Please select your home edition
Edition
Switch One Design

Storm Trysail Club's 69th Block Island Race

by Kirsten Ferguson 29 May 2014 07:37 BST 23-25 May 2014
(l to r) George David, Storm Trysail Club's Nick Langone, Wendy David. The David's 90' Rambler competed for its eighth consecutive year in the Storm Trysail Club Block Island Race, where it was first-to-finish and won IRC in class and overall © Storm Trysail Club

Rambler first in IRC fleet; Young American Juniors Take First Overall

The 69th Storm Trysail Club Block Island Race, which started on the Friday (May 23) of Memorial Day Weekend, attracted - coincidentally enough - 69 boats and saw George David's (Hartford, Conn.) Reichel Pugh 90 Rambler as the first to finish early Saturday morning after some 17 hours and change of racing. Rambler last year smashed the record for the 186 nautical mile race (from The Cows off Stamford, Conn., down Long Island Sound, around Block Island, R.I. and back to Stamford, finishing just inside the breakwaters) by finishing it in 13 hours, 15 minutes and 55 seconds, but this year's performance will still be a favorite for David, whose haul of silver represented not only the best elapsed time in IRC Fleet (Governor's Race West Trophy) but also best corrected time in IRC Fleet (William Tripp Jr. Memorial Trophy) and a class victory (IRC 6).

"Never in our lives have we had the max ebb with us and the same for the flood on the return," said David, referencing the notoriously difficult currents that are typically encountered at "The Race" and "Plum Gut," two passage choices for exiting and re-entering Long Island Sound. "This actually works, given an expected five or six hours for the trip around Block from the Race/Gut exit to the same gate on the way back. More typically what happens is we have the flood on the nose on the way out and same for the ebb on the way back. Looks like we get it right every 20 years or so, which is about how many Block Island races I have done."

The polar opposite of David's veteran race team was Young American, the J/105 that won PHRF 1 and represented American Yacht Club with its junior team aboard. According to the team's coordinator and solitary adult crew member Peter Becker (Rye, N.Y.), the seven Young American juniors are part of the club's junior big boat program, which sees 35 kids between the ages of 14 and 17 "spending a huge amount of time on the water learning sailing and seamanship skills."

"Beating out the Sound, we were underpowered, and there was a funny sea wave," said Becker, "but they magically called a couple of shifts, got inside some big lifts and were in good company. The biggest problem was the big boats, which were in better wind and better current, while the smaller boats had the current turn on them. Coming back we were in foul current, which was not enjoyable at all."

Finishing around 4 a.m. on Sunday, the Young American team thought they had done horribly but soon learned they were first in PHRF Class 1 and third overall. The team also won the Harvey Conover Memorial Overall Trophy, "awarded to the boat that has won her class and, in the judgment of the Flag Officers and Race Committee, had the best overall performance." Peter Becker's son, Key Becker, who was one of three designated skippers onboard, summed up the experience by saying, "It was pretty light, but instead of getting frustrated, we held it together, worked as a team, shared our ideas and made it work."

Competing were six classes for IRC (including one for Doublehanders), four for PHRF and one for One-Design (J/44).

The Block Island Race, hosted by Storm Trysail Club and Stamford Yacht Club, was first held in 1946 and is a qualifier for the North Ocean Racing Trophy (IRC), the Double Handed Ocean Racing Trophy (IRC), the New England Lighthouse Series (PHRF), and the Gulf Stream Series (IRC). The Block Island Race is also a qualifier for the Caper, Sagola, and Windigo trophies awarded by the YRA of Long Island Sound and the 'Tuna" Trophy for the best combined IRC scores in the Edlu (40%) and the Block Island Race (60%).

For more information on the Storm Trysail Club Block Island Race, visit www.stormtrysail.org or contact The Storm Trysail Club (914) 834-8857.

