2018 Show Poster

“Bang-and-Go-Back” Race

The Setting: 1930’s, Loon Island Lighthouse, Lake Sunapee, NH.

The Race: This series of races was put on by the Lake Sunapee Yacht Club, and were know as the “Bang-and-Go-Back” races. They were a big deal on Lake Sunapee in the 1930’s A cannon would be fired from the bow of the committee boat (in front of the lighthouse) to indicate the start of the race. All of the boats would then head off in a single direction at full speed. After an unknown but specific amount of time the cannon would be fired again. At that point all of the contestants would turn and head back to the start/finish line. In order to win a boat would have to cross the finish line in the exact same amount of time as between the two gun firings. It was a matter of timing and knowing your boat. It was not a matter of speed and power, but the precision in handling your boat that determined the winner. So I wide variety of boats could compete together on a level playing field–or lake, in this case!

The Boats: Front to back, and all Chris-Crafts–the marque at this year’s show–unless otherwise identified:

1927 26’ flat deck triple cockpit runabout.
“Miss Sunapee II” 1929 27’ triple cockpit runabout.
“Royal Flush III” 1939 27’ Model 937 custom racing runabout.
1927 27’ Fay and Bowen long deck launch.
1935 16’ flush deck double cockpit runabout.
1935 21’ flush deck triple cockpit runabout.
1927 22’ Cadet triple cockpit runabout.
1928 24’ Hackercraft Dolphin Jr.
Committee boat: 1903 25’ Elco launch