Friday, August 12, 2016

J/Sailors Lovin’ Edgartown Round Island!

J/111 sailing Edgartown Race Week (Edgartown, MA)— Edgartown Yacht Club’s three-day Edgartown Race Weekend proved to be a solid test for the mix of friends-and-family teams who raced side-by-side with high-profile racers during two days of inshore ‘Round-the-Buoy Races that were followed by the ‘Round-the-Island Race.   Weather conditions ran the gamut from sunshine and a nine-12 knot southwesterly breeze on day one, to drenching rain and blustery conditions on day two, and, finally, light air for the start of the 57-mile race around Martha’s Vineyard.

As one sailor described the racing, “we really liked the event, we got a little bit of everything except for heavy air. Every wind angle and some areas with a lot of current and some areas with no current, so we always had a different strategy depending on where we were. We were able to do many sail changes which was great practice, along with sets and douses which is exactly what we need to work on. The wind shifts made us work quickly and we had to be spot on.  Since this was a long race for us, I really believe it was it was a great team bonding experience, which was awesome.  Edgartown Yacht Club welcomed us in with open arms, and we can't wait to do it next year!”

J/109 sailing Edgartown Race WeekThe event organizers expanded the awards for the ‘Round-the-Island Race to recognize the first through third-place finishers, on corrected time, amongst all J/Boats in all classes. With a strong turnout of sixteen boats, Doug Curtiss’ J/111 WICKED 2.0, placed first among all J/Boats, followed by Eliot Shanabrook of Watertown, Mass., on the J/109 HAFA ADAI, and Stephen McManus of Annapolis, Md., on the J/120 ‎SAYKADOO.

In general, J/Teams sailed quite well in the classic Edgartown Round Island Race.  In Class 4 PHRF A, taking 2nd was the J/111 WICKED 2.0 (Douglas Curtiss from New Bedford YC), third the J/120 SAYKADOO (Stephen McManus of Annapolis Yacht Club), fifth the J/120 APRES (Stephen Beese) and ninth the J/120 KINDRED SPIRITS (Butch Joy).

J/29 sailing Edgartown Race WeekJ/Crews nearly swept Class 5 PHRF B. Winning was the J/109 HAFA ADAI (Eliot Shanabrook of Marblehead Yacht Club), third was the J/109 RAPTOR (Ed Dailey from Beverly Yacht Club), fourth was the J/105 DARK’N’STORMY (sailed by the trio of Joyce/ Reservitz/ Wagner), fifth was the J/105 PRIMA (Chris Raymond) and sixth was Matt Schmitt’s J/105 HARDTACK.

J/Teams swept the top two spots in Class 6 PHRF C.  Winning was the J/29 SEEFEST (Ira Perry from New Bedford YC) and second was Steve Dahill’s J/35C RIVA from Beverly YC.

Finally, in the Class 7 PHRF White Sails class, it was Kent Nicholas’ J/42 PANASWA from Red Brook Harbor YC in fourth place and Wesley McMichael’s J/44 BALLYHOO from Beverly YC in fifth place.  For more Edgartown Race Weekend sailing information