The Deep Creek Yacht Racing Association at Deep Creek Lake in Western Maryland, held its annual Sandy Douglass Memorial Regatta on July 27 - 28, with 51 Flying Scots competing.  As is the norm with Fleet 6, the local sailors hosted off-lake sailors including Larry Taggart from New Orleans, LA, Dan Goldberg from Bethel Park, PA, and Tom Dawson from Boardman, OH, and their crews.  You can read more about the regatta in an upcoming issue of Scots n’ Water, but here are some highlights.

The hospitality was great, beginning with the Friday night Burrito Bash with a variety of burritos, complementary beer and wine, and entertainment by a Dixieland Band, hosted by Carole Perez, last year’s Deep Creek Lake Sailing Association Commodore.  Saturday night was the Sandy Douglass Memorial Regatta Vice Commodore’s Dinner, hosted by the Deep Creek Lake Sailing Association Vice Commodore, Jeff Haseler and wife Julie.

Regatta Principal Race Officer Don Griffin had great luck in setting Windward Leeward courses for the first two races Saturday.  As is often true in lake sailing, the winds shifted over 180 degrees and some weather was on the way forcing him to cancel the 3^rd race and get the boats off the water.  The next day brought steadier winds 12–15 in race 1 and 16 gusting to 22 in race 2, and after a short postponement to get the courses just right, the races were thrilling!

During the awards ceremony, the fabled monkey once again made his annual appearance.  The monkey dates back to the late 70’s and has followed the regatta from the Rudder Club in Florida to Lake Norman Yacht Club in North Carolina to Deep Creek.  It is given to the skipper that finishes just out of the money and the winning skipper is required to add something to the monkey each year.   This year’s lucky winner, a second time host to the monkey, was Melanie Dunham.

Participants in this year’s regatta included four former presidents of FSSA including Barbara Griffin, Charles Buffington, Larry Taggart, Dan Goldberg.  Also participating were Greater New York District Governor Melanie Dunham, Ohio District Governor Marty Sweterlitsch, Secretary/Treasurer Bill Dunham, Fleet 6 Captain Bob Vance, and our wonderful builders, Flying Scot, Inc.’s Harry and Karen Carpenter.

Congratulations to all the winners this year – full results are here.

Extensive photographs of the event are available at www.flickr.com/photos/shafer2933/sets/ then select Sandy Douglass 2013.