2013 News Archive

• Congratulations to Lightning Sailors nominated for US Sailing's 2013 Rolex Yachtsman & Yachtswoman of the year: Marvin Beckman, Tim Healy, Dave and Jody Starck and Allan Terhune! Way to go Lightning Class!
  
  
• It is with great sadness that we share Robert B. O'Brien, Jr. of Bay Head, NJ passed away Wednesday, December 4 at the age of 79. Bob was the former and Emeritus Captain of Fleet 3 located in Bay Head, New Jersey, and former Commodore of Bay Head Yacht Club. He was co-founder of the N.J. Museum of Boating, trustee of the Toms River Seaport Society, president of WoodenBoatsNJ and O'Brien Yacht Sales, and was inducted into the Barnegat Bay Sailing Hall of Fame. A memorial service will be held on Monday, Dec. 23, at 11 a.m. at All Saints Church, Bay Head. For directions and condolences, please visit www.obrienfuneralhome.com/. Obituary
  
  
• Another legend lost...Carl Eichenlaub passed away on November 29, 2013. He was very instrumental in the Lightning Class not only as a builder of very fast boats but as a tough competitor on the race course. Many will remember his catchy ad, "Any slob can win in an Eichenlaub!" He is also credited with opening up the entire country to Lightning sailing. He won the 1960 North American Championship in Tawas, MI and then brought that championship out to San Diego, California in 1961. Peter Houston wrote a wonderful tribute that appears in Sailing Anarchy. Also check out another tribute in Scuttlebutt that includes a link to a great interview that appeared in Sports Illustrated, 1965.
  
  
• It is with great sadness we share that Cully A. Cobb Jr. M.D. passed away Saturday, November 23, 2013. Cully was a founding member of the Harbor Island Yacht Club and Lightning Fleet 262 - sailing on Old Hickory Lake in Nashville, TN. He was instrumental in the Mississippi Valley District. In his active years he was a contributor to Flashes on many occasions. He will be most remembered for his eloquent pieces on fairness in competition. Fair winds... Full Obituary
  
  
• According to our Class Constitution the Governing Board has elected William G. Faude to serve as the 5th Member of the Executive Committee for the 2013-2014 year. Faude held this same position in 2012-2013. Faude is excited to continue on with this position quoting "In the immortal words of Stuart Nickerson... I LOVE this class."
  
  
• It is with great sadness that we report the passing of George Hatfield. George passed away at his home in Rockwall, Texas on October 26, 2013 after a long battle with cancer. He was a member of Lightning Fleet 35, a founding member of Fleet 435 and friend of the ILCA for many years. He was Chief Measurer in 1983 & 1984 and served as Class President in 1985. He loved the Lightning Class and cherished so many fond memories of racing and sailing. A service will be October 31, 2013 at 11 am at Lakepointe Church in Rockwall, TX.  Full Obituary
  
  
• The Columbia Sailing Club hosted the 2013 US Sailing Championship of Champions Regatta, October 24 – 27 on Lake Murray in Columbia, South Carolina. The event was sailed in Lightnings. 22 Lightnings were loaned from ILCA members. 2012 NAs Champion Jody Lutz sailing with Jay Lutz and Derek Gauger and 2013 World Champions David Starck, Jody Starck and Ian Jones represented the Lightning Class. There were many other Lightning members sailing on other crews, including the team of Skip Dieball, Tom Starck and Abby Freeman, who placed second. The special guest was 5 time Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year and Lightning sailor Betsy Alison who sailed with Will and Laura Jeffers. It took an amazing team of volunteers to secure, transport and rig the boats. Tom Allen IV and Brian Hayes, Sr. were instrumental on site to make sure the boats were ready. Photos
  
