EIGHT BELLS- THOMAS J. HARRINGTON

J/Boats and the New York Yacht Club are saddened with the passing of Commodore Thomas J. Harrington on April 27th. From 2013 through 2014, Commodore Harrington served as NYYC's 63rd Commodore. He was 81 years old.

“Commodore Harrington brought great energy and passion to the concept of bringing the Club to members outside of our physical clubhouses," says current Commodore Christopher J. Culver. "His vision has become fully realized during this pandemic.”

Harrington joined the Club in 1991. His passion for sailing had started years earlier, while an officer with the U.S. Marine Corps, and developed as he pursued an MBA at Columbia Business School in New York City. He moved to London after graduating, working for Chemical Bank, and purchased half-ownership in a Soling, which he raced on the Solent. Upon his return to North America, he dove into larger yachts, racing in the Caribbean and then in New England and the Mid Atlantic aboard his J/30 and J/35, both named Obstreperous.

He fostered a loyal crew and enjoyed success in both classes. In September of 1995, sailing with largely the same team, Harrington won the J/30 North American Championship and the J/35 National Championship on consecutive weekends. Commodore Harrington also knew the importance of giving back to the sport, and he served in leadership positions for one-design classes and chaired a North American championship.

After moving on from one-design racing, Commodore Harrington twice raced her to Bermuda. He was also part of a consortium of Club members who formed the Black Watch Alliance and purchased the 68-foot 1938 Olin Stephens-designed Black Watch (formerly Edlu II). The boat served on submarine patrols off Eastern Long Island during the Second World War.

Commodore Harrington enjoyed a long career at Chemical Bank, including as president of its International Leasing subsidiary. After leaving Chemical Bank, he founded Spectrum Capital, Ltd., serving as president and CEO. He is survived by his wife Alane and their sons Jamison and Tucker.

J/Crews Sweep New York YC Annual Regatta

 

(Newport, RI)- Ultimately, North America's oldest annual regatta featured three great days of racing including the separately scored Around-the-Island Race on Friday, October 2. Competition took place in ORC/ PHRF handicap classes and the focus of this year's event was getting back on the water and sailing. 

Attracting nearly 100 Boats, New York Yacht Club Commodore William P. Ketcham (Greenwich, Conn.) was committed to running the 166th edition. “That is why we kept delaying the event rather than canceling it outright. It was a challenge, but we finally got to a point where we could run it based on Rhode Island’s COVID-19 guidelines and our own Club policies on safety. The enthusiasm on the water, both this weekend and at last weekend’s Race Week at Newport presented by Rolex, was tremendous. Our team on MAXINE packed basically our entire sailing season into two weeks, and we couldn’t have had more fun.”


With 11 points in four races, Ketcham’s J/44 MAXINE placed second in ORC 3. At the head of the class was Tom Sutton’s J/109 LEADING. While Sutton hails from Houston, Texas, where he lives and sails in the cooler months, Newport has become a second home.

With most multi-day sailing regattas in 2020 were canceled, the LEADING EDGE team cobbled together a summer of weeknight and one-day races in and around Narragansett Bay.

“We raced every race on Tuesday night and did the weekend regattas,” says Sutton. “We went to Block Island with the Twenty Hundred Club, we raced around Prudence Island two times, Conanicut Island four or five times. We’ve gotten in more sailboat racing than in most years. But we miss racing around the buoys. That’s what we really like.”


All that time on the water paid off this weekend with wins in the Around the Island Race on October 2 as well as the Annual Regatta around the buoys. Sutton was quick to share the credit, singling out his wife Diana for her work off the water and on the foredeck and the team’s tactical brain trust of Tom Meeh and Alex Crowell.

“My guys work as hard or harder than anybody,” says Tom Sutton. “We’ve sailed together since 2014 and everybody a great time this year. We’re all looking forward to coming back next summer.”

As it turns out, J/Teams lead a sweep of the top five in ORC 3 Class. Third step on the podium went to Ken Luczynski's J/44 VAMP, fourth to John & Sue Sutherland's 19th NERVOUS BREAKDOWN, and fifth place to Bill Kneller's J/109 VENTO SOLARE. Job well done to all! 


Winning PHRF 1 Class was Bob Manchester's J/133 VAMOOSE, followed by Joe Brito's J/121 INCOGNITO in fourth place. 

In past years, the Annual Regatta would signal the start of the Newport sailing season, with competitors looking forward to Race Weeks in Newport or Block Island, or a long thrash to Bermuda. This year, however, it closed out the racing season.

The summer of 2020 wasn’t what anyone expected, but those fortunate enough to participate in the 166th Annual Regatta will head into winter with fresh memories of competition and camaraderie. The 167th edition of the New York Yacht Club’s Annual Regatta is scheduled for June 11 to 13, 2021.Sailing photo credits- NYYC/ Rolex/ Daniel Forster. For more New York YC Annual Regatta sailing informationAdd to Flipboard Magazine.

J/109 Silvers @ NYYC Race Week

 

(Newport, RI)- The New York Yacht Club’s Race Week at Newport presented by Rolex was first run in 1998 and took place this year from September 23 to 26 out of the New York Yacht Club Harbour Court, in Newport. R.I. The biennial regatta, traditionally run at the apex of the summer sailing season, has established itself as one of the premier summer race weeks in the Northeast thanks to its attractive combination of great racing conditions off Newport and the superlative shoreside hospitality at the Club’s waterfront Clubhouse overlooking Newport Harbor. Partners for the 2020 edition of Race Week at Newport include presenting sponsor Rolex and regatta sponsors Hammetts Hotel and Helly Hansen.
 
After three days of racing, the ORC 2 Class featured some of the closest racing of the day at the top of the class. Starting out with two bullets on the first day to be handily atop the leaderboard, Tom Sutton’s J/109 LEADING EDGE continued their ferocious pace by closing the next two days with five deuces! Shockingly enough, that was not good enough to win the regatta! Instead, they happily settled for the silver.  Starting out slowly on the first day, NYYC Commodore Bill Ketcham got his team into gear and managed a few podium finishes to finish tied for 4th place after seven races but ended up 5th on the countback. A great showing for these two teams after a long summer of not sailing anywhere with virtually "green" crews!  Sailing photo credits: ROLEX/Daniel Forster  For more NYYC Race Week sailing information.Add to Flipboard Magazine.

New York YC Annual Regatta Preview

 

(Newport, RI)- North America's oldest annual regatta will feature three great days of racing including the separately scored Around-the-Island Race on Friday, October 2. Competition will take place in ORC/ PHRF handicap classes and during the Two-Day Series the PRO's and regatta managers intend sail in the format that the fleets are accustomed to - i.e. drop-mark buoy racing for most and navigator racing for some. The focus of this year's event is getting back on the water and sailing. At this time, there are no planned shoreside or social activities. 

