The first taste of the adventure, and the longest race I ever sailed. 3700 miles. I sailed my first Bermuda race and my first transatlantic race aboard “Guenivere”
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1969 & 1971 TRANSATLANTICS
I crossed the atlantic twice on “Carina” which was launched in the spring of 1969. A year which was famous for Woodstock and the Moon walk. We huddled around the radio at sea to listen to the Moonwalk broadcast. We races the Fastnet and the US team won the Admiral’s Cup that year; finishing second in 1971.
1972 BERMUDA & TRANSATLANTIC RACES
In 1972 I was Sailing on “Charisma” a 56 foot S&S. A wonderful powerful boat. A Hurricane (Agnes) crossed the course to Bermuda. We had 70 knots over the deck at the finish.
The Transatlantic race to Spain started in Bermuda and was in stark contrast as the course crossed two high pressure zones. The boat that won sailed the isobars. I had argued the point to no avail aboard “Charisma” as it meant sailing at right angles to the course. Less than 24 hours after finishing we set out for Sardinia; for what would be the first Mediterranean Championship; winning every race with Bill Ficker steering.
AROUND THE ISLAND RACE 2020
The Conanicut Yacht club has run this race 93 times now. It is, for me one of the fun events in Narragansett Bay. Windward, Leeward courses are frankly a chore. The SW breeze filled nicely and made it all the more enjoyable.
TRANSATLANTIC RACE 2003
This race was the second longest race I ever sailed. The start was once again in Newport, finishing in Hamburg, Germany. The course took us north of Ireland, Scotland and north of the Orkneys. Our time was 18 days 19 hours; I believe. Like every transatlantic race there are so many anecdotes that are associated with the race.
LONG DISTANCE SAILING
I have raced Dinghys, Big Boats around closed courses with bouys. I enjoyed it enormously. Distance racing is another thing altogether. You use what you learned around the bouys; this is where you are close to other boats and can tell if what you change is right or wrong. in the Ocean you have to have confidence that your choice is the right one. It is unlikely that there will be another boat against which to measure you choices.
I have raced across the Atlantic 9 times. the video below is the last race I sailed; and the quickest crossing ever; for me. I still smile at the memories evoked by the images. In order to have achieved this crossing we had a number of 300+ mile days.
WEATHER CATCHING US
We completed a race and were headed south back to the mooring. the storm clouds were behind us. We could not quite outrun the squall.
NYYC INVITATIONAL CUP 2019
This past week the NYYC hosted the 2019 Invitational Cup in Newport, RI. 20 amateur teams racing the new IC37 class (designed by Mark Mills) over 4 days on Narragansett bay.
12 METER PRE-WORLDS 7 6 19
BRAYTON POINT COOLING TOWERS COME DOWN
ON APRIL 27 2019 AT 8 AM THE BRAYTON POINT COOLING TOWERS WERE IMPLODED. THE ENTIRE EVENT TOOK 10 SECONDS. THE CLOUD OF DUST WAS PUSHED UP THE RIVER BY THE WIND.
