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Virginia - Rappahannock River Hospice Turkey Shoot Regatta
Hospice Turkey Shoot Regatta
A record setting 130 boats competed in the 2007 Hospice Turkey Shoot Regatta on October 5 to 7. Jerry Latell of Irvington VA placed first in the Lightning Division and will represent the Turkey Shoot Regatta in the National Hospice Regatta in 2008. Wayland Rennie of Richmond took first place in the Flying Cloud Division.
The regatta is open to “classic” sailboats defined as boats with a design at least 25 years old. Windfall, a 1951 Rhodes Yawl, owned by Joe Dame of Whitestone won the Miss Ann’s Choice Trophy for the most beautiful boat.
The 2008 regatta will be held October 10 to 12, 2008. Photos and results are available at www.hospiceturkeyshootregatta.com Regatta website: http://www.hospiceturkeyshootregatta.com
Hospice Turkey Shoot Regatta 2006 Event From the Rappahannock Record, May 25, 2006:
Joe Waters, representing the 2005 Yankee Point Turkey Shoot Regatta, placed third in the Hospice Regatta National Championship in Annapolis May 14. Lee Williams of Irvington won his third Turkey Shoot Regatta in 2005 and deferred his slot in the Championship to Waters. Waters described the Regatta as "fantastic," with south winds of eight to 14 knots and a strong current all three days. Competition was fierce – the winner was the Northeast Harbor Maine team led by Bob Johnstone, well-known racer and designer of the J-105. Second place went to Eric Greene and his team from Annapolis. The Turkey Shoot is an annual event on the Rappahannock River that benefits four area hospices serving the counties of the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula. This year’s regatta will be held October 6 through 8. To advertise in the program or to register to race, visit www.hospiceturkeyshootregatta.com. The 2006 Event: Sailors do not have to be skilled racers to enjoy the weekend. The regatta is open to boats of a design that is 25 years old or older, or boats made of wood. The minimum length for boats racing on the Rappahannock River is 18 feet. Singlehanders require approval by the race committee. Participating boats range from classic pre World War II yachts to Catalinas, J24s, and Flying Scotts. Shore-side events begin Friday with happy hour and music at Yankee Point Marina. Saturday the race is on a triangular course. Sunday is a pursuit race in which the boats with the highest ratings (slowest boats) start first. Boats are placed in classes based on either PHRF or a rating assigned by the rating committee. The winning skipper is asked to represent the “Turkey Shoot” in the National Hospice Regatta held in Annapolis for the winners of local Hospice Regattas held around the country. The “Turkey Shoot" is a major fund raiser for hospices serving eight counties on both sides of the Rappahannock River.
Hospice Turkey Shoot Regatta The annual Hospice Turkey Shoot Regatta drew 85 sailboats for last weekend's races on the Rappahannock River.
Lee Williams of Irvington
won his third Hospice Turkey Shoot Regatta aboard Poe Bird and claimed
the Virginia Spirit Cup. From left are Dick Rounds, Williams and
David Lee Williams. Turkey Shoot Regatta -- By Tom Neale
September 15 2005 -- Rappahannock Record, Kilmarnock
VA
Hospice Turkey Shoot Regatta
Excerpt from Southern Bay News #221, 10/17/04 Plenty of Classic Design (25 years or more old) showed up to do
the Hospice Turkey Shoot Regatta weekend before this past. While
there was no racing on Saturday, zero knots of wind, there was wind
a'plenty for 85 boats to race on Sunday. Enough wind in fact, according
to reliable Overall winner of the regatta was James Covington Jr. in Sunrise, his Herrschoff Sloop 28. Covington will be representing the Turkey Shoot at the National Hospice Regatta Championship in April in Annapolis. Here are the class winners of the Turkey Shoot: Brad Ward (Avalanche,
Bristol 35); Wayland Rennie (Trilogy, Irwin 38); Franklin Birdsall
(Spitkit, Flying Scott); Richard Hazelgrove (Quest, Alberg 30);
Matt Ashenden (Pirate's Lady, Cape Dory Typhoon); Maurice Dickerson
(Sharp The funds raised by the Hospice "Turkey
Shoot" will benefit three hospices serving eight counties on
both sides of the Rappahannock River.
Hal Sutphen, Honorary Chairman Hal Sutphen is a former Director of the Navy's sailing program and a skipper of the Reedville Fishermen's Museum's Claud W. Somers. He is well known as a writer, speaker, and sailor. He is a co-organizer and Educational Director of the Cruising Rally Association, which manages a series of offshore events each year, including the West Marine Caribbean 1500. This rally has enabled between 35 and 65 yachts to sail safely from Hampton to the British Virgin Islands each fall since 1990. Sutphen also is the author of numerous articles in sailing magazines and the book Advanced Blue Water Cruising. As a local sailor, he has participated in the "Turkey Shoot" for several years aboard the restored skipjack Claud W. Somers.
2004 HOSPICE TURKEY SHOOT REGATTA Key Location
Our thanks to sponsors of the 2004
Regatta: Bank of Lancaster The Tides Inn Yankee Point Marina Captain Bristow-Faulkner Funeral Home Northern Neck Rotary Charitable Trust Warsaw Rotary Club Allan Young -- In memory of Mary Ann Young Navigator First Mate We would also like to thank the following individuals & businesses for their contributions: A.G.A. Correa & Son--The overall
winner trophy We thank the following business
for their generous donation of raffle prizes.
