover Trophy   Click here for an enlarged image of the descriptive display for the New England Championship Trophy We've had so much fun on this trophy project "Trophies" have earned their own page. Click here to go there

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April 15, 2017. Regatta organizers posted the following update and a reminder for early registration discount ($25). Click here to go the full announcement.

Greetings from Maine!

Spring is here, which means summer is just around the corner! Time to finalize those summer plans to include the Camden Classics Cup, July 27-29. We will build on the success of last year's event with racing on Friday and Saturday. The Maine Maritime Museum Parade of Sail will kick off Saturday morning's race, and you won't want to miss the festive post race cocktails Friday night and the awards and dance party Saturday.We booked The Jason Spooner Band for Saturday night! 

Deadlines are approaching. Sign up by June 1 to receive the Early Bird discount. Everyone will receive a 10% discount off dockage at Lyman-Morse at Wayfarer during the regatta. Call to reserve your spot on the docks at 1-207-236-7108. Check out the Scratch Sheet and Register Now. We are looking forward to seeing you this summer!

And, we are working on 2 additional possible entries for our Dolphin 24 Class - Stay Tuned.....

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May 2, 2017 This morning's Sailing Scuttlebutt Newsletter had an article about our happening in Camden. Here is the link

http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2017/05/01/bringing-back-that-loving-feeling/

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June 6, 2017 Wooden Boat Magazine sent out the following email ad promoting the 2nd annual Camden Classic Cup regatta, July 27-29. As of today there are 27 entries including 5 Dolphin 24s racing in their New England Championships.

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June 22, 2016. Marnie Read at Lyman Morse needed a 'Class Flag' for this regatta. An exhaustive search of our files failed to surface our 'Class Flag', so, thanks to the efforts of our website staff, technical touch up skills of regatta staff, and baring the unforseen, here is our Class Flag - no doubt to be flown on the Race Committee boat signalling the start of the Dolphin 24 New England Championships. Click here for a larger image and Click here for more on the Class Flag

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June 28, 2017. We have the following updated info from the Regatta organizers. Click the links to go there

We are a month away from the Second Annual Classics Cup!

With almost 40 boats on the scratch sheet, our fleet is already bigger than last year, and features stars from distant constellations, mermaids, birds of every feather, a pod of Dolphins, astro physical phenomenons and magic. Are you in? Join us. Seven more boats have signed up since our last email! Check out the Scratch Sheet

Sailing Instructions have just been posted. Check out a sampling of courses below. Penobscot Bay is the most dazzling sailing venue.

Remember, all participants will receive a 10% dockage discount at Lyman-Morse at Wayfarer during the regatta. Call to reserve your spot on the docks. 1-207-236-7108. Webmaster Note: Dolphins have made their own arrangements.

We are looking forward to seeing you this summer! Read on for more highlights!

Register Now

click here to go to 2017 Sail Instructions

2017 Sample Courses - "These are possibilities only—actual courses will be selected by the race committee on race day to suit current weather conditions. However, the courses will be selected to provide exciting racing, great boat-viewing, and enjoyment of the spectacular environment of Penobscot Bay".

The Star Course (long course) Click here for an enlarged PDF version

The Skate Course (short course) Click here for a enlarged PDF version

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July 19, 2017. We have the following proposed handicaps for our 'one design' Dolphin 24 fleet. These are based on the New England PHRF rules for One Design boats posted earlier on this page

Ron Breault/Old Lyme, CT - Marionette: + 6 sec/mile, (removable outboard, 170% genoa)

Fred Croft/Lincolnville, ME - Paper Moon: - 6 sec/mile, (inboard, 3 blade prop, 140% genoa)

Cliff Dasco/Spruce Head Is, ME - Maya Elena: - 9 sec/mile (roller furler, inboard, 3 blade prop, 130% genoa)

Jamie Weymouth/Camden, ME- Dolphin: - 9 sec/mile (roller furler, inboard, 3 blade prop, 135% genoa)

Jay Picotte/Newport, RI - Recovery: 0 sec/mile, (inboard, 2 blade prop, 150% genoa***)

We are awaiting a decision on which scoring system will be used for our class - expected shortly - the TOD (Time on Distance) scoring system? or the TOT (Time on Time) scoring system? Our ratings are very close (the max difference between boats is 15 sec/mile). On a 20 mile course the max difference between boats using TOD would be 300 seconds - 5 minutes.

The TOT system depends on what version/formula/formula is selected by the race committee and is generally used when there are 'large' differences in ratings, and the expected racing conditions (you'll need at least one good stiff drink to get your arms around this one....)

