Last Updated: 27 January, 2009
The first MC Scow (#357) showed up at CBYC around 1977. Bruce Harlan moved from the C-Lark fleet, and decided to purchase an MC Scow based on pictures that he had seen. The purchase was made from Melges Boat Works over the phone. The boat was delivered along with a truck load of M-20's that were headed to Boise, Idaho, where Bruce picked it up and proudly trailered it home.
The second MC Scow (#680) to arrive at CBYC was purchased by Jim and Claudia Moore after they decided to sell their Hobie 16 in 1982. Having reached the pinnacle of club racing by becoming the Club Champion in handicap racing in a Hobie 16, Jim and Claudia decided to move on to an MC Scow to give Bruce Harlan some competition. The boat was "delivered" to Boulder, Colorado by one of the Melges clan that was attending school there. Jim and Claudia drove out to pick it up, and trailered it home from there. After several years of "shakedown" racing, Jim and Claudia were challenging again for the Club Championship, and won it in MC Scow #680 in 1986. When Jim and Claudia decided to move on to the Geary-18 fleet in 1992, MC Scow #680 was purchased by its current owner, Greg Nyhus.
In 1986, Claudia Moore's father, Steve Herman, and Randy Lau decided to move from the San Juan 21, and the Laser fleets, respectively, to MC Scows. Steve and Joyce Herman took a holiday, and drove to Wisconsin and Melges Boat Works to look at MC Scows. Steve Herman purchased MC Scow #977. When Steve Herman passed away, MC Scow #977 became available, and was purchased by Randy & Donna Lau, its current co-owners.
When Steve & Joyce Herman went back to Wisconsin, Steve also acted as an agent to purchase MC Scow #314 from Bob Thurlow, of Lapeer, Michigan, for Randy & Donna Lau. Melges Boat Works constructed a craddle for MC Scow #314, and it was piggy-backed on top of MC Scow #977 and trailered back to Oregon. After Randy and Donna Lau acquired MC Scow #977 in 1993, MC Scow #314 was sold to Tom Stark, of Bend, Oregon, and the boat left CBYC. In 1995, Tom Stark sold MC Scow #314 to Jerry Hogue, its current owner, and it returned to CBYC.
In 1997, Fred Bedford travelled from Sequim, Washington on the Olympic Peninsula, to sail and race his MC Scow #1289 with the MC Scows of CBYC at the Rogue Yacht Club's Howard Prairie Regatta, and later at the Coos Bay Yacht Club's Labor Day Regatta. In 1997, the four MC Scows of CBYC were granted a charter by the International MC Class Sailboat Racing Association (IMCCSRA), and became the CBYC MC Scow Fleet No. 57. Fred Bedford joined Fleet #57 shortly after its chartering. Randy Lau became the first Fleet Champion in 1997, and Fleet Captain for 1998, after he, and crew, Donna, won both the Howard Prairie, and Labor Day regattas that year.
Joe Cortez purchased MC Scow #357 from Bruce Harlan in the summer of 1998, and joined Fleet 57 shortly thereafter. Randy & Donna Lau again sailed to overall first place finishes at Rogue Yacht Club's Howard Prairie Regatta, and Coos Bay Yacht Club's Labor Day Regatta so that Randy & Donna Lau repeated as the 1998 Fleet Champions, and Randy repeated as the 1999 Fleet Captain. Fleet member, Fred Bedford, again joined us at the Howard Prairie Regatta, and the Labor Day Regatta in Lakeside. Bruce Harlan ordered his new boat (#1879) from Melges Boat Works for the 1999 sailing season, while Randy & Donna purchased a second MC Scow #1197 (JBW) from Charles McConnell, of Port Ludlow, Washington.
