Edgartown Yacht Club Race Weekend, a Martha’s Vineyard tradition anchored by its ’Round-the-Island Race (’RTI) of eight decades, is adding a new ’Round-the-Sound Race (‘RTS) option for teams wanting to sail a shorter course of approximately 20 nautical miles around government marks on Vineyard and Nantucket Sounds.
The EYC Race Weekend fleet enjoys last year’s ’Round-the-Island Race. This year’s event will include a shorter ’Round-the-Sound option. © Stephen Cloutier/photogroup.us
The ’RTS adds yet another dimension to Edgartown Yacht Club Race Weekend and is an attractive alternative for those wanting to go a bit easier on Saturday or just even try short-distance racing for the first time.
The ’RTS will start at 0900 on Saturday, July 21, 2018 soon after the final start for all classes entered in the 56-nautical mile ’RTI, which never ceases to challenge even the best of sailors while simultaneously wowing them with the Vineyard’s scenic splendor. The Saturday of short-distance racing follows two days of popular ’Round-the-Buoy Races (’RTB) in Edgartown’s Outer Harbor. The ’RTB Races were added several years ago to add diversity to its format and extend the fun of Race Weekend on its front end.
Edgartown Yacht Club Race Weekend traditionally attracts entrants from the Eastern Seaboard and beyond, delivering superb racing action for boats 28 feet and longer in classes for IRC, ORC, ORR, PHRF (Spinnaker and Non-Spinnaker divisions), Double-Handed, and Classic yachts. Professional teams as well as amateurs enter, and the mix is what keeps the atmosphere upbeat and adventurous.
The deadline for signing up for the ’Round-the-Island or ’Round-the Sound is Wednesday, July 18. The registration fee for ’RTS is $125 before July 6 and $175 after that date. The registration fee for the ’RTI has been decreased to $250 before July 6 and $325 thereafter.
The ’Round-the-Buoy Races registration fee for all classes will be $50 each day. The deadline for each of the two days that those races are held is Tuesday, July 17. The distance races for each day of ‘RTB are scored separately. Prizes will be awarded for all qualifying classes, including one-design, for those boats that participate in both Thursday and Friday races.
A Mount Gay Rum-sponsored “Jump-Up” party on Friday night (July 20); and prize givings on both Friday and Sunday (July 22) round out the schedule for competitors entered in one or the other, or both, of the racing sessions.
For more information, log onto rtirace.org or contact racer@edgartownyc.org.
Barby MacGowan at Media Pro International contributed to this report.