Perhaps the most anticipated race of the entire summer is the famous Round Jamestown Race of 18.0 to 25.0nm, depending on course selection. The picturesque race that is a "tour" of Narragansett Bay around Conanicut Island takes the fleet through the two majestic bridges connecting Aquidneck Island to the mainland- the Newport Pell Bridge and the Jamestown Bridge.  The scratch sheet shows five J's sailing in the ORC 3 Class, including twin J/44s (NYYC Commodore Bill Ketcham's MAXINE & Ken Luczynski's VAMP), twin J/109s (Bill Kneller's VENTO SOLARE & Bill Sutton's LEADING EDGE), and John & Sue Sutherland's J/111 19th NERVOUS BREAKDOWN. In PHRF 1 Class, Bob Manchester's J/133 VAMOOSE will be taking on their ten-boat class in a game of "cat & mouse" around the island. Sailing in PHRF 2 Class is Joe Britto's J/121 INCOGNITO, arguably one of the most knowledgeable "round islanders" in the fleet, having sailed them for over four decades.  Finally, an eclectic collection of boats in PHRF 3 Class, we find EC Helme's J/92S SPIRIT and Don Dwyer's J/109 GUARDIAN J. 

For the round buoys (drop or government) racing on Saturday/ Sunday, the scratch sheet is different.  Sailing offshore on Rhode Island Sound is the Blue Circle fleet, including the ORC 3 Class with the same five J's as the Round Island Race, the J/44s (MAXINE & VAMP), J/109s (LEADING EDGE & VENTO SOLARE), and the J/111 19th NERVOUS BREAKDOWN. 

For the Red Circle Narragansett Bay participants, the twelve-boat PHRF 1 Class includes the J/133 VAMOOSE and the J/121 INCOGNITO. Then, the PHRF 2 Class has the J/92S SPIRIT as the sole J/team.  For more New York YC Annual Regatta sailing information

NYYC Race Week Report

 

(Newport, RI)- The New York Yacht Club’s Race Week at Newport presented by Rolex was first run in 1998 and takes place this year from September 23 to 26 out of the New York Yacht Club Harbour Court, in Newport. R.I. The biennial regatta, traditionally run at the apex of the summer sailing season, has established itself as one of the premier summer race weeks in the Northeast thanks to its attractive combination of great racing conditions off Newport and the superlative shoreside hospitality at the Club’s waterfront Clubhouse overlooking Newport Harbor. Partners for the 2020 edition of Race Week at Newport include presenting sponsor Rolex and regatta sponsors Hammetts Hotel and Helly Hansen.
 
After the first day of racing, the ORC 2 Class featured some of the closest racing of the day. Tom Sutton’s J/109 LEADING EDGE is living up to its name in the overall standings, two points ahead of their competitors. With three days of racing remaining, however, no lead is safe in this class where five of eight boats finished a race in the top 3 on Day 1.

Racing in Race Week at Newport presented by Rolex is taking place on Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island Sound through Saturday, September 26.  Sailing photo credits: ROLEX/Daniel Forster  For more NYYC Race Week sailing informationAdd to Flipboard Magazine.

New York Yacht Club Reboots Summer Sailing

(Newport, RI)- The key to a comeback is to look forward. With Rhode Island now in Phase III of its re-opening plan, the New York Yacht Club has turned its focus toward making the most of this truncated sailing season. The Annual Regatta, which will be run for the 166th time in 2020, is now scheduled for August 28th to 30th. Unique to this edition is the inclusion of a number of one-design keelboats, including J/70s.

Race Week at Newport presented by Rolex will take place September 23rd to 26th, allowing sailors to enjoy one of Rhode Island’s best-kept secrets, the fabulous early autumn sailing conditions. True race weeks are a rarity in today's time-crunched world and the Club is proud to keep that traditional alive with five days of activities and racing. Different course configurations and sailing areas, such as buoy racing and mid-distance courses, will make the week lively for competitors, while the Stadium Sailing will allow spectators to watch the racing from Fort Adams.

It may not be the sailing season you envisioned, but it can be one you won’t soon forget. Registration for both events is open now.  For more NYYC Annual Regatta sailing information   For more NYYC Race Week sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Throwback Thursday- Sending It Around Island!

(Newport, RI)- At this time last year, many sailors from the northeastern seaboard of the USA and, indeed, from around the world, were sailing in the NYYC Annual Regatta and the famous Around Island Race.

Remember this photo? Jeff Johnstone and his team of former J/24 crew in Newport were having a blast winning their class in the NYYC Around Island Race, that fun and always challenging 21.0nm circumnavigation of Jamestown (Conanicut) Island in the middle of Narragansett Bay.

In this particular part of the race, gusts were hitting 25 kts and it was "round-up" city for a whole slew of boats. Jeff reported hitting 16 kts boat speed in one of the puffs, cruising along in full planing-mode under the big pink kite.  Fun and games!  To learn more about the J/99 shorthanded offshore speedster Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/35 HOUQUA - A Great Boat Recalled Twice in 48 Hours

* J/Boats co-founder Bob Johnstone, had provided us a "Throwback Thursday" perspective regards sailing his J/35 HOUQUA back in the mid-1980's.  Here was his commentary...

"An Easter message, perhaps from Job 1:21? 'The Lord Gave, and the Lord Hath Taken Away.' Yes, within 48 hours that beautiful, dark blue J/35 HOUQUA, was the cause of a happy phone call on April 5th.  48 hours later it recalled a dramatic moment in the life of a friend and shipmate that had recently passed away. 

The happy phone call was to meet and converse with two new friends on April 5th, Cheryl Miller, HOUQUA’s (now named DEAN’S LIST) current owner and boat yard owner Dean Fitzpatrick.  Then 48 hours later, I learned that Dayton Carr, with whom I had shared a dramatic yacht race, passed away.

Dayton, and by coincidence another Dean (Matthews), sailed with me on HOUQUA in what I recall was the New York Yacht Club's 1987 Queen’s Cup. We had the race won handily in 30-35 knot winds with many boats having dropped out. It was blowing so hard that with 100% blade, the main was sometimes totally ragged, if not sailed on just the battens.  HOUQUA was on the starboard layline about 1/2 mile from being first to finish. Dayton was wincing in great pain, having cracked or broken a rib, falling against a cockpit winch and not being able to hike. John Marshall’s Hinckley 42C DRAGON FIRE was approaching on port about a mile to leeward.  When what to our astonishment did we witness?  The New York YC Race Committee fired off 3 guns to abandon the race. What a bummer!

There are trophy races that are listed in a given year as “No Race” or “Not Awarded”, but the 1987 Queen’s Cup is the only major trophy race listed in the NYYC Yearbook as “Race Abandoned”. 