Hospice "Turkey
Shoot" Regatta for Classic Boats The thirteenth Annual Turkey Shoot Regatta was held on Saturday and Sunday October 11 and 12 at Yankee Point Marina with 91 boats participating. The sailing was great with strong winds on both days. Saturday the race was on a triangular course amid 18 knots of wind under grey skies and occasional rain. Sunday was a pursuit race with the slowest boat starting first sailed under sunny skies. Awards were presented by local author, Larry S. Chowning the honorary chair of the regatta. Jack Moseley sailing Tusitala received the Virginia Spirit Cup as the overall winner of the Large Boat Regatta. As the overall winner, Moseley will represent the Turkey Shoot Hospice Regatta at Annapolis in the National Hospice Regatta next spring. He will race against winners of 20 other hospice regattas.
The Virginia Spirit Cup was named for the winners of the very first regatta when there were only two classes of boats and the winners were Virginia and Spirit. The spectators aboard the Miss Ann selected Ric Bauer’s boat Desperado, a Hinckley Owens Cutter 41 to receive the Miss Ann award as the most beautiful boat in the race.
Chet Bradley was the overall winner of the First Small Boat Regatta held as part of the Hospice Turkey Shoot. Eight nutshell prams, four from a newly formed club in Fredericksburg participated with four local sailors. The Skipjack Award was presented to skipper Jay Rohmann
and the crew of the Claud W. Somers. Because of Hurricane Isabel
the other two skipjacks that participated last year were unable
to attend. Roger Fortin was race committee chairman and Wayne Pennick was committee boat skipper for the large boat fleet. Scott Vail was race committee chairman and Jim Young was committee boat skipper for the small boat fleet. This is the only Hospice Regatta open only to fiberglass or wooden monohulls with classic designs that are at least twenty-five years old. For the first time funds raised by the Hospice Turkey Shoot Regatta will benefit four local hospices. Riverside Tappahannock Hospice, Riverside Walter Reed Hospice, and Hospice Support Care of Middlesex County joined the Hospice Support Services of the Northern Neck this year to help present the event. 2003 Hospice Turkey Shoot Regatta Final Results Large Boat Regatta Winners by class: Red/White Blue/Yellow Black Red Red/Black White Black/Green Green Tenacity Award: The Miss Ann Trophy Winner of Skipjack Award Small Boat Regatta Winners of Hospice Turkey Shoot Raffle Receive Big Prizes Amy Wilson was the lucky recipient of the First Prize, a print by the renowned artist, John Barber, entitle “Evening Sail.” It depicts magnificent yachts playing in the waning light of day, on Carter’s Creek, just off the Rappahannock River near the Chesapeake Bay. On the far shore is the famed Tides Inn, founded in 1947. The image is 14” by 22 ¾” and was framed by Rappahannock Hang-Ups. Tiffany Fisher won Second Prize, a spectacular original
watercolor by the well-known local artist, Blanchette Jones, entitled
“Sailing Through The Mist on The Rappahannock River.”
It depicts a schooner breaking through a morning mist of fabulous
lavender/blue hues. The colors are marvelous as is the rendition
of the boat. The image is 12” by 16” and was matted
and framed by Jim Jones, Blanchette’s husband. S. Bark held the Third Prize ticket called “Get lucky on the ‘Shamrock II’ out of Reedville, VA” It offers a free eight-hour fishing trip, spring or fall, for six persons with Captain Mike Farrell Gwen Garneal won Fourth Prize, a pair of tickets to seven concerts held from October 14, 2003 to 26 April 2004. The concerts are sponsored by “Concerts By The Bay,” and the “Rappahannock Concert Association, Inc.” The concerts include the Chinese Golden Dragon Acrobats, soprano and baritone Overholt and Velta, Dancing on Common Ground, The Wood’s Tea Company, the Peabody Ragtime Ensemble, soprano and pianist Angela Powell and Elizabeth Fountain, and a second performance by the Wood’s Tea Company. Kathleen Slattery from Annapolis won the Fifth Prize, a set of four books by well-known local author, and the Regatta’s Honorary Chairman, Larry Chowning. The books include: “Harvesting the Chesapeake – Tools and Traditions,” “Soldiers at the Doorstep – Civil War Lore,” Chesapeake Legacy – Tools and Traditions, and Larry’s latest book “Chesapeake Buy Boats,” scheduled to be published this month. Proceeds from the Hospice Turkey Shoot Raffle go to the four sponsoring hospices on the Northern Neck Press Releases - October 6, 2003 The Largest Hospice Regatta in The Country Will Take Place This Weekend on The Northern Neck Volunteers are busy finalizing plans for the 13th Annual Hospice Turkey Shoot Regatta, to be held October 10, 11, and 12 at Yankee Point Marina in Lancaster. Drawing competition from as far away as Tampa, Florida where skipper, Pat Crump and his crew Ned Goss, the Fireball National Champions for the past two years, will be trailering their boat up to compete, it promises to be an exciting weekend.
