The
Telltales
News and Views
-2000 Sailing Season - The Winners and the Weather
-Winter Membership Dinner
-Frostbite Season 2000-2001
-2001 Racing Schedule
-The 2001 CAL 25 National Championships
-The First Good Old Boat Regatta
-Maintenance Tips
-For Sale for Sail
About Us
The Chesapeake Bay CAL 25 Association was established in the late 1960s, initially as an informal group of sailors who share an interest – the CAL 25.We have held true through the years as a group of sailors, racers, crews, and friends who share informal good times both on the water and ashore.The Fleet achieved Cruising One Design (COD) racing fleet status with the Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association in 1970, and has maintained that status continuously over the last 32 years.In fact, today, our racing and cruising owner numbers are on the rise as sailors realize the economy of the boats and their sweet sailing characteristics.Many owners today are first time sail boat buyers.
The last time we were able to do a survey of CAL 25s in the Chesapeake was in the late 80s.(Unfortunately, the Department of Natural Resources no longer permits us to go through their boat registration records.)At that time we counted of 160 CAL 25s in the Chesapeake Bay and it tributaries.
The newsletter of the Chesapeake Bay CAL 25 Association has been The Telltales since 1970.We carry forward this tradition into the Internet era.
2000 Sailing Season - The Winners and the Weather
The 2000 Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association (CBYRA) season saw an increase in the average numbers of CAL 25s on the line for the 6 month High Point season that included 17 scheduled events.The top finishers in the Fleet were:
1.Mike and Diane O'Toole in Alice May (1260)
2.Geoff and June Swanhart in CL2 (1813)
3.Charlie Husar in Chicken Little (1657)
4.John Niemczuk in Jumpin' Jack Flash (1655)
5.Mike and Redina Miller in Quintet (1297)
Jumpin' Jack Flash Takes a Puff
The Winners at the Annual Dinner
(L to R - Husar, O'Toole, Swanhart)
The fleet included 10 CBYRA qualifiers who sailed in a minimum of 5 qualifying events over the season.
The weather in the Chesapeake Bay during the summer of 2000 included many unusually light air days with a total of 7 races either canceled before start or with airs too light to make qualifying speeds or distances in the events.It took a lot of patience to hang in on many of the events.As High Point Winner Mike O'Toole said in an interview in SpinSheet magazine:
"Our big breakthrough this year was the race back from Corsica River.The conditions became really challenging as the wind died and the temperatures soared in the middle of the race.While other boats were dropping out in droves, we caught a breeze inshore and carried it to the finish.Everyone continued to concentrate and fed me a steady commentary on wind conditions, current, positions of other boats, even location of crab pots."
Mike and Diane O'Toole Are the Book Ends Holding the Big Trophies
At the Annual CBYRA High Point Awards
Mike and Diane on Alice May Go to Weather
In the photo, you will see Geoff Swanhart in 1813.Geoff was leading that day, but finished second for the season.
Your editor decided to throw in a shot of the annual CBYRA Awards Ceremony that presents a different perspective.As the Cruising One Design (COD) Scorer for CBYRA, Charlie Husar was presenting awards for 10 fleets, and hit on the idea of reversing the standard photo taking process.The result is below.
The Crowd at the CBYRA High Point Awards
Winter Membership Dinner
The 2000 membership dinner was held at Fergie's Restaurant overlooking the scenic, powerboat infested South River.In addition to good food, drink, and camaraderie, a business meeting was conducted to elect new officers, vote on the racing schedule, vote on CAL 25 National Organization participation, and to present awards for 2000 sailing.Forty-five CAL owners, crew, and guests attended.Here are some shots of the festivities.
The Social
A Sociable Group Including New Owners
Tom Corboy (Orange Jacket) and Peter Sheils (Heineken)
In this photo, Gil Renaut appears at the left, and Redina Miller converses at the table.
The Group in an Intimate (Called Dark) Setting
Peter Vaka (Absolut Vaka - 624) and Crew
The Special Awards
Not incidentally, the CAL 25s provide an annual award for the CAL 25 High Point racer who qualifies with the lowest score for the season.The Corinthian Cask, a wooden cask filled with rum, is the prize.This year, ignoring tradition, Peter Vaka won the award with a supply of Absolut Vodka.Use it in good health, Peter.
This year the Service to the Fleet Award went to George Benisek.In a blatant advertising pitch, George is the manager at Bacon & Associates, a firm in Annapolis that specializes in consignment sails and boat parts, and provides several lines of new boat equipment.George won the award for rebuilding an aging CAL 25, and passing it on a racer in the Fleet.
