Summary of 71 Year History of PRSA1934 24 boats raced in first PRSA Spring Series, won by A.H. Calephane 1935 Comets are first one-design class. First Comet race won by D.V.. Smythe 1937 First President's Cup. Dr. Jim Gilbert wins his first Trophy. 1940 Lightnings become a PRSA class. Biggest class is Chesapeake 20, series won by Mr. Pagan. 81 boats raced in series; largest series ever. 1944 Joe Kraft wins series in Penguin PLUTO. Capt. Len Penso becomes commodore 1946 Len Penso wins series in Penguin GADGET 1947 Norm Shaller wins Lightning Fall Series
1948 Len Penso first wins Penguin class in
TRINKET. (This boat still races, now owned by John Matzner) 1949 First Thistle race won by Mr. Lawson ,a 10 year member in JOLLY SCOT 1950 Races were held off Haines Point from 1947 to 1951 1951 National Yacht Club formed at Washington Sailing Marina. This helped improve conditions at WSM 1953 Norm Shaller was first winner of Coronation Cup in Thistle SWOOSH 1954 Earl Porter loans his schooner as Committee boat which continued for 5 years 1957 Dr. Jim Gilbert becomes commodore 1958 Hamptons have 16 boats actively raced 1960 Mobjack class is added to racing schedule 1961 First Memorial Day regatta is held. Walt Hall becomes Commodore. 1962 WSM adds present sea wall and 2 small cranes after many meetings with PRSA team and Natl Yacht Club. Founder's Trophy established; first won by Jim Nathanson in Mobjack WHITE CAP. Orange and white windsock used to signify impending start 1963 PRSA races USNA yawl against 8 other YC teams in Lloyd Phoenix Series 1964 Capt Len Penso wins again- 8th spring series in row. 1950-57 also 1959-62 and 64-65 and 67-68 all in TRINKET 1965 Hamptons disappear (for the next three decades) as a PRSA fleet 1966 Ben Ackerman wins Fall Series (Catamaran) in "B LION". Jim Gilbert wins Lightning Fall Series in "LORD JIM" to begin 4 yr. string 1967 Joe Kraft elected commodore. Jay Smimow (owner of Back Yard Boats) wins Catamaran Spring and Fall series in SMANTHA III 1968 Albacores become a PRSA fleet. Earl Potter wins Founder's Cup for providing his Schooner for committee boat for 12 years 1969 E1 Toros become a PRSA fleet. After 35 years PRSA finally buys a committee boat (26' catamaran). For the first time each fleet provides race committee for one Sunday. First of two present whalers was bought. 1973 Norman Shaller Trophy is established. John Aras (Flying Scot) wins CBYRA Jr. Championship and goes on to place 3rd in Sears Cup Finals 1974 A Property Committee set up with one member from each fleet 1975 Albacore Class provides first PRSA Commodore: John Duncan. Hobie 16 become a PRSA fleet 1977 James Tyson elected Commodore after serving as Vice-Comm. & Treas. 1978 First raising of the Phoenix from a burnt hull. Supervised by Mike Arnold and Frank Gallagher 1979 Malcolm "Mike" Arnold elected Commodore 1980 PRSA has a second generation Commodore, Matthew Krafft 1981 Membership in PRSA has fallen from 240 in1976 to 173 in 198. Founders Trophy awarded to Ben and Dessi Minor for 10 years as full time race committee 1982 First pot luck dinner tried for Annual Dinner. It was a big success. 1983 Bill Bolger of Penguin fleet elected Commodore. During the Spring Series race on April 17 a 30-minute squall with winds estimated up to 55 mph ripped through the PRSA boats returning from the races. Most of the boats capsized and many of the crews suffered from hypothermia after being in the cold water for up to 1 hour. Afterward PRSA resolved to get better boats with marine radios. Three minute start sequence instituted 1984 50th anniversary of founding of PRSA. 50th President's Cup regatta 1986 John Duncan of Albacore fleet is recorded as life member. 1987 This year it was decided to have a crash boat precede the DANDY through the course. PRSA took over the NYC crash boat. PRSA had 129 paid members in nine classes. Albacore was the biggest class again with 29 members 1988 Bill Davenport and Angella Anderson and many others from DCIF and NYC negotiate elimination of Alexandria Boat Tax on boats at WSM. VHF marine radios were first used on the course boats. An unusually large fleet of 40 boats raced in the Spring Regatta 1989 The entire transom of the Phoenix was replaced with a new one fitted for one large engine. The overhaul and new engine cost $4000. Craig Simmons connected shore power to the Phoenix. Thereafter she gave much more reliable service. PRSA spent $6461 for maintenance and operation expense. 1990 PRSA spent $6002 on liability and boat hull insurance 1991 Joe Krafft, with 50 years service to PRSA, and Captain Len Penso with 45 years, were elected Honorary Members (there were only three others ever before.) Both are outstanding commodores, committee chairmen, and super racers. 1993 PRSA established three new perpetual trophies:
1994 PRSA Runs 60th PRESIDENT's CUP REGATTA. PRSA has 60th anniversary of its founding. Frank Gallagher of the LIGHTNING fleet is awarded the Founders trophy for his service as commodore and for his success in revitalizing the LASER fleet 1995
PRSA
receives a gift of a new larger course boat, which will be in use in 1996. 1996 Andy Corsig and Joanna Byron organize a black-tie dinner at the Alexandria Boat Club that raised $4,000 in donations to PRSA and that pushed the club back into good financial condition 1997 Flying Scots disappear as a PRSA fleet 1998 PRSA launches its first website. PRSA significantly increases its dues. Membership is down to 100.
1999 Interlakes join PRSA as a fleet.
Hobie 20s are rarely seen on the river. 2001 More than 10 Lasers show up every Sunday over the winter 2002 100 boats compete in the Leukemia/President’s Cup. PRSA buys two committee boats: A 10-year old bayliner and another whaler 2003 2004 2005 PRSA members make generous contributions totaling over $10,000 to allow the club to purchase two brand new Carolina Skiff with brand new Yamaha 4-stroke engines.
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