1Bear Boats Forever - Semper Navis Ursus

Bear Fleet Celebrates 80 YearsIn the summer of 1932, a new

sloop launched from the Nunes Boat & Ways Co. of Sausalito CA. Ernest Nunes and Marty Martinson conceived of the small yacht as pocket cruiser – the Bay’s version of a knock about sloop. The story has Cliff Smith, then commodore San Francisco YC, praising the effort saying, “That’s a bear a of Boat.”

That small boat, Merry Bear, hull no. 1, is part of the Small Craft Exhibit maintained by the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park. The effort has been a multi-year restoration effort aimed at returning Merry Bear to 1930’s condition.

The NHP invited the Bear Fleet, skipper, families, and friends to celebrate Merry’s 80th birthday at Hyde Sreet Pier. Seven Bears sailed to Aquatic Park Lagoon for parade of ships before tiding up. Continued on page 4.

Season Champion – Steve Robertson By Roxshots

#1 Merry Bear – 20 Oct 2012 – By Bill Rude

In This IssueWelcome to Fleet - Bears Get New Owners• 22 Goldilocks – Harrison Family• 60 Bearfoote – Graham Wheelock• 37 Patti Bear – Patti Tipton• 32 Little Dipper – Alejandro• 20 Trigger – Christopher Longaker

Racing Wrap Sheet• Season Championship, WBRA 2012• Master Mariners Annual Regatta, May 2012• StFYC Woodies Invitational, June 2012• SFYC Fall Classic, October 2012

Projects & Then Some• Puff Gets a Stem, Bearfoote Restoration, Past Due for

Keel Bolts on Magic

Bear FactsSan Francisco Bay Bear Boat AssociationRe-Inaugural Edition – January 2013

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Bear Facts – Newsletter of the San Francisco Bay Bear Boat Association

2012 Season Champion - SmokeyAfter a long WBRA season consisting of

18 races, the 2012 Season Championship was not decided until the last day of racing on 15 Sep 2012. Two races were scheduled for the Knox courses and only 2.5 points separated #29 Smokey and #68 Kodiak. [Author’s note: Magic lead Chance by 1.5 points for third place, but Ansel got Glenn to sail that day so there’s not much more for me to say.]

Congratulations to Steve Robertson and Josselyn Robertson. They again showed that Smokey is a force sailing consistently fast and smart over the entire season. Peter Miller’s Kodiak would not let them walk away easily and challenged to end. See the exciting series of photos by Roxshots at the SmugMug link below as they approached the finish line in Race 1 on last day of the season. Spectacular!

By Roxshots, Roxanne Fairbairn, from RC boat: http://roxshots.smugmug.com/Sail-Boat-Racing/SYC-Racing/WBRA-SYC-9152012/25394365_KDg7W4#!i=2089567473&k=TxdXHmD

Bear Class – 2012 Final Standingshttp://www.yra.org/WBRA/wbra_season_standings.htm

2012 Master Mariners RegattaSix Bears sailed in the Master Mariners

Benevolent Association Regatta and Glenn Treser and Ansel Wettersten took the Gerry O’Grady Memorial Trophy. Bill Hansen sailed on Chance and provided the following photo shop /horizon job.

StFYC Woodies InvitationalThe Woodies, the premier event for

wooden boats fleets. Five City Front races in one weekend and we had some typical SF Bay weather – white caps, soaked crews, and broken gear. Kodiak broke a jib halyard in the second race and the third race on Saturday was moved to Sunday because winds were gusting over 30 knots.

Glenn Treser Chance and Steve Robertson Smokey took 1st and 2nd out of the seven Bears signed up. You may have heard about age and treachery over coming youth and skill? Well all you younger skippers, try sailing against age, guile, and seamanship. As Glenn tells me, “Just keep coming out; just keep coming out. It took me 10 years to get 3rd place.”

SFYC Fall ClassicThe Fall Classic decided the Bear Boat

Perpetual Trophy and this year Peter Miller and Kodiak overcame light winds and strong currents to win the event. We did not have a big showing this year, only four boats. Due to 2013 scheduling, SFYC will hold this next Classic in 2014. Some crazy thing called America’s Cup will be dominating the Bay racing calendar.

2012 Racing Wrap Sheet

Place No. Boat Skipper Score1 29 Smokey Steve Robertson 242 68 Kodiak Peter Miller 28.53 47 Chance Ansel Wetterston 424 65 Magic Tim Maloney 46.55 17 Huck Finn Margie Siegal 666 35 Renegade Russel & Christine Katz 887 59 Puff David Sandry 1268 13 Sugar Foot David Sands 135

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Bear Facts – Newsletter of the San Francisco Bay Bear Boat Association

Welcome to the Fleet!#60 Bearfoote

Graham Wheelock acquired #60 from Bill Hansen in early 2012. He has her out of the water in Sausalito for repairs. Check out the next page and see if you think repair is an accurate description of ongoing work.#22 Goldilocks

Also early in 2012 Garrison Buchanan acquired #22 Goldilocks. She was in good trim during 2011 Master Mariners Regatta. The Buchanan Family says that they “are very excited to be part of such a wonderful SF tradition and class.” We hope to see her on the Bay soon. #37 Patti Bear (Root Bear)

Patti Tipton, granddaughter of Bear Class designer Ernie Nunes, rescued #37 from the hard in Napa. Latitude 38 published a detailed story in the July 2012 issue. Patti and her husband Keith have invested in significant repairs and Patti is now full filling a lifelong dream: sailing one the boats built by her grandfather. The Bear Fleet hopes to see the newly christened Patti Bear in Bay soon.