George Benisek Accepts the CAL 25 Special Award
for Service to the Fleet
The CAL 25 National Organization
The Chesapeake Bay CAL 25 Association voted to join the recently re-established CAL 25 National Fleet Association.The Chesapeake Bay Fleet will host the CAL 25 National Championships this year on the first weekend in September.
The Elections
The officers of the Chesapeake Bay CAL 25 Association for 2001 are:
Commodore:Charlie Husar (Chicken Little - 1657)
Fleet Captain:Mike O'Toole (Alice May - 1260)
Social Chair:Chris Fountain (Crew on Alice May - 1260)
Secretary:Debbie Calevro (Crew on CL2 - 1813)
Secretary:Peter Vaka (Absolut Vaka - 624)
Treasurer:John Niemczuk (Jumpin'Jack Flash - 1655)
Contact information appears at the bottom of web site.
Frostbite Season 2000-2001
A record 13 CAL 25s entered the Annapolis Yacht Club (AYC) Frostbite racing competition sailed from November through March in Annapolis.The CALs run as a one design fleet under a format that includes 2 short course races a day on courses that include the Severn River at the Naval Academy and the Annapolis Harbor.
The AYC Race Committee initiated a new format for the event this where races are run every Sunday from the beginning of November until Christmas.January is then a "lay month" with competition then running every Sunday in February and March.
For those who are in the Annapolis/Baltimore/DC area (or if you are passing through town) who have an itch to get out sailing in the winter, crewing slots are always available for the competition.Best route is to go to Riordan's Saloon on City Dock, Annapolis on any Sunday.Go to the bar and ask for the CAL 25s.You'll find a collection of skippers and crew there having brunch and some warm-ups.
The owner of Riordan's Saloon is Mike Riordan, the former NBA basketballer - a great guy with a great staff at the restaurant.The menu includes the CAL 25, a special champagne brunch selection that includes a draft beer in lieu of the champagne.
For the first half of the Frostbite season, the leaders were:
Geoff and June Swanhart in CL2 (1813)
Charlie Husar in Chicken Little (1657)
Mike ands Diane O'Toole in Alice May (1260)
Tom Corboy (L'Orange - 1610), Peter Sheils (Ronin - 681 with John Wooldridge), and Arthur Libby IV (Love Shack - 478)are among the new racers in the Frostbite series.The name Libby is well remembered in Annapolis CAL 25 circles.Art Libby III, Arthur's father was a championship quality racer on CAL 25s in the 70s.Art III has been seen sailing with his son on several occasions in the Frostbite series.
The Frostbite Group Assembles at CAL Row
Tim Bloomfield and Crew Dressed for Races
Your editor apologizes for not having Frostbite action shots.First he is still an amateur with his digital camera.Second, it's hard to snap photos with one hand on the tiller.
2001 Racing Schedule
The 2001 CBYRA schedule includes 17 races.In addition, the CAL Fleet will schedule several cruising and social events in addition to post race socials.Stay tuned to this site for sailing and social information.The racing schedule is:
(April 21 Spring Brunch)
May 4-6 - NOOD
May 26-27 - St. Michaels
June 2 - SSC Twilight Race
June 9 - S/E/A Leukemia Cup
June 24 - SCC Ted Osius
July 14 - SRYC Bacardi Cup
July 28-29 Corsica River
(Summer Social - By Land or Water)
Sept 1-3 - CBYRA Race Week
Sept 15- SSC Hospice Cup
Oct 6, 13 - SSC Good Old Boat
The Spring Brunch will be held at the College Park Airport (hey - wind is wind and air is air) on April 21.Strangely enough, the College Park Airport is in College Park Maryland, very near the University of Maryland.For further information, contact Chris Fountain.
2001 CAL 25 National Championships
The 2001 CAL 25 National Championships are scheduled for September 1 to 3 2001 in Annapolis, Md (Labor Day Weekend).The event will be run in conjunction with the CBYRA Race Week competition and festivities.The 3 days of racing will be held in the Chesapeake Bay outside the mouth of the Severn River in the region just south of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.
For more information on the National Championships, contact Mike O'Toole.(See end of this web page for contact information.)