Here's a good summary from PHRF of New England - http://www.phrfne.org/page/handicapping/timeontime

******* July 31, 2017 update Jay remeasured Recovery's genoa and it came in at more than 156% but less than 170% so Recovery's handicap gets adjusted +3 seconds/mile. Also, Time on Distance will be used to score all classes. The handicaps are therefore restated using Marionette's handicap as 'scratch boat". The following table shows the handicaps restated

Stay tuned

July 21, 2017 Last Call to register for the Camden Classic Cup and the New England Dolphin 24 New England Championships - 46 boats entered to date including 5 Dolphins - last year 31 entries - one Dolphin

Click here to Register http://www.camdenclassicscup.com/copy-of-register-1

July 26, 2017 Your webmaster and Marionette arrived in Camden on Monday, July 24 about Noon, after a short motorsail from Rockport. Camden Lighthouse Met with Ted Smith of the CCC to review handicaps for our Dolphin fleet. They will be as reported above, and Time on Distance will be the scoring system used. Depending on weather conditions one race is planned on each day (Friday and Saturday) with expected courses of 12-15 miles. These will be posted on the Race Committee boat. A laminated 8 1/2 x 11 chart with marks of the course will be distributed at check in (on Thursday, 4-6 PM at the Rhumb Line). To determine how much time you get, or give, competitors - measure the total distance between marks of the course chosen, and multiply by the number of seconds alloted to each competitor. Trophies were delivered to Marnie Read and will be on display at Lyman Morse's trophy case. Total entries to date for the CCC are up to 50/51 (pics later) In downtown Camden signs everywhere promoting this regatta (right) Kevin McManus (Little Haste, Yankee #188, Marblehead, Massachusetts) stopped by Marionette's slip to say hello. Its been aa while since we have heard from Kevin so Little Haste gets credit for an update Stay Tuned

By 3PM Jay Picotte's RECOVERY, a Tripp built Dolphin arrived at pod headquarters! Click the photos for larger images

Stay tuned

Click on the photos for larger images

July 29, 2017 6:30AM - Flash race report, details to follow. Very light variable winds yesterday. Marionette won race one in the Dolphin 24 Class, Recovery 2nd. Super post race party at the RhumbLine. No time - got to get ready for Race 2......

July 29, 2017 5:10PM - Today, Marionette won race 2, RECOVERY was 2nd. Again, light and variable winds. Marionette thus wins the Dolphin 24 New England Championships - Party and awards start in 45 minutes......

Stay tuned

Webmaster Ron Breault accepting Marionette's NE Championships Trophy from Drew Lyman at Camden YC

Stay tuned

August 1, 2017. The official final results are now up on the CCC regatta website https://www.camdenclassicscup.com/copy-of-results. Here are the results for the Dolphin 24 Class

Your Majesty, there is no second”. This four-word phrase on an August day in 1851 still exemplifies the America’s Cup and its winner-takes-all pursuit of excellence. The reply came in response to Queen Victoria’s question from the Royal Yacht about which boat was following in second place as a schooner named ‘America’ suddenly broke through the mist to sail swiftly past her majesty and onlookers alike. Well, not so in the Dolphin 24 Class!! Stu Polhamus (Equinox, #237) charged with the duty to determine the winner of the Ed Glover Trophy announced the winner of the Trophy - the 2nd place finisher - Jay Picotte's RECOVERY! Next year maybe Equinox can be 2nd?

Stay tuned - standing by for more photos, and time needed to get them up on the website

August 9, 2017. Stu and Cathy Polhamus (Equinox, Yankee #237) put together a photo gallery of the CCC/Dolphin NE Championships. Click here to go there. And, we got a better picture of Jay getting his 2nd place award!

Jay Picotte/Recovery accepting the Ed Glover Trophy for 2nd place.

Webmaster Note: That's Stu Polhamus 2nd from right standing next to your webmaster. Cathy is taking the picture

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August 10, 2017 Click here to Check out the latest in our Photo Gallery, and click here to go to the article and photos appearing in the Camden Herald

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September 6, 2017. Missed this one - an article written back in May by Stephens and Waring Yacht Design about the Dolphin 24. Click here to see it

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September 13, 2017. The following Marionette 'keeper trophies' just arrived by post. Jay Picotte and Recovery received similar ones - except his plate says 2nd!!

Click on the photos for a larger image

Its all happening again in 2018! Click here to go there

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April 6, 2018 For her efforts at this regatta Marionette won the Sparkman & Stephens Association Global Challenge Cup - the 3rd time she has won this honor. For details click here. The following is from the S&S Association website.

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