Newsletter of the Friendship Sloop Society Welcome to the first edition of “Friendships”. Ve will hopefully be publishing this newsletter three times a year: winter, spring and fall. The purposes of the newsletter will be to keep members of the Society informed of upcoming events, to print news items of interest to other members of the Society , to provide information from the membership committee, race committee, and secretary; and to inform members of business conducted at the executive board meetings. We hope to include reprints from past Sloop Society yearbooks and other publications. As I mentioned before, we are hoping to publish three times a year, but as in any undertaking such as this, we need your support, particularly in the form of material and stories for publication in the newsletter. If you can contribute any material, it will be most welcome. At this point, I must mention that our yearbook, edited by Roger Duncan, is still our primary publication. As usual, Roger is continually looking for material to fill the pages of the yearbook. Material that we receive for the newsletter may be published in the yearbook, if it seems more appropriate for that publication. Yearbook material should be sent to: Roger Duncan P.O. Box 66 East Boothbay, ME 04544 If you have newsletter material please send to: John Vojcik 347 Lincoln Street Norwell, MA 02061 If you have any comments or suggestions, please send them on to us as we will be working on the format of the newsletter over the next few editions. 1989 Boothbay Regatta Plans Announced by Bruce Morang, Race Committee Chairman Your Friendship and your friendship have been invited back to Boothbay Harbor for the sixth year in a row for our Society ‘s 29th annual regatta. Enroute from east or west, you’ll want to rendezvous with us at the Maine Maritime Museum on Saturday, July22nd. High tide that day is at 4 :30 p.m., which means an easy run up the river with the tide, and precisely at 4:30, Bath Iron Works will launch the new Aegis Class cruiser, USS Gettysburg, and you’ll have a front row seat! Sunday we’ll gam and tour the Maritime Museum’s handsome new exhibit building, and watch IOCASTE being rebuilt to rejoin the fleet. x Monday the fleet moves to Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club where we plan an informal cookout that evening, and a brief skipper’s meeting. Tuesday we’ll get down to the 29th annual business of racing, and this year we’re planning a fling at a Staggered Start race (in which you get rid of your handicap BEFORE you cross the starting line), and a return (by happy request) to a Sealed Orders Race. So we’ll mix new and old tradition as we settle in for three days of fun. We’ll break with one tradition, though: we won’t have a dinner party on Thursday evening. V/e’re trying to schedule something “different” and carefully within your budget. But since most of Boothbay’s business titans winter in Florida, we’ll have to wait to put the package together later this Spring. In the meantime, dust out your bilge, get Mother sanding on the brightwork, and drop a note to Mary and tell her you’re going to be with us this year. And if you need the Race Committee for anything – from handicap and cruising information to crowd control – he’s available at (508) 664-4967 most days at cocktail time. If a woman answers, it’s Marcia. Maybe.

March Executive Board Meeting The Executive Board met Saturday, March 18th at the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath. The meeting was opened by Commodore John Wojcik at 11 :15 AM. John Carter, museum director, extended a welcome, discussed the new maritime history building which is nearing completion, the plans for the summer rendezvous, and offered an invitation to the Society to hold their annual meeting at the museum in November. John also discussed the archival area of the museum and what the Society should do/would do pursuant to storing their historical data and boat plans. John Vojcik presented the museum with a check for $300 as voted at the annual meeting. A summary of some of the business items: – Treasurer’s Report: – Society Balance $3,093.00 – Scholarship Fund $37,901.05 – Bill Rand discussed the possibility of the annual meeting being held at the Maritime Museum and what the arrangements would be. The dinner would be catered and served in the first floor lobby area of the new building. There is also an area of the building that could be used for the business meeting. After a discussion it was voted to hold the annual meeting at the museum. – Roger Duncan briefly updated the board on the yearbook