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From the desk of:
Charlie "Bud" White
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Let me give you a little history on
the "Georgie II" now owned by Chan Irwin. I used to tend sheet for Ed
Irwin, Chan Irwin’s father, on many an occasion.
I also remember a picture of the
Georgie II in the Red Bank Register showing Ed and I in a row boat
floating in water in the hole in the ice made when Ed went through in
a race off Stavola's Point. The picture depicts us cutting the 100
pounds of lead off each plank. My guess is this happened in the late
50's.
Well the story I have to tell is
titled "the three brothers challenge race." There always has been a
rivalry between the Irwins and the Whites in the ice boating world.
For years Rube White's "Elizabeth R" was a pennant winner many times
and it was considered one of the fastest "A" boats on the river, but
only in heavy winds. She was a heavy sob. "The Georgie II", sailed by
Ol’ Capt’ Charlie Irwin, was probably the fastest of all the "A" gaff
rigged boats. I remember Dr. Doug Hoyt and I sailing the Georgie II in
the South Shrewsbury Challenge Race in the 50's and we were beating
the pants off them until Doug slatted around Guyon’s stake and threw
me out of the boat.
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Until sometime in the 40's and my
memory on the exact dates needs to be checked, there were no Marconi
"A" boats on the river until Otto Gillig, owner of the New York
Yankees, bought "The Pirate" and brought it east to the Navesink
River. He had Del Fisher sail it for him. The pirate was so fast in
comparison to the gaff rig boats that it took the competition out of
the race. They should have made the Marconi boats a different class.
Soon after came the Eskimo renamed the "Ice Folly"
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 Bud in the Georgie II, January 25, 2003
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Eventually,
Joe Irwin bought both boats. Ed Irwin kept sailing the Georgie II. I
crewed for Joe off and on.
Now, to the story. I can’t remember the year except I believe it was
the late 50's or early 60's. It was a good year with lots of ice.
Anyway, my uncle Rube and my father, Ensley Sr., sailing the
"Elizabeth R" challenged Joe and Ed Irwin sailing the Eskimo and my
brother Dr. Ensley "Mickey" White and myself sailing Ed's boat the "Georgie
II".
It was a
close race between the Eskimo and the Georgie. Nip and tuck all the
way. Until we got to the finish line and we were on different tacks.
Ed was at the tiller and he had the right of way but I yelled to Mick
who was at our tiller “force him about!" Mick did so and we won the
race but actually we fouled out but we never admitted it.
Ed came storming over to us after the race and in his salty language
asked what in the hell was that all about.
I calmly answered "Ed I knew damn well you wouldn't crack up your own
boat”!
He never forgave us. I must admit that when I went duck shooting with
Ed and Joe after that incident I always was a little nervous.
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As a teenager I used to sail Rube
White’s "C" Class Rear Steerer "Moonlight", this was starting back in
the 30's. I still have it. In the 60’s I raced the Yankee #217 “the
Terror “
which is one of the 14 Yankees
built by Doc White along with the other NSIBYC members as a club
project. Doc White went to Florida soon after to take a residency in
surgery right after the boat was completed |
Stan and Bud with his brother Doc’s old Yankee boat Terror, January
25, 2003 |
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I have many happy ice boating
memories to look back upon in my 80th year.
Good luck to you and the guys in
the club. Its nice to see how active the club is. My father and Rube
were members back around 1910.
God bless.
Charlie "Bud" White
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