Deed of Gift: Presented by BIRW Chairman Everett B. Morris in 1965, to be awarded to whomever the Race Week Committee deems “worthy.”
Websters Dictionary: “Worthy – showing the qualities or abilities that merit recognition in a specified way.”
Multiple Winner Sports Heroes: Connor’s Americas Cups, Yankee’s World Series, Ainslee’s Gold Medals, Tom Brady’s Super Bowls….and then there is Storm Trysail’s own du Moulin family.
It all started in 1975-the father/son duo of Ed and Rich du Moulin partnered with Harold Oldak to win the 1975 “Boat of the Week” Everett B. Morris Trophy on their Carter 39 “Blaze.” Things were looking pretty good! Storm Trysail crew included John Browning, Steve Moore, Chris Reyling, and several others who couldn’t get a ride with anyone else.
They returned in 1979 to defend, adding other luminaries like Tony Parker, a famed match race starting expert (three seconds in the Congressional Cup) and Rich’s fiancé Ann on her first sailboat race. Eager to pick up where they left off in 1975, Blaze went for the leeward end pin start which unfortunately was a large motor yacht with a long bowsprit and a wire anchor cable. Early at the “pin,” Blaze shot head to wind, lost momentum, and the foul current pinned her against the bowsprit (poked thru her new genoa) with the anchor cable locked between fin keel and skeg. Wiggling like a speared fish, Blaze couldn’t free herself until one minute before the start of the next class. Circling the “pin boat’ Blaze restarted only to get rolled by the entire next class. In the stunned silence, Ann gently enquired: “Is this a normal start?”
The following day there was no wind, but the fleet deployed to the starting area (one area in those days with almost 200 boats hanging out). Blaze motored into the pack with all crew wearing paper bags on their heads with eye cutouts. Prominently written in magic marker, each bag was labelled with their crew position: Starting Helmsman, Starting Tactician, Deputy Tactician, Timekeeper, Bow Lookout, Anchor Specialist, Salvage Diver, and Sail Repair Person (Ann).
The Race Committee unanimously deemed the crew of Blaze “worthy” and awarded them the greatest prize of BIRW 1979, the Blockhead. This was just a foreshadow of more to come.
With the new family Express 37 Lora Ann, du Moulin and crew returned to win their class at Race Week many times, but in 2001 it once again went off the rails…at the pin end of the line…but at least it was a buoy not a motor yacht. Early once again, Lora Ann shot across the line nipping the buoy. But never a crew to surrender, Lora Ann spun around the buoy and went off on port tack to hit a shift and eventually win the race. That evening, as Skipper du Moulin walked up the stage for the daily trophy, Race Chair Dick Neville shook his hand, congratulated du Moulin on a great recovery, and observed: “Amazing job! Over early, hit the mark, spun around and went off on port tack to hit the shift!” Dick then stared quietly at Rich causing him to hesitate, mentally review what happened, and declaring: “Oh s** t, we never completed our 360…we only did 270!” Rich then told Dick: ”Well, we withdraw from the race. Give the trophy to the next guy.”
At the end of the week, the Committee had a hard time to figure out whether du Moulin and Lora Ann deserved the Mosbacher Award for Sportsmanship or the Blockhead for being “worthy” once again. Since it was Storm Trysail Club, there really was no choice. Du Moulin won his second Blockhead! History was made. There had never been a repeat winner!
Like the “Ginzu” knife commercial: But wait! There’s more!
Gluttons for punishment, du Moulin and crew returned with Lora Ann again and again- often winning class- and sure enough, in 2005 once again won the Blockhead for a third (and final?) time. The team was so battered, that to this day, none of them can figure out why they won it. Maybe it doesn’t matter. The Committee just enjoyed doing it. Where the hell is Dr. Willi Faraguli or the fleet legal advisor Bob Mitchell when you need them?