Annual race rises (and sinks) to occasion much to everyone's delight
By Robert Berczuk
Bill Leikam is a Fool who’s no fool.
The Jamestown man and his two sons, Brody, 13, and Gauge, 12, used a bunch of
two-by-fours and other assorted nuts, bolts and screws to build the Dragonfly
2.0 for Saturday’s 39th annual Fools’ Rules Regatta at the East Ferry beach.
“It’s all the parts and pieces for our picnic table. We stalled on making the
table until after the race,” said Leikam with a sly smile.
This year’s race, again hosted by the Jamestown Yacht Club, drew an enthusiastic
crowd of several hundred spectators despite the blistering heat, and they were
treated to all the pomp and nonsense that has made this a must-see event for two
generations.
The whir of power drills, the rhythmic beat of hammers and the ripping of duct
tape echoed during the two-hour assembly phase the 28 crews had before trying to
traverse their boats along the 500-yard course.
Michelle Leon and Ilana Richter, of Burlington, Conn., named their boat Pet
Sounds after the iconic Beach Boys album of the 1960s. Unlike the album, they
were not a hit, but the pair refused to give up and crossed the finish line just
ahead of several boats — unfortunately, those all were in the Class 3
race.
RIGHT: Michelle Leon and Ilana Richter, of Burlington, Conn., named their boat
Pet Sounds after the iconic Beach Boys album of the 1960s. Unlike the album,
they were not a hit, but the pair refused to give up and crossed the finish line
just ahead of several boats — unfortunately, those all were in the Class 3 race.
Ever present was the regatta’s chairman, Chris Powell, who used his bullhorn not
only to admonish people who put their boats in the water too early, but to extol
the virtues of race T-shirts.
“Chief Fool” Powell said the race has sustained for so long because it appeals
to all ages, and people eagerly look forward to it each year.
“You never know what people will come up with, and even though they know it
probably won’t work, they still try anyway,” he said.
Jamestowners Greg and Eamon Hunter walk It’s Questionable back to shore
after its early demise in the Class 2 race.
Jamestowners Greg and Eamon Hunter walk It’s Questionable back to shore after
its early demise in the Class 2 race.
That appeal was evident by a mother-daughter team that drove two hours Saturday
morning from Burlington, Conn., to take part. They had participated in 2007 when
they were visiting Jamestown and decided to come back this year.
Jamestowner Brian Brazil, five of his buddies and their mascot plastic monkey
tried their luck with Banana Hammock. The pals have been entering the race for
about a decade and have a secret strategy.
“We meet up at Lowe’s the day before and plan it out,” Brazil said.
This year’s version was some two-by-fours affixed on top of some recycling bins
with a hammock on top.
“We’ve used the bin theory before,” Brazil said. “Last year, it failed miserably
so we redefined it for this year.”
Nicole Drake, 9, of Jamestown, cruises to an easy victory in Class 1 aboard
Bahamian Potcake Rescue. It was her second win in four regattas. Smiley Donut,
helmed by Jason Sturges of Tiverton, took second. Newport’s Easton Joyce
came in third aboard Flamingal #1.
Nicole Drake, 9, of Jamestown, cruises to an easy victory in Class 1 aboard
Bahamian Potcake Rescue. It was her second win in four regattas. Smiley Donut,
helmed by Jason Sturges of Tiverton, took second. Newport’s Easton Joyce came in
third aboard Flamingal #1.
It worked. Not only did they finish second in the unlimited class, but they won
the Frank Newman Judges’ Award.
This year’s special awards went to:
Karl Smith Most Ingenious Design: Boatamajigger by Sean and Connor Doyle of
Jamestown.
Worst Example of Naval Architecture: Porky Loves Apps by Lily Burg, Matther,
Kati and Julie Delaney of Jamestown.
Frank Newman Judges’ Award: Banana Hammock by Eric Therrien, Brian Brazil, Joe
Wilkicki, Kevin Bressler and Jim Kutter.
Jamestowners Bill Leikam and his sons, Brody, 13, and Gauge, 12, pilot Dragonfly
2.0 along the bay. It was the family’s fourth regatta. They used plastic
barrels, which they typically use to collect rain for their garden, to support
the wooden base.
