What happens when a magazine journalist finds two guys from the Cocktail Class Wooden Boat Racing Association (CCWBRA) messing about with boats on a pristine lake in Bucks County, Pennsylvania on a perfectly sunny afternoon?
Cindy Ross, contributor to Pennsylvania Magazine, caught up with Tom Kerr and his Cocktail boat at Lake Nockamixon, near Quakertown, to get the scoop on these one-of-a-kind race boats and the organization behind this “one-design” racing class. Armed with lined notepad and camera, Ross sought to capture the essence of the Cocktail Class phenom. Fred Allerton came as a jockey for a second boat. After snapping photos of Rajic #46 and Swamp Rocket #28 skimming and flying across the otherwise placid lake, and after gathering all background necessary for the magazine feature, Ross was quick to take command of Swamp Rocket #28. In the resulting article, Ross shares her thrill of getting up on-plane for the first time and riding a few inches above the water – in “zooming” formation with Kerr in Rajic #46.
Worthy of clarification: Charles MacGregor designed the Skua in 1939. It was, however, three siblings of the Bluefeld family and their spouses (referred to in the article as the “four families from northern Virginia”), who in 2007 modified the MacGregor design and built a prototype Cocktail Class racer in their father’s workshop overlooking the Corrotoman River in the Northern Neck of Virginia. The goal of developing a fleet of small, inexpensive, easy-to-construct, race boats was initially a family affair. But they also saw the possibility that others, too, would enjoy building and racing these fun boats. The Bluefeld’s inspiration and dedication is what led to the formation of CCWBRA, which today brings delight to so many.
Many thanks to Pennsylvania Magazine and Cindy Ross for granting permission to reprint this story. This is just one of the many features in the May/June 2025 issue of Pennsylvania Magazine, a fine publication featuring topics of special interest, including history, people, places, and events that make living in Pennsylvania (or visiting) a wonderful experience.
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