Seas were very rough with the RC Boat (Black Knight?) rolling to such an extent, and likely with injured and very sick committee members aboard, they pulled up anchor to head in. 

At the time, HOUQUA and DRAGON FIRE were in plain sight about to finish. Couldn’t see anyone else. The RC probably decided that a half-dozen other boats were still a half hour or more from finishing... and, with more than half the fleet damaged or having retired: this was not a race, but “survival”. There would only be a few boats listed in the results. Survival to the finish was, for the crew of HOUQUA, a huge yacht racing challenge. In any event, to successfully overcome those challenges was one of life’s great moments for a great boat and crew.

We felt so badly for Dayton, who had given up a rib for naught. On the way back in, off Castle Hill, John Marshall’s DRAGON FIRE gave up a part as well: it’s binnacle and wheel.... yanked completely out of the deck when John lurched against it in a wipeout.  Yes, it was quite a day of sailing!" 

Eight Bells for Harry Anderson

(Newport, RI)- Said New York Yacht Club Commodore, Bill Ketcham (owner of the J/44 MAXINE), "it's with great sadness that I must inform you of the passing of Commodore Henry H. Anderson, Jr., the 47th Commodore of New York Yacht Club and member #2. Commodore Anderson joined the Club in 1948, and his contributions to the Club were boundless, along with his character, spirit and sense of humor. The burgee is flying at half-mast at Harbour Court, and three black mourning ribbons are flying with the burgee at 44th Street."

From a J/Boats perspective, Harry was a big fan of the J/24 from its very beginning as a global sailing phenomenon. Its impact on sailing at all levels, from women's sailing, to youth programs, to multiple World Champions and America's Cup crews and skippers having learned from the world's best sailors in what is still the World's largest one-design keelboat class- 5,400+ boats and counting.

Harry often enjoyed his conversations with various members of the J/Boats family from the early days in 1977, while he was Commodore of NYYC, to the present day. Bob & Mary, Rod & Lucia, Stu, Drake, Peter & Jeff, would often encounter Harry at NYYC's Harbour Court in the dining room, at the bar, sitting outside on the deck chairs, sharing a few laughs and drinks together as we discussed an extraordinary range of topics. How could you not love Harry? A gentleman, bright as hell, considerate, with a quick wit, always something thoughtful to say. We will miss him dearly! Harry, truly the soul of Robert Frost's poem- The Road Not Taken- and John Masefield's poem- Sea Fever. A man passionate about the sea and those who loved it as well.

As American President John F. Kennedy once remarked at the dinner for the America's Cup crews, on September 14, 1962 in Newport, RI, "“I really don't know why it is that all of us are so committed to the sea, except I think it's because in addition to the fact that the sea changes, and the light changes, and ships change, it's because we all came from the sea. And, it is an interesting biological fact that all of us have in our vein,s the exact same percentage of salt in our blood that exists in the ocean, and, therefore, we have salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears. We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea - whether it is to sail or to watch it - we are going back from whence we came." And, so our dear beloved friend Harry... sail on.

A family tribute to his amazing life follows.....

Henry Hill Anderson Jr passed away  peacefully on the morning of May 11 in Mystic, Connecticut. Commodore Anderson was a young man of 98 years. In his beloved Latin, Harry proved “Quam bene vivas refert non quam diu….it is how well you live that matters, not how long.” Harry lived an incredibly full and generous life for almost a century.

“Harry”, as he was known to his family, friends as well as by those who knew him by his legend, was a man of enormous intellect, inspiration, leadership, and inexhaustible energy. Recognized by many as a leader in international sailing circles for more than 60 years, Harry was also a mentor to many, a champion of experiential learning, and a historian of rare equal.

An adventurer from a young age, Harry sailed his first Newport-Bermuda Race at 15 years. Harry’s passion for the sport of sailing took him along many paths; from sailing as a child on Six Meters in the 1930s, to introducing the Finn dinghy class in the United States in the 1950s with his friend Glen Foster, to serving on the America’s Cup Selection Committee in the 1970s and 80s. Harry was the Commodore of the New York Yacht Club during the club’s last successful defense of the America’s Cup in 1980.

Harry’s achievements and contribution to the sport may never see an equal. He was a very successful racer, having collected dozens of victories over the years sailing his many boats of all sizes and varieties. He was a stalwart shipmate whose seamanship skills were exemplary. Many Collegiate and Frostbite sailors compete on the “Harry A” race course, a unique dinghy racing course created by the imaginative Harry.

To the many who had the privilege of racing or cruising or acting in an official manner with Harry, his greatest delight was derived from the camaraderie and friendships that came from the sport he devoted much of his life to. There is nary a noteworthy body of water upon which Harry did not compete or officiate, or a smart waterfront tavern where he did not raise a glass. Communicator, prolific writer of countless notes, problem solver, philanthropist, and fun-loving friend, “godfather by proxy” to legions and Uncle to a very special few, everyone – from waterfront rascals and collegiate sailors to Kings and Princes, Gold Medalists, Sultans, and Presidents, too – knew him as their cheerful friend Harry.

His connections were limitless. One would never be surprised to hear a person’s name come up in passing only to have Harry say, “he’s my second cousin, twice removed.”

His travels were limitless, too. Whether sailing a clipper ship in the Windward Islands, competing on the famed Six Metre “Goose” in the Solent, or working on his beloved Boulaceet Farm in Cape Breton, Harry was rarely a sedentary soul.

During those travels, Harry would never miss a chance to drop in and visit his many nieces and nephews and give them his whole-hearted support in their endeavors.

Born June 2, 1921, in New York City, to Henry H. Anderson Sr and Helen James Anderson, Harry had early distinguished Colonial antecedents, namely his great-grandfather Henry Hill Anderson, counsel for the City of New York in the 1800s.

Harry’s great grandfather, Oliver Burr Jennings, was a "Forty-Niner" (San Francisco Gold Rush days) whose ancestor Joshua Jennings settled in Hartford, Connecticut in 1645, concurrently with Jehue Burr, great grandfather of Col. Aaron Burr of whom Henry H. Anderson Jr. is a collateral descendant (both families settled in Fairfield, Connecticut). Harry is also a descendant of William James of Scituate, Massachusetts, who moved to Newport, Rhode Island, ca 1680.

Brought up in Oyster Bay, New York, Harry was also the Commodore of Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club, Commodore of the Revolting Colonist Outpost, and an honorary member of yacht clubs extending from Long Beach, California to Helsinki, Finland. He was a flag officer of nine different yacht clubs.

