Publisher's Log

I went to visit a friend in Annapolis the other day. His take on September and October was strikingly different than mine. We are both obviously pretty avid sailors and general boat people. So not surprisingly, weather is often a part of the conversation as we compare Long Island Sound and the Chesapeake Bay for which body of water has less wind. There’s a reason we both also own powerboats. But this time, the conversation that led…

The week before the autumnal equinox on September 23, our weather was hazy, warm and humid. Then, like a light switch, the smell of fall hit the senses and for a weekend, it felt like crystal clear, cool, marching band and football weather. Like Jonathan Richman, you have to love New England. There were ten days between sticky highs in the 90s and glorious dry highs around 70. Unfortunately, the endless stream of threatening tropical systems broke…

On page 40 of this issue, we have a fascinating recounting of one of the craziest celebrations to ever hit Newport, Rhode Island. It had to have rivaled any number of other occasions, including the end of wars. But of course, it was for a sporting event and one where the visiting team won. Forty years ago this September 26th, Australia II won the America’s Cup. The event would help elevate a New England-based TV sports network…

A number of cool things happened in July. First up, Charlie Enright and Co. made history as the first American flagged yacht to win The Ocean Race. Second, for the first time a woman, Cole Brauer, posted the fastest elapsed time in the singlehanded leg of the Bermuda One-Two. She and teammate Cat Chimney followed it up by taking line honors in the doublehanded leg. [That historic moment was actually in June. – Ed.] I often wonder…

I really like the glorious cover of this month’s WindCheck. The light, the composition and of course, the lines of the S Boats are really striking. Then you have the picture of the Star sailors from the 1920s in our running of an excerpt from Carol Cronin’s 100 Years of Gold Stars. They don’t look exactly like Captain Nat’s more important clients, but for some guys mixing it up in a brand new one-design they look pretty…

As the summer season gets going here in WindCheck land, it’s interesting to think about what good calls will be made this summer. I suppose bad calls should be counted too but we will save those for another time. So let’s muse. A very good call will be to read Coop’s article on hypothermia in this issue. The chart used resembles the one that used to be on the wall in the boathouse at the U.S. Merchant…

One of the great benefits of our region is the volume of waterborne activity. And despite hand wringing about most everything, this volume seems to be increasing. The recent CT Spring Boat Show, where you may have picked up this magazine, was larger than last year by 25%. The Ocean Race Newport Stopover, with boats expected to arrive May 10-12 and free admission at Ocean Park Live May 13- 21, is going to be a bigger event…

It is official. CT Spring Boat Show is on the horizon, boats are going into the water, baseball is happening and March Madness and the Frozen Four will soon be in the rearview mirror. At the time of this writing, WindCheck country was well represented, with UConn Men in the Final Four of hoops while the UConn Women sadly were eliminated (wait till next year!). Boston University AND Quinnipiac are both in the Frozen Four in hockey….

For most sailors in the Northeast, March really is when things get going in our sport. Sure, some lucky ones have snuck down to Florida or the Caribbean for a week, an enviable break. But for me, sneaking down to the boat to examine the bottom and muse on when the cover can come off gets the mind working. End-of-year frostbite regattas, spring breaks, and summer season planning all come to the fore, requiring executive function to…

Support your local race committee! This photo, taken the same day as this month’s cover shot, shows a Dyer Dhow start at the Larry Goodwin Trophy Regatta at Norwalk Yacht Club in Norwalk, Connecticut.  Photographer Rick Bannerot reports a temperature of 20°F with 20-knot gusts. That’s Principal Race Officer Ed Cesare shivering atop the NYC Frostbite Shack.   © Rick Bannerot/OntheFlyPhoto.net     Welcome to the first issue of 2023! And since it’s winter time and other than a…