progress. Deadline is 4/15. – Bruce Morang reviewed the plans for the regatta. It was decided by the board to look for an alternative to the Thursday buffet at the BHYC. Bruce then discussed the possibility of staggered starts at this year’s regatta. After much discussion it was decided to use a staggered start for at least one race. – John V. presented the newsletter to be published 3 times a year which will contain items that would not be included in the yearbook. – Meeting adjourned at 3:15. New London Regatta Jack Vibber has sent along the following press release from the Marine Commerce & Development Commision of the City of New London: On July 7-8-9th in downtown New London, Ct., the 13th Annual Sail Festivial will take place. Hundreds of thousands of people are attracted to the area by the many free events. You can enjoy the Bank Street Fair (Flea Market), the Arts & Crafts show, the Children’s Festival, road races, boat races, outdoor concerts, and a Grucci fireworks extravaganza. The annual Friendship Sloop Regatta, which is held in conjunction with the Sail Festival, will be on July 8th & 9th. The Skipper’s meeting and Awards Ceremony will be held at the Thames Yacht Club on Pequot Avenue in New London. Where to put up? – Anchorage area (your hook) close to activities. There is plenty of space for dinks. – Limited free dockage at City Pier for some Sloops. – Moorings can be reserved at two of the following marinas noted in the press release: Marster’s Marine Service. Burr’s Yacht Haven. Jack noted in his letter that there will be a picnic Saturday night at a nearby park for skippers, crews, and friends. Ve had a number of sloops attend the festival last year and we hear that they had a great time. This is a good opportunity for those in southern New England and Long Island to participate in a fun event. Contact Jack for further details. A mailing will be sent at a later date. 26th Annual Marblehead Regatta by David Graham Once again, the Corinthian Yacht Club will host the Marblehead gathering of Friendship Sloops during August 19 & 20. As in the past few years, the racing fleet will be split into two divisions, with the smaller Division I racing on a course that will be nearly parallel to the course sailed by the larger sloops in Division II. Prizes will be awarded to the sloops finishing in the first three places in both divisions, with the Ridgway Trophy going to the best overall performer of the two divisions. The Ridgway Trophy is named for the late Lincoln Ridgway, who for so many years, chaired the Friendship races at Marblehead. Line was a devoted Society member who was to become an Honorary Member of the Society in his later years. The races will be started in the vicinity of the entrance to Marblehead Harbor, conditions permitting, so that camera buffs and shore-based lovers of Friendship Sloops can have a grandstand view of the start from the lighthouse point. A mailing, announcing the regatta, will be mailed during early July before the fleet gets underway for Boothbay. Anyone interested in advance details can obtain them from Corinthian Race Committee Chairman Dave Graham, who will again be heading up this year’s event. A Saturday evening dinner and cocktail hour will again be available for those choosing to partake. Dave is currently working on some unannounced plans for the Saturday evening festivities. It is anticipated that both Saturday’s and Sunday’s single races will consist of a course somewhere in the vicinity of 14 miles for the larger sloops and 9 miles for the smaller sloops.

Hull Numbers by Bob Brooks In the Yearbook’s list of registered sloops, the “Builder” column frequently includes a number or alpha-numeric in parenthesis. What does this mean? It is used only on semi-production fiberglass sloops and indicates the builder’s number and model. In the case of Bruno & Stillman, only the “Friendship 30” model vas built hence only a number is used except for the “a” and “b” suffix after hull number 14. Apparently superstition precluded assigning 13 as a builder’s number. Instead of simply skipping 13j 14 vas assigned twice, first to YANKEE PRIDE and again two months later to VENONAH. B&S built 21 complete sloops plus one unfinished hull and deck assembly . Jarvis Newman Inc. built two models of sloops. The 25′ “Pemaquid” model molds were taken off OLD BALDY, while the 31′ “Dictator” model hull molds were taken off the rebuilt original sloop of the same name. Hence the Yearbook (P12) indicates the 12th “Pemaquid” hull and (D12) is the 12th “Dictator” hull. As only a few of the early “Pemaquid” models were completed by Jarvis