Racing the SS23 is a joy. Over the years, one design SS23 class racing has centered on Narragansett Bay. Across the country, the bigger sea sprites have found racing in PHRF to be a challenge. Skippers of SS23’s in clubs without a fleet have found PHRF racing a good alternative.
In this section under Racing, you will find years of announcements and forms for racing events on Narragansett Bay stretching back from 2022. For 2023 and beyond, registration forms and announcements will be coordinated by Dom Messerli, Narragansett Bay Racing Fleet Chair. Please contact Dom at dom.messerli@me.com for announcements, S/I’s, NOR’s, and registration process for Narragansett Bay racing events.
I hope everyone is having a fantastic summer sailing our beautiful Sea Sprites in Narragansett Bay! This year has been very active with lots of Sea Sprites sailing in the harbor enjoying the historic boat and the views! Wednesday nights have also been a lot of fun with ten boats signed up and consistently five boats on the starting line and racing on the course. It is awesome that we have two women skippered boats, Scott Free from Herreshoff with Amie and Freya with Susie and one more coming very soon, Hope skippered by Emilia!
Registration for the annual Sea Sprite Regatta is now open so please follow the link below and sign up for this fun and gently competitive race held the afternoon of Saturday July 22nd with the first start planned at 1pm. Notice of Race (NOR) and Sailing Instructions (SI’s) can be found through the sign up link. As every year, we will have a standard upwind, downwind course planned. We already have two boats registered!
We will have a post race gathering with pizza, drinks and awards. This year we are introducing a new award, which will be the 2023 Sea Sprite regatta rookie award!
Please let either Bob Rude or myself know if you have any questions or need any help.
We look forward seeing you on the water!
Happy Sailing,
Dom
P.S.: Huge thank you to the Bristol Yacht Club for hosting the event and to Bob Rude, Bob McLaughlin, Roger Carney and Dave Guinther for all the support and running of the regatta! THAN YOU!
It is with deep sadness that the sailing community of Rhode Island and beyond mourns the loss of long-time sailor and Sea Sprite aficionado Herb Browne, age 92, of Bristol, Rhode Island.
Herb didn’t grow up with a silver spoon in his mouth. He spent his early years living in South Providence, a tough, rough and tumble place. It wasn’t until he moved to the Edgewood section of Providence that he was introduced to sailing. He took to it like the proverbial fish to water, cutting his teeth sailing Beetle Cats, one of the popular wooden one-designs of the day. Later in life, after serving in the military in Korea and after living throughout the United States, he and his wife, Christine, ended up settling in Bristol, RI. There, he quickly became engrossed in the sailing community and from 1977 to 1979 he served as Commodore of the historic Bristol Yacht Club.
Herb always had an eye for beautiful boats. During his time in Bristol, he witnessed the birth and evolution of fiberglass sailing yachts. At one point, the largest fiberglass boat at the Bristol Yacht Club was a 30 foot, Pearson Coaster, owned by his friend, Joe Kinder. Herb’s heart, however, was always centered on racing in one-design boats. At the time, Pearson Ensigns and locally built Sea Sprites were the dominate one-design racing classes on Narragansett Bay. That’s when Herb fell in love with a 23-foot Sea Sprite day sailer, designed by Carl Alberg. As we all know, there’s nothing like the sweet lines of an Alberg design.
Herb was an acknowledge master of one-design Sea Sprite sailing in the region, campaigning his blue-hulled beauty named Scot Free. As all sailboat racers know, having a crack crew comprises 50% or more of a skipper’s success. Herb had two of the best young sailors one could hope for, son Robbie Browne and friend, Carter Skemp. Herb would relish telling stories about skippering Scot Free. Robbie and Carter would do everything else from sail trim to tactics.
Herb modestly insisted that his job was easy…just drive the boat.
Eventually, Herb found it too taxing to be jumping around in the cockpit of his Sea Sprite. It was then he transferred to a Marshall Cat. He never lost his love affair with his Sea Sprite, however. In his later years, Herb and I, along with our wives, would sit on the Adirondack chairs on the shoreline of the Bristol Yacht Club. We would watch the boats sail through the mooring field while reminiscing about all the sailing characters we had met over our lifetimes. Whenever a Sea Sprite under sail would pass into view, Herb would become animated and turn to me an say, “Bob, look at that boat. Look how beautiful she is.” Herb was right; there’s nothing quite as beautiful as a Sea Sprite under sail beating to weather.
Herb’s insights into the Class and his knowledge about class development will be sorely missed as will his smile and wry story telling. His absence leaves a gaping hole in our minds and hearts.
May he eternally sail on a lifted tack with a warm steady breeze.
