1961 North American Championship - Toronto, Canada
Regatta Report
Richard I. Stearns, of the Wilmette Harbor Fleet, has won so many Star honors that he himself cannot remember them all. Last year he became the first skipper ever to hold two North American Silver Stars when he successfully de fended his 1960 continental title. He did it in Toronto in 1961 in a five race series in light and unreliable air, with the remarkable record of three seconds and two fifths, far steadier than anyone else in the 44 boat fleet. Stearns and his crew Lynn Williams seem to have it down to a system: in 1960 they also won the series by a large margin, but also without a single first.
Second was John (Pete) Bennett, of Chicago, who was to go to California the next month and take second in the World's Championship, and third was O. P. Merrill's New Jersey entry, Duet.
In the preliminary Scythes Open event, three races were sailed in fine westerly breezes: but the good winds deserted the contestants for the championship and progressed slowly around toward the east as the week went on. There were substantial shifts on every windward leg, and the boys who guessed them soonest won the races. Thus individual first places reached all the way down to 21st in the series tally, the only skipper to take two firsts being Don Bever, who ended fourth for the week.
The race committee of the Royal Canadian Yacht Club handled the big fleet with efficiency and skill. Good long lines, square to the wind, were provided every day. Only on the last day was there some delay as the wind refused to settle down. Three false starts had to be called back, as each time the shifting breeze ruined the line and caused crowding at one end.
Most contestants were housed at a central motel on the mainland. Festivities were highlighted by two parties on the island at the sumptuous R.C.Y.C., including the final banquet. Special thanks are due to members of the host club who made available their commodious lockers and other facilities for the Star fleet.
Results
1961 NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP - TORONTO Place No. Name Skipper Crew Fleet Daily Places Pts. 1 4241 Glider Richard Stearns Lynn Williams WH 2 2 5 2 5 209 2 4280 Tranquil John Bennett Robert Halperin JP 8 12 7 4 2 192 3 3880 Duet Owen P. Merrill C. Barnes AH 4 5 3 9 17 186.5 4 4131 Mouette Don Bever D. Rapprich SLE 12 1 1 6 18 185 5 4125 Shandon E. W. Etchells Mary Etchells CLIS 7 3 4 18 8 185 6 3861 Capstar J G. Burbeck J. Killough WLIS 13 4 13 8 6 181 7 4105 Folly Robert Asher Don Grantzer CLE 11 7 2 16 14 175 8 4231 December Eugene Corley R. A. Schoch SLM 5 14 16 17 1 172 9 3858 Ingenae George Thomas Chas. Simpson CLE 10 13 15 3 19 165 10 4359 Cirrus Howie LippincottFrank Hogg ER 9 15 19 13 10 159 11 3938 Good Grief! Tom Blackaller Al Nelson WSFB 12 16 6 29 7 155 12 4281 Cygnet Owen C. Torrey Marg Torrey GSB 18 6 28 5 15 153 13 3913 Lindoya C. W. Lyon Jr Frank Lyon AH dnf 9 26 1 4 140 14 3775 Envy Kevin Jaffe Wallace Ross Mid 6 dsq 18 14 3 139 15 4404 Star of the Sea Joe Duplin Gregory Molbius BH dnf 19 8 7 9 137 16 3982 Tackless Jack Goddard Nick Safford BH 21 8 14 12 34 136 17 4397 Finish I R. M. Boudeman John Keyser GL 23 17 10 23 29 123 18 4068 Lady Killer Ralph Cameron David Streit MorB 19 24 9 31 25 117 19 4370 Tsunami Anson Beard Peter Beard GSB 3 28 21 11 dsq 117 20 4438 Rowdy Bob Lippincott Walter Flynn BB 15 37 17 19 23 114 21 3648 Chuckle Harold Halsted Lawrence Cox MorB 1 38 36 27 21 102 22 3869 Sirene F. R. Black W. Bennett PPL 24 11 23 32 37 98 23 4317 Blitz H. M. Duys E. B. Winslow HB 28 17 33 28 11 98 24 3130 October J. T. McCarthy Jack Cathain JP 29 10 34 9 dns 97 25 3907 Cindy R. K. Ferguson S. Boudemann GL dsq 18 31 25 13 93 26 4331 Grenadier C. N. Findlay C. Gould HB 26 25 40 15 26 93 27 3779 Boomerang Too R. C. Thompson Homan Hallock ES 35 26 20 33 20 91 28 4362 Riptide III Richard Poole Pat Poole ERF 27 21 12 39 38 88 29 4100 Conflict Daniel Hubers George Peters NCB 16 43 35 24 22 85 30 4431 Haven Herb Williams John Lechner SLM 20 35 32 26 30 82 31 4109 Chula Lawrence Severs L. Van Sickle SLE 37 23 11 37 35 82 32 4398 Surf Ian Kirkland Ken Kirkland EB 31 20 22 40 32 80 33 4400 Desiree Herbert Hild D. O'Sullivan ERF 17 29 dnf 21 33 80 34 3458 Blue Chip David Gaillard Fred W. Brown CB 25 41 37 30 16 76 35 3889 Lancer Mel P. Foley G. Cowenhoven Mid 22 39 25 36 36 67 36 3481 Indigo Dave Millar P. Van Buskirk LOC 34 40 30 42 12 67 37 4040 Desiree Tom Hislop Doug F. Elton OwL 36 34 29 20 40 66 38 3660 Gun Shy Stan Lippincott Alan Lippincott BB 30 31 24 35 41 64 39 4300 Hawkeye Sampson Smith Dirck Harrison OtL 32 33 38 22 39 61 40 3480 Entelechy Ross Johnston Stewart Riddell LOC 39 32 27 43 24 60 41 3585 Remedy Beverly Waddell Gordon Bell LOC 33 36 39 41 28 48 42 3958 Cygni Richard Mulvey R. Hewitt SL 38 22 41 34 dnf 45 43 4131 Whistler George W. Voss J. Sharpuack WLIS dnf 30 dnf 38 27 40 44 3143 Jungfrau K. G. Pollock R. Thomas LK 40 42 42 44 31 26