Newman, the second name indicates the party which completed that sloop. A total of 18 “Pemaquid” and 20 “Dictator” hulls were built. One hull (D18) was finished as a schooner. George Harris’ Passamaquoddy Yachts built about a dozen 22′ sloops before fire destroyed the boatyard and the molds. These hulls were built before the law required ID numbers be molded into the hull. Hull numbers for only 3 sloops are known. Only 3 completed sloops were built by “Quoddy”. F. Patrick Ahern’s New England Yacht Co. made new 22′ molds using a 22′ “Quoddy” hull and deck and built about a dozen more hull and deck assemblies. Some have molded in The 1989 Agenda July 8-9 Thames River New london, Connecticut – Contact: Holt (Jack) Vibtaer 5 Soljer Drive Vaterford, CT. 06385 (203)-442-7376 July 22-23 Maine Mari/tims Museum Rends zvous, Scheduled launching of -the USS Gettysburg, an Aegis—Class cruiser, at the Bath Iron Works July 25-27 Annual Regatta, Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club, an event which will include two days of trophy racing plus a Sealed Orders Race. — Contact: Bruce Morang 60 Park Street, East Nor til Reading, MA 01864 July 29 Annual Friendship Day, Friendship Harbor July 3O-31 Rendezvous at VinalHaven to help commemorate that community’s Bicentennial. Details forthcoming from Al Beck. August 19-20 Annual Regatta, Corinthian Yacht Club, Martalehead, Mass. Your host is David Graham September* 2—3 Annual Schooner Festival. Friendships and Catfcoats race Saturday, September 2nd. Your host is the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce, Attn: Mike Costello November 18 Annual Meeting — Maine Maritime Museum, Bath, Maine. Details to follow in a separate mailing. hull numbers and some don’t. Pat Ahern also built six 19″ hulls (no decks) using molds taken from a Phil Bolger “Monhegan” design. Again, not all hulls were numbered. Ahern hull numbers, if known, are listed in the Yearbook.

Notes from the Membership Committee Two sloops have been sold since the 1988 Annual Meeting and were not reflected in the membership renewal mailing that v/as sent to members recently. They are: “182 MUSCONGUS (ex-CHARITY) — This 22′ Muscongus Bay Sloop was built in 1977 by the Apprenticeshop. Her homeport changes from Robinhood, Maine to New London, Connecticut. She was purchased by Holt (Jack) & Virginia Vibber and will be the new Friendship Sloop Society flagship at the ’89 New London Sail Festival. We haven’t talked to Jack recently, but his Xmas note said that he intended to truck her to V/aterford in late March. **10O MORNING WATCH (ex-MORNING STAR) — This 261 “stretched Pemaquid” was built in 1970 for Phil Vhitehouse by Bernie Backman at Seals Island, Maine. In 1972 she was sold, renamed and fitted with an engine. About 1978 she was rerigged as a yawl. In December, 1986 the yawl was donated to Hurricane Island Outward Bound. Although the ’88 Yearbook listed her homeport as Rockland, Maine, this summer she was moved to Portland, Maine. Best guess is that her new homeport will remain as Portland. Reminder If you haven’t sent in your annual dues to Mary Cronin, the Society secretary, please send them to Mary at: RFO 1 , Box 539 Southbridge, MA 01550 Also, try to recruit some of the crew as cooperative members, or better yet, it makes a good gift at $10. New Sail Numbers The membership committee is about to issue three new sail numbers. The new numbers will be: «245 LA PALOMA — She’s a 251 “Chapelle/Norton Pemaquid” built in the late 1950’s — builder unknown, but built on one of the “Gulf Islands” which we assume to be one of the islands off the coast of British Columbia. She was bought by John Calbick of Seattle about 1 980. Hal Hanson (**213 – AMIE) says that she is a true Pemaquid Che should know as he owns one). Apparently she was documented in Canada at one time as she has Canadian registration numbers carved in her. John Calbick says that to the best of his knowledge she has always been called “La Paloma”. He spent 1980-85 rebuilding her. «*246 DAME-MARISCOTTA — She’s one of the six Ahern 19′ hulls and will be the 4th registered with the Society (“177 (unfinished), “181 (Hank Borden) & «237 (R. V. VINKLE, just sold this summer). Ve don’t know who originally finished her but she was owned by John Shelly of Valtham and in storage for about five years at Pierce’s Boatyard in Boothbay Harbor. Her new owner is Hans-Peter Sinn of Huntington, Long Island, NY and Sinn’s Point in East Boothbay, Maine. She is having some rebuilding work being done by Paul Luke. «247 RITA II — This sloop is now more than a dream – as of the beginning of