The Spring of 1999 welcomed MC Scow (MBW) #1879 to the Fleet. In late April, Bruce Harlan travelled to the San Francisco Bay Area to pick up his new MC Scow from Mike Rettie of MC Scow Fleet 61 in Alameda, California. Mike had gone back to pick up two more MC Scows for Fleet 61, and was able to include Bruce's boat and trailer in the load. MC Scow #1197 (JBW) was ready for the 1999 sailing season, and participated in the Howard Prairie Regatta with Mike Griswold as skipper, and again in the Labor Day Regatta with Jim Moore as skipper, and Claudia Moore as crew. Bruce Harlan was the 1999 Fleet Champion with the best series of races in the combined regattas, for the Fleet. Bruce will also be the Fleet Captain beginning in the new millenium year, 2000. Fred Bedford also drove down from Sequim, Washington to join the Fleet for the regattas. This year also marked the first meeting of Fleet 57 with Fleet 61 from the Encinal Yacht Club in Alameda, California. Both Fleets met at the Howard Prairie Regatta and raced for combined trophies. Bruce Harlan won 2nd Place behind Mike Rettie from Fleet 61, and Randy and Donna won 3rd Place. Fleet 57 won the Fleet Trophy.
In the Millenium Year 2000, Bruce Harlan again placed first at the Howard Prairie Regatta. Tom Kyle sailed MC Scow #1197 to a second place finish ahead of Randy and Donna Lau in MC Scow #977. However, Randy and Donna sailed to win first place honors at the Labor Day Regatta, and won the 2000 Fleet Championship honors with the best combined scores at both regattas. Fred Bedford again joined us at the Howard Prairie Regatta, and included his son Steve as crew during the Labor Day Regatta. Jerry Hogue will be the Fleet Captain for 2001.
In 2001, MC Scow #1197 was sold to Jim and Claudia Moore. This brought back experienced MC Scow sailors to the Fleet, and increased the size of the Fleet to seven boats. Later on during the year however, Joe Cortez began advertising to sell MC Scow #357 as he was no longer physically capable of sailing the boat. At the end of the season Joe Cortez sold MC Scow #357 to Donna Mast of Eugene. Donna and her husband Steve plan to sail the boat at Lakeside and join as members of the Fleet.
That same year, Greg Nyhus also completed his re-furbishing of MC Scow #680, and she is now a bright yellow with trim. At the Howard Prairie Regatta in July, two MC Scows came down from Seattle to race with us. Erich Volkstorf (#1945) and Stefan Kristjanson (#1541) had a good time racing with Fred Bedford, Bruce Harlan, and Randy & Donna Lau. Bruce Harlan finished in overall 1st, and Randy & Donna Lau placed 2nd. At the Labor Day Regatta at CBYC, Randy & Donna Lau won overall 1st Place in a tie-breaker with Jim & Claudia Moore in 2nd Place. As a result of the combined scores from both regattas, Bruce Harlan had the lowest number of points, and he was the 2001 Fleet Champion. Greg Nyhus will be the Fleet Captain for 2002. The end of the year also saw Fred Bedford (#1289) leave Fleet 57 to become a charter member and part of the new Seattle-based Fleet 73 with Erich Volkstorf and Stefan Kristjanson. So the Fleet membership will remain at six boats.
For 2002, Fleet 57 prepared to send four boats to race at the Vancouver Lakes Regatta in early June with boats from the newly chartered Fleet 73 from the Lake Washington Sailing Club in Seattle. However, only one boat, Jerry Hogue, was able to actually make the trip. But Jerry represented Fleet 57 very well with a 2nd Place finish against three other boats from Fleet 73. Later in July, four boats from Fleet 57 traveled down for the Howard Prairie Regatta, and met up with four boats from Fleet 61 of the Encinal Yacht Club, and two boats from Fleet 73 of the Lake Washington Sailing Club. It was a historic meeting of three of the four Fleets on the West Coast, and waranted our own start. Bruce Harlan sailed to a 1st Place trophy, with Jerry Hogue putting together a best effort and a 2nd Place trophy, followed by Randy & Donna Lau with a 3rd Place trophy, and Stefan Kristjanson (Fleet 73) with the 4th Place trophy. Sailing was competitive, and the winds were moderate to strong.
At the 2002 CBYC Labor Day Regatta, Fleet 57 had another in-house regatta. There were no out-of-town MC Scows. Winds were moderate to strong with strong puffs all over the course. Randy & Donna Lau, sailing MC Scow #977, held on to 1st Place over the two-day event with Jerry & Chris Hogue, sailing MC Scow #314, in a close 2nd Place finish. Combined with the points from the Howard Prairie Regatta in July, however, Bruce Harlan, who finished in 1st Place at the Howard Prairie Regatta, and 3rd Place at the Labor Day Regatta will be the Fleet Champion for 2002.
