1995 Annapolis-Newport Race (54 boats)
Results

By BILL WAGNER, The Capital Newspaper, Annapolis

Every Annapolis-to-Newport race produces a few winners and a few losers and this year's event was no different. Local boats who qualified as winners included Three Cheers, Javelin, Crescendo, True North and Trepidation. Javelin, a Palmer Johnson 77 owned by Chevy Chase resident and Annapolis Yacht Club member Larry Bulman, finished first in PHRF III class and first in fleet on corrected time. It was the first overall victory for Bulman, who has competed in Annapolis-to-Newport since 1963.

Bulman, who won class honors twice (1977, 1979) aboard a Morgan One-Ton, took advantage of Javelin's large sail area to make outstanding time downwind during the Atlantic Ocean portion of the race to finish in three days, 21 hours, 34 minutes and one second. Javelin, a cruiser-racer that was built in 1981, rates well for its size and thus corrected to 3:15:08:46. ``We were only the sixth boat out of the bay so I was a bit concerned at that point,'' Bulman said. ``But we did everything right in the ocean and really stretched out a lead. We had the big spinnaker up and the breeze was a bit off the water so having a 113-foot mast certainly helped.''

With three spacious staterooms, three heads and a roomy galley/dining area, Javelin probably was the most comfortable yacht in the race. "I like the boat because I can race it and cruise it and enjoy both,'' said Bulman, who bought Javelin last June from a European owner and docks it at Arnie Gay's Yard. "I think one of the reasons for the decline in offshore racing is that the pure racing boats simply aren't comfortable. That's not a problem with this boat.''

True North, a Serendipity 43 owned by Annapolis resident Mark Myers, finished second in PHRF III and fourth in class with a corrected time of 3:15:54:41. It was the first offshore race Myers has entered in the three years he's owned True North, which was built in 1979 and spent several years campaigning in the Southern Ocean Racing Circuit. "I was excited about the challenge and I'm pleasantly surprised we did so well,'' said Myers, whose only previous offshore experience came as crew for the Marion-Newport race. "I know it sounds trite, but all the credit goes to the crew. In a distance race you're very reliant on the crew so it's important to make sure you have good people with you.'' Myers was thrilled to have as a watch captain Maine native Ed White, the first person he ever sailed with. Annapolis residents Eric Smith, Shane Zwingelberg and Brad Cole were also aboard.

Crescendo, a Farr 37 owned by Arnold resident Dr. Steve Hiltabidle, won PHRF Class IV and corrected to second in fleet just seven minutes behind Javelin. Dr. Hiltabidle, a veteran of 11 Annapolis-to-Newport races, made decent time out of the Chesapeake Bay compared to most of the fleet. "We went as far east as we could and we picked up a shore breeze that kept us moving a bit while the boats in the middle of the bay were sitting still,'' said Dr. Hiltabidle, current commodore of Annapolis Yacht Club. "Once we got in the ocean we hugged the Virginia shoreline and finally got lifted up toward the rhumb line.'' An inspiring performance was turned in by Trepidation, a Peterson 34 owned by Annapolis native Tom Carrico. Trepidation, the smallest boat in the fleet and just one foot above the minimum length for entry, braved upwards of 20 knot winds in the ocean to finish second in Class V. Angus Phillips, sailing writer for the Washington Post, served as navigator for longtime friend Carrico. Another outstanding effort came from Three Cheers, a J/35 co-owned by Howard Siemers and Joe Krolak. Three Cheers finished second in IMS I and fifth in class.

Donnybrook, the Santa Cruz 70 owned by AYC member Jim Muldoon, didn't fare so well. For the second straight Annapolis-to-Newport Donnybrook was first to finish, but corrected to ninth in IMS I class and 13th in fleet.

Donnybrook had lodged a protest seeking a time reduction for its run-in with a Navy missile testing exercise. Muldoon and crew lost approximately two hours when they were ordered to motor out of a restricted area. Unfortunately the race committee ruled there was no provision for such an incident. Time allowances can only be awarded for yachts that effect a rescue or otherwise provide aid to a troubled vessel.

This year's Annapolis-to-Newport was in effect two races. Race one was an agonizing trip down the Chesapeake Bay that took Donnybrook 28 hours and Trepidation 38. Between Smith Island and the target ships the entire 50-boat fleet had to anchor for several hours to avoid being swept backwards by tide in the totally becalmed conditions. Race two was an exhilarating run up the Atlantic Ocean to Newport that saw most of the fleet flying along under spinnaker for at least 20 hours.