February, “Rita II” was planked up but not yet decked. She is scheduled for launch July 22, 1989 (too late for Boothbay). The Membership Committee is hoping that we can reach sail number 250 by the 1989 Annual Meeting. They think they have a 5095 chance of reaching the goal. Ve hear that TIMBER (ex-DOLLY PARDON) was sold this fall and her owner keeps her in Mystic, is a member of the Noank Wooden Boat Association and plans to race her at New London, so we’re hoping to have that sloop registered. The older Yearbooks list “also believed sailing” one VILD VIND, built by K. Rider and owned by Robert Standen of Manhattan Beach, California. She is a 23’6″ scaled “Pemaquid” built about 1954. Mr. Standen sold the sloop in 1972 to Bill Tuider. Now called EARLY DAWN, Mr. Tuider keeps her in Marina Del Ray (Los Angeles) and v/e’re hoping he’ll be joining the Society shortly. It’s reported that BONNIE BLUE is in the process being sold and we’re also hoping that the new owners will register the sloop with the Society. “Bonnie Blue” was the last (18th) “Pemaquid” built by Jarvis Newman Inc. There are also four sloops which are currently under construction which we also hope will be joining: — Bill Hay ward should just about be finished with the work on the Fera-a-Lite sloop started by Dr. Harry Quick. — Steve Merrill is nearly done on the one-of-a-kind fiberglass replica of the V.A. Morse 1899 DUTCHESS. — Dean Stump is close to finishing his wooden 22′ Muscongus Bay Sloop. There is a Hanna/Chapelle “Pemaquid” close to completion at the Lunenburg Regional Votechnical School in Lunenberg, Nova Scotia. Thanks We wish to thank Society member Bob Phaneuf of Phaneuf Press of Billerica, Mass, for donating the printing of the newsletter mastheads.

SLOOP SOCIETY OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES EXECUTIVE BOARD Commodore Vice Commodore Secretary Treasurer Chairman, Race Committee Chairman, Friendship Day Comm. Chairman, Membership Comm. John Wojcik William Rand, Mary Cronin Ernst Wiegleta Bruce Morang William Zuber Al Zink Jr. OTHER OFFICERS Measurer Historian Dick Sal-fcer Betty Roberts STANDING COMMITTEES Race Committee Chairman Authentication Comm. Chairman Nominating Committee Friendship Day Comm. Chairman Board of Directors Committee: Past Commodores Bernard MacKenzie Robert Lash John Cronin Alfred Beck Dick Salter Membership Committee Bruce Morancj Dick Salter Al Beck, Chairman Dick Salter Barbara. Hadlock Villiam Zuber Roger Duncan Ted Brown Donald Huston Barbara Hadlock William Zuber Al Zink, Chairman Bob Brooks OTHER OFFICERS aood. COMMITTEES Yearbook Chairman & Editor Main© Maritime Museum Comm. Computer Committee Handicapper Piper Cannoneer Marbleheaol Race Committee Roger Duncan William Rand, Chr. Roger Duncan Barbara Hadlock Al Zink Jim Besse, Chr. Dick Salter Jim Wilson John Wojcik Dick Salter Donald Duncan Elbert Pratt David Graham, Chr, HOKORARY OFFICERS Honorary President Secretary Emerita Honorary Handicapper Bernard. MacKenzie Betty Roberts Cyrus Hamlin Mass Bay Friends of Friendships by Charley Noble The personal interactions of Friendship Sloop enthusiasts run far beyond the renewal of casual relationships during summer regattas. In fact, the interactions more usually become lasting inter-family friendships. As a result, a group of sloop owners, crews, camp followers, and assorted wharf rats banded together some five or six years ago to hold informal monthly get-togethers during the winter months v/hen the society is relativeley inactive. A typical meeting may be held in a barn, restaurant, yacht club, or at one of the annual spring boat shows in Boston. These gatherings serve to maintain inter-family contact, keep track of who is doing what to their sloop, and to offer constructive nautical support and assistance to one another. Ultimately, this provides the society with even greater grass roots support. Initially, the Mass. Bay Friends, as they have become known, was comprised of a dozen or so members. The group has since blossomed into an active core of some forty families. It is interesting to note that the group is not limited to the immediate Mass. Bay environs. Members range from southern Maine and New Hampshire down to Cape Cod, and westward to Sturbridge. A get-together during the usually hectic Christmas season just past saw some fifty Friends gather in a local North Shore restaurant! Word has spread informally through the society regarding the success that this informal group has achieved. It is understood that a similar group is interested in forming in the Mount Desert area. Should this occur, those families will directly benefit and the Friendship Sloop Society will be all the richer for the support. (Continued on Page 8)

