Shields Class News and Homepage
Eight Bells: Kurt Montgomery Weisenfluh
September 24, 2026
With heavy hearts, we announce the unexpected passing of Kurt Montgomery Weisenfluh on Thursday, September 24th, 2026, while sailing in the waters off of Oxford, Maryland. Kurt was 2014 Shields National Champion and a great supporter of Shields sailing.
Awards Ceremony 2014
Eight Bells: Peter A. Gerard
August 17, 2026
Peter A. Gerard, 80, passed away on August 17, 2026, after a brief illness. Melinda, his loving wife of 52 years, and his daughter Jennifer were with him for his final moments. He began his deep involvement in sailing as a competitor, first in the J/24 and Shields classes, then on the crews of a number of legendary 12 Metre America’s Cup yachts. His recent involvement in Shields sailing included Principal Race Officer and judge.
2026 National Championship Regatta
Congratulations to Karl Anderson and crew Sandy Weil, Joe Lotuff, Max Lopez, and Mike Evans in Shields 235 Harrier for winning the 2026 National Regatta in Oxford, MD held September 23 to 26, 2026. Thank you to host fleet for a great event and handling the Nor'easter in a way that gave competitors two days of racing, five races total, and a wonderful awards banquet moved up from its scheduled Saturday to Friday.
 Shields | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place | Sail # | Skipper(s) | Fleet | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Total |
| 1 | 235 | Karl Anderson | Marion, MA | 2 | 1 | [OCS=26] | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| 2 | 226 | Luke Ingalls | Newport, RI | [3] | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 9 |
| 3 | 237 | Ken Deyett | Marion, MA | [4] | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 10 |
| 4 | 245 | Chris Arner Bryan Berdy | Newport, RI | 6 | 2 | 5 | [10] | 5 | 18 |
| 5 | 160 | Robin Monk | Newport, RI | [8] | 5 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 22 |
| 6 | 26 | Dan Ronan | Western L.I. Sound, NY | 5 | 6 | 4 | 9 | [14] | 24 |
| 7 | 96 | Jim Wirtz Larry Gamble | Monterey, CA | 7 | [12] | 7 | 5 | 6 | 25 |
| 8 | 238 | Richard Robbins Ethan Robbins | Marion, MA | 9 | 7 | 3 | [12] | 11 | 30 |
| 9 | 33 | Ted Slee Carson Turowski | Newport, RI | 11 | [14] | 8 | 4 | 9 | 32 |
| 10 | 107 | Reed Baer John Burnham | Newport, RI | 1 | 8 | [OCS=26] | 14 | 10 | 33 |
| 11 | 151 | Scott Foberg Heather Shaver | Newport, RI | 13 | 9 | [14] | 6 | 7 | 35 |
| 12 | 25 | Ward Young | Western L.I. Sound, NY | 10 | 13 | 16 | 8 | [DNF=22] | 47 |
| 13 | 180 | Mike Rajacich Jr Michael Rajacich | Oxford, MD | 16 | 15 | 11 | [17] | 8 | 50 |
| 14 | 158 | Ron Oard | Newport, RI | 14 | [20] | 13 | 11 | 12 | 50 |
| 15 | 73 | Jay Dayton | Oxford, MD | [19] | 10 | 9 | 18 | 17 | 54 |
| 16 | 182 | Harold (Skip) Mcguire Jr. | Western L.I. Sound, NY | 15 | [19] | 10 | 16 | 18 | 59 |
| 17 | 191 | June Emerson Rosemary Savukinas | Monterey, CA | [21] | 11 | 19 | 15 | 16 | 61 |
| 18 | 219 | Steve Mettler Stuart Randall | Martha's Vineyard, MA | 17 | [22] | 18 | 13 | 15 | 63 |
| 19 | 149 | RJ Cooper Rick Vicens | Oxford, MD | 12 | [23] | 17 | 20 | 19 | 68 |
| 20 | 71 | John Shannahan | Oxford, MD | [DNS=28] | 16 | 15 | DNC=28 | 13 | 72 |
| 21 | 255 | Richard Griner | Oxford, MD | 18 | 18 | 12 | [DNC=28] | DNC=28 | 76 |
| 22 | 80 | Alan Campbell Spencer Carraher | Oxford, MD | 22 | 24 | [DNS=26] | 19 | DNF=22 | 87 |
| 23 | 133 | Gordon Fronk Tait McCarthy | Oxford, MD | 24 | 17 | 21 | [DNC=28] | DNC=28 | 90 |
| 24 | 110 | Jeff Cox Doug Campbell | Oxford, MD | 23 | 21 | 20 | [DNC=28] | DNC=28 | 92 |
| 25 | 79 | Nate Dunker | Oxford, MD | 20 | 25 | OCS=26 | DNF=22 | [DNC=28] | 93 |
| 26 | 23 | Kurt Weisenfluh Tuathal Mac Colgain | Western L.I. Sound, NY | [DNF=28] | DNC=28 | DNC=28 | DNC=28 | DNC=28 | 112 |
| 27 | 92 | Doug Wiseman | Oxford, MD | [DNS=28] | DNC=28 | DNC=28 | DNC=28 | DNC=28 | 112 |
Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club Regatta
Shipyard Cup Classics Challenge
July 18 & 19, 2026
Congratulations to Ken Deyett and his team including Richard Robbins, Luke Saletta, and Liam Walsh for winning the inaugural Shields event for the newly established Boothbay Harbor Fleet #23 in Boothbay Harbor, Maine.