  
• It is with great sadness we share that Joe Dissette (91) passed away Wednesday, July 10. Joe is a long-time Lightning Class supporter and was a member of the Michigan District, Fleet 216. It is believed that Joe had 34 Lightnings during his lifetime. Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers. One of Joe's Greatest Moments—In 1998 at the ILCA 60th Anniversary Regatta held at the Skaneateles Country Club in Skaneateles, New York, Joe was in the Green Fleet with 87 boats competing—WOW! What a starting lineup, an awesome event! Joe had been having heart trouble, and that morning he and his wife, Ann, made an unscheduled trip to the hospital. The crew rigged the boat and circled off the end of the dock waiting for Joe to return. 223 of the 225 boats had been launched. With Ann driving through two barricades and down the launching ramp, Joe arrived and headed to the starting line. Joe finished 1st in the first race, setting the tone for the regatta. “Because we were ahead in the race, we finished in a mix of boats in the Blue Fleet. John McCree and Joe Schofield, my crew, asked the Racing Committee for a finish signal. We finished at the tail end of the Blue Fleet boats. The following two races were back to back with 5th place finishes—with a total of 11 points—the Green Fleet was ours. What could be better than winning your fleet at the 60th Lightning Anniversary Regatta? That had to be the highlight of my sixty-two years of Lightning racing.”  Obituary and Service Arrangements   Tribute to Joe
  
  
• Per the ILCA Document Governing All Sanctioned Lightning Class Championships, ARTICLE VIII Section 2 restricts advertising to hulls only. In addition, there shall be no penalty for breaking this ILCA restriction for advertising on personal equipment as described in ISAF Regulation 20.3.1. This policy shall apply to all sanctioned 2013 ILCA Championships. Policy adopted by Executive Committee May 29, 2013.
  
  
• It is with great sadness that we share the passing of George Henry Nickels. He passed away Monday, May 20 at the age of 68 while at home surrounded by family after fighting a short illness with cancer. Many of you will remember how kind, helpful and fun George was.  Please keep the Nickels family in your thoughts and prayers. Those desiring may make memorial contributions to Gentiva Hospice or the American Diabetes Association. George was born July 19, 1944 in Flint, the son of Herman and Margaret (Turnbull) Nickels. He married Eloise Hugan in 1966 in Grand Blanc. George retired from GM Parts and Service after 30 years of service and was a previous co-owner of Nickels Boat Works in Fenton. He was an active member of the Lake Fenton Sailing Club and a member of the International Lightning Class Association. Surviving are: wife, Eloise; son, Brian Nickels and wife, Theresa of Flint; daughter, Traci Nickels of Columbus, OH; grandchildren, Timothy, Bradley, Heather and Elizabeth; siblings, David Nickels and wife, Marianne of Holly, Madolyn and husband, Edward Hugan of Holly, Louis Nickels and wife, Bonnie of Fenton; several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Kim Suzanne and parents, Herman and Margaret.  Obituary
  
  
• It is with great sadness we share the passing of Martha "Marty" Fisher. Marty was married to past ILCA president, George Fisher and mother to Greg and Matt and their sister Gayle. They spent their honeymoon at the Lightning Southern Circuit and continued to sail in the class until Georges passing in 2008. For more information on services or to leave a message on her tribute wall please see her full obituary.
  
  
• Executive Committee Ruling regarding qualification ratio for North American Championship is amended to 1:1.
  
  
• Executive Committee Ruling regarding qualification ratio for North American Championship is 3:1.
  
  
• Special 75th Anniversary Photo Project! Get more details on this special 75th Anniversary Project.
  
  
• It is with sadness that we share the passing of Dr. George P. Glenn. Dr. Glenn was an avid Lightning sailor who taught both his son Gidge and John Parker how to crew on his Lightning "Peaches" which was named for his third crew, his wife Lillian. After racing many years with Fleet #99, Dr. Glenn along with three other Lightning sailors decided to create a new Lightning Fleet (#430) at the Ocean City Yacht Club in the late 60's. He helped to create one of the strongest Lightning fleets in the South Jersey area. Dr. Glenn will be missed by his many friends and especially by his two sons Gidge and Jimmy Glenn.