Storm Trysail Club 68th Block Island Race Results:

IRC 1 Doublehanded (12 Boats)
1. Lora Ann, Express 37, Richard Du Moulin, Larchmont, NY, USA
2. Paladin, J 35, Jason Richter, Copiague, NY, USA
3. Eagles Dare, J 111, Mike Piper, Marblehead, MA, USA

IRC 2 (6 Boats)
1. Carina, Custom 48 ', Rives Potts, Westbrook, CT, USA
2. Dreamcatcher, Swan 48, Stephen Kylander, Hingham, MA, USA
3. Cygnette, Swan 441, William Mayer, Greenwich, CT, USA

IRC 3 (8 Boats)
1. Valkyrie, Beneteau First 44.7, Drew Chapman, New York, NY, USA
2. Old School, Farr 395, Ganson Evans, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, USA
3. Lucy Georgina, xP44, Peter Bacon, Noank, CT, USA

J 44 (4 Boats)
1. Beagle, J 44, Philip Gutin, New York, NY, USA
2. Honahlee, J 44, HL DeVore, Larchmont, NY, USA
3. Vamp, J 44, Leonard Sitar, Holmdel, NJ, USA

IRC 4 (6 Boats)
1. Lir, Swan 45, John McNamara, Darien, CT, USA
2. Entropy, Tripp 41, Patricia Young, Jamestown, RI, USA
3. King Daddy, Swan 56, Devin McGranahan, Jamestown, RI, USA

IRC 5 (6 Boats)
1. Bombardino, Santa Cruz 52, James Sykes, New York, NY, USA
2. Gracie, McCurdy 69, Clarke Murphy, New York, NY, USA
3. Temptation - Oakcliff, Ker 50, Art Santry, Oyster Bay, NY, USA

IRC 6 (4 Boats)
1. Rambler, RP 90, George David, Farmington, CT, USA
2. Rima2, RP 55, John Bri, Palm Beach, FL, USA
3. Terrapin, Andrews 70, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Buzzards Bay, MA, USA

PHRF 1 (8 Boats)
1. Young American, J 105, AYC Jr. Big Boat Team c/o Peter Becker, Rye, NY, USA
2. Audacious, Frers 33, Robert Farnum, Oxford, CT, USA
3. GADZOOKS, C&C 38, Geoffrey Beringer, Darien, CT, USA

PHRF 2 (8 Boats)
1. Spectre, Tripp 40, Brian Prinz, East Haven, CT, USA
2. Weegie, Columbia 32, Richard Fleischman, Setauket, NY, USA
3. threebeans, Santa Cruz 37, Christopher Rosow, Southport, CT, USA

PHRF 3 (4 Boats)
1. Oakcliff Sailing Farr 47, Farr 47, Oakcliff Sailing, Oyster Bay, NY, USA
2. Hermie Louise, Little Harbor 78, Gerald Harris, Palm Beach, FL, USA
3. Trailblazer, Swan 45, Brian Finn, New York, NY, USA

PHRF PI (3 Boats)
1. ARGO, Catalina 400, Boris Keselman, Brooklyn, NY, USA
2. Inisharon, F&C 44, Jim Murphy, Rye, NY, USA
3. Yumi II, Beneteau 411, Yuji Sugimoto, Stamford, CT, USA - DNF

Overall Trophies

George Lauder Trophy - Best performance by a Vintage boat (15 years old +)
Carina, Rives Potts

Commodore's Grail Trophy - Best corrected time in IRC below 1.08
Argo, Boris Kesselman

Governor's Race West Trophy - Best elapsed time in the IRC Fleet
Rambler, George David

William Tripp Jr. Memorial Trophy - Best corrected time in the IRC Fleet
Rambler, George David

Terrapin Trophy - Best corrected time – PHRF
Oakcliff Farr 47, Oakcliff Sailing

Governor's Race East Trophy - Best elapsed time – PHRF
Oakcliff Farr 47, Oakcliff Sailing

Gerold Abels Trophy - Best Performance Double-Handed
Lora Ann, Rich DuMoulin/Chris Reyling

