Races Prove There’s Plenty of Life Left in the Old Pharkles

They have no rules and no club dues. In fact, the only requirement to join the Thursday Old Pharkle Sailing Club is that you be retired from something.

And even that’s negotiable.

The group began eight years ago as an old boys’ outing on Thursday afternoons, instigated by head Pharkle Hilding “Hildy” Johnson, a skilled sailor now pushing 79.

“I would go up and down the docks and see a retired fellow and say, ‘Hey, you’re not sailing or doing anything. Come with us!’ ” Johnson said.

The Thursday races have turned into some of Dana Point Harbor’s most competitive events. Yet no times are kept, and no one records who came in first, second or third.

These unconventional sailors shun such conventions as an officials’ boat, a starter and formal course. Officials aren’t needed, because there are no disputes. Starting is done by last week’s winner, who radios a countdown to the competitors.

As for a course, it’s up to the discretion of last week’s winner, and that too is radioed just 10 minutes before racing begins.

“Hildy first told us that it was a race where you race together rather than against someone,” Old Pharkle Bill Taylor said.

The Old Pharkles now number about 25 men and two women, including former airline pilots, bankers and business people.

Viewed at first as experienced yet slow, they metamorphosed into some of the harbor’s most competitive skippers. Leo Block, 75, of San Clemente, for example, became so proficient that he went on to win local yacht regattas in his class.

“Somewhere down the line, they started getting very good,” said Ed Wheelock, 73, of Irvine, who admitted that he once looked down his nose at the Pharkles’ informality. “I mean, we have six to eight sailors here who consistently win in weekend races against other clubs.”

It was an inexperienced Fred Greve who one day came across the wake of the old salts racing outside the harbor.

“They looked like they were having fun, so I joined them,” Greve said. “Actually, I didn’t know they were racing. I was really inexperienced.”

Since Greve was only 44 years old, the older Pharkles pointed out his sailing mistakes over a cold beer after a race.

“They kept telling me I’m too young to be retired and have the time to sail every Thursday,” Greve said. “But I’m a co-owner of an engineering firm and I’m able to to come out here. I wouldn’t miss this, it’s too much fun.”

Greve, too, has gone on to race against other clubs.

For all their informality, the Old Pharkles are dedicated.

When one member, an aircraft company executive, was asked to transfer to Long Beach to oversee the building of aircraft engines, he had one stipulation.

“‘I do not work on Thursdays,” he said. The company agreed.

Dean Handley, 69, one of the original bunch who started the group with Johnson, Block and Bob Howell, 75, said dedication is making the Old Pharkles sailors to be reckoned with.

“The secret here is that these die-hard sailors race every week, which helps them get plenty of experience,” Handley said. “Many people are reluctant to go in a race, because they’re afraid of being pushed, pressured or shouted at, and we started this to get away from all that intimidation.

“After all, we’re just a bunch of old fuddy-duddies.”