A graduate of Yale, Harry completed his studies there in three and a half years so he could join the United States Army in 1943. He served in World War II as a Field Artillery captain in Patton’s Third Army having landed at Normandy, D-Day plus 30. He was a part of Patton’s historic campaign which helped to liberate Europe from the Nazi’s. After the war Harry got his Law degree from Columbia University, though he did not follow in the Anderson family tradition to practice law.

Harry always saw sailing as an educational experience and tirelessly supported and promoted it, whether as a yacht club officer, U.S. Sailing director, college sailing advocate, Congressional Cup judge, financial supporter, or advisor to many sailing organizations. Harry was actively associated with numerous educational institutions including Tall Ships America, University of Rhode Island, Yale University, and the U.S. Naval Academy. Anderson chaired US Sailing’s Appeals Committee for 25 years and had a hand in writing a good part of the racing rules of sailing during that tenure.

Harry was a devoted, life-long researcher driven by a compelling curiosity about subjects ranging from the location of Captain Cook’s ships on the bottom of Newport Harbor, to the lives of his illustrious antecedents. He participated in comprehensive publications and films about railroad magnate Arthur Curtiss James (another collateral ancestor), and America’s third vice president, Aaron Burr. He was determined that those forgotten (James) or maligned (Burr) be accurately documented and assigned their proper places in history.

Anderson’s philanthropies included the Ransom Everglades School in Coconut Grove, Florida, his alma mater, where he was trustee for life. His name appears on the school’s gymnasium and sailing center. He was long involved as a champion of Yale (class of ’42) and University of Rhode Island sailing programs, having donated several fleets of boats, raised funds for sailing facilities, and as an advisor.

A longtime resident of Newport, R.I., Commodore Anderson sat on the boards of Tall Ships America, Seamen’s Church Institute, the US Naval War College, the Rhode Island Marine Archeology Project, the Aaron Burr Association, the Fales Committee at the United States Naval Academy, and the Foundation for the Preservation of Captain Cook’s Ships.

Always a volunteer himself, no one worked harder. Anderson had a subtle way of snapping the whip that not only produced results, but brought him respect and admiration. He was often the silent person at the table, whose succinct conclusions solved problems. His work continued well beyond the usual retirement age, including being a founding member of the University of Rhode Island Sailing Advisory Council when he was in his 90’s and even last month working on his latest project, a book about William Rockefeller (descendant of John D. Rockefeller-  famous for creating the world's first vertically integrated oil monopoly- Standard Oil).

Harry’s awards and honoraria include Intercollegiate Sailing Association Hall of Fame; National Sailing Hall of Fame; Doctor of Laws from the University of Rhode Island (2009); The Beppe Croce Trophy (International Sailing Federation and International Yacht Racing Union); the Nathaniel Herreschoff Trophy (U.S. Sailing Foundation); Lifetime Service Award (Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association); Congressional Cup Scarlet Blazer; 33rd Congressional Cup (dedicated to HHA Jr); Post Captain’s Trophy (North American Station, Royal Scandinavian Yacht Clubs & Nylandska Jaktklubben); Bronze Star U.S. Army; Richard S. Nye Trophy (Cruising Club of America); Henry H. Anderson, Jr. Sail Training Scholarship Fund (American Sail Training Association); Lifetime Achievement Award (American Sail Training Association); W.P. Stephens Award (Mystic Seaport); Henry H. Anderson, Jr. Memorial Library (Seamen’s Church Institute).

Over the years and right up until the end, Harry would frequently write notes on an infinite number of topics, often on re-purposed paper. It is quite likely that many who are reading this tribute to Harry are smiling as they may have received one or many such notes through the years. Some were pointed in its message; others were anecdotal in their reference, often quoting classic poetry and prose to make their point or deliver the message. All were something to behold and cherished upon reflection.

Here is one of Harry’s notes to a friend in 2012: “Life’s pleasures are to be enjoyed in moderation, and apropos the cruising man, while we are not always borne with swelling sails before a blowing wind, neither do we drag out life struggling with headwinds; or befitting the fortune of the racing man ‘behind the foremost, ever before the foremost’. One snatches one’s enjoyment of the brief and pleasant hours like a school boy in the spring holidays.”

Harry Anderson’s was a life well-lived.

Harry was pre-deceased by his beloved brother Jim and is survived by his brother, David, and 45 nephews, nieces, and great nephews and nieces.

Given the restrictions of COVID-19, there will be a small family gathering to lay the Commodore to rest. A memorial “gam” of suitable scale and good cheer will be scheduled when the circumstances allow for Harry’s friends to raise a glass to his memory and legacy.

Harry was very generous to causes he believed in. All were focused on the development of young people through experiential learning from being on the water. Gifts in lieu of flowers can be sent any of the causes that were important to Harry:

- Yale Sailing Association, Ray Tompkins House, 20 Tower Parkway, New Haven, Ct. 06511
- Ransom Everglades School, Attn: Julie Rosenfeld, 3575 Main Highway, Coconut Grove, FL 33133
- Henry H. Jr Anderson Sailing Endowment, The University of Rhode Island Foundation, PO Box 1700 Kingston, RI 02881
- Tall Ships America, 221 3rd Street, Building 2, Suite 101, Newport, RI 02840

* How lucky we’ve been- a perspective on Harry Anderson from one of the United Kingdom's most successful sailors- Ian Walker- a guy who once knew how to sail J/24s....

The great John Wooden once said: “Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are…the true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching.”

The passing of Henry Hill Anderson, Jr. reminds us of how much he did when no one was watching, and how great the impact was from his random acts of kindness. Well before Ian Walker was a two-time Olympic medalist, J/24 sailing champion, and now the Director of Racing for the Royal Yachting Association, he was a recipient of Harry’s kindness.

Ian commented on his experience with Harry, "In 1991, I captained the British University Team on a USA tour of the East Coast, racing against colleges and combined US teams from Maine all the way down to South Carolina. It was arguably the most fun six weeks of my life… although, most of it still lives under a 'cone of silence'.

A special highlight was our visit to the home of the America’s Cup– Newport RI. We had a plan to compete in the Around Jamestown Island Race on J/24s, but were without accommodation and no local contacts. So, after a couple of cold beers in a local bar, we hatched a plan to visit the legendary New York Yacht Club and introduce ourselves.

Imagine... eight British students turning up in a van at the NYYC having had a few drinks– hoping to perhaps be given a tour. LOL. We donned our blazers, put on our best British accents, and walked straight in the front door. However, we immediately realized we weren’t going to get that far, until a member was passing and asked if he could help.

We thought we were going to be thrown out. But, before too long, this gentleman had not only signed us all in as guests, he had bought us all drinks. And to top it all, he offered us a roof over our heads (all eight of us) for nearly a week!

We had no idea how lucky we were to have met Harry. His hospitality was exemplary and his sailing memorabilia in his house was extraordinary– especially in the toilet, as I recall. I thoroughly enjoyed recounting the story of how we first met, when we met again at NYYC Harbour Court many years later.

