Class Pages

Hello Fellow Soverel 26 Sailors:
   I am wondering if there has been any talk among you all about a One Design regatta for our Class. There had been some talk about Key West and St. Pete and now I would like to introduce Miami Race week. Please let me know how you all feel. I think it would be great if we could pull off a regatta sometime next year. [2005 is the 30th Aniversary of the Soverel 26 design]

Rick Jarchow, Jr. (email Richard by clicking on his name)
S/V Detente Hull 18

Welcome to the Class Richard Rea and Cracker Jack!  Richard is the proud owner of "Cracker Jack". He received this boat from the Sea Scouts and has been restoring her. He has almost completed the inside and will be starting on the outside towards the fall.

Welcome John Spierre and Sörös Cailín!  John purchased Sörös Cailín from Scott Erdmman last summer. The name is a blend of Hungarian and Gaelic, it roughly translates to the "Beer Drinking Girl". John spent the winter fixing leaks, stripping the bottom paint, and fixing blisters. He and his wife are now racing Wednesday nights. They have trouble as well on the short around the bouys against the J24s.

Welcome Rocky Miller and Chris Kelley of Radio Flyer!  Rocky and Chris race Radio flyer in Seabrook, Texas. They write: We've done a few of the casual Galveston Bay races and taken her offshore twice. Once for the Harvest Moon Regatta in 2002 (doublehanded, a long story) from Galveston To Port Aransas. More recently, a 90 nm overnight race in April (crew of five).

We've also done a one our two of the more serious bay races in her as well, with pretty good results. (Alhough we typically campaign a Pearson Flyer for the bay races.)

For the most part, we race Radio Flyer weekly in PHRF on Wednesday nights. It's primarily our "Wednesday night" boat. Her weight is a disadvantage on our short course so she doesn't get a chance to stretch her legs. We have a highly experienced crew and good equipment....but can't get her around the course fast (tack) enough to sail her 174 rating (about the same rating as a J24). Our strategy is minimum tacks and to take advantage of our excellent pointing ability. A fairly well sailed J27 will walk all over us in dying evening breeze (which we usually get on Wednesday nights) We've considered taking a chainsaw to the interior (jokingly) but we could never do such a thing to such a beautiful boat.

It's an excellent boat for our local (more casual) Saturday Night Rum Races...12 mile course around Galveston Bay, around fixed markers. In this venue, it's an ideal boat to introduce friends and coworkers to sailing with it's big boat amenities. Off the wind she's fast....One race we actually placed 5th against 60+ boats.

We'd really like to get into more detail (rig tuning, backstay setups, etc.) with the other owners/racers but for now.

The boats were designed as MORC racers. The following is an exert from the MORC web site. "1975 The third MORC International Regatta was held in Stonington, CT. 40 contestants from 16 Stations participated. "Stewball", a Soverel 26 Owned and Sailed by Mark Soverel was the overall winner. "

This page is started by Robert Sessions. If you are an owner of a Soverel 26 please contact me [Robert Sessions.] to be included in the owners list. I bought a Soverel 26 [ Hull # 23] in October of 2002. I bought this boat knowing very little about the boat and design, but I was familiar with other designs by Mark Soverel. In particular the Soverel 33 and Soverel 27. The owners page will contain contact information about Soverel 26 owners and information about their boats. Please feel free to forward information about your boat, [photos, stories, adventures]. If you are doing a re-fit please tell other owners about your experiences. I am now in the process of a major re-fit. and have had very little information about the boat.

I hope to include pages on the site covering: