J/111 Takes Class in Round Island
(Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard) – After notching only eight knots of
breeze on opening day (Thursday, July 18), Edgartown Yacht Club’s
three-day Race Week cranked into high gear for a subsequent two days of
action, loading up 25 teams with 20 knots of breeze for a second day of
the event’s Big Boat Buoy Races and giving 62 teams an exhilarating run
for their money in 25 knots plus during the 54.7 nautical mile
‘Round-the-Island Race, which was scored separately and comprised the
final day of racing (Saturday, July 20).
Due to enormous amount of interest in extending the weekend of sailing,
the Edgartown Yacht Club added an extra day to its 2013 Big Boat Buoy
Races (BBBR). As a result, the event ran from Wednesday through Sunday
(July 17-21) for IRC, PHRF, Double Handed, Cruising and Classic
sailboats. After two days of the Big Boat Buoy Races on Thursday and
Friday, Mount Gay also sponsored a Friday night “jump-up” celebration
before the Round the Island Race on Saturday.
“As
more big boats came to Edgartown for the Round the Island Race, the
more their crews wanted to enjoy Martha’s Vineyard, and take home more
silver,” said Mr Brooks. “The response to our efforts has been
electric.“ First held in the summer of 1938, the Edgartown Yacht Club’s
Round the Island Race was inspired by a similar race around the Isle of
Wight that has been held in Cowes, England every year since 1931.
Covering 54.7 miles, it passes over Nantucket Sound, the Atlantic Ocean
and Vineyard Sound and by seven lighthouses as it circumnavigates,
clockwise, the 100 square miles that make up Martha’s Vineyard.
The distance around Martha’s Vineyard is just a few miles longer than
around the Isle of Wight, with similar views of cliffs and headlands,
villages and open water. Tidal currents and wind effects are important.
Sailing the Round Island PHRF 2 Class was the J/120 APRES sailed by
Stephen Besse from Vineyard Haven, taking a close second after a closely
fought race with Doug Curtiss's J/111 WICKED 2.0. Here's the report
from Mr Curtiss on their adventures racing around the island on their
J/111:
"Not only did we secure a first place in PHRF A Class by three minutes
corrected in this six hour race, but went toe to toe with the 1D35 for
most of the day. Did I mention some great sailing with gust to 30, and
top speed of 18.6 Knots for Wicked 2.0?
The day started well with a spinnaker start and run to the leeward mark
of Cape Pogue. Making the turn South for the reach down the Muskeget
Channel between Chappy and Nantucket, we were 2 boat lengths behind the
1D 35. Wind was a steady 18 to 22.
We separated for most of the reach, but rounding the Sea Buoy and
turning to the West, the J/120 APRES came out of nowhere to take the
lead. We were 3 boat lengths behind the 1D 35. Everyone settled onto
the rail for the 2 1/2 hours to the can off Squibnocket. Slowly, ever
so slowly, we reeled in the 1D 35. Heading into a Southwest ocean
swell, with freshening breeze, Ted and then Gary ground em down.
Everyone on the rail was hiking like we were in a buoy race with one
last mile to the windward mark-- only this was 19 miles of ocean! No
more than 3 boat lengths had separated us for the fetch down the whole
South Shore. When we rounded the Squibby can, we were 20 feet ahead. We
had gained approximately 120 feet in the last 19 miles against our
sparring partner.
Both bore away to the Sea Buoy at Devil's Bridge, Gay Head. Wind is
gusting to 25 with big swells on a reach. 1D 35 used their
maneuverability and every trick in their bag to try and get by Wicked
2.0. Could not pass to windward, so set up on a wave and try to surf by
to leeward-- no dice. Rounding the buoy at Gay Head, still less than a
boat length separation. But we had shortened the course by 25 miles on
the 1D 35.
And we needed every second of that handicap, as the 1D 35 took advantage
of their downwind speed and took off on the spinnaker run down Vineyard
Sound toward the finish line. Wind was now gusting over 30 with a
steady 22 to 26 on the wind gauges. Both boats playing the adverse
tides through Lucas Shoals and Middle Ground.....jibing into the beach
to get out of the current and then jibing back out into Vineyard Sound.
A great real estate tour of the north shore of Martha's Vineyard, but
no one was looking in this breeze. The speedo topped out at 18.6
knots!!!
The J/120 fell back. The 1D35 pulled far ahead with their square top
main and big kite. Then disaster struck the 1D35-- broaching badly with
a blown chute, followed by two more knockdowns.
Rounding the can at West Choppy, we killed the kite for the reach to the
finish. Past Vineyard Haven and Oak Bluffs, we saw the most wind of
the day, making 13 and 14 knots on a close reach with full main and
number 3 jib.
Wicked 2.0 crossed the finish with corrected time about 3 min ahead of
the J/120 and 7 min ahead of the 1D35 after more than 6 hours of
memorable racing.
Special thanks to all those on the delivery home after the turn and burn
at MVY. Also to all who helped provision and prep the boat. And a
special nod to those hiking on the rail who got us by the 1D 35 on the
South Side. Their driver told me at the awards ceremony, he wished his
crew knew how to hike like the Wickeds."
Sailing photo credits- Michael Berwind For
more Edgartown YC Race Week and Round Island sailing information
(Youngstown, NY)- 181 boats raced on five circles in the 40th and Final
Youngstown Level Regatta on the weekend of July 27-28. For most of its
history the Level has been the largest weekend keelboat regatta on Lake
Ontario, at one time hitting a monstrous 466 boats! Those were the
days of 50 boat J/24 fleets and one design starts for most of the J
designs popular at the time. Since then things had settled down to a
more manageable size but the Level still held a prominent place on the
calendar for most racers within hundreds of miles. Youngstown Yacht
Club finally decided 40 years was enough and the organizers and
volunteers deserved a break, so this was the last Level, to be replaced
next year with a new event with details to be announced this fall.