Secretary’s Notes Mary Cronin, the Society Secretary, receives many comments from our members during the year. Mary has collected many of them to share with us from both last year’s mailing and the membership renewal mailing recently completed. Ve don’t have room to print all of them., but here are a few of those notes: From Rich and Sally Mosher: “As usual, we enjoyed receiving the Friendship Sloop Society newsletter. DAYSTAR is progressing well. Rich just installed beautiful new bronze portholes, and the next big chore will be putting on the cabin roof. We are still looking for a mast, and Rich is cogitating about plans for the rudder and transom. If all goes well we should be launching some time in July. The Maritime Museum in South Haven, Michigan is giving us a sendoff and everybody is invited. Stay tuned for more news about the exact launch date. Anybody who knows of a used mast should get in touch with us! Look forward to seeing everybody in the Society again.” From Denis Paluch: “I wonder if your records show membership for a Friendship Sloop called CAPTAIN PIERCE? She is about 30″ long and sailed Lake Michigan four or five years back. If anyone of the Society knows of this boat, please contact us.” From Name Pendleton (widow of Bill Pendleton): “BLACKJACK is owned by Fletcher Wilson in N.E. Harbor. They take people out for day sails. 1 went up last summer and had a wonderful sail with them. They are taking wonderful care of BLACKJACK and many people are enjoying her — especially their own family. It is a wonderful family and Bill would have been so pleased with their affection for the sloop, their tending loving care, and the fun they have given so many.” From Jack Rutledge (son of John Rutledge who passed away in 1987): “The Friendship Sloop Society meant a great deal to my father — our family holds many fond memories of cruises to Friendship, the races, and the people. Ve feel badly that we now must sell COAST 0′ MAINE.” From Vidgery Thomas: “My new ‘Friendship’ is a 1928 Model A Ford roadster. My how things change! We now have 5 grandsons, but we do miss COCKLE, Friendship and all you nice people.” From Lori and Dan Traylor aboard TECHUMSEH (Xmas, 1988): “Surprise and greetings from Newport, Rl. Working on the restoration of ‘Cotton Blossom’. Wicked cold and it’s still great. A spirited season to you all with our very best wishes.” From Adrian Hooydonk: “I have recently purchased the sloop OMAHA and would like to join your Society. She has beautiful lines and is truly gorgeous! She was built on Bremen, Long Island in 1901 by Vilbur A. Morse and was previously registered as a75.” From Winston T. Kellogg on his 84th birthday : ” The scale model in the Friendship Museum was built by me in 1965 and I gave it to the museum sort of in memory of my old Friendship, DIXIE built about 1895, and bought by me about 1 920. I sailed her in Eggemoggin Reach and Penobscot Bay area and sold her in 1932 to a Boston man. She sank on a ledge the day after the sale. I was so glad to hear that the Society donated $300 to the museum.” White Eagle by Bill Cronin I had been interested in acquiring a sloop in the 28-32 foot range for some time. Would it be an original or a replica? Any boat in good shape for the price I wanted to pay seemed a long shot. Vhy not build a boat from scratch? This seemed for a long time the only good solution. How did I find the VHITE EAGLE? I have been a long-time admirer of the sloop CHANCE. I wondered how she sailed so I got aboard for the 1988 Boothbay races and found she sailed as great as she looked. This sloop, more than any other, influenced me greatly in buying “White Eagle”, both being built by Wilbur Morse. I heard rumors that “White Eagle” was for sale. She was still in good shape as far as configuration of the hull, but otherwise was a derelict. This information, as well as a photograph in the book “It’s A Friendship”, convinced me that I should at least have a look. I helped sail “Chance” to Friendship for the Annual Friendship Day and Celebration. On that v/eekend, I met with John DeSousa, ov/ner of “White Eagle”, who summers in Friendship. He told me the price of $3500 was firm, and that the rigging and spars were in good shape. It had a brand new main sail and the hull (v/hich I might or might not be interested in) was located in Edgecomb, ME. On further questioning I learned that it had not been in the water since the early 1 970’s and that the last time it was in the water, it sank! Somewhat dismayed, I got directions to find the hull and rig. On August 7th, v/hile on my way home to Sturbridge, MA after helping sail “Chance” at the Wooden Boat Regatta, I stopped to look at “White Eagle”. It was only a short distance from Route “1. She was behind a couple of buildings uphill from the (Continued on Page 8) (Continued on Page 7)

