November - December 2019

OK, call me whatever but this month’s cover shot looks chilly! People love to complain about how we don’t have a spring anymore. “Goes from cold to 90s overnight!” is the refrain. Well first of all, I don’t think that’s true. We have lovely springs of 45-65 degrees with a fair amount of rain…that’s what spring is supposed to be! Seventy is a bonus, and 75-degree days mean you are late in getting the boat in the…

Our friends at the Fairfield Theatre Company (FTC), a non-profit center for the arts and culture in Fairfield, CT, are hosting a special screening of Maiden, the award-winning documentary about the first all-women team to enter the Whitbread Round the World Race, on Wednesday, November 20.   Directed by Alex Holmes, Maiden is the story of how Tracy Edwards, a 24-year-old cook in charter boats, became the skipper of the first ever all-female crew to enter the Whitbread, in 1989….

  Safe Harbor Marinas, LLC, headquartered in Dallas, TX, has acquired Newport Shipyard in Newport, RI and increased its portfolio of assets to 85 facilities across 19 states in the USA. The addition of Newport Shipyard is part of the company’s ongoing strategic expansion and diversification of its holdings. The company owns and operates North America’s premier network of marinas. “We’re so pleased to add Newport Shipyard to our portfolio,” said Jason Hogg, Senior Vice President of…

Henri-Lloyd, one of the oldest and most respected marine clothing brands in the world, has chosen Atlantic Marketing Company, headquartered in Stonington, CT, to represent the company’s technical marine products in the United States and Canada. “Henri-Lloyd is widely recognized as one of the most trusted and strongest brands in the world,” said Atlantic Marketing President, Brandon Flack. “It’s a unique opportunity to be part of such an iconic company at a time when they are redefining technical outerwear in…

Every year between November 1st and December 31st, Gowrie Group, a prominent specialty insurance agency, challenges their local community of businesses and friends to team together to raise money to benefit The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries (SSKP). This year, Gowrie Group has set an ambitious goal of raising $175,000 for the SSKP through their annual challenge. Since the Gowrie Challenge began 15 years ago, this effort has raised more than $1,650,000 to benefit the SSKP. Donations…

Stamford Yacht Club in Stamford, CT hosted US Sailing’s 45th Annual Championship of Champions on October 4 – 6. The regatta, for which competitors must qualify by winning a National or North American one-design class championship, was sailed in Ideal 18s in three days of big wind (gusts over 30) on Long Island Sound. RS Aero North American Champion Dalton Bergan and crew Ben Glass (both hailing from Seattle, WA) established a dominant lead early on, winning…

Noroton Yacht Club in Darien, CT hosted the 2019 Kirby Cup Team Race on the weekend of October 5 & 6. With champagne conditions and many of the top team racers in the country doing battle in Sonars, the regatta was an amazing boat handing skills, attacks, defenses and general mayhem, with hardly a clatter of fiberglass and nothing busted in two days of playing chicken on Long Island Sound. After a perfect southerly that built to…

By Stuart Streuli They won the first race and the last race, and the inaugural Melges IC37 National Championship, which was hosted by the New York Yacht Club at their Harbour Court clubhouse in Newport, RI September 27 – 29. But it was far from a routine regatta victory for the crew of the Members Only syndicate, which is led by NYYC members Jay Cross, Ben Kinney and Hannah Swett. Of course, nothing good ever comes easy…

  “Long Island Sound sailing conditions were spectacular!” said AYC Sailing Director Kevin Broome. “Everyone, including sailors, Race Committee, and support boats worked hard. Our wind ended up being a little stronger than the forecast each day. Warm weather, wind, and some waves were enjoyed by everyone, and it was a great weekend all the way around!” John Sommi’s Cloud9 (Darien, CT) highlighted the 11-boat J/88 class with a sensational two weekends of racing, posting seven bullets in a row…

  It’s critical to have a good strategic plan for the windward leg because that is usually where the fleet gets farthest apart. When boats are on opposite sides of the beat, their separation can be huge, and even a small change in wind direction, pressure or current can have a huge impact on the fleet standings. Of course, if the conditions never change you don’t have to worry about strategy. In that case, the race will…