Patti came with family members to for Merry’s 80th birthday and she wins the award for Best Scrap Book. She showed off copies of Bear class build notes from her great grandfather’s, Manuel Nunes, construction notebook. #32 Little Dipper

Joe Bambara parted with his well maintained #32 Little Dipper this summer. Alejandro Dorazio, who has raced in the fleet with Peter Miller, now has Little Dipper slipper on O Dock in the Berkeley Marina. There a sleuth of bears there now – five in a row by last count: Renegade, Kodiak, Pola, Little Dipper, and Sugar Foot. Alejandro brought sailed over the start of one of the WBRA races and also sailed in for Merry’s 80th birthday. It’s really good to see #32 out on the water.#20 Trigger

Christopher Longaker knows #20 pretty well from the days he used to crew of Scotty Cauchois and Alice Merril. When Mary Jordan needed to find a new home for Trigger, Christopher could not say no. Trigger is still out of the water and needs her interior reinstalled.

Christmas Gift Ideas2012 80th Celebration SFBBBA T-Shirt

Contact BearBoat Webmaster Russell Katz http://www.bearboats.com/drupal/

Kathy Bray – Custom Bear Sloop Printshttp://www.brayprints.com/prints/sloops-and-cutters/698/bear-class/

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Bear Facts – Newsletter of the San Francisco Bay Bear Boat Association

Projects & Then Some…#59 Puff, David Sandry’s, Puff, has been a fixture in getting the Bears back racing, but this season she wanted TLC. After taking too much water during the Woodies, David had her hauled and inspected. Scarfs in the stem were very soft and a number of frames were broken. North Bay Boatworks is on the job.

#60 Bearfoote, Graham Wheelock took on #60 and is restoring her. His work is beautiful. If you are curious, and you should be, take a look at all the work-in-process photos he has posted in photos section of Yahoo Groups chat page. Awesome.http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bearboat/photos/album/0/list?order=mtime

#65 MagicRegular, timely maintenance, is key to keeping a Bear health. Good thing the Maloney’s did not wait till next season to replace 3 useless keel bolts. This is your warning and a ‘thank you’ to Steve Hutchinson.

… More from the 80th CelebrationSeven Bears -- # 9 Panda Maloney

Family, #13 Sugarfoot David Sands, #29 Smokey Steve & Josselyn Robertson, #32 Little Dipper Alejandro Dorazio, # 35 Renegade Russell & Christine Katz, #47 Chance Ansel Wetterston and #65 Magic T.O. Maloney & Sons -- sailed in to the Aquatic Park Lagoon and met Merry Bear. The staff of the Small Boat Shop had just received and bent on new suit of 1930 replica sails completing a phase of the restoration of the 80 year old guest of honor. The small fleet ghosted about the lagoon in sight of the Park visitors on Hyde Street Pier before tying up and enjoying the afternoon.

The San Francisco Maritime NHP staff and volunteers deserve credit for making a good day great. SFMNHP shipwright Jeff Vallelly kept an overnight watch tending the fire for the pulled pork. Volunteer Amelia Cass baked the celebration cookies in the shape of the Bear mains’l insignia. The recreated 1930’s rig, including a newly fitted club foot jib, was led by SFMNHP Museum Technician Karnell Hillscan. With the help of a large group of volunteers, period bronze casting were designed and fabricated and wire rigging was fitted and spliced. The results speak for themselves. Drop by the Hyde Street Pier and see for yourself.

http://www.maritime.org/index.htm

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Bear Facts – Newsletter of the San Francisco Bay Bear Boat Association

SFBBBA OfficersPresident David Sandry, #59 PuffSecretary Tim Maloney, #65 Magic, #9 PandaTreasurer Margie Siegal, #17 Huck FinnRace Chair Peter Miller, #68 KodiakWebmaster Russell Katz, #35 RenegadeBearFacts Editor Yourname Here

Webpage: http://www.bearboats.com/drupal/

Yahoo!Groups:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bearboat/

Facebook:www.facebook.com/SanFranciscoBearBoatAssociation

Future Additions of Bear FactsIf you have something you can’t

bear keeping to yourself and you’d like see it distributed to your fellow Bear Boat enthusiasts, send it in.

Bearly Noted• The Wm Ritter Season Champion Trophy had no

more room on the plaque to list winners. Thanks to Peter and Ansel for adding a new base to the Ritter. We now have room to engrave the names of the fleet champion for 60 years.

• Susan Jordan contacted the WebMaster in a effort to return the Bear Cub Trophy she has had for the 15 years. Peter Miller was able to collet it. Now if we only knew what to award it for…

• Off Season Racing: Check the Yahoo Chat page for BYC MidWinter racing coordinated by the Berkeley Bears.

• Annual Meeting - TBA• Annual Association Dues – membership covers

the calendar year, so if you want to be a boat in good standing for 2013 racing, remember to send your dues to the SFBBBA Treasurer.

• Association T-Shirts – there are still some size and color selections available – Contact the Web Master.

• Registry of Wooden Boats Check the online Registry of Wooden Boats organized by Wooden Boat Magazine. Update or register your Bear. http://rwb.woodenboat.com/rwb/

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