I feel honored to have met Harry and to have stayed in his home. To this day I feel guilty for not having appreciated quite how lucky we were at the time. What an amazing man and an amazing life. Sail on Harry."   Thanks for this contribution from Scuttlebutt newsletter. Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Eight Bells- Mike Bruno

(Rye, New York)- American Yacht Club Commodore Mike Bruno, 63, passed away suddenly early on the morning of August 13 at home in Armonk, NY.  Great friend William Sandberg had this to say about Mike:

“Mike was a very lucky man and knew it. He had a beautiful wife (Meg) and three wonderful kids (Mike, Russell and Price) he adored and more friends and admirers than one could ever imagine.

He had a successful business career. After receiving his MBA from Columbia Business School in 1981, he joined Solomon Brothers where he rose to become Vice President of the Mergers and Acquisitions Group within the Finance Department. He joined Stonebridge Partners in 1987, becoming the Managing Partner in 1989.

He was an accomplished and avid J/Boats sailor. Mike had a series of J/Boats he named WINGS- a J/124, J/122, and most recently a J/88.

Ironically, 2019 may have been his most successful year— winning the J/88 class at J/Fest St Petersburg, winning Charleston Race Week and dominating Storm Trysail Block Island Week.

In addition to this year, he was a two-time winner of the J/122 North Americans, New York YC Race Week winner, and 2016 Key West Race Week J/88 class winner. Along with American Yacht Club, he was a member of New York Yacht Club and Storm Trysail Club.

Most of all he was, perhaps, the most generous person I have ever known. Need a house in Florida to use an auction item to raise money for the US Olympic and Paralympic Sailing Teams? You got it. A spectator boat for viewing? Of course. Rooms for wounded vets to attend a regatta? Done. And, the list goes on.

As Commodore of American YC, he played host to the US Sailing Disabled Championships in 2008. When approached about hosting a disabled regatta in the future, not surprisingly Mike quickly made it happen. Thus, was born the Robbie Pierce One-Design Disabled Regatta, where Mike even served on the Race Committee.

Most recently, he served on the Board and twice chaired the annual fundraiser for Freedom Waters Foundation in Naples, FL, which enhances lives of individuals with special needs and veterans by providing therapeutic boating experiences.

A memorial service will be held at American YC in Rye at 1400 hours, Friday, August 16.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Mike’s name to:

Pediatric Cancer Research at Memorial Sloan Kettering
Attention: Rachel Flannery
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Office of Development
P.O. Box 27106
New York, NY 10087
Or online at http://mskcc.convio.net/goto/michaelsbrunojr

I will miss Mikey terribly, as will many others. You were a very special man, Mike Bruno. Sail fast.” Add to Flipboard Magazine.

New York YC 175th Regatta Preview

(Newport, RI)- One hundred twenty yachts are entered in the New York YC’s 175th Anniversary Regatta.  Those entries range from classics to the most modern racing yachts and just about everything in between.  Multiple J/Crews are participating in the regatta that features racing taking place inside Narragansett Bay with “navigator-style” races around government buoys to the fanatical racers doing all windward-leewards offshore in a frenetic dance around the buoys.

In the IRC 2 Class are a duo of J/111s (Peter Wagner’s SKELETON KEY from San Francisco, CA and Andrew & Sedge Ward’s J/111 BRAVO from Long Island); Joe Brito’s J/121 INCOGNITO from Bristol, RI; a duet of J/44s (NYYC Commodore Bill Ketcham’s MAXINE and Amanda & June Kendrick’s PALANTIER 5); Paul Milo’s J/122 ORION; and Bob Salk’s J/109 PICANTE from Jamestown, RI.

In the PHRF Spinnaker Navigator class is a trio of J/105s (Bill Dana’s USA 63, Bruce Stone & Nicole Breault’s GOOD TRADE, and Theresa Brandner’s JINX MINX).  For more New York YC 175th Regatta sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Windy New York YC Annual Regatta

(Newport, RI)- With the exception of maybe a little more sun and a little less rain, Robin Team has a hard time imagining a better Father’s Day. The J/122 skipper from Lexington, N.C., spent Sunday sailing with his two sons in testing conditions and putting the finishing touches on a near flawless weekend of racing at the 165th edition of the New York Yacht Club Annual Regatta including the Swan American Regatta.

“What better way to way to spend Father’s Day than racing offshore with your two sons and getting the opportunity to walk across the stage at the New York Yacht Club,” says Team. He didn’t add winning, but maybe he didn’t have to. That was merely the cherry on top.

The Teamwork crew, which also includes Team's brother, started the long weekend with a convincing win in IRC 4 in Friday’s Around-the-Island Race, and carried that winning feeling into two days of buoy racing in big breeze and cresting waves on Rhode Island Sound. Teamwork won three races yesterday and the first race today. With the overall title all but in the bag, Team and his crew were a little cautious in the final race in order to preserve their assets for Block Island Race Week, which starts a week from Monday.

“We were in a J3 [jib] all day long and we ended up running three different spinnakers based on the conditions,” says Team. “We just changed gears based on the wind intensity. All of that made it really, really fun. Toward the end of the regatta, we got a little bit conservative because we did have a lead and we didn’t want to break anything. So we ran a [smaller high-wind spinnaker] on one leg and ran a [reaching spinnaker] on the final leg to the finish.”

A fourth in that final race was the lone blemish on an otherwise perfect scorecard. But finishing that race overlapped with another competitor after 90 minutes of hard racing just emphasized how competitive it was in IRC 4, which made the overall victory that much sweeter.

“That was one of the beautiful things about this regatta,” says Team. “The rating band was really tight and you knew how you did at the end of the race instead of waiting for the corrected times to come out. It was fun to have two other J/122s there, they were really well-sailed boats, we love sailing against them. The J/111s and the J/44s were all great competition as well. We’ll be back.”

Behind TEAMWORK in the IRC 4 Class comprised of all J/Boats was New York YC Commodore Bill Ketcham’s J/44 MAXINE in second, followed by Andrew & Sedge Ward’s J/111 BRAVO in third place.  Rounding out the top five were two J/122s- Jack Gregg’s TARAHUMARA in 4th and Paul Milo’s ORION in 5th position.

In the J/109 division, Bill Sweetser’s RUSH defeated a highly competitive fleet with a 3-1-1-2-2 record for 9 pts.  Taking the silver was Carl Olsson’s MORNING GLORY on a tie-breaker at 12 pts each over Ted Herlihy’s GUT FEELING.  The rest of the top five included Tom Sutton’s LEADING EDGE in 4th and Brian Kiley’s GAMBIT in 5th place.