Sailors and spectators are all welcome to join in the festivities. If you haven’t already done so, you can still register to race on Friday. The weekend will begin Friday night with a Happy Hour at Yankee Point Yacht Club from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Come meet the author and regatta honorary chairman, Larry Chowning, and enjoy music by Steve Keith, partake of hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and join in the fun with all those committed to helping hospice as they have a good time. Steve Keith is a talented local musician who quips that he arrived by boat and then adds…from the other side of the Piankatank! His songs have a special appeal to those who love living, working and playing on the water. “My Deadrise, My Flies and My Beer” is typical of one he wrote specifically for this area, “Little Hinckley Yawl” is one he wrote to entice his wife, Laurie, to marry him and sail on his boat. Come join in the fun, and you’ll learn some local lore in the process. The Racer’s Breakfast from 7:30-9:00 a.m. will start the festivities on Saturday followed by small boats racing on the Corrotoman at 10:30 a.m and large boats racing on the Rappahannock starting at 12:00 noon. The Hope and Glory’s boat “Faded Glory” will take interested spectators out to watch the race. A box lunch will be provided. Tickets are available for $25 and can be obtained by calling the marina at 462-7018. “Faded Glory” will leave from Yankee Point Marina at 11:00 a.m. and return at 3:00 p.m. A Happy Hour followed by a Regatta Dinner for sailors, crew and guests will start at 5:30 p.m. Tim Morgan’s Mojo Brother’s Band will provide listening and dancing music into the evening. The Racer’s Breakfast between 7:30-9:00 a.m. will kick off events on Sunday followed by a 10:30 a.m. start for the small classic boats and the Skipjacks. At 11:00 a.m. the Pursuit Race starts for the large classic yachts. Tickets are still available for $50 to ride and have lunch on the spectator boat, the Miss Ann, boarding at the Tides Inn Dock at 12:45 p.m. Call 462-7018 for tickets. The Raffle Drawing featuring a John Barber print, a water color by Blanchette Jones, an eight-hour fishing trip aboard the “Shamrock II”, a pair of tickets to seven concerts, and a set of four books by Larry Chowning will take place after the races at 4:00 p.m. Raffle tickets will be available throughout the weekend. The Awards Ceremony with the presentation of trophies for individual races, the Virginia Spirit Cup Trophy, the Miss Ann Choice Trophy, and the Skipjack Trophy will bring the regatta to a close. The weekend events are open to all and will go on rain or shine. Registration and tickets are available by calling Karen Knull at Yankee Point Marina 804 462-7018. Renowned Fireball National and North American Winners To Compete in Local Hospice Turkey Shoot Now that our local hospice Turkey Shoot Regatta is the largest in the country, it is beginning to gain national attention and draw serious sailors from other states. Patrick Crump and Ned Goss are trailering their boat from
Tampa, Florida to compete Saturday the 11th and Sunday the 12th
in the annual Hospice Turkey Shoot Regatta at Yankee Point Marina.
Pat has won the Fireball Nationals six times…five times as a skipper and once as a crew. He also won the North American championship in 1999, and he has won most Fireball titles at one time or another including some Canadian events. Crump has been sailing Fireballs for 32 years. He started sailing them as a junior sailor, and though he has sailed many other boats, the Fireball remains his favorite. He grew up sailing Thistles in Connecticut where his father raised his kids as a sailing and racing family. Through the years, he raced Blue Jays, Lightnings, Thistles, Stars, 505s, Flying Dutchmen, Lasers, and other small boats, as well as a fair number of large boats. Pat has been Fireball class president since 1997, and he has been a measurer for 28 years. He was recently regatta chairman of the 2002 Fireball World Championship in Tampa, Florida. Ned Goss, Pat’s crew, grew up in Madison, Connecticut, and he too raced Blue Jays and Lightnings as a junior. Currently living in Charleston, SC, he is a certified sailing instructor. In addition to racing the Fireball, Ned is sailing with an established Olympic contender in the 49'er class, and just returned from competing in Cadiz, Spain. Pat and Ned started sailing together late in 1999, and will make a serious bid for the Olympics in 2008 and 2012 in the 49'er class. Pat and Ned both give time to the High School Challenge Cup effort in Jefferson, Pennsylvania at the Jefferson Morgan High School’s boat building project, where students design and build Fireballs in the Industrial Administration program of the school, under the supervision of Dave White. Of note is that Duncan Schaefer, of Canton, Ohio, runs a similar school program building Fireballs. Local sailors should get ready for some real competition as Crump and Goss will be racing the 20 year old boat that Crump built in the Turkey Shoot Regatta. “Lady Issy” Damages Docks but The Hospice Turkey Shoot Regatta is Still a Go Intrepid, civic-minded sailors undaunted by Isabel’s havoc ready their boats for the 13th annual Hospice Turkey Shoot Regatta October 10, 11 and 12th. Boats were hauled and secured in creeks all over the bay
in preparation for Isabel’s arrival. It’s no small task
to haul and then re-launch 78 boats, but that’s what has been
happening on Myer Creek at Yankee Point Marina. A full court press
is on so all contenders will have their boats in the water and ready
