Temple Tiny Regatta – 2012

Temple Tiny Regatta III went off last weekend with it’s usual verve, panache and éclat.  But before you run off for a dictionary, let’s just say the TTR was its regular stylish and hilarious old self. Sailor suits, Mother Goose dresses, extremely cute children, funny running commentary over the PA system, dogs, various tongue-in-cheek awards, more dogs, and as always a sensational gaggle of mismatched sailing dinghies available at the dock for everyone to hop aboard.

So what’s the secret behind the TTR’s success? Gunwale Guard is certainly one. Most of the boats have day jobs as dockside tenders built to withstand the rough-and-tumble of the dinghy float. This makes them like bumper cars on the race course and this is good. In an event in which rules are few, such padding definitely contributes to the relaxed attitude of owners who willingly loan out their boats.

But the costumes are just as crucial to the casual quality of the regatta if only because they cut down on “Bowline Anxiety Syndrome,” a dockside affliction in which sailors feel like they are about to be exposed by someone higher on the ladder of nautical knowledge with a better grasp of arcane sailing jargon. Perhaps, a knack for complex docking maneuvers, or a sure–handed knowledge of the best knot (no matter how obscure) for any situation.  In other words A Better Bowline.

What I’m saying here is, if out there on the starting line, the competition is mostly dressed up like pirates, or there’s a guy with a Labrador retriever serving as crew, or Little Bo Peep is skippering her own boat, well then it’s pretty easy to keep enjoying oneself even if someone out there can tie all kinds of knots you’ve never heard of before.

The costume DNA that’s imbedded in the event, of course, comes from TTR founder Meggan Dwyer and her sister Molly.  For their innate sense of style and generosity of spirit, we are all very grateful.

The photo album posted on Facebook after the event tells the story. Everyone is smiling. Here’s a link to the video of the inaugural TTR.