June 2020

I just took a look at the WindCheck Publisher’s Log that I wrote for our June 2019 issue, which was ironically titled “Change!”. (windcheckmagazine.com/article/change/). Ohhhhh boy…it’s perspective time. The big theme…the big story…the almost controversial topic was…we had decided to go with glossy cover stock for the first time in the magazine’s eighteen-year history. And we got letters, both pro and con! The Publisher of a “sister” publication (actually more like WindCheck’s aunt) commented to the negative…

Sailboat racing in Greenwich, CT has been very popular for many years. Competition is typically casual, particularly mid-week evening racing. As important as the racing is, for many, the social aspect is equally essential. Yacht clubs in Greenwich organize post-race gatherings so competitors can share stories of triumph and defeat. Lately, however, sailboat races have been curtailed. With restrictions hopefully loosening, it’s appropriate to ask if competitive sailing can be done in a way that won’t jeopardize…

Proceeds from the sale of a new book, Huntington Harbor Lighthouse by Antonia S. Mattheou and Nancy Y. Moran, will the help fund the Huntington Lighthouse Preservation Society’s ongoing efforts to restore, preserve and maintain the historic beacon, which is listed in the National Historic Register. “We are honored to have a book published about our beloved lighthouse and its predecessor,” said Pamela Setchell, President of the Huntington Lighthouse Preservation Society. “We are incredibly proud of co-authors…

Due to unforeseen developments, we regretfully announce the cancellation of this year’s edition of the Sail Black Rock/Oakcliff Sailing/WindCheck Youth Essay Contest. The contest had an excellent topic (“Why I Want to Push My Limits and Sail Offshore”) and a truly fantastic prize package through the generosity of Oakcliff Sailing Executive Director Dawn Riley, Storm Trysail Foundation Chairman Rich du Moulin, and our friends at Gill North America. Unfortunately, circumstance has forced our hand and we’ve hoisted…

Our friends at the Storm Trysail Club have announced that the 75th running of their Block Island Race, which had been tentatively bumped from its original starting date of May 22 to June 19, is now postponed until May 28, 2021. “The timing of this decision is driven by a variety of health and safety, logistical, and practical factors,” said Ron Weiss, Chair of the Storm Trysail Club Sponsorship and Communications Committee. “Although nothing is certain in…

Monday, May 11 marked the date for the rollout of “Conversations with Classic Boats,” the website and podcast created by Tom Darling, a longtime WindCheck friend and contributor, featuring a unique look at what Tom calls “classic” boats. “A classic boat doesn’t have to be wood, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be a yacht,” Darling explained. “It could be fiberglass – think of a Dyer Dhow – but everyone agrees that Bolero and Dorade are classics.”…

The recent passing of world-class sailor and boatbuilder Harry Sindle (1929 – 2020) brought to mind the article below, written by Harry about the Buccaneer, an 18-foot daysailer/racer designed in 1966 by Rod Macalpine-Downie and Dick Gibbs. Buccaneers are currently built by Nickels Boat Works in Flint, MI, a company perhaps best known for their excellent Lightnings. Born in Little Falls, NJ, Harry Sindle won major titles in the Lightning, Thistle and Comet classes, and a gold…

By Gust Stringos From Joshua Slocum to Jeanne Socrates to Jessica Watson, from the first Golden Globe Race to the last Vendée Globe, single-handed sailing is a long-established tradition among cruising and racing sailors. The Bermuda 1-2, organized by the Newport Yacht Club and the St. George’s Dinghy & Sports Club, is the premier East Coast race for single-handed sailors. It has been sailed biennially since 1977 and combines a single- handed leg with a double-handed return,…

A specialist in the construction of composite boats, structures and components since 1990, Brandon Linton has worked with many of the world’s foremost yacht designers and engineers. His CV includes the management and construction of two Volvo Open 70s (the Juan Kouyoumdjian-designed Mar Mostro and the Botin/Carkeek-designed Il Mostro for PUMA Ocean Racing); the Verdier/VPLP-designed Comanche, Jim Clarke’s record-smashing 100-footer; the AC50 Magic Blue for Artemis Racing in the 35th edition of the America’s Cup; eleven America’s…

Here’s one way to approach the beginning of a race: Sail around in the starting area long enough to get a good line sight and figure out which end of the line is farther upwind. Start near that end, right on the line with clear air. Then look around to see which side of the course is better, and head that way. I must admit I have started this way more than a few times, but I…