The 15th Annual NedFest filled Cape May Harbor with a glimpse into the future of yacht design on Thursday, July 31. NedFest was initiated in memory of Ned Tolley Gibbons, a young Corinthian who died suddenly just after his 14th birthday in 1994. Bright, creative, and fun-loving, Ned would have thoroughly enjoyed this kind of day. The all-day event began with the kids on the water in "real" boats as their inventive instructors led them in a scavenger hunt and other water-borne games. After lunch the NTG Formula Yacht Design Challenge took place.



Eighty Junior sailors practiced their seacraft by designing, building, and racing 50 miniature yachts. The challenge was to race a boat no larger than 30 inches in any direction along a straight course in the harbor. But the greater challenge was to accomplish this with whatever materials these would-be naval architects could scrounge up. The results, as always, were stunning. No prizes were given (or earned) for beauty, but there was plenty of ingenuity on display. Materials included the usual flotsam and jetsam - soda bottles, grocery bags, and broken boogie boards. Then there were pizza boxes, a half of a fishing buoy, hot-glued tennis balls, a Frisbee, and a Styrofoam tray lined with pretzel sticks and candy-sail, too. The theme for the day, emblazoned on purple t-shirts, proclaimed "Let your imagination float." And so it did! That's more than can be said for some of the boats, to wit, two entries named "Rock."

But most of the boats did indeed successfully sail the course. Winners of 2008's NYG Yacht Design Challenge were: 1st Place, "Surf's Up" by Take Numata; 2nd place, "Seashore" by Madie Gibson, Erin O'Keefe, Brady Press, and Charlotte List; 3rd Place, "The Brendanator" by Brendan Lord; and 4th Place, "Animals on the Water" by Jacque Schmucker. The Ned Boat Award, given only a few times over the years, goes to the boat/architects who most represent Ned's spirit of fun and fair play. This year the award went to Ricky Wilde and Ricky Bew and their boat, "Crossbow." The boys were very excited about how they were able to find the building materials strategically placed around the club property - the rope behind a bush, the bottle in the recycling container, the scrap wood in a pile with the other wood, which, of course, they would replace after the race, because "somebody had it there for a reason." One ribbon for two winners - they immediately borrowed scissors and cut it in half. Perfect!

Reported by Linda Kissling

Corinthian will once again set the standard for Junior Sailing in South Jersey with the 2008 edition of the MAYRA Midsummer's Regatta. The regatta will take place on Tuesday August 5th with a day of tight racing in Cape May Harbor. Tthe 2007 regatta boasted participated by nearly ninety junior sailors from Corinthian and other area clubs. With the help of the instructors, volunteers and club members we hope to have over 100 sailors at this years event.

The regatta will continue the popular format started three years ago with team racing and Green Fleet Opti sailing in the morning and an afternoon of fleet racing for Opti's, 420's Laser Radials, and Sunfish. The instructors and members of the Junior Sailing Committee are looking for volunteers to help with race management, check-in/registration, lunch, Green Fleet activities or any aspect of the regatta you would like to help with. Help of any kind is greatly appreciated and will enable us to have another successful and exciting event. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Bobby Martin at (609) 220-1165 or at martinr@bu.edu. We look forward to another great Midsummer's!!!

Congratulations to all our participants and placers and many thanks to all the dedicated parents who make the travel possible!

More results soon.


July 12 and 13 MAYRA Series at Brigantine YC

Optimist White Fleet - Abby Lord 3rd Place
Optimist Blue Fleet - Erin O'Keefe 1st Place; John Lord 2nd Place
Optimist Red Fleet - Sarah Coale 3rd Place
Optimist Overall - Erin O'Keefe


July 11 - 25th Annual Powder Puff Regatta at Metedeconk River YC -GIRLS ONLY

Optimist White Fleet - Abby Lord 4th Place
Optimist Blue Fleet - Charlotte List 10th Place
420 Fleet - Lindsey Press and Casey Murray 2nd Place


July 10 - Iron Man Regatta at Shore Acres YC - BOYS ONLY

Optimist Blue Fleet - John Lord 4th Place


July 5 and 6 - MAYRA Series at Avalon YC
Optimist Blue Fleet - Charlotte List 2nd Place; John Lord 3rd Place


June 25 and 26 - NJ State Opti Championships at Barnegat Bay
Optimist Blue Fleet - Charlotte List 13th Place


June 14 and 15 - MAYRA Series at Corinthian YC of Philadelphia
Optimist White Fleet - Abby Lord 1st Place
Optimist Blue Fleet - Brady Press 3rd Place
420 Fleet - Lindsey Press and Casey Murray 1st Place

Click here to check out more pics: Sailing

2008 MAYRA Schedule