At the close of the 2002 sailing season, the Fleet learned that Fred Bedford of Sequim, Washington was seriously considering selling his MC Scow #1289. Fred had sailed with and against us since 1997, and had been a member of Fleet 57 for a few years. In October, Butch & Linda Gulseth purchased MC Scow #1289 from Fred, and have joined Fleet 57 to increase our number of boats to seven.
In 2003, Jim and Claudia Moore traded MC Scow #1197 for MC Scow #1941 from Erich Volkstorf. So MC Scow #1197 was returned to Washington, and a newer model Melges MC Scow (#1941) was welcomed to the Fleet. Four MC Scows (Moore, Harlan, Hogue, and Gulseth) from Fleet 57 travelled to the Vancouver Lakes Regatta in June. Jim and Claudia Moore sailed to a First Place finish, and Jerry and Chris Hogue sailed into Second Place. For Butch and Linda Gulseth, this was their first venture out in MC Scow #1289. In July, only three MC Scows (Harlan, Mast, and Lau) were able to make the road trip to Howard Prairie. Randy and Donna Lau sailed away with First Place. In the finale of the season, at our own Labor Day Regatta, Jim and Claudia Moore again sailed convincingly to First Place, with Jerry and Chris Hogue again finishing in a strong Second Place.
Fleet Champions for 2003 are Jim and Claudia Moore sailing well, and consistently in their MC Scow #1941. Jim Moore will also be the Fleet Captain for 2004.
Two more CBYC sailors joined the Fleet in 2004 when Phil Van Doren and Tom Kyle purchased MC Scows in mid-Spring of the year, and were sailing and racing by mid-Summer. Due to the efforts of Bill McGown, and Erich Volkstorf from Fleet 73, a total of four more MC Scows were brought to the West Coast, and two of them (MC #1193, and MC #1215) ended up in Oregon with Fleet 57. This brought the number of MC Scows in Fleet 57 to nine.
At the CBYC Labor Day Regatta, 11 MC Scows were at the starting line. Lisa Fox (MC #1451) and Fred Bedford (MC #1197) from Fleet 73 came down from the Seattle, WA area to join with the boats of Fleet 57 for some heavy air sailing. While Tom Kyle and Butch Gulseth sailed their San Juan 21s for the weekend, Forrest Hogue skippered Butch Gulseth's MC Scow #1289, and Paul and Lori Harlan sailed Tom Kyle's MC Scow #1193. After two days of intense sailing, Jim and Claudia Moore took 1st Overall, followed by Randy & Donna Lau at 2nd Overall, and Donna and Steve Mast at 3rd Overall. After the regatta was over, Lisa Fox sold MC #1451 to Fleet 57 as a spare boat, with an option to be sold to another interested party at CBYC. Fleet Champions for 2004 are Jim and Claudia Moore sailing well, and consistently in their MC Scow #1941. Jim Moore will also be the Fleet Captain for 2005.
In 2005, Dave Laird decided to purchase MC Scow #1451, and became the tenth MC Scow to join Fleet 57. Later in the spring, the Fleet also heard from Paul Harlan. Paul and Lori had sailed Tom Kyle's MC Scow #1193 during the 2004 CBYC Labor Day Regatta. Paul and Lori had purchased MC Scow #522 out of Las Vegas, Nevada, and joined Fleet 57 in May of 2005 as the eleventh MC Scow of Fleet 57. None of the MC Scows travelled this year. No one was able to make either the Vancouver Lakes Regatta in Washington, nor the Howard Prairie Regatta near Ashland. In the 2005 version of the CBYC Labor Day Regatta, Jim and Claudia Moore dominated the regatta with five straight 1st Place finishes and an overall 1st Place finish in MC Scow #1941. Jerry and Chris Hogue finished 2nd Place at the regatta in MC Scow #314, and Randy and Donna Lau finishing in 3rd Place in MC Scow #977. Jim Moore also was the overall Fleet Champion for 2005. Dave Laird was elected as the Fleet Captain for 2006 at the winter meeting of Fleet 57.