Isabella Schapira, 15, of North Kingstown, right, and Alyssa Gibbs, 15, of
Jamestown, sail It’s (Lit)erary to an easy coast-to-coast win in Class 2.
On a day when most boats were carried toward shore by the wind, the girls were
aboard one of the few vessels able to stay on course. Alyssa has been in “so
many (regattas) that I can’t remember,” but Isabella said her first
one was “a lot more relaxing than I thought.” Second place went to
Pool Party by Alex and Mark Ashton of Jamestown. Tiverton’s George Sturges
and Michael Ludwig finished in third aboard Abbey Unrowed.
Isabella Schapira, 15, of North Kingstown, right, and Alyssa Gibbs, 15, of
Jamestown, sail It’s (Lit)erary to an easy coast-to-coast win in Class 2. On a
day when most boats were carried toward shore by the wind, the girls were aboard
one of the few vessels able to stay on course. Alyssa has been in “so many
(regattas) that I can’t remember,” but Isabella said her first one was “a lot
more relaxing than I thought.” Second place went to Pool Party by Alex and Mark
Ashton of Jamestown. Tiverton’s George Sturges and Michael Ludwig finished in
third aboard Abbey Unrowed.
A group of seven current and former Brown University grad students use eight
double-bagged garbage bags to float “Skydog” to the win in the
Unlimited Class. They pulled the bags through the air to fill them. They were
followed by Banana Hammock in second and the Jamestown-crewed Inflate-unable.
A group of seven current and former Brown University grad students use eight
double-bagged garbage bags to float “Skydog” to the win in the Unlimited Class.
They pulled the bags through the air to fill them. They were followed by Banana
Hammock in second and the Jamestown-crewed Inflate-unable.
Jamestowners Gabriel Sotomayor and George Lemmon and their British pal James
Cripps, all 16, sail the Pink Panther, on the left, to a Class 3 victory. The
boys have been in several past regattas but this was their first win. Second
place went to Floating Flyer by Tiverton’s Jim, Jason and Jennifer Sturges,
while Lee Dumaliang, Rachel and Ian Bryer, all of Jamestown, captured third
aboard HYC.
Jamestowners Gabriel Sotomayor and George Lemmon and their British pal James
Cripps, all 16, sail the Pink Panther, on the left, to a Class 3 victory. The
boys have been in several past regattas but this was their first win. Second
place went to Floating Flyer by Tiverton’s Jim, Jason and Jennifer Sturges,
while Lee Dumaliang, Rachel and Ian Bryer, all of Jamestown, captured third
aboard HYC.
“Chief Fool” Chris Powell and his ever-present bullhorn.
Team Tiger Boy wins the Class 4 race crewed by Jesse Mischel, Leo Mischel,
Deborah White, all of Jamestown, and Newport’s Henry Small-Thompson, 7.
Their entry last year sank at the starting line so “anything that made it
through the course was the goal,” Jesse Mischel said. Leo, 3, known as “Tiger
Boy”, divulged their winning strategy after the race: “Keep all the
other boats behind you.” Luke and Cooper Berthelot and Mark Swistak II and
Mark Swistak III, all of Jamestown, sailed Swis Family to second place. Chicken
of the Sea, crewed by Jamestown’s Abby Brodin, Brady, Ethan and Owen
Champlin, finished third Photos by Andrea von Hohenleiten
Team Tiger Boy wins the Class 4 race crewed by Jesse Mischel, Leo Mischel,
Deborah White, all of Jamestown, and Newport’s Henry Small-Thompson, 7. Their
entry last year sank at the starting line so “anything that made it through the
course was the goal,” Jesse Mischel said. Leo, 3, known as “Tiger Boy”, divulged
their winning strategy after the race: “Keep all the other boats behind you.”
Luke and Cooper Berthelot and Mark Swistak II and Mark Swistak III, all of
Jamestown, sailed Swis Family to second place. Chicken of the Sea, crewed by
Jamestown’s Abby Brodin, Brady, Ethan and Owen Champlin, finished third Photos
by Andrea von Hohenleiten
Originally published in The Jamestown Press, Thursday, August 18, 2016