Different Drummer Frank Atkinson Finds his Rhythm
Ft. Lauderdale - Key West Race Final Report

By Paige Brooks
Posted Monday, January 18, 2010

 


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After their 160 nm,19 hour sprint down the southern coast of Florida from Fort Lauderdale to Key West, Frank Atkinson, Ted Naughton, his father Ted Naughton Sr, Tom Ericsson, and Jamie Stewart were exhausted. Racing against 33 other boats in the handicapped division (PHRF), these 5 men crewing on a narrow 40 foot boat “Different Drummer” didn’t realize until they were caught up on food and sleep that they had beat all of them on corrected time. Frank Atkinson, who’s owned the boat for just 6 months said, “I am exuberant!” In the early 90s he sailed on this Fast 40 with Ted and “Senior” (Ted Naughton Sr.) and won this same race to Key West. Since Frank bought the boat from Senior and revived her after 5 years in “mothballs,” he has spent every waking moment, when not running his rigging business, optimizing it for distance ocean races. Racing with the same crew who’d won the race together before was “really coming full circle.” “We absolutely wanted to win this race,” Frank said. Frank Atkinson swept the trophies, taking home the win for his division, the fleet, and the best overall performance in this race. Frank’s navigator, Ted Naughton, also took home the best navigator trophy for the PHRF class.

In the IRC class, George David’s sexy RP 90 “Rambler” won the first to finish trophy, and “Privateer,” Ron O’Hanley’s Cookson 50 won overall.

Robin Team on the aptly named J122 “Teamwork,” won Divison B of the IRC class, but also was awarded the race’s Seamanship Trophy for their assistance during the coast guard rescue of another racing boat, Crosswinds. Once they heard the distress call on the radio and knew of Crosswind’s proximity, Teamwork, without hesitation, went to their aid.

At Kelly’s in Key West, the winners accepted their trophies in the (finally) balmy weather to a full house enjoying their Mt. Gay rum and cheering for their favorites. The Seamanship Trophy for Robin Team garnered a standing ovation. And appropriately so.

In the Multihull fleet, Tom Reese's Corsair 28R, "Flight Simulator", took top honors in class A, Fleet, and Navigation. Ron White's "Cheekee Monkee" a Farrier F-31 took home the first to finish trophy, and Victor Mendelsohn's "Catnip" won class B.

Robin Team of S/V J122 "Team Work"

J122 Team Work was in the hunt for a top 3 finish in their IRC B fleet. At 345 in the morning they heard a call for help from another racing boat, Crosswinds come over the VHF radio. Grady Byus, the youngest crew member, was at the navigation station and monitored the exchange with the US Coast Guard (USCG) and the Coarsair F-27 Crosswinds and heard they were taking on water.

When he heard Crosswind's position, Grady radioed into the USCG to advise them they were nearby and available to render assistance. Upon realizing their position as compared to other nearby boats who also offered help, Grady notified the CG, rallied the crew, turned on the engine and motored back (only about 10 minutes from the scene) to Crosswinds. Upon arrival, they circled the boat and awaited the arrival of the USCG. Once on scene, the CG off loaded all but one of the crew and Team Work awaited release from the CG, which they did once they had the situation in hand.

The racing rules of sailing allow for redress in emergency situations and it was granted by the Race Committee Jury after Teamwork requested it, putting them back where they likely would have finished, in 1st of the IRC B class. Crosswinds and her crew made it safely to Marathon Key

Frank Atkinson of S/V Fast 40 “Different Drummer”

Miami Locals Frank Atkinson and Ted Naughten won their PHRF B division sailing also with Ted’s father, Ted, a 78 years young salt, beating another local favorite, Primal Scream. Frank bought into this boat a year ago and the two partners have been working hard to find the boat’s sweet spot over the past year, but have come up empty until this race. This win was a real heart-string puller for the locals who work with Frank, a rigger for race boats, and have watched this boat slowly progress up the ranks.
The next distance race for the Southern Ocean Racing Conference is the Fort Lauderdale to Charleston race, which kicks off on March 31, 2010.

Perpetual Trophies are as follows:

BOLERO TROPHY
(Silver Dish On A Base)
FIRST PHRF BOAT TO FINISH
Different Drummer

EAST MARTELLO TROPHY
(Brass Cannon)
FIRST PHRF BOAT - CORRECTED TIME OVERALL
Different Drummer

NORTHRUP & JOHNSON NAVIGATOR TROPHY
(Brass Binacle)
NAVIGATOR ON FIRST PHRF BOAT - CORRECTED TIME
Different Drummer - Ted Naughten Sr.

RUDY CHOY TROPHY
(Plexiglass Multihull On Base)
FIRST MULTIHULL BOAT TO FINISH
Cheekee Monkee

DOUGLAS MERRILL MEMORIAL TROPHY
(Brass Sails On A Wooden Base)
FIRST MULTIHULL BOAT - CORRECTED TIME OVERALL
Flight Simulator

SOUTHERN BOATING TROPHY
(Brass Multihull On Base)
NAVIGATOR ON FIRST MULTIHULL BOAT - CORRECTED TIME
Flight Simulator - Richard Evans

APPLETON TROPHY
(Silver Bowl On Wooden Base)
FIRST IRC BOAT TO FINISH
Rambler

MEYERS / RODSTROM MEMORIAL TROPHY
(Silver Lutine Bell On A Wooden Base)
FIRST IRC BOAT - CORRECTED TIME OVERALL
Privateer

EDWARD A. POWERS MEMORIAL TROPHY
(Sextant In A Box)
NAVIGATOR ON FIRST IRC BOAT - CORRECTED TIME
Privateer - Preston Kelly

For more information, links to racing sites, results and the blog, go to: www.keywestrace.org