The regatta season for Fleet 57 started a little earlier in the year with five MC Scows (Moore, Hogue, Laird, PHarlan, and Lau) driving up to Vancouver Lakes Regatta after a one year break. Four MC Scows came down from Bellingham, WA from Fleet 84 to sail with us. Bill McGown (Fleet 84) took 1st Place overall, Paul Harlan (Fleet 57) took 2nd Place overall, and John Holland (Fleet 84) took 3rd Place overall. Fleet 57 also welcomed back Fred Bedford (MC Scow #1197, MBW) as the twelfth member of the Fleet. Only two MC Scows (PHarlan and Lau) were able to make the journey to the Howard Prairie Regatta this year. The two MC's sailed as part of a four-boat Open Centerboard class. Paul & Lori Harlan, in MC Scow #522, were able to come away with 2nd Place overall after a much contested series with Randy & Donna Lau, sailing MC Scow #977.
In our local Coos Bay Yacht Club Labor Day Regatta, nine (9) boats of Fleet 57 sailed a hard fought series to determine the trophy winners. Jim and Claudia Moore, sailing MC Scow #1941 sailed away with the 1st Place Trophy with Paul and Lori Harlan sailing MC Scow #522 in a close 2nd Place Trophy. The battle on the water for 3rd Place was determined in the last of the five races with Randy and Donna Lau sailing MC Scow #977 finishing ahead of Bruce Harlan in MC Scow #1879.
Jim Moore was the overall Fleet Champion for 2006. At our annual winter meeting, Donna Mast was elected as the Fleet Captain of Fleet 57 for 2007.
2007 was a relatively inactive year for the Fleet. No one able to make the Vancouver Lakes Regatta in June. Three boats were able to make it to the Howard Prairie Regatta in July; Paul and Lori Harlan sailing MC Scow #522, Donna and Steve Mast sailing MC Scow #357, and Randy & Donna Lau sailing MC Scow #977. Paul and Lori took overall first for the weekend. At the annual CBYC Labor Day Regatta, Jim and Claudia Moore raced to an overall first place finish in MC Scow #1941. Paul and Lori Harlan finished in a close second, and Jerry and Chris Hogue finishing up third sailing a borrowed MC Scow #1289. Michael Grimm drove over from Minden, Nevada with MC Scow #1527 to join in the racing at the Labor Day Regatta. In addition, two more MC Scows were located and purchased for members at CBYC. MC Scow #24 was purchased from an individual in Colorado Springs, CO by Jessica Randle. Suzanne Callery purchased MC Scow #341. This brought the number of MC Scows at CBYC to twelve.
Jim Moore again was the overall Fleet Champion for 2007. Phil Van Doren was elected as the Fleet Captain for 2008 at the winter meeting of Fleet 57. The Fleet also found out that Fred Bedford would no longer be sailing with us. He sold his boat to Fleet 84. Bruce Harlan also sold his boat, MC Scow #1879 to Jerry Hogue, and retired from competitive sailing. MC Scow #314 was no longer usable and had to be retired. In addition, Donna and Steve Mast purchased MC Scow #1755, and MC Scow #357 became available for purchase.
In 2008, five boats travelled to the Vancouver Lakes Regatta in Vancouver, WA. Fleet 57 from Coos Bay, OR was represented by Jim and Claudia Moore, Phil Van Doren, Jerry Hogue, Donna and Steve Mast and Paul Harlan. Fleet 84 from Lake Whatcom, WA was ably represented by Steve Hood and his son Liam from the north. The MC’s competed as a separate start.
Nine MC Scows participated in the racing during the 2008 Labor Day Regatta hosted by Fleet #57 and the Coos Bay Yacht Club. Three MC's came down from Fleet #84 at Lake Watcom, WA and Michael Grimm drove over from Minden, NV with MC Scow #1527 to sail during the weekend. Randy and Donna Lau took Overall 1st Place, Bill McGown took Overall 2nd Place, and Jim Moore took Overall 3rd Place.
Jerry Hogue was the overall Fleet Champion for 2008. At the winter meeting of Fleet 57, Donna Lau was elected as the Fleet Captain for 2009.
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