for the regatta. Over a year in the planning, the regatta will still go on rain or shine. The well-known author Larry Chowning will be on hand as the honorary chairperson. Sponsored by the Bank of Lancaster and Bay Trust, the “Miss Ann” will, as in the past, take spectators on Sunday the 12th. to view the pursuit race and finish line. For the first time the Hope and Glory’s boat “Faded Glory” will take spectators out on Saturday the 11th . Steve Keith will perform at Yankee Point Yacht Club at the Friday evening happy hour, and Tim Morgan’s Mojo Brothers Band will provide entertainment on the Saturday the 11th. Approximately 125 boats with antique designs of 25 years old or older plan to race making this the largest Hospice Regatta in the country. Three large skipjacks will compete in a class of their own as will nutshells, fireballs and sunfish. The goal this year is to raise over $30,000 to benefit the four participating local hospices. To register to sail, to sign up for one of the spectator boats, or to purchase tickets for the evening’s entertainment, call Karen Knull at 804 462-7018 or 462-7635. Press Release - September 15, 2003 View The Turkey Shoot Regatta from The Miss Ann The Tides Inn will once again provide regatta spectators a special opportunity to view the final race of the two-day Hospice Turkey Shoot Regatta from their 124-foot luxury yacht. This year’s cruise is being sponsored by the Tides Inn and the Bank of Lancaster. Spectators will see a wide variety of beautifully maintained
older boats such as sloops, yawls, and skipjacks as they race for
the finish line. Those aboard the Miss Ann will enjoy a buffet lunch
and the camaraderie of fellow boating enthusiasts as they watch
the yachts follow a “pursuit” race course toward the
finish line on Sunday October 12th. The Rev. John Farmer, a boating enthusiast, will serve as narrator, providing spectators with details on each of the boats. As they cross the finish line, they will sail around the Miss Ann so that the spectators can cast their votes for the best-looking sailboat. The skipper of the winning boat will be awarded the Most Beautiful Classic Boat Trophy. The Miss Ann has a long and colorful history. In August 1924, John H. French, a Detroit banker, industrialist, and yacht collector, hired D.B. Dobson of New Bedford, Massachusetts, to design the fastest and most stable twin diesel yacht of the time. Shortly thereafter he contracted with Pusey & Jones, a well-known shipyard of Wilmington, DE, to transform Dobson's design into one of the finest diesel yachts in America. Two years later, on April 10, 1926 John H. French's wife Elsie christened the hull of the luxury yacht Siele, an anagram of her first name. Mrs. French's desire for comfort and safety at sea was instrumental in the yacht's design and construction. The Frenches boarded the Siele in New York harbor for the maiden voyage that took them into the St. Lawrence at Halifax, through the canals into the Great Lakes, then home to Detroit. Along the way, an unexpected storm hit the Great Lakes and a rogue wave caught the side of Siele causing her to broach. While no harm was done, Elsie French retreated to her stateroom below deck for the remainder of the voyage. After disembarking, she never again set foot aboard any ship. For years following the Great Lakes mishap, the Siele sat unused and was eventually brought to dry dock and sold to the Navy. On April 9, 1941 the vessel was commissioned the Aquamarine at the Washington Naval Shipyard and after a major refit assigned to the Naval Research Laboratory for underwater experiments in the Chesapeake Bay and Potomac River. During 1945, the Aquamarine served as tender to the presidential yacht Potomac. After being decommissioned from active duty in 1946, retired Army Colonel Grimm purchased her with plans to restore and transport her to his home in the Philippines. Unfortunately, the project proved to be too costly and in 1952 she was sold to E. A. Stephens. Stephens immediately hired John H. Wells, a well-known yacht designer, to add a modern look to the vessel. Included in the new design was a modern rake to the bow, a swept sheer line, and a fanned transom that brought the yacht up to the cutting edge of the 1950's. Under the battleship gray paint hid the treasure of all the beautiful wood of the 1920's. Named after his wife Ann, the Miss Ann arrived at her new homeport in Irvington, Virginia in 1956. Since April 11, 1993, the Miss Ann has carried thousands of guests on cruises up and down the Rappahannock River. Tickets for the Miss Ann Turkey Shoot Cruise and buffet lunch are $50 and can be purchased from Karen Knull at Yankee Point Marina 462-7018 or from the Hospice in Warsaw 333-0084. Press Release - July 18, 2003 2003 HOSPICE TURKEY SHOOT REGATTA Once again a river of the Bay will be graced by the great triangular sails and long booms of the traditional Chesapeake Bay skipjack. The event that will coax these lovely old vessels to sail again in the southern Bay waters, as well as a hundred or more other classic sailboats, will be the annual Hospice Turkey Shoot Regatta. The regatta, on October 10, 11 and 12, will be hosted by Yankee Point Sailboat Marina on Meyer Creek, just inside the entrance to the Corrotoman River. The race venue is on the lower Rappahannock River. The Turkey Shoot is one of twenty regattas across the country under the auspices of the National Hospice Regatta Alliance. Of all the regattas it is the only one for classic sailboats. The Turkey Shoot Regatta began in 1989 as a project of
Chuck Harney, a wooden and classic boat enthusiast and John McConnico,
then the owner of Yankee Point Marina. In 1996 Hospice Support Services
of the Northern Neck became the sponsor of the Turkey Shoot. And
this year, for the first time, the regatta will be sponsored by
four hospices; Hospice Support Services, Hospice Support Care of
Middlesex County, Riverside Tappahannock Hospice, Riverside Hospice
of Gloucester - Walter Reed. Today the Turkey Shoot is a major event
drawing well over 100 vintage and classic boats of all designs including
the skipjack, once the workhorse of Chesapeake Bay watermen and
now approaching extinction. How can such a diverse fleet of boats be arranged in classes for racing? Over the years regatta officials have evolved some very practical methods. By using a combination of published PHRF ratings, design measurements, previous performance data and common sense, they handicap boats into reasonably equivalent racing classes. Last year they ended up with nine classes.
