Tiedemann Classic Yachting Weekend - Spartan and Chips celebrate

by Stuart Streuli on 8 Jul 2013 This year’s regatta was highlighted by the presence of two boats celebrating centennial anniversaries, the NY-50 Spartan (above, center) and the Starling Burgess design Chips. Newport and Narragansett Bay rolled out perfect sailing conditions for the fourth biennial Robert H. Tiedemann Classic Yachting Weekend, hosted by the New York Yacht Club’s Harbour Court station.

'I would say there are less than a dozen 100-year-old boats active in North America,' said event chairman Bill Doyle. 'To have Spartan join us for this regatta, on her 100th anniversary, is remarkable, and a testament to dedication of the owners and the allure of classic yacht racing, which continues to prosper with the support of the New York Yacht Club.'

The NY-50 class is one of eight one-design classes commissioned by members of the New York Yacht Club. The club’s legacy of promoting one-design racing started with the NY-30s in 1905 and continues today with the very active Swan 42 class, which is the result of a partnership between the Club and the famous Scandinavian yacht manufacturer.

Chips was restored by Adrian Pearsall in 1986 and has been racing actively since. Jed Pearsall, Adrian’s son, skippered the 50-footer over the weekend.

The regatta was started by classic yacht enthusiast Don Glassie in the early 1980s. Tiedemann, who owned two classic 12-Metres, Gleam and Northern Light, was a regular sight at this regatta and other classic yachting events. He passed away in May 2006 and the regatta was renamed in his honor in 2007.

'Bob Tiedemann is one of the original founders of the Museum of Yachting and he had a special dedication to preserving and racing classic yachts,' said Doyle. 'He helped establish Newport as a center of their activities.'

Elizabeth Tiedemann has carried on the tradition she established with her late husband. Gleam and Northern Light enjoyed a spirited competition in the 12-Metre fleet, with the former taking the title by virtue of a tiebreaker.

Other winners include Black Watch, a Sparkman and Stephens 68, in CRF A, Joe Loughborough’s Belle, a 38-foot Luders, in CRF B, Donald Tofias’ W-76 Wild Horses in the Spirit of Tradition Class, the Rhodes Reliant Windigo, owned by Mark Treat in the Classic Glass division and Walter Bopp’s S Class Mischief, which held off 11 other S boats to take top honors in the regatta’s most competitive class.

The Don Glassie Award, which is given to the boat that best exemplifies the spirit and passion that led Glassie to found the regatta 30 years ago, was awarded to the crew of the Sparkman and Stephens 48 Mermaid.

http://nyyc.org/