Fleet #23 now has four Shields and is looking to build its racing program. Please see fleet contact information if interested in getting involved.
Shields Ocean-Great Lakes Challenge Cup
Organizing Authority – Monterey Peninsula Yacht Club
May 29, 2026 to May 31, 2026
Monterey, California
Congratulations to Ken Deyett and Team BIT O HONEY on capturing the 2026 Ocean Great Lakes Challenge Cup, hosted this year by Monterey Peninsula Yacht Club!
The OGLC brings together the top skipper from each Shields fleet across the country for one of the purest tests of sailing skill. Every team is assigned a randomly selected boat - no familiar setup, no home-field advantage. Is she tuned? Is she fast? Does the backstay actually work? Just bring your sails, your crew, and your best game for a true battle of seamanship and teamwork.
This victory marks a special milestone for BYC and Shields Fleet 10. The last skipper to bring the Cup home was Bill Berry and Team SYRINX in 2016.
Pictured Team BIT O HONEY: Eric Anderson, Ken Deyett, Meg Yorsz, Dan Ronan, and Curtis Johnson
2025 National Championship Regatta
Edgartown Yacht Club
Edgartown, MA
September 3 to 6, 2025
Congratulations to Adrian Van Der Wal and the crew of #249 Robin for winning the National Championship. Thank you to the host fleet for a great event.
| # | Sail | Boat | Skipper | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Discard | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 249 | Robin | Adrian Van Der Wal | 1 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 12 |
| 2 | 201 | Hope | Andrew Sheerin | 10 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 18 |
| 3 | 11 | Apollo 11 | Andy Green | 4 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 18 |
| 4 | 235 | Harrier | Karl Anderson | 11 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 25 |
| 5 | 237 | Bit~O~Honey | Ken Deyett | 8 | 9 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 32 |
| 6 | 107 | Grace | Reed Baer / John Burnham | 6 | 5 | 25/UFD | 5 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 25 | 37 |
| 7 | 160 | Diversion | Robin Monk | 13 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 13 | 38 |
| 8 | 26 | Tango | Dan Ronan | 18 | 8 | 4 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 18 | 44 |
| 9 | 238 | White Rabbit | Richard Robbins/Ethan Robbins | 7 | 18 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 18 | 50 |
| 10 | 23 | Rascal | Kurt Weisenfluh / Tuathal MacColgáin | 3 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 53 |
| 11 | 151 | Meander | Scott Foberg | 15 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 25/DSQ | 25 | 64 |
| 12 | 180 | Martin | Mike Rajacich | 22 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 22 | 73 |
| 13 | 248 | The Grinch | daniel goodwin | 14 | 16 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 15 | 11 | 16 | 78 |
| 14 | 96 | October | Dino Pick | 9 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 17 | 81 |
| 15 | 245 | Hawk | Chris Arner | 12 | 10 | 25/DNF | 25/DNC | 25/DNC | 10 | 4 | 25 | 86 |
| 16 | 8 | Undertaker 3 | Stephen Potter | 17 | 19 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 98 |
| 17 | 71 | Old Paint | John Shannahan | 2 | 12 | 25/DNF | 25/DNC | 25/DNC | 18 | 19 | 25 | 101 |
| 18 | 128 | Mystic | Bruce Stewart | 23 | 17 | 25/UFD | 18 | 17 | 13 | 14 | 25 | 102 |
| 19 | 182 | Lure | Skip McGuire | 5 | 20 | 25/UFD | 17 | 12 | 25/RET | 25/DNC | 25 | 104 |
| 20 | 221 | Cornelia | Stephen Glascock | 23.5/SCP | 15 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 25/RET | 25/DNC | 25 | 105.5 |
| 21 | 230 | Bolero II | Ian Smith | 21 | 24 | 15 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 17 | 24 | 111 |
| 22 | 219 | Deja Vu | Steve Mettler | 20 | 21 | 17 | 22 | 20 | 19 | 16 | 22 | 113 |
| 23 | 191 | Tiburon | Maya Hoffman | 19 | 22 | 18 | 20 | 25/RET | 21 | 20 | 25 | 120 |
| 24 | 139 | Delaplaine | Michael Koletsos | 25/RET | 23 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 25/RET | 25 | 131 |
Dave Perry Rules Seminar - April 23, 2025
What’s in the New Rules for 2025-2028
An Interactive, Fun & Educational online Webinar
With Dave Perry hosted by Newport Shields Fleet #9
The Shields Class Foundation website is now open and interested in donations of cash and Shields (boat, sails, equipment and trailers). The mission of the Foundation is To preserve authentic one-design yacht racing competition and culture through the introduction and education of new adult and youth sailors to Shields Class sailing everywhere.
An Oldie but Goodie - How the Shields Class Stays Happy and Healthy
Article by Eric Anderson.