The 2003 Regatta includes a weekend full of activities starting on Friday evening with a happy hour offering a spread of hors d'oeuvres and entertainment by the versatile sailor/singer/songwriter Steve Keith. Well known to the lower Rappahannock area, Keith is a regular performer at Donk's in Mathews. He has played with some of the best names in the music business. His chantey dedicated to the region's watermen, "My Deadrise, My Flies and My Beer" has already earned him a following among local fishermen. Many of the boats will arrive on Friday, October 10, and drop anchor for the night in Meyer Creek. Following the free breakfast for crews and the Skippers Meeting on Saturday morning the fleet will parade out to the racecourses. In route they will pass under an arch of water (weather permitting) provided by the Marina's fireboat "Squirt," a renovated Navy whaleboat equipped with high pressure water pumps. Spectators will be able to view the races Saturday and Sunday from shore side or aboard their own boats. On Sunday, race spectators can board the Tides Inn's Miss Ann for a special Turkey Shoot cruise. The 120 foot long luxury yacht will afford a comfortable and luxurious elevated view from her upper deck accompanied by a buffet lunch with all the niceties this grand old relic of America's "Great Gatsby" era can provide. An experienced racer will describe the events. After the finish, the contestants will sail around the Miss Ann so the spectators can vote for the "Miss Ann" trophy given to the most beautiful yacht in the regatta Saturday evening, there will be a barbeque dinner hosted by Hospice volunteers followed by dancing to live music by the Carlton Newsome Band. On Sunday morning, after a free breakfast for the crews, there will be another race. Unlike the class races on Saturday which will be around an Olympic triangular course, Sunday's event will be a pursuit race. In this race each boat will start at a specific time depending on her rating. The slowest boat will start first and all other boats will try to overtake her. The first boat across the finish line wins. Racing on both days is not cut-throat but is great fun. At the completion of Sunday's racing, there will be the raffle drawing for donated prizes followed by a ceremony to award trophies to the overall regatta winner, the winners of the different classes, to the boat that completes all races and finishes last overall (the Tenacity Award,) and to the skipper of the most beautiful boat. Awards will be presented by the Honorary Regatta Chairman, Larry Chowning, noted local author of books on Chesapeake Bay traditions, tools, and local lore. To enter a boat in the regatta, registration forms are available at Yankee Point Marina or skippers can register online at www.yankeepointmarina.com. If you have questions, Call Karen Knull at 804 462-7018. If you are in doubt as to the design age of your boat, Karen has a listing of fiberglass boats that may help you establish eligibility. The evening events are open to the public. For Steve Keith's concert, tickets are $5.00 per person and may be purchased at the event or call Yankee Point Marina at 462-7018. Tickets to the Saturday night dinner and dance are $20.00. For the Miss Ann cruise with its buffet lunch and special activities, tickets are $50.00 per person. These can also be purchased at the Marina from Karen. Rarely does one find an event that offers so much for so
many as the Turkey Shoot Regatta. Its proceeds help provide funding
for the four hospices, which, in a region with so many elderly,
touch a remarkable number of lives. The event is also a boon for
the boat owners and their crews; it makes the special burden of
owning an older boat more satisfying. And lastly, for all of those
who get a chance to see these lovely boats under sail, it helps
remind us of a more graceful and less hectic time, when one could
leave the worries of the land behind and enjoy the quiet and simple
pleasures of one of man's most noble pastimes.
2003 HOSPICE TURKEY SHOOT REGATTA Key
Location
A Dismasting at Last Year's Start Didn't Deter Lee Williams from being First to Register for This Year's Turkey Shoot Regatta. In an unfortunate accident, at the start of last year's regatta, Lee Williams' centerboard daysailer "Poe Bird" was dismasted. Refusing to concede, the resolute Doctor applied a splint to the fractured spar. The spirit was willing, but the aluminum was weak, and Lee had to retire and race another day. First to register for this year's regatta, Lee will once
again endeavor to make "Poe Bird" proud. He has
her new mast set to step and will be ready, willing and able to
take on all contenders during the October 10, 11, and 12 contest. Williams, winner of the 1996 Turkey Shoot Regatta, when the "oldest sailor in the oldest boat with the oldest sails" won the regatta, once more placed first in 2001. This year Lee will again race his lady "Poe Bird", one of the earliest 24' fiberglass Raven class sloops built in 1959 by Cape Cod Shipbuilding. Lee, a retired physician from Irvington, VA, was born in Roanoke, VA and spent his summers as a child sailing on Carter's Creek and the Rappahannock. He practiced Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery - for 43 years in Baltimore and taught at Johns Hopkins. At age 79, he still attends meetings and clinics at Hopkins as an Associate Professor Emeritus.
The Chesapeake continues to claim Williams' heart. Since the sailing crew receive and deserve much of the credit for winning races, one of his life's high points was being declared Yankee Point Yacht Club's "Single-Handed Racer of the Year" in 2001. This man for all seasons is an avid hunter, sailor, and fisherman. His favorite pastime is teaching fishing and sailing to his 20 grandchildren. It's these same grandkids who will be at the finish line hoping to yell, "You did it again, Grandpa!" This classic boat regatta raises funds for Hospice. Riverside Tappahannock Hospice, Gloucester's Walter Reed Hospice, and Hospice Support Care of Middlesex have formed an alliance this year with Northern Neck Hospice Support Service making it one of the largest hospice regattas in the USA. The race, open to boats designed at least 25 years ago, sees contests between classic Skipjacks in addition to well over 100 boats of classic design. To enter a boat in the regatta, registration forms are
available at Yankee Point Marina or skippers can register online
at www.yankeepointmarina.com.
If you have questions, call Karen Knull at 804 462-7018. Press Release
- June 17, 2003 The honorary chair of this year’s 13th annual Turkey Shoot Regatta is acclaimed local author Larry S. Chowning of Urbanna, Virginia. The annual regatta for classic boats will be held on October 10, 11, and 12 on the Rappahannock River in Lancaster County, Virginia. The regatta is a major fundraiser that raises funds for hospice support care on the Northern Neck and Middlesex County. Chowning, a longtime writer in the Tidewater region, was born and raised in Urbanna, educated in Middlesex County public school and graduated from University of Richmond in 1972. He and his wife, Dee, have lived in Urbanna since they were married in 1973. He is author of four books and another that’s due to be released September 2003. The titles of his books are Barcat Skipper – Tales of a Tangier Island Waterman. (1983); Harvesting the Chesapeake – Tools and Traditions (1990); Chesapeake Legacy – Tools and Traditions (1995); and Soldiers At The Doorstep – Civil War Lore (1999). Cornell Maritime Press of Centreville, Md., will soon release his fifth book Chesapeake Bay Buyboats, a comprehensive study of the buyboat era on the Chesapeake. Chowning’s new book is a 392-page volume with over 280 photos. It studies the era of the old wooden bay boats from the early years when sail and motor-power were used together to power the boats to later years when the sails were taken off and motors were used exclusively. The large wooden buyboat style vessels served as floating middlemen, buying fresh seafood right off workboats and running it to market on shore. The boats were also used as commercial fishing vessels in the pound net, winter crab dredge, and mid-Atlantic ocean trawl and clam fisheries. Since 1981, Chowning has been a full-time reporter for the Urbanna Southside Sentinel where he has won numerous Virginia Press Association awards for his writing. At the Sentinel, he is a general assignment reporter who covers county government issues in Middlesex and other happenings around the area. In 1985, he was named a Field Editor to National Fisherman Magazine, the nation’s largest seafood trade publication out of Rockland, Maine. Over the years, Chowning has written hundreds of stories and traveled extensively throughout the mid-Atlantic region for National Fish and other boating magazines. He currently writes a monthly column “Around the Yard – South” for National Fish that profiles boatyards from Delaware to Texas.Chowning and his wife, Dee, are also owners of Make Thyme, a gift and flower shop in Urbanna. This year three more local hospices have decided to form an alliance and help sponsor the event. Riverside Tappahannock Hospice, Riverside Walter Reed Hospice out of Gloucester, and newly formed Hospice Support Care of Middlesex County will for the first time, join the Hospice Support Services of the Northern Neck in the Turkey Shoot fundraiser this October. Their goal is to register more than 125 boats and to raise over $30,000 in the 2003 regatta. Press Release - May 23, 2003 Three More Hospices Join to Sponsor the Annual -- Turkey Shoot Regatta Nothing succeeds like success, and this year, the eighth year the Turkey Shoot Regatta has been run as the major fund-raiser for the all-volunteer Hospice Support Services of the Northern Neck, three more local hospices have decided to form an alliance and help sponsor the event. The goal is to register more than 125 boats, and the Support Services of the Northern Neck hopes to raise over $30,000 in the 2003 regatta.
Riverside Tappahannock Hospice, Riverside Walter Reed Hospice
out of Gloucester, and newly formed Hospice Support Care of Middlesex
County will for the first time, join the Hospice Support Services
of the Northern Neck in the Turkey Shoot fundraiser this October.
Riverside Tappahannock Hospice and Riverside Walter Reed
Hospice are both part of the Riverside Health System. They are medical
hospices providing nursing and medical care as well as trained volunteer
support under the guidance of the patient's own physician. They
are paid by insurance plans, however, they do not turn anyone down
for lack of payment. Funds from Larry Chowning, author of "Harvesting the Chesapeake: Tools and Traditions", "Barcat Skipper: Tales of a Tangier Island Waterman" and other books on local lore will serve as honorary chair of the regatta. Save the date for this fun-filled weekend for sailors and
the public at large. The regatta is open to fiberglass and wooden
sailboats with designs that are at least 25 years old and newer
wooden sailboats of classic design. In the fourth annual skipjack
race, these beautiful examples of
Hospice "Turkey
Shoot" Regatta for Classic Boats The Turkey Shoot Hospice Regatta was a whopping success. About $27,500 was raised for the Hospice Services of the Northern Neck. That is an increase of about $6,000 from last year. Thank you all for your participation and support. We had 102 boats entered this year, an increase of 23 boats from last year and a new record.
