Barnegat Bay Yacht Racing Association members celebrate sailing careers of 65 years and counting!

By Edwn Reardon, Commodore 2012-14

Two M sloop sailors each have over 60 continuous years of racing on Barnegat Bay under their belts. They both still compete and win today. There are no signs of them stopping any time soon.

John Harkrader, BHYC, and John J. Applegate, LYC, started sailing on Barnegat Bay when they were both young children and quickly advanced to racing in regattas held by the BBYRA.

John J. Applegate started his competitive sailing career when he was twelve years old in 1953. The next year he won his first BBYRA championship. He won an additional 16 BBYRA championships; his most recent in 2012. John A. has raced in several different classes, including the Moth, Jet 14, Laser and Sneakbox. John A. also won a National Championship in the Jet 14 class, and a North American championship in the M Scow Class. As a crew member, he won a National Championship in the E Sloop class in 1994. Today, at 74, he races an M Scow

John Harkrader started his competitive sailing career with Barnegat Bay Yacht Racing Association in 1949. John H. won his first BBYRA championships in 1954. In fact John H. won two championships that year in a Penguin and a Thistle. John H. was a champion seven times in three different classes including the Thistle, Penguin, and M Scow. John H. has also competed in E-Sloops and Comets.

John H. has also exceled outside of the BBYRA as a Penguin Atlantic Coast Champion, M Scow National Champion and M Scow Eastern Champion. Today John H, like his friend and competitor John A., races an M Scow.

John A. told me that John H. is responsible for the resurgence of the M Scow class on Barnegat Bay. When John A. speaks of John H. you can hear the respect of a fellow sailor in his voice. Both men have been mentors to countless sailors and race committee members over the last 60 some years.

This season John A. sails with his wife Elaine, recent newlyweds! John H. turned the tiller over to his former crew member, Susie Kerr Cundey, a few years ago and now crews for Susie. Susie and John H. have consistently finished in the top of the fleet each season. His student is now the master!

Both men are revered and respected sailors within the Barnegat Bay area and the United States. They both were inducted into the Barnegat Bay Sailing Hall of Fame in 2012.

On the race course their boats are the ones watch. For most new sailors it’s a tremendous learning experience to have the opportunity to race against these two men. Between the two they have close to 130 years of sailing experience. The new sailors usually have the best view to learn… trailing behind one of these talented sailors! For the new sailor to win against one of these champion sailors must be extra special achievement!

This past Saturday the two men raced again. For John H it was the start of his 66th season and for John A. his 63rd season. The results show these two boats are still the ones to beat. Susie and John H. finished first in race one. John and Elaine A. finished first in race 2. Pretty Impressive! This should be a fun and exciting season following the results of the M Scow fleet. Will the old guard continue to dominate the fleet?

The second week of the BBYRA championship regatta was hosted by the members of Island Heights Yacht Club. Island Heights Yacht Club was formed in 1898 and was one of the original founding members of BBYRA in 1914. Racing started Saturday morning with winds out of the east at 8 to 13 knots. The afternoon racing saw north-east winds at 8 to 15 knots. By the end of the first afternoon race the wind was building to 20 plus knots. The radar showed a fast moving front heading towards the area. The Race Committee made the decision to abandon the second afternoon races being held south of the route 37 bridge.

For complete scores please visit BBYRA.org.

Racing Results for July 4 at IHYC

E Sloop AM Race 1

1 T17 Hunter Chad Hillyer TRYC

2 T76 HONK Kyle Rogachenko TRYC

3 T18 Showtime Erik Johnson TRYC

E Sloop AM Race 2

1 T18 Showtime Erik Johnson TRYC

2 T73 Limelight Jeff Bonanni TRYC

3 T76 HONK Kyle Rogachenko TRYC

M Sloop Race AM Race 1

1 BH11 Skip John Harkrader BHYC

2 LA22 Curt Morton LYC

3 BH15 Bill Rogers BHYC

M Sloop AM Race 2

1 LA150 John J. Applegate LYC

2 BH11 Skip John Harkrader BHYC

3 MC32 Foiled Sean Bradley MCYC

Laser Full Rig AM Race1

1 272727 Had Brick IHYC

2 199583 Brendan Gilman BHYC

Laser Full Rig AM Race2

1 199583 Brendan Gilman BHYC

2 185840 Bridget MacCormack TRYC

3 272727 Had Brick IHYC

Laser Radial AM Race 1

1 152137 Emily Fuller MRYC

2 195967 Thomas Quinn BHYC

3 200170 Dylan O’Hara BYC

Laser Radial AM Race 2

1 195967 Thomas Quinn BHYC

2 152137 Emily Fuller MRYC

3 200170 Dylan O’Hara BYC

Sunfish AM Race 1

1 59513 Kevin Masur PBYC

2 78967 Alan Dittenhaufer OGYC

3 81096 Tine Mooney BYC

Sunfish AM Race 2

1 81033 David Thompson LYC

2 81096 Tine Mooney BYC

3 78967 No Name NC

E Sloop PM Race 1

1 T17 Hunter Chad Hillyer TRYC

2 T18 Showtime Erik Johnson TRYC

3 SS1 Blind Squirrel John Brown TRYC

E Sloop PM Race 2

1 T18 Showtime Erik Johnson TRYC

2 T17 Hunter Chad Hillyer TRYC

3 T76 HONK Kyle Rogachenko TRYC

A Cat PM Race 1

1 TORCH Tyler Kennedy MYC

2 SPYDER Tim Brown SPYC

3 SPY Gary Steward IHYC

A Cat PM Race 2

Race Abandoned – high winds

Flying Scot PM Race 1

1 5508 Peter Sayia SPYC

2 6058 Robert Vogel SPYC

3 550 Bill Warner TRYC

Flying Scot PM Race 2

Race Abandoned – high winds

Ensign Pm Race 1

1 1085 Lorelei Bud Brown TRYC

2 491 Marista Thomas Healey IHYC

3 176 Chowder Bill Murphey SPYC

Sanderling

1 L7 BARNECAT Mark Q Schleckser LYC

2 BH12 Catspurr Charles M. Barclay BHYC

3 MC2 Bound To Please Allen N Papp MCYC

Race Shortened – high winds