August 2019

Well, it was only mid-July when I wrote this, and there had already been an epic amount of ‘big boat’ racing and other events in the Northeast. Annuals like the Block Island Race, then Marion Bermuda, followed by a very well promoted and executed Block Island Race Week (as we all should be aware by now…Presented by Margaritaville!), then Larchmont Race Week #121, then the Sail Newport Regatta followed by the 175th Anniversary Regatta by New York…

Breathing new life into a vintage regatta I have been a member of the Storm Trysail Club since 1980 and have sailed in upwards of 20 Block Island Race Weeks. As I’ve grown up in sailing – and the STC – I’ve watched and experienced the evolution of BIRW: the size, caliber, and enthusiasm of the people attending. Up until just a few years ago, BIRW was sponsored by a luxury timepiece manufacturer and, for those years,…

The “North American Rally to the Caribbean” (NARC), which is free for participants to join, will celebrate its 20th Anniversary in 2019 when it once again brings together boats on their annual pilgrimage south to the Caribbean from the U.S. East Coast, organizing socials, discounts and shared weather routing. Scheduled for October 26 (or the best weather window near that date), the 20th Anniversary NARC Rally will offer departures from the longstanding participating port of Newport, RI…

We are running a contest for the best food to eat while cruising and distance racing as will be considered as well! The point is food on the boat; not ashore at a fancy or divey favorite destination eatery with boat drinks. I’ll provide an example. When we were kids, cruising with my parents on the Menemsha 24, one of the cocktail hour favorites was Vienna sausages. I’m talking about those nasty, semi-firm, two inch long sausages…

By Barby MacGowan, Media Pro International It couldn’t have been any more exciting on the fifth and final day of the 2019 12 Metre World Championship, hosted by Ida Lewis Yacht Club, organized by the International Twelve Metre Association’s (ITMA) Americas Fleet, and sailed in the waters off Newport, RI July 8 – 13.   With Nyala (US-12; Arezzo, ITA) having clinched her series early in the Vintage Division after a sweep of the penultimate day’s two races, it came down to a…

By Bill Wagner Legendary musician Jimmy Buffett made a surprise appearance at the final awards party for Block Island Race Week presented by Margaritaville, on Friday, June 28. Buffett took the stage to address the huge gathering of sailors enjoying Margaritaville margaritas and LandShark lager and expressed total enthusiasm for the regatta his lifestyle company sponsored this year.   “I think Margaritaville is Block Island right now,” said Buffett, who performed an impromptu concert to cap off…

By Talbot Wilson The 2019 Marion Bermuda Race is in the books. Thirty-nine Founders Division entries and two Classic Division boats lined up for their starts in Buzzards Bay on Friday, June 14. One of the classics failed to start, but sailed with the fleet heading south in Buzzards Bay for the finish in Bermuda and the hospitality of the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club.   The race started with a gusty beat out of Buzzards Bay….

By David Dellenbaugh If you want your mark roundings to be quick and safe, there are certain strategies that work almost every time. For example, you should round each mark close enough that you could reach out and touch it. You should locate the next mark visually before you round this one. And you should definitely develop a strategic plan for the next leg before you round any mark. One reason why it’s important to follow rules…

Our friends at Manuka Sports Event Management, a Newport, RI-based sports event asset and management company specializing in marine events and environmental sustainability, and 5 Oceans Sports Marketing, a firm specializing in offshore and grand prix yacht racing headquartered in London, England, have announced the beginning of a new era in Class40 racing: The Race Around. A double-handed ‘round-the-world race with the full endorsement of Class40, The Race Around is designed for teams looking for a competitive challenge that will take them…

Many WindCheck readers know Ole Nielsen as the founder and president of Destino Yachts in Branford, Connecticut, and the builder of the loveliest mahogany runabout we’ve ever seen. Our Editor-in-Chief interviewed Ole for the ‘On Watch’ page a few years ago, as the Destino 20 was nearing completion. Upon returning from the workshop he exclaimed, “It’s a nice as a Riva – possibly even nicer – and it’s handcrafted in the USA…wish I could afford it!” The…