Roddie Williams Team Race Trophy
Storm Trysail Red, Bombardino / Lora Ann / Vamp

Tuna Trophy - for the best IRC combined scores in the Edlu (40%) and the BI Race (60%)
Beagle, Phil Gutin

Commodore's Trophy - To the boat that has won her class and has beaten the 2nd and 3rd place boat by the greatest margin of time.
Valkyrie, Drew Chapman

Harvey Conover Memorial Overall Trophy - Awarded to the boat that has won her class and, in the judgment of the Flag Officers and Race Committee, had the best overall performance.
Young American, American Yacht Club Juniors

About the Storm Trysail Club

The Storm Trysail Club, reflecting in its name the sail to which sailors must shorten when facing severe adverse conditions, is one of the world's most respected sailing clubs, with its membership comprised strictly of skilled blue water and ocean racing sailors. In addition to hosting Block Island Race Week in odd-numbered years, the club holds various prestigious offshore racing events (among them the annual Fort Lauderdale to Key West Race and the Pineapple Cup Montego Bay Race); annual junior safety-at-sea seminars; and the Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta for college sailors using big boats.

For more information on the Storm Trysail Club and its events, including the Block Island Race, visit the official website www.stormtrysail.org.

Related Articles

Transatlantic Race 2025 Preview
A North Atlantic adventure like no other The Transatlantic Race 2025 from the East Coast of the United States to the shores of the United Kingdom stands as one of sailing's most time-honored and demanding challenges. Posted on 25 Apr
World-class safety training for all sailors
During Annual Safety-at-Sea Seminar at the USNA In the aftermath of the deadly 1979 Fastnet Race, a safety program for Midshipmen conceived at the United States Naval Academy soon developed into a nationwide initiative as the safety training standard for offshore sailboat racers. Posted on 6 Mar
SORC Ft Lauderdale to Key West Race
Several J/Teams participated in the race and collected a roomful of silverware! This past week, the Storm Trysail Club hosted the renowned Fort Lauderdale to Key West Race, covering a distance of 160.0 nautical miles around the Florida Keys. Posted on 17 Jan
Storm Trysail Club to host ORC North Americans
During 31st Block Island Race Week The Storm Trysail Club is excited to announce that the Offshore Racing Congress (ORC) 2025 North American Championship will be hosted as part of the 31st Block Island Race Week (BIRW), set to take place June 21-27, 2025. Posted on 9 Jan
ORC 2, Dark Storm and Ken Comerford
The 2023 edition of the Annapolis-to-Newport Race was special for Ken Comerford The 2023 edition of the Annapolis-to-Newport Race was special for Ken Comerford, a veteran offshore sailor with thousands of blue water miles under his belt. Posted on 11 Dec 2024
Baxter family tradition continues
Generations on the water at Block Island Race Week XXXI With 66 entries and counting, the 31st Block Island Race Week is shaping up to be a fantastic event. Among the names on the Scratch Sheet, one stands out as a link to the regatta's earliest days: the Baxter family. Posted on 17 Nov 2024
Get to know Block Island Race Week
In Person (Larchmont Oct 30) or Online (Zoom Oct 24) Join us in Larchmont on October 30th or online on October 24th to see why 50 boats have already registered for the best sailing week of the year! Posted on 23 Oct 2024
Learn more about Block Island Race Week
Zoom Seminar being held on Thursday, October 24th Is Block Island Race Week on your bucket list? Or do you know someone who should bring their boat? We want to invite you and your sailing buddies to learn more about this incredible event as we gear up for its 60th birthday! Posted on 20 Oct 2024
Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta 2024 overall
313 sailors representing 41 schools took part Webb Institute and College of Charleston Take Top Honors Among 41 Schools at 2024 Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta Hosted by Storm Trysail Club and Larchmont Yacht Club. Posted on 14 Oct 2024
Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta 2024 preview
The event will see 41 schools from 19 U.S. states and 3 Canadian provinces come together This weekend, October 12-13, the Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta (IOR) will take place at Larchmont Yacht Club, co-hosted by Storm Trysail Club. Posted on 10 Oct 2024