John Thouron’s J/122 DUNDER from Burlington, VT won PHRF 2 Class of nine-boats.  Third was Bob Manchester’s J/120 VAMOOSE and fifth was Abhijeet Lee’s J/111 VARUNA.

PHRF 3 class was loaded with nine J/Teams.  In the end, Jeff Johnstone’s new J/99 AGENT 99 took second place with Mark Lindquist’s J/105 STERLING securing third.  The trio of Joyce/ Reservitz/ Wagner took 5th on their J/105.  Sixth was yet an other J/105, Don Santa’s SANTAS REIGN DEAR from Annapolis, MD and 7th was EC Helme’s J/92S SPIRIT.

PHRF 4 class saw J/crews take 3 of the top 5 spots.  Top boat was Steve Thurston’s J/29 MIGHTY PUFFIN i second.  Fourth was Jack McGuire’s J/29 DIRTY HARRY and fifth went to Daniel Stone’s J/80 HOT STREAK.

In IRC 3 Class racing offshore, Joe Brito’s J/121 INCOGNITO sailed well, improving every race in their first regatta of the year, closing on high note with a 2-1 on the last two races on Sunday.  Sailing photo credits- Bill Shea Photography.  For more New York YC Annual Regatta sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

New York YC Annual Regatta Preview

(Newport, RI)- The 165th Annual Regatta will run June 14 to 16 out of the New York Yacht Club Harbour Court in Newport, R.I. All classes will enjoy the traditional race around Conanicut Island on Friday, June 14, followed by two days of buoy and navigator racing over the weekend for PHRF, IRC, and J/109 one-design class.

The social program is always a highlight of this event and includes Friday’s Around the Island Awards Party presented by the 2020 ORC/IRC World Championship, the Annual Regatta Dinner on Saturday and another awards party on Sunday for the weekend series. For New England sailors eager to shake off a long winter—and in this case, an inclement spring—the Annual Regatta is always a great way to kick off the Newport sailing season. Furthermore, the weekend forecast is looking pretty awesome, with mostly southwesterly winds in the 15 to 25 kts range and sunny!  Get out the shorts and shades!

The regatta enjoys strong support from enthusiastic J/Teams looking to start their summer sailing seasons. Thirty J/Crews are participating in the fleet of ninety offshore keelboats- J’s are 30% of that fleet!

In the IRC 3 Class, Joe Brito’s J/121 INCOGNITO will be up against a quartet of Farr 40s in both the Round Island and offshore W/L racing.

The IRC 4 Class is a veritable den of thieves, comprised mostly of fast J/111s, J/44s, and J/122s. Many of the teams have won their class or major championships over the years; the betting parlour at Ladbroke’s would have a very tough time handicapping this class.  Nevertheless, some great sailing will be had by these crews; the teams include two J/111s (Doug Curtiss’s WICKED 2.0 & Andrew/ Sedge Ward’s BRAVO), two J/44s (Commodore Bill Ketcham’s MAXINE & the US Coast Guard’s GLORY), and three J/122s (Paul Milo’s ORION, Robin Team’s TEAMWORK, and Jack Gregg’s TARAHUMARA).

The PHRF Random Leg classes will be racing inside Narragansett Bay. In the PHRF 2 division  is Greg and Sarah Manning’s J/121 SARAH, John Thouron’s J/122 DUNDER, Abhijeet Lee’s J/111 VARUNA, and Bob Manchester’s J/120 VAMOOSE.

The PHRF 3 division of fourteen boats has nine J/crews! Watch out for the new J/99 AGENT 99 sailed by Jeff Johnstone, they are the top rated boat n class and are up against a rogue’s roost of J/105s and J/29s.  The three J/105s include Don Santa’s SANTAS REIGN DEAR, Mark Lindquist’s STERLING, and the trio of Joyce/ Reservitz/ Wagner on DARK’N’STORMY.  EC Helme will be in the mix with his J/92S SPIRIT.  The two dark horse J/29s are Jack McGuire’s DIRTY HARRY and Steve Thurston’s MIGHTY PUFFIN.  Then Dan Stone’s J/80 HOT STREAK, the lowest rated boat in the class, will be watching from the bleacher seats hoping to stay close to the fleet and do well on handicap time.

The J/109s have a half-dozen good boats sailing all weekend.  Similar to the IRC 4 class, virtually every team is capable of getting podium finishes, the question will be who’s clicking tactically with good boat speed and boat handling after the dust clears.  The protagonists include familiar names like Tom Sutton’s LEADING EDGE, Bill Sweetser’s RUSH, Carl Olsson’s MORNING GLORY, Brooke Mastrorio’s URSA, and Ted Herlihy’s GUT FEELING.  For more New York YC Annual Regatta sailing information
Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/44 MAXINE Wins NYYC Queen’s Cup!

(Newport, RI)- For two hours, New York Yacht Club Vice Commodore Bill Ketcham (Greenwich, CT) and his team watched as the bulk of the fleet participating in the 63rd edition of the Queen's Cup sailed away from them. It was inevitable; Ketcham's J/44 MAXINE was one of the slowest boats, according to rating, in a 14-boat grouping than ranged in size from 41 to 74 feet. Still it's not easy seeing so many competitors’ transoms gradually disappear into the horizon.

"You know it's going to happen," says Ketcham, who has sails Maxine with an all-amateur crew that includes his son, Saunders, and daughter, Liza. "But you've no feel for how fast it happens. It's pretty discouraging."

But the team shelved any disappointment, focused on the task at hand, and when all the boats had crossed the line and the IRC handicaps were applied, Maxine was at the top of the standings, a minute and two seconds ahead of Tony Langley's TP52 Gladiator and 1:23 ahead of Columbia, the 60-year-old 12 Metre skippered by Anthony Chiurco and Kevin Hegarty.

The Queen's Cup trophy was given to the New York Yacht Club by Queen Elizabeth II and officially presented to the Club by the British Ambassador in November 1953. It's a perpetual trophy that is raced for annually under the same conditions as the King's Cup that preceded it and was retired after the passing of King George VI in 1952. Each skipper must be a World Sailing Group 1 (amateur) sailor. The trophy is always decided by a single race, often longer than most modern buoy races, and utilizes a unique 2-minute starting window.

Ketcham and his team opted to wait until the end of the starting window, crossing the line 1:49 after the gun sounded. With many of the faster boats well up the course, this helped to limit the amount of time they spent sailing in disturbed air, though it's still never easy racing against longer, faster yachts.

"There's no way to avoid getting wailed on during that first leg," he says. "Even if you start right at the gun, the big boats are going to be on [your air] right away. If you wait, everybody is already on you, so there's no way to get around suffering on that first weather leg. So you just suffer through it, which is what we did."

While the breeze wasn't particularly strong, Ketcham went with one of his smaller headsails.

