April 2022

Well, it is pretty obvious that, overall, we in the Northeast are very lucky to live where we do. And within that good fortune, at WindCheck we are entering an outstanding quarter. Let’s start with the cascading effect of what is shaping up to be a record-setting Newport Bermuda Race. Gracing this month’s cover is three-time winner Carina, and it is an epic shot taken by world renowned photographer Barry Pickthall. Barry was kind enough to share…

Dear WindCheck, Kudos to your fine magazine, editor Chris Szepessy and contributor Rick Bannerot for chronicling the trend of young sailors pursuing coastal and offshore sailing. The experiences, lessons, comradery and pure enjoyment of being offshore are compelling drivers. All that is needed to inspire sailors is access to them. The source of the Figaro 2s chartered by Stamford and Noroton Yacht Clubs and so spectacularly portrayed on the cover of the March issue is the Collegiate…

Following are presentations and meetings happening at this year’s event, April 29 – May 1 at Safe Harbor Essex Island in Essex, CT. A single $20 ticket (available at CTSpringBoatShow.com) gets you in for all three days. As always, 50% of ticket proceeds benefit Sails Up 4 Cancer.   Friday, April 29, 2:00 – 3:00 Fast Women: Hydroplane Racing on the Connecticut River Amy Trout, Curator of the Connecticut River Museum, will discuss speed racing on the…

A new U.S. Coast Guard regulation beginning April 20 for disposable fire extinguishers mandates a 12-year expiration date from the date of manufacture. The manufacture date is stamped into the bottom of the bottle or near the UL label. This may be two or four digits — if it is two, as in 08, that means 2008. Additionally, while the new regulation does not change the type (U.S. Coast Guard-rated) or quantity or requirement for USCG approved fire extinguishers…

Our friends at Manhattan Yacht Club (myc.org), based at Liberty Harbor Marina in Jersey City, NJ, are looking for experienced sailors to volunteer for their new “Sail Patrol” program. “This concept is borrowed from the ski industry, where experienced skiers volunteer for the Ski Patrol and share good skiing techniques and help skiers if they have problems,” said MYC Commodore Michael Fortenbaugh. “Our club has adopted this concept to sailing.”   Requirements to be part of the…

April 30, 2022 is an important date for many around Essex, Connecticut, a small, picturesque town on the Connecticut River. It marks the return of an – almost – annual event that brings together people from all over Connecticut’s sailing scene. And, it’s for a good cause, to boot. After a two-year hiatus, this charity regatta on the Connecticut River is back with a vengeance. The Gowrie Group Connecticut River One-Design Regatta is an exciting river race…

52nd Newport Bermuda Race starts June 17 By Barry Pickthall for WindCheck It is one of the great classic races. The biennial Newport Bermuda Race, now in its 116th year, was first conceived back in 1906, the same year as the Transpac from San Francisco to Honolulu. Between these two pioneering events, they seeded the other great races around the globe including the biennial Fastnet Race in the UK and the annual Sydney/Hobart classic in Australia, now…

By David Dellenbaugh The goal of your starting tactics is simple – it’s to get yourself into a good position when the race starts. A ‘good position’ is one that allows you to do two main things: 1) Come off the starting line in the front row with speed and clear air; 2) Follow your strategy for the first windward leg. Tactically, your position at the start must consider two factors – the location of the fleet…

Sea Scouts may be the best-kept secret in junior big boat sailing! By Rick Bannerot Basic seamanship frequently starts with learning to tie knots. One of the problems at the heart of junior big boat sailing is that there are so many different metaphorical knots to learn, and even more to try to figure out how to undo, and therein lies the conundrum. The solution to one knot is not always the answer for another, just as…

By Jamie Vaudrey, UConn; Kevin O’Brien, CT DEEP; and Anthony Allen, Save the Sound On January 14, 2022, the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced that a network of state-owned properties in southeastern Connecticut and portions of the surrounding waters was designated as the nation’s 30th National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR). The NERR System is a network of coastal sites across the country designated to protect and study estuarine systems. Established through the Coastal Zone Management…