Melges IC37 Class at the New York Yacht Club 175th Anniversary Regatta - Day 4
by Melges Performance Sailboats 19 Jul 06:27 BST
15-20 July 2019
New York Yacht Club 175th Anniversary Regatta 2019 © Melges Performance Sailboats
After a relaxing lay-day, Melges IC37 sailors hit the water this afternoon for some wet and wild racing on Day 4 of the New York Yacht Club 175th Anniversary Regatta. Races 6 and 7 were contested by the 21 boat fleet in the rain and a shifty, 6-10 knot northeasterly breeze driven by weather systems moving through New England. A little rain didn't rattle the Melges IC37 Class members one bit — they race for the love of the sport in any weather!
The fleet was postponed once again this morning due to a lack of breeze and remained onshore until 11:00am EDT. Fully geared up, and anticipating a sporty day on the water, the Melges IC37 sailors docked off and motored out to the race course.
Today's conditions issued a test in skill and strategy that shook up the scoreboard. Teams Qubit, helmed by Chris Lewis, and Foreign Affair, helmed by William Edwards, climbed the leaderboard into first and second place overall after mastering consistency and fleet management around the course.
When asked about their strategy for success, Qubit skipper Chris Lewis noted consistency and avoiding major dips in their scoreline. "We've been gradually working on our boat handling and improving as a team through the season. Things have been coming together, so we feel like we're now able to be more consistent. In this really competitive fleet that seems to be working out for us."
Crew member Alec Snyder added that "every boat is still working different modes in different conditions. But it seems that those who can switch gears the best and limit mistakes are those who are consistently in the top 10."
The IC37 by Melges was designed to level the playing field to test preparation, skill, and teamwork.
"Chris and Karen Lewis have jumped into this new fleet with both feet and have put a tremendous amount of effort in their team allowing everyone to grow," Snyder said with admiration. "Working as a unit is as important as boat speed."
Once they dried down and packed up the boats, the soggy sailors headed to the New York Yacht Club for the post-racing social, gear and all.
For more results and event information, visit nyyc.org/175th-anniversary-regatta