Racing

A reluctant frostbiter at first, the author learned the sport is a winter-long training camp for both body and mind. Story & photos by Blaine Davis     It’s November, and the boatyard is alive with activity. Boats are being hauled out and power washed while the low hiss of a blowtorch punctuates the air. In the back lot, yard workers shout to each other as they maneuver a keelboat into its winter parking spot. My boat,…

Registration is now open for the 40th biennial Marblehead to Halifax Ocean Race, which will leave Marblehead Harbor on Sunday, July 6, 2025. First started in 1905, it is the oldest ocean race in North America. The 361-nautical mile race is sponsored by the Boston Yacht Club and the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron.   A World Sailing Category 2 event, the race is open to all yachts meeting the Offshore Safety Regulations (OSR) requirements published in…

The Bitter Ender Race, co-hosted by Larchmont Yacht Club and Storm Trysail Club on Saturday, October 19, was aptly named for most years. Mid-October conditions on Long Island Sound tend to be chilly and windy (the Bitter reference) and this is the last major Long Island Sound race of the season (the Ender). This year’s race retained its Ender status, but conditions were far from Bitter. In that this was only the second running of the Bitter…

The 2024 Classic Yacht Challenge Series (CYCS) concluded in spectacular fashion, with participation and competition reaching new heights. Spanning fourteen regattas and twenty-eight races, a total of 231 boats competed—representing growth in every way from 2023. The Classic Yacht Owners Association (CYOA) continues to foster the excitement and camaraderie that brings together vintage and modern classic yachts across districts.   “We’re thrilled to see participation grow in every way this year,” said CYOA President Timmy Dittrich. “In the future,…

Chad Corning recounts another ocean race aboard Jason Carroll’s MOD 70 trimaran.   After a successful Caribbean 600, it was time to get Argo east, way east to the Greek port of Lavrion. A 5,000+ nm trip through the North Atlantic and Med in the early spring was deemed risky, so we decided to ship Argo overseas on the deck of a bulk freighter. Having done it many times before, the process went smoothly. Hoist the boat with the ship’s crane, hover over the cradles,…

6 Metre Pre-Worlds a preamble to the 2025 Worlds By Tom Darling, Conversations with Classic Boats Photos by Peter D. Taylor When I heard that an iconic meter boat collection was coming to Oyster Bay, New York, the historical hub of 6 Metre sailing in the U.S., I was all ears. Earlier articles about on the development and growth of the International Six Meter (Metre) yacht appeared on these pages in 2021 and ’23; online at windcheckmagazine.com/article/a-century-of-sixes/…

By Dave Hemenway   The 2024 Thames River Finn Championship was held on Saturday, October 5 at the Thames Yacht Club (TYC) in New London, CT. While the weather forecast was for mild winds in the 5 to 8 mph range, the actual conditions were even better with a fresh breeze of 10 to 15 mph – perfect for a bunch of mature sailors racing former Olympic class singlehanders that were built half a century or more…

By Kate Somers, risingT Photos by Stephen R Cloutier @BlockIslandSteve The 2024 Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta presented by ShopRite of Carteret (IOR), co-hosted by Storm Trysail Club and Larchmont Yacht Club in Larchmont, NY, concluded October 13 after two days of intense racing on Long Island Sound. The event saw participation by an impressive 326 sailors representing forty-one schools, spanning nineteen U.S. states and three Canadian provinces. With six divisions competing, each completed six or seven races, showcasing the…

Race starts June 20, now has a PHRF class The Marion Bermuda Race prides itself of staying abreast of offshore racing, making changes to enhance the experience for all competitors, and the 2025 edition will be no different. The race has added a PHRF class, so now there’s a choice between ORR and PHRF. There are only two Category 1 ocean races on the East Coast that offer a PHRF class, and Marion Bermuda’s the older and larger…

By Michael Rudnick, Regatta Co-chair Noroton Yacht Club won the 25th Annual Kirby Cup Team Race Championship in a tie breaking final sail-off with New York Yacht Club. The racing, hosted by Noroton Yacht Club in Darien, CT September 27-29, was very tight amongst teams representing the host club NYC, New York Yacht Club, Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club and Larchmont Yacht Club, with many college alumni on the racetrack battling it out for the top spot. Noroton…