White Eagle (Continued from Page 6) Damariscotta River, Its rust streaked white hull was at a 1 0-15 degree list to starboard so a good part of her weight was on the starboard bilge which showed signs of being pushed in by the cradle. The port side was nearly perfect having no weight on it at all. The transom was as handsome a stern as could be imagined. A few planks were gone and many more were loose, but all in all the hull had held its shape remarkably well. The forward end of the cabin had been pushed down into the boat when a temporary shed collapsed from a snow load. It also tore off the cutwater and trailboards at the same time. The deck was a mess having spent many years exposed to the weather. The starboard deck from the cabin aft had been torn out. The engine was under a box in the cockpit which was heavily guarded by a nest of bees. I did not disturb them. Most of the interior was torn apart and some of the ceiling was gone revealing many years of sister framing. The bilge had leaves and all sorts of other debris which did not help matters I am sure. My understanding was that it had been left this way for 3 or 4 years, completely open to the elements. I inquired about the boat at a house nearby and was greeted by Cathy Throckmorton, who said she would be delighted to have someone take it away. I drove home somewhat excited — could this be the boat I was looking for? For $3500 the rigging had better be in darn good shape because the hull was worth next to nothing, except for its shape. On August 25th, I stopped in to look over the rigging which was in Friendship. The solid fir mast and spars were perfect! Dust them off and they would be ready for use! The rest of the rig was new or nearly new and also in fine condition. The main sail looked like it had never been used. There were only two headsails to buy. How could I outfit a 28-foot sloop for less than $3500 and keep the same quality hardware, spars, blocks,, lines, etc.? It couldn’t be done! So I decided to buy it! Payment was made when we picked up the rigging on September 20th. It wasn’t until November 29th that we got a boat hauler to pick up the hull. It took about an hour and a half to load it. It was a completely hydraulic boat trailer so things went smoothly and quickly. The toll collector on the Maine Turnpike was much less enthusiastic about “White Eagle” than I was stating that he did not like to see “that type of thing” on his road! Unloading it was a little tricky due to the fact that we could not back into the barn because of a slight incline and loosely packed gravel from a new addition to the boat shed. The driver eventually got “White Eagle” into the shed by disconnecting the trailer and winching the boat into the shed, the tractor being parked out front with the cable running through the barn. After getting it on blocking and stands, I decided that I wanted to jack the cabin back up to make it look a little better. My father and I set about jacking it up. When we had it about the right height, the blocking we had holding it up slipped and with a crash the whole mess came down. We were more careful the second time. The next few days were spent cleaning her up a bit and setting her level on her water line. A few props here and there where it looked like it needed it didn’t hurt. I could stand back and look at her from all angles now, which I do quite often. It turns out that the engine was a Universal Atomic 4 which looks to be in good shape although I have not tried to start it yet. What next? When the weather warms a little, I plan on taking a set of lines, order lumber, and then she will have to wait until my father and I finish our 42′ Alden schooner. For Sale / Information Wanted As a service to Society members, we’ll try to set space aside in the newsletter where you can advertise Friendship Sloop related items: Sloop memorabilia, gear, spars, sails, fittings, etc. If you’re looking for information regarding a particular item or “how to”, we’ll run the question here as well. The Society attempts to keep an updated listing of sloops that are currently up for sale. Contact Mary Cronin for the list. Mary recently received a call from Loretta Westphal of TODDY informing her that they have a suit of sails for sale. If interested, contact Mary.