The First Good Old Boat Regatta
The First Annual Good Old Regatta attracted good boats and good press in Annapolis in October as a new CBYRA sanctioned racing event for boats whose first hull came off the line before 1975.The event was the brainchild of Charlie Husar and Don Frye of the Triton Fleet.The idea is to have sanctioned racing under a structure that represents the racing scene of the 60s and 70s in a one design format.With sufficient interest, handicap fleets will also be introduced.For the first annual event, the CAL 25 winners were:
1.Tim Bloomfield in Whitecap (1226)
2.Mike and Diane O'Toole in Alice May (1260)
3.Peter Sheils/John Wooldridge in Ronin (681)
Great wind that day with a photo boat out from SpinSheet magazine.The Shearwater Sailing Club Race Committee also included a special guest on the committee boat:Karen Larson from Good Old Boat Magazine, a national sailing publication based in Minnesota.Both published articles about the regatta, and posted some neat photos.To see more from Good Old Boat Magazine and SpinSheet Magazine:
http://www.goodoldboat.com/
http://www.spinsheet.com/
The CAL 25 Fleet was covered in the pages of SpinSheet Magazine in other races during 2000.Many photos and articles on CAL 25 racing are available at the site.
CAL 25 People in the News
Tom Corboy (L'Orange – 1610) recently was written up in The Annapolis Evening Capital as the owner of "The House of the Week".Tom lives on Spa Creek about 1 mile above downtown Annapolis.
Gil Renaut (Celeritas – 1695) moved from his duties as Fleet Captain for the CAL 25s to become Chairman of the CBYRA Cruising One Design (COD) Division.In this role, he heads a group composed of the Alberg 30, CAL 25, Catalina 27, J24, J30, J35, J105, Melges 24, MUMM 30, and Triton racers on the Bay.This year the J105s will have two fleets in the summer High Point competition, a regular fleet, and a double handed fleet with a limitation to 2 crew members.
Charlie Husar (Chicken Little – 1657) continues a CBYRA summer High Point Scorer for the COD division.In this role, he scores over 1,500 starters in 50 events over the year.Some years back, Charlie took the job over from the late CAPT Bob Bagby, a CAL 25 racer himself.Thus, CAL 25 sailors have held the COD Scorer job continuously for over 20 years.
Maintenance Tips
This section of the Annapolis web page will regularly present tips for maintenance and repair of you CAL 25.The timing is good for the spring boat prep season.It might be a good idea to save the items that appear here for future reference.
Choosing your Caulk
There are three kinds of caulk commonly found for use in marine applications.One is not a caulk at all:
Polyurethane – like 3M 5200
Polysulfide – like 3M 101 (Boat Life also makes one)
Silicone – like a bunch of stuff
The polyurethane is an adhesive (i.e., glue), not a caulk.It is meant for attaching things that want to stay there for a long time.It is good stuff for through hull fittings.Polyurethane hardens.
The polysulfide is a caulk that maintains elasticity and adhesion to surfaces for a long time and holds up well under sun exposure.It smells a little funny.Polysulfide keeps some softness so it can flex.
Silicone caulk tends to dry out and crack under sun exposure and separates from the surfaces it is supposed to stick to under sun conditions.We've heard that newer silicones are better, but have seen no demonstrations of the improvement.
The bottom line is that for deck caulking applications (actually for most applications), the polysulfide is BEST.This is particularly true at flex points like the chain plates for your upper and lower shrouds.Look for "polysulfide" on the tube.Don't let the kid at West Marine tell you that 3M 5200 is the best and only thing to use.
For Sale for Sail
FOR SALE:1973 Cal 25 "Calibre".Dacron main, Genoa, working jib, storm jib, spinnaker, drifter.Johnson Sailmaster 8 hp gas outboard, Apelco VHS.$3,000.410-313-9360 or ejelliott@home.com.Boat in Annapolis, MD (Whitehall Yacht Yard)
FOR SALE:Charlie Husar has 10 shiny new rub rails sitting in his living room.Please get in touch before he strangles himself in 550 feet of latex rubber.Contact charlie@cal25.com or call 410-266-6216.Installation instructions provided.
Anyone having a boat related item that would like to place into the web page, contact Peter Vaka.Likewise, if your item has sold, please contact Peter so we can remove it from the listing.
Contact Information
Commodore:Charlie Husar mailto:charlie@cal25.com
Fleet Captain:Mike O'Toole mailto:mike@cal25.com
Social Chair:Chris Fountain mailto:chris@evolvecoaching.com
Secretary:Debbie Calevro debra.calevro@trw.com
Secretary:Peter Vaka pvaka1@yahoo.com
Treasurer:John Niemczuk niemczuk_john@bah.com
A Little Advertising
The following ad has been distributed in the Chesapeake Bay environs to let folks know about a great boat and a great group of people.
