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110 Class Atlantic Coast Championship, Ida Lewis Yacht Club, Newport, RI  August 8-9 2009

 

 It’s always terrific fun racing 110s in Newport.  There’s just so much cool stuff going on, as much off the water as on.   Much thanks to Jeff Adam and the Ida Lewis YC for conducting a superb regatta at the perfect venue for sailing the 110 Atlantics 2009. 

 

After rigging #4 at Ft Adams, Murph and I began the weekend at Newport National Golf Club for a late Friday evening links round followed by a scrumptious dinner, tasty ice cream cones, and highly enjoyable sightseeing along Thames Street.   Doesn’t get better, right?  Well, the next morning we launched and made our way out toward the race area crooning to the live music of the Newport Jazz Festival carrying clear across Newport harbor and beyond from Ft. Adams Point.    There were hundreds of crowded concert going spectator yachts anchored close together all around, many of which were extremely well appointed…gotta love Newport.   Nevertheless, we eventually found our way out to the starting area, concert tunes still blaring in the background. 

 

Saturday, Aug 8^th:

Initially, the air was light and shifty.  the first race attempt started in sort of a westerly and then every which way.  There were times I was sailing in the same direction as Screaming Pelican or Wild Thing, but on opposite tacks.  Thankfully, the race was abandoned after a fairly steady 8-10 knot southerly breeze finally blew in, turning the race into a parade.   Jeff Adam with crew Ben Craig, sailing #687 for the first time this year, would have won the race if not abandoned.    However, it was a good indication of what was to come. 

 

2009 International 110 Class District One Championship Regatta

 

              It was great to get back to Hull, MA.  A weekend of fierce competition against some of the top racing teams in the country.  As usual, racing a 110 is like going to a knife fight!  There were a total of seven boats competing for the impressive, Francis E. Charles, trophy.  Four of these boats placed top four at last years National Championship in Hull.  The trophy is forty-seven years old this year.  Looking back at some past winners, I noticed some familiar names.  Norm Cressy  won in 1964 & 1965; Jack Slattery in 1978, 1990 & 1991; Anna Longstaff & Oakley Jones in 2001; Various members of the Craig family have won it five times over the last twenty years.  Mark Van Note and I won on my other boat,  #631, U.S. Blues, in 2005.  Steve Clancy has been holding this trophy hostage for three years with some vary impressive boat handling skills.  It appeared as if  he would continue racking up engraving bills until the last run in the last race. Tensions were high.

Just take a look at this photogenic bunch, fresh off some great sailing in Newport at the 110 Atlantics.  Whilst the rest of Newport was snoozing away to the likes of Tony Bennett on shore at Jazz Fest, these 110 sailors were competing for the honor and glory of being 110 Atlantic champions.  Steve Clancy and John Murphy took the event, despite some impressive speed shown by Jeff Adam.  Writeup and results to follow once Steve sends them along...