Secretary’s Notes (Continued from Page 6) From R. Stevens Kleinschmidt: “It is with mixed emotions that I write to tell you that I have sold the VENTURE. One falls in love with these wonderful old sloops and parting with one brings a certain amount of sadness, but time goes on and conditions change and one must adapt. The truth of the matter is that since my wife died and my children are all grown up it became increasingly difficult to get a crew together to go sailing and the boat is too big for me to sail alone. For the last three years I have sailed only once or twice each summer, so I am moving down to a smaller boat…. In closing, I just want to say how much I have enjoyed the F.S.S. and its activities. I think the greatest thrill of my life was coming in first in Class A on the Saturday race back some years ago (was it 1979 or 1980?). I certainly hope to be able to get to some of the races and continue to enjoy the good fellowship for which the Society is noted.” From Dr. Lewellyn Bigelow: “I am currently doing a major rebuild on this tiniest of Friendships (14′)”. (Ed. Note – Dr. Bigelow owns DEPARTURE.) From Will Collyer – “I am still making slow progress on the GANNET. I have no projected completion date, but every major project completed seems to renew my energy and interest.” From Bob Lash – “GYPSY is 50 years old this year! She will be sporting a new cabin and coaming (all Honduras Mahogany) this year, if I ever get her launched! Ran out of time last year. Ve left in September for a trip west in our van. Arrived home on December 1st. One thing about traveling and camping in a van is the ease with which it goes to weather! Also, you don’t have to tow a dinghy. I have the cabin and coamings back on, but lots to do before she goes over. Hope to see you folks this summer. Have enclosed a picture of Gypsy last August – ever see a Friendship “roadster” before?” (Ed. note – we hope to have the capability in the future to publish a picture or two, but until then… you’ll just have to use your imagination or hope that Bob has pictures with him at Boothbay in July.) Harvey Goodfriend who owns GOODFRIEHD, a Bruno & Stillman, sent along this note: “As a result of your article indicating 2 Bruno & Stillman’s losing shrouds, I inspected the bolt holding the shrouds to the mast. It was ready to break – not noted unless REMOVED from the mast. A quick calculation confirmed that the 1 /2″ bolt is undersized. The joint has been redesigned using 3/4″ bronze bar stock. – Thank you – You saved me from a potentially harrowing experience – and possibly a mast replacement.” (Ed. Note: The referenced article appeared in the 1988 yearbook. B&S owners take note – if you haven’t checked that bolt yet, now is the time to do it during your Spring fitting out.) Pat Vest of Vineyard Haven, owner of ERDA writes: “Thank you for a very complete report on the health of the Society. I wish we could do as well with our little Holmes Hole Sailing Assoc. After a triumphant 1987 racing season (Moffett Race winner and Holmes Hole season first place), we won no prizes in 1988. But 5th place in the Moffett was quite repectable. Unfavorable weather for your particular boat and a few bad mistakes can do this to you. That’s what makes the wonderful game of sailboat racing!” From Jim Wainwright, Gig Harbor, Washington: “TRUE LOVE is still around, however she didn’t get in the water last year due to other activities. Please keep the good news coming.” Mass. Bay Friends of Friendships (Continued from Page 5) The Mass. Bay Friends are more than a passive family social gathering. Through their collective efforts, monetary contributions, as well as trophies and gifts have been made to regattas, annual meetings, and deserving individuals who have contributed significantly to the society. Other activities have included members gathering to help construct a friend’s boat shop, to assist an ill skipper in preparing his sloop for spring launching, and to help sloop owners move their sloops up and down the coast. Ve wish the Mt. Desert contingent well and hope they experience similar rewards for their efforts. Help Needed The Society is in need of members to help out in the preparation of this newsletter. If you’re interested in assisting in such things as: proofreading, editing, layout, ideas for content, helping to fold and prepare for mailing, or to write an article or send along a news item, please contact John Wojcik. Scholarship Fund The Pendleton Scholarship Fund, established by the Sloop Society a number of years ago, has continued to provide scholarships to graduating seniors from the town of Friendship who will be continuing their education. As we all know, the cost of education continues to rise. If you’re interested in donating to the scholarship fund, donations can be sent to: Elbert Pratt P.O.Box 129 Friendship, Maine 04547