July 2021

I was Sonar racing with a mentor out of Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard in the late eighties. It was a one-day event with fantastic summertime conditions. After the cookout, it was revealed that Mentor had not lined up a place for us to spend the night. Since the forecast called for a big cold front and northwester, it seemed a good idea to beat the rush to the hoist and avoid what promised to be a…

With a pent-up demand for Safety-at-Sea certification for 2022 offshore events, our friends at the Storm Trysail Club are holding a Hands-On Safety-at-Sea Seminar at the New York State Maritime College in the Bronx, NY on October 11, 2021 – Columbus Day. Building on the success of past seminars, this event will follow an interactive curriculum where attendees learn in the water survival, board life rafts, fire distress flares, put out fires, learn damage control, set storm…

By Dave Easterbrooks, NBYA Communications Director     The inaugural Narragansett Bay Yachting Association ‘Round the Bay Regatta – with an innovative and exciting new format – will debut Saturday, July 24. This is the first regatta that starts and finishes in every Narragansett Bay sailor’s backyard! Why travel hours to get to and from the starting area for a race? You won’t have to if you come out for this one. There will be four different starting areas, so…

Our friends at the Storm Trysail Club and Larchmont Yacht Club in Larchmont, NY are pleased to announce that the Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta Presented by ShopRite of Carteret is on for Columbus Day Weekend 2021. The eagerly anticipated return after so many pandemic cancellations is welcomed by the teams, clubs, and volunteers. “There is great interest on the schools’ behalf as much of the college sailing season was canceled last year – including our event,” says IOR…

Building on ten years of philanthropic work in ocean restoration, our friends at 11th Hour Racing have announced $1.92 million in grants, funded by The Schmidt Family Foundation, to support 23 projects in Argentina, Dominican Republic, the U.K., and the U.S.   This round of grantees includes three organizations that are new to 11th Hour Racing: Azul (CA, U.S.), working with the Latinx community and leadership to protect our ocean and coastal communities; Sustainable Coastlines Hawai’i (HI, U.S.), inspiring…

On May 20, 2021 at the Peconic Bay Sailing Association’s annual meeting held at McCall’s Winery in Cutchogue, NY, PBSA donated $4,000 in profits from their Whitebread 27 Regatta to local youth sailing organizations. Pictured from left to right at the awards presentation are PBSA Commodore Dave Kilbride, Kathy Zappola and Jane Babcook representing Breakwater Yacht Club in Sag Harbor, Dan Kuehn representing East End Youth Sailing (high school sailing team), Dana Lehnert representing Old Cove Yacht…

Our friends at Plimoth Patuxet Museums in Plymouth, MA have announced its historic tall ship Mayflower II as a recipient of the 2021 Paul & Niki Tsongas Award by Preservation Massachusetts, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the Commonwealth’s historic and cultural heritage. Since 1988, the Tsongas Award has recognized the people and projects that have displayed the highest level of commitment to historic preservation in the Commonwealth. The accolade highlights Plimoth Patuxet’s successful four-year, multi-million-dollar restoration…

Mystic Seaport Museum in Mystic, CT has appointed Akeia de Barros Gomes, Ph.D., as the Museum’s new senior curator for social maritime histories. De Barros Gomes, a multi-dimensional museum professional and educator, comes to Mystic Seaport Museum from the New Bedford Whaling Museum. “We look forward to welcoming Akeia back to Connecticut and to our Museum,” said Peter Armstrong, president of Mystic Seaport Museum. “She is a key part of an institution-wide reframing of the traditional narratives…

Edson International, a manufacturer of pumps, marine steering systems and marine accessories in New Bedford, MA, has been acquired by marine industry veteran Chip Johns, who previously owned Vanguard Sailboats. Jacob Edson launched the company in 1859 with the invention of the diaphragm pump. The Keene family, with brothers Will and Hank along with father Henry, contributed to the company’s growth. “The Keene family has been at the helm of Edson for over sixty years, and we…

By Dick Holliday Photos by Clay Burkhalter Editor’s note: This article is the sixth in a series we’re publishing throughout 2021, showcasing iconic Herreshoff fleets and their owners as important stewards of Herreshoff boats, originals and replicas alike. Our friends at the Herreshoff Marine Museum in Bristol, Rhode Island are celebrating their Golden Jubilee year – the 50th anniversary of the museum’s founding, and WindCheck is honored to be the official Jubilee Media Partner. The Herreshoff Marine Museum is…