John Power; Stories from Saratoga

John Power sends me this interesting sea (actually lake) story filled with Int. 14 (and Firefly) lore from Saratoga Lake;

I actually have had just a little experience sailing 14s, I am perhaps one generation too late. But I have always been keenly interested in the older boats (the modern 14s which while impressive in their own right, are a bit too pricey and high tech for me)

When I was younger, I learned how to sail at Regatta Point Community Sailing in Worcester, Ma (a sister school to the famed Community Boating in Boston) The fellow that taught me to sail was a great guy named Allan Fearn. Al actually won the Firefly National Championships one year on Saratoga Lake, beating none other than Stuart Walker. The story among the old time Firefly/Jet14/I14 crowd at the club is that the chapter in Walker's Tactics book relating to wind around land masses on inland lakes is about the big hill on the east side of Saratoga Lake, and comes from this regatta specifically. I don't know that it is 100% true, but its a cool story and could be very probable.

Anyhow, I was a pretty large kid when I was a teen. Most of the kids at the lake were buying their own Lasers and Force Fives...AL talked me into buying an old Fairey Marine FIREFLY #2828 and thats how I got hooked. (Incidentally, 2828 was built in 1963 and I was built in 1965!) During college I did not sail much, but I had seen my first Thistle.....I have now owned 4, until recently, graduating, or perhaps stepping down to a J28 Cruiser. At my first Thistle Nationals in 89, I met Bill and we got talking about old 14s and he ended up owning my old Firefly. A few years later, I was laid off from my teaching job in CT and ended up teaching for a while up near Saratoga, meeting the old 14 crowd etc. So that is my connection and keen interest in these cool old boats.

About 10 years ago, there were a few of the old 14 fleet that wanted to start a classic 14 group on the lake. At that time John Carcich had mailed (pre email!) the folks at Saratoga to see if anyone wanted 970.(I almost bought 970 then, but I knew the boat meant a lot to Bill since he had raced against it and John Carcich when he was younger, so I passed on buying it and he bought if from Carcich). Later Bill came across and rescued the D&M while at a thistle regatta in FL. Unfortunately one of the jump starters of the classic 14 fleet shortly became ill with Alzheimer's and the movement fizzled. Bill has been making noises about selling his boats for several years and I think he is now at the point he might sell them.

There are a few 14s left up in the area and I think they could be persuaded to sail a few times each season...I would be very interested in that, and perhaps going to a classic regatta or two should I be able to find a seaworthy boat. The only 14s that i have sailed was an old Fairy MK6 and plastic PSI Proctor 7 i think? Both were single trap boats with big genoas and chutes -GREAT FUN in some breeze!

There is a fellow named JOHN BOOTH who has 3 boats at the moment, the two I sailed and a Proctor Hull that I think won the P.O W cup, the boats name is ARIADNE - Bill would know the exact details about this boat, and could fill you in on the history. I m sure there are a few other boats lurking in the area, there used to be a couple fiberglass ones that sailed on the lake on occasion.