2019 New England Solo/Twin Championships at Newport Yacht Club
by J/Boats 5 Aug 2019 16:39 BST
26-27 July 2019
2019 New England Solo/Twin Championships © Alyce Croasdale
Newport Yacht Club held their annual New England Solo-Twin Race, on Friday, July 26th. The Newport YC PRO wisely shortened course quite dramatically for the fleet, as the prognostication for breeze was depressing, at best! SE swinging SW 3-8 kts max offshore.
Course C (77.2nm long) was picked in the hopes most of the fleet would finish within 24 hours! Even then, the fastest boats covered the course in just over 13 hours, fighting the notorious currents swirling around Block Island and Rhode Island Sound- that's a 6.0 kts average for the fastest boat!
The fleet started off in absolutely idyllic weather conditions- ESE breeze of 6-10 kts, sunny, cloudless sky. The sailors were treated to music wafting across the harbor from the Newport Folk Festival that was "live" at the end of Fort Adams. Several J/Crews participated in the doublehanded divisions. In PHRF 1 Spin class, David Southwell's J/121 Alchemy won the First-to-Finish Award and on handicap took 2nd in class. The J/121 was the fastest elapsed time at 12:58:25.
In the PHRF 2 Spinnaker class, Paul