"We were smart to sail with a [No. 3 jib] even through the breeze was bouncing from 13 to 18 knots," he says "In flat water with a three, the boat is really quick. You point a little higher and you can tack easily. It's like tacking a dinghy."

As one of the few boats flying a symmetric spinnaker off a pole— the bulk of the fleet was flying asymmetric spinnakers off a bow sprit— Ketcham also thinks he had an advantage on the one downwind leg, when he can sail very close to the rhumb line.

A final key decision came during the long upwind leg to the finish off Fort Adams. Ketcham's team was one of the few that opted to go to the east side of Gould Island.

"There was a huge lefty up there with a ton of pressure," he said. "We missed it on the first weather leg, so we said we're not missing it this time. That really helped."

While happy with their performance, the team on MAXINE had no idea how they'd done until a fellow competitor called to congratulate them.

"It was a complete surprise," Ketcham says. "We were just hoping we beat some boats. We just didn't know because the boats got so spread out and we were pretty far back. A huge surprise. There was a lot of elation on the boat when we heard that. We just couldn't believe it." Sailing photo credits- Dan Nerney Learn more about the J/44 here. For more Queens Cup Race sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/109 RUSH Wins @ NYYC Race Week

J/121 Third in PHRF Navigators
(Newport, RI)- On the eve of the 11th edition of Race Week at Newport presented by Rolex, J/109 RUSH skipper Bill Sweetser was faced with a tough decision. It wasn't about how to tune his rig or organize his crew. But, it nonetheless would have a huge impact on his regatta. He'd entered his boat, a popular one-design in the Northeast, to race under IRC. But, he also had the option of racing one-design in class built by class president Bill Kneller.

"I’ve come to at least six or seven Race Weeks since I've had the 109 and I’ve mostly raced IRC and we've done pretty darn well," he says, "[NYYC sailing director] Lynn Lynch mentioned to me a day or two before the race that I should consider changing [to a one-design class]. I’m so glad that we did class racing, because we had some of the best competition we’ve ever had in the J/109 fleet. The people out there know how to sail the boat and they kept us on our toes."

The New York Yacht Club’s Race Week at Newport presented by Rolex was first run in 1998, and took place this year from July 17 to 21 out of the New York Yacht Club Harbour Court, in Newport. R.I. The biennial summer classic has established itself as one of the premier summer race weeks in the Northeast thanks to its attractive combination of great racing conditions off Newport and the superlative shoreside hospitality at the Club’s waterfront Clubhouse overlooking Newport Harbor. Partners for the 2018 edition of Race Week at Newport include presenting sponsor Rolex, regatta sponsor BMW and regatta supporter Helly Hansen.

In fact, the competition in the J/109 class was so tough that halfway through the regatta, Sweetser's team on RUSH was looking like they'd be lucky to break into the top three. They'd won the first race, but also had two sixths, in an eight-boat fleet, in the first four races.

"It was a lot of little things," he said. "We had a lot of discussion about it. Sometimes we didn’t catch the wind shifts our competitors caught. Sometimes we weren't sure our rig tune was where it should've been, so we made some adjustments. Sometimes I didn’t drive as effectively as I could have.

"By the middle of the third day we were feeling that if we put ourselves in the right place [we could do well]. We knew we had the boat speed."

Sweetser and his crew won all three races on the third day of the event to move into contention. But they still needed to make up four points in the final two races to overtake Albrecht Goethe's HAMBURG, which had displayed remarkable consistency to that point in the regatta, finishing eight of 10 races in either second or third. RUSH picked up one point in Race 11, then went on to a comfortable win in Race 12. When HAMBURG struggled to its worst score of the regatta, a sixth, Sweetser and his crew earned the overall victory and one of three Rolex timepieces being awarded at the regatta.

"After the first couple of days, we weren’t sure we’d even end up in the top three," he says. "Winning the three races on Friday gave us a lot of confidence. With the winds today, we had a lot more confidence. It’s just like any sport; luck has something to do with it. I’d like to say it was all skill. But we did happen to be in the right place at the right time today."

In the end, behind RUSH and HAMBURG, it was Tom Sutton’s bright red LEADING EDGE from Houston, TX that took bronze to round out the podium

In the IRC 4 Class, the Queen’s Cup winner, Bill Ketcham’s J/44 MAXINE, took more even more silverware, winning the bronze; an elated Ketcham, Vice Commodore of New York YC, was pleased with their good fortune and taking silver in both events!

In the IRC 4 IRC/ ORC Combined scores class, Paul Milo’s J/122 ORION grabbed third place.

Finally, in the PHRF Navigator Class that was sailing random-leg courses inside Narragansett Bay, it was Chris Brito’s J/121 INCOGNITO also taking the bronze, winning their last race around the island with an emphatic 1st place win! Sailing photo credits- ROLEX/Daniel Forster For more New York YC Race Week sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

NYYC Race Week Preview

(Newport, RI)- The New York YC Race Week will be taking place from July 16th to 21st, 2018 on the waters of Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island Sound for a fleet of thirty-five modern keelboats, of which eleven (33% of the fleet) are J’s. The J/109s will be sailing as a one-design class and the other J/crews will be participating in the IRC and PHRF Navigator classes.

The half-dozen boat J/109 class includes some of the best East Coast boats on the summer regatta circuits.  Those teams include Albrecht Goethe’s HAMBURG from Lakewood YC, Ted Herlihy’s GUT FEELING from New Bedford YC, Tom Sutton’s LEADING EDGE from Lakewood YC, Bill Sweetser’s RUSH from Annapolis YC, and Bill Kneller’s VOLARE from Coasters Harbor Navy YC.

In the twenty-one boat IRC Class, sailing offshore will be Sedgwick & Andrew Ward’s J/111 BRAVO from Shelter Island YC, Paul Milo’s J/122 ORION, and NYYC Vice Commodore Bill Ketcham’s J/44 MAXINE.

Sailing in the PHRF Navigator class will be Tom Wacker’s J/105 TRADING PLACES from Old Cove YC in Brooklyn, New York.  For more New York YC Race Week sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

VINEYARD VINES Wins NYYC One-Design Regatta

(Newport, RI)- Thirty-sevens J/70s sailed in the second annual New York YC One-Design Regatta.  The fleet was comprised of numerous one-design class National, North American, and World Champions, most of whom are sailing the regatta as part of their training programs leading up to the WEST MARINE J/70 World Championship, hosted by Eastern YC in Marblehead, MA later in September 2018.