We had great participation from all over the East Coast from Maine (a Concordia Yawl), to North Carolina (Pearson 30). We also had a special Honorary “Chairboat” from Jamestown, Virginia. We want to thank Eric Speth, the sailing master of the Godspeed and his crew for donating their time and sharing that gorgeous example of 1600’s sailing design with all of us. We were also fortunate to have three skipjacks 50' or larger which raced in their own class. The Virginia W out of Kinsale, the Claud W. Sommers from Reedville and the Wilma Lee of Sandy Point. The Virginia W won the large Skipjack race. at one point it was reported that during Sunday's drifting contest the Claud Sommers actually did a 360 while caught in an eddy with no wind! The weather was mixed for the Regatta weekend. Friday’s kick off cocktail party was wet and wild but it didn’t seem to bother the huge crowd huddled under the tent. After all, this is a gathering of sailors! Great party with hors d’oeurves, wine, beer and fantastic pickin’ and a’grinnin with Steve Keith who fiddled, banjoed and sang as many sea chantys as anyone could think of. Great sing-along. Saturday was gorgeous, lots of wind and some really fine boats. Karen found out that we are now the second largest Hospice Regatta in the country, second only to Annapolis. “OZONE II” the Flying Scot sailed by Jerry Latell took first overall followed closely by “TRILOGY” sailed by Weyland Rennie and “CYGNET” sailed by Jack Renire. Saturday morning the Hospice Crew served breakfast to about 300 people, and a great roast pork barbeque prepared by Mike and Diane Gadwell and served by the Hospice Volunteers sated about 330 people that evening. The perfect weather made the evening’s party even more enjoyable with some great blues music played by the Black White Blues band. Sunday started off with another breakfast but the race was a drifting contest that was called off after 5:00 hours. The last 3 boats had to be towed back to the harbor by yours truly; we got them in at about 8:30PM. Jack Renire was in the lead when the race was called and might have been able to wrest away first place. He went down kicking and screaming (as we all would have had we been in his position). None-the-less, everyone had a great time, as witnessed by the spectators on the Miss Ann. The Miss Ann cruise was donated this year by the Tides Inn and a special thanks goes to Larry McAfee, the resident manager. That cruise was sold out again this year. Of course since there wasn’t much wind to pull the boats past Miss Ann, she had to cruise through the fleet to conduct the contest for most beautiful boat. The winner of that contest for the second year in a row was “Windfall” a 1951 50’ Rhodes Yawl built by Abeking and Rassmussen and sailed and owned by Joe and April Dame. Crow’s Nest Photography took a bunch of pictures of the Regatta. Brad didn’t bring his blimp this year but hopefully next year. Here are some of his pictures and you can purchase his entire CD of over 250 images for $35 (which includes handling and postage). He can also provide enlargements for a fee. Please contact him at www.crowsnestphoto.com or by phone at 804-693-3133. If you order before November 30th, Brad Sindle will donate 10% of the proceeds to the Hospice Services group. Brad Sindle Photos:
Place: Rappahannock River Number of Boats: ~ 100 Committee Boat: The Godspeed ( A replica of the ship that brought the first settlers to Virginia.) Honorary Chairpersons: Eric Speth, Captain of the Godspeed
& possibly the Sailing Master who brought the Godspeed Across
the Atlantic from England.)
All proceeds from the regatta go to the Hospice Support Services of the Northern Neck. The Hospice provides help to the terminally ill and those with life threatening illnesses. There is no charge for the services and equipment provided by the Hospice.
The Turkey Shoot is one of 17 Hospice regattas held this year throughout the country for the benefit of local hospices; it is the only such regatta for classic boats. Some 75 to 100 classic sailboats will race on the Rappahannock River on Saturday and Sunday October 13 and 14 in the Hospice Turkey Shoot Regatta. For the first time three historic skipjacks from the Northern Neck will race on a special course. Spectators will be able to view the races Saturday and Sunday aboard their own boats or aboard the 120-foot luxury yacht Miss Ann from the Tides Inn on Sunday. The races will begin and end near the mouth of the Corrotoman River. On the Miss Ann, Bill Louisell, a very knowledgeable yachtsman, will narrate the race and a buffet luncheon will be served. Guests aboard the Miss Ann will vote for the best looking boat in the regatta, which will be awarded the Miss Ann trophy. If the Miss Ann is fully booked for Sunday, the regatta organizers will seek to provide one or more spectator boats on Saturday. The weekend events begin with a happy hour on Friday evening October 12 with hors d’ oeuvres, live music, and a chance to meet the honorary chairpersons, Hal and Margaret Roth. Hal Roth is a successful “Around the World Alone” competitor and noted author of books on cruising and racing. Saturday evening there is a barbecue dinner followed by live music and dancing. The weekend concludes with an awards ceremony Sunday afternoon. The boat Hal Roth sailed in his second around the world race as well as the skipjacks will be open to visitors Friday during the happy hour and Saturday after the race. At both the happy hour and barbecue, framed prints by John Barber, John McLeod and other well-known artists will be raffled off. The drawing will be Sunday afternoon at the awards ceremony. Miss Ann Tickets: Tickets may be obtained from Karen Knull at 804 462 7018. The Miss Ann tickets are $50.00 and include the buffet lunch. The Miss Ann departs from the Tides Inn on Craters Creek. Information for spectator boats: The races are planned to start at about 11:00am both Saturday and Sunday. More information for persons wishing to view the skipjack races aboard their own boats will be posted on this site by October 10th. Schedule of shore-side events at Yankee Point Marina: Friday Happy Hour: Sponsorships and donations: Persons wishing to provide financial support to the Hospice through the Turkey Shoot Regatta may contact Jim Charbeneau at 804 435 0641. Information for skippers. The regatta is open to wooden boats and to boats of a classic design twenty-five years or older. The race on Saturday is on a triangular course with handicaps as established by the race committee, based on PHRF where possible. The race Sunday is a pursuit race with each entry assigned a starting time based on its handicap. The skipjacks will race on a separate course each day. Entries will be grouped into classes of similar boats with class trophies and overall trophies awarded. The overall winner will be asked to represent the Northern Neck Hospice in the National Hospice Regatta in 2002. The winner of the Miss Ann trophy will receive a free stay at the Gables Bed and Breakfast in Reedville. Skipper registration: Registration is available on this
web
site or by calling Karen Knull at 804 462 7018. The registration
fee for skippers is $35.00 if paid on or before October 10. Late
registrations are $45.00. Skippers receive a collectable Turkey
Shoot coffee mug, a T-shirt with the 2001 Turkey Shoot logo and
a Turkey Shoot cap. They also receive free breakfasts on Saturday
and Sunday for skipper and crew, a participation plaque for the
boat, and a chance to win gift certificates and other goodies.