A bad start in light air in a 37-boat fleet can be fatal. If you let it be. Skipper John Baxter and his team on the J/70 Team VINEYARD VINES were determined not to let a mistake at the outset of the first race define their regatta. So instead, they got to work, found the advantageous puffs and shifts, and battled through a fleet of top amateur and professional sailors to an 11th in the only race on the first day of the second annual New York Yacht Club One-Design Regatta, which was sailed Saturday and Sunday out of the New York Yacht Club Harbour Court in Newport, R.I. It wasn't anything to write home about, but it was enough to keep them in the hunt.

On the finale on Sunday, in virtually identical conditions, Baxter and his team (wife Molly, Jake LaDow and Ben Lamb), were nearly unbeatable, winning two races and placing third in the final race to secure a seven-point win in the regatta's biggest class.

"Yesterday we didn’t start very well; we were real deep and then we ground back to an OK finish," said John Baxter, from Riverside, N.Y. "Today, we started better and were able to use our speed to get out of some sticky situations. The goal was really to minimize the bad starts, because a lot of the teams go the same speed. You’ve got to have a front-row start and just go fast."

Second was World Champion Tim Healy on USA 2 with a 1-9-3-10 tally for 23 pts.  Third was Ryan McKillen’s SURGE (with Mark Mendelblatt as main/ tactician) with a 5-6-11-1 for 23 pts, losing the tiebreaker.  Fourth was John Brim’s RIMETTE (with Taylor Canfield as main/ tactician) with a score of 3-2-4-20 fort 20 pts.  Fifth was the top Japanese team- Eichiro Hamazaki’s THE SLED with a tally of 2-5-5-18 for 30 pts.  For more New York YC One-Design Regatta sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

NYYC One-Design Regatta Preview

(Newport, RI)- Thirty-five J/70s will be plying the waters of Narragansett Bay this coming weekend in the annual New York YC One-Design Regatta.  The fleet is comprised of numerous one-design class National, North American, and World Champions, most of whom are sailing the regatta as part of their training programs leading up to the J/70 World Championship, hosted by Eastern YC in Marblehead, MA later in September 2018.

The headline crews include such class leaders as Joel Ronning’s CATAPULT from Excelsior, MN; Jack Franco’s 3 BALL JT from Lakewood, TX; Glenn Darden’s HOSS from Fort Worth, TX; Martie Kullman’s HYDRA from St Petersburg, FL; Jenn & Ray Wulff’s JOINT CUSTODY from Annapolis, MD; Jim Cunningham’s LIFTED from San Francisco, CA; Peter Cunningham’s POWERPLAY from Cayman Islands; John Brim’s RIMETTE from Fishers Island, NY; Pam Rose’s ROSEBUD from Chicago, IL; Bruno Pasquinelli’s STAMPEDE from Fort Worth, TX; John & Molly Baxter’s TEAM VINEYARD VINES from Riverside, CT; and Tim Healy’s famous USA 2 HELLEY HANSEN.

There is a strong presence of Japanese teams, as they are conducting their three-regatta “Japanese National Championship” in order to qualify one of their teams for the J/70 Worlds in September.  For those in the TP52, Farr 40 and M32 world, you will recognize some of the leading crews.  Makoto Uematsu’s ESMERALDA from Tokyo hardly needs any introduction, he helped create the TP52 class with the support of Newport’s own Ken Read at North Sails.  In addition, there is the famous “SLED” team, composed of a number of boats- Hideyuki Miyagawa’s IT’S SLED from Hyogo; Takashi Okura’s SLED from Alpine, NJ; and Eichiro Hamazaki’s THE SLED from Kanagawa.  In addition, there is Yasutaka Funazawa’s NATSUKO from Tottori.  That should be an interesting competition to watch!  For more New York YC One-Design Regatta sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Light and Variable NYYC 164th Annual Regatta

J/111 Dominates PHRF 2! J/Crews Sweep IRC 5!
(Newport, RI)- The Annual Regatta is North America’s oldest annual sailing event. It was first run in 1845 on the Hudson River and has been sailed out of the New York Yacht Club Harbour Court, in Newport, RI, since 1988. The 164th edition offered buoy or navigator-course racing for one-designs and yachts sailing under IRC, ORR, CRF and PHRF handicap over the June 9th and 10th weekend.

The regatta won’t be remembered as one of the more memorable ones over a century and a half.  A large immovable high pressure system offshore kept Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island Sound mostly covered in clouds with hardly an isobar or gradient breeze in sight. Saturday started out with some promise, but the light northerly died in the middle of many races, went to zero for a period of time, then flowed in lightly from the southeast as a thermal with not much punch behind it across all race courses.  Then, Sunday dawned with an even worst forecast, again with a light northerly, that died anyways, followed on by a very light 4-6 kts southeast wind for the inside courses and across-the-board cancellations of most races offshore in Rhode Island Sound.

Nevertheless, despite the conditions, some of the battle-hardened J/Teams proved to be up to the challenge and walked off with a fair amount of silverware.

A winter of one-design racing in St. Petersburg and Annapolis proved to be a great experience for Doug Curtiss' team on the J/111 WICKED 2.0. Matching up against a fleet of World-class J/111s is a great way to learn precisely how to squeeze every drop of the speed out of the 36-footer.

"It tends to hone the skills a little bit," Curtiss says with a laugh. "We learned a lot."

Still Curtiss came into the weekend, where he raced in the PHRF 2 class, with modest expectations.

"We like to be top third and just go out there and have some fun," he says. "If I had to say there's a signature that I hope to leave on the Wicked program, it's that we have great crew chemistry, everybody has fun and we just like to be competitive.“

With a first in Saturday’s single race— a marathon that took teams all of four hours to complete—and a second on the sole race on Sunday, Curtiss exceeded all his goals. WICKED 2.0 won the class  over Phil Lotz, Commodore of the New York Yacht Club, who was racing the new NYYC IC37 in its inaugural Annual Regatta.  Taking fourth was another J/111, Abhijeet Lee’s VARUNA.

In the PHRF 3 Navigator class of ten-boats, EC Helme’s J/92S SPIRIT was leading the class by one point going into Sunday’s only race. However, unfortunately snatching defeat from the jaws of victory with a 6th in the last race to drop into second with a 2-2-6 tally for 10 pts.

What may be perhaps one of the most astonishing outcome for this light airs event was the complete sweep of the top five in IRC 5 Class.  The winner was determined on a tie-breaker between Bill Sweetser’s J/109 RUSH and Chris Lewis’ KENAI, each finished with 5 pts total.  The countback saw Sweetser’s 109 RUSH crew take the win based on winning the last race.  Third was Tom Sutton’s renowned Houston, TX crew on their J/109 LEADING EDGE with 6 pts.  Fourth was also determined on a tie-breaker between Albrecht Goethe’s J/109 HAMBURG and Paul Milo’s J/122 ORION at 10 pts apiece, with HAMBURG taking the countback.  For more NYYC Annual Regatta sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.