Hospice "Turkey
Shoot" Regatta The Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation has agreed to allow the Godspeed serve as the Committee Boat for this year’s Turkey Shoot. The Godspeed is a replica of one of the three early 17th century sailing vessels that brought the settlers to Jamestown. Another vessel that is sure to delight spectators is the 1904 skipjack Virginia W. It is being renovated by the Port Kinsale Foundation, which is expecting to have a crew sail it to the Rappahannock for the regatta. The Virginia W. is one of the oldest Virginia-built skipjacks known to exist. She was used to dredge oyster until 1995. Since the Turkey Shoot is a regatta for classic sailboats, these two examples of sailing vessels of by-gone years are expected to be a big attraction for spectators. The regatta and related festivities are run by Yankee Point Sailboat Marina and volunteers from Hospice and local area yacht clubs. The regatta grows larger each year - over 100 boats are expected to enter this year - and more volunteers are needed for a wide range of activities leading up to the regatta and during the weekend’s events. Approximately 200 guests celebrate the two-day race on the lower Rappahannock River, near Chesapeake Bay, with social gatherings at private homes and at the Yankee Point Yacht Club. Sponsor levels are from $250 to $1000. Contact Don Risk: 804-333-0084 or Lenore Foster: 804-394-9752. Race contact: John McConnico. 804-462-7018 email:bsayankeepoint@rivnet.net.
Hospice "Turkey Shoot"
Regatta 1999 The Hospice "Turkey Shoot" Regatta, one of the few regattas for wooden boats or boats of a classic design 25 years or older, benefits Hospice Support Services of the Northern Neck, Warsaw, Va. Originally held the week before Thanksgiving, the date was recently changed to take advantage of better sailing weather but the name "Turkey Shoot" stuck. Fifty-four boats were entered in 1998 and at least seventy are expected this year. A.G.A. Correa Co., maker of fine marine-related jewelry and trophies, donated the winner's "Virginia Spirit" Perpetual Trophy. Guests watch the finals from the decks of the Tides Inn's gracious yacht, "Miss Ann", and vote on the most beautiful boat. Approximately 200 guests celebrate the two-day race on the lower Rappahannock River, near Chesapeake Bay, with social gatherings at private homes and at the Yankee Point Yacht Club. For a special year 2000 celebration, the ship "Godspeed" from Jamestown, Va. is scheduled to spend a week in the race area.
The Hospice Regatta is much more than just another sailboat race. It's a series of events that brings sailors and non-sailors together to enjoy the beauty of sailboat races and support a good cause - Hospice Support Services of the Northern Neck. More than 70 boats are expected to participate in the two-day regatta which will take place on the lower Rappahannock near the entrance to the Corrotoman River. The Turkey Shoot is unique in that it is the only Hospice regatta for classic boats. A classic sailboat in this case is defined as any wooden sailboat or any other sailboat whose classic design is 25 years or older. Some of the types of boats that participated in past years and will compete in this year's race include stoops, yawls, catboats, small skipjacks, bugeyes, and sharpies. During the two-day event, skippers
and their crews will compete on two different courses. On Saturday,
they will race around a traditional triangular course and on Sunday
they will compete in a pursuit race which takes handicaps into account
up front, allowing the slowest boats to start first. Boats will
be divided into fleets an each boat will fly a colored ribbon from
its backstay indicating its fleet.
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Overall Winner of the Regatta is Jack Moseley and his crew aboard
the Tusitala (L to R - Hunter Davidson, Judy Buis, Anne Davidson,
Coleman Davidson, Larry Chowning, Owen Davidson, Jack Moseley, Jere
Dennison and Betty Anne Harsh)
L to R Chet Bradley receiving the Small Boat Regatta Cup from Honorary
Regatta Chairman, Larry Chowning. 
Claud W. Somers skipper, Jay Rohman, and crew receiving the skipjack
award (L to R Skipper Jay Rohman, Lionel Whitcomb, Rick Skelton,
Jim Egan, Hal Sutphen, Kevin Hulbert. Not shown: Mike Hemovich,
Randy Palmer, Fred Eddowes.)
Blanchette Jones presents Tiffany Fisher with the original watercolor
she painted and donated as a raffle prize to benefit hospice. 
Photo by the Crow's Nest Photography
Skipjack being passed by Jerry Latell, winner of the 2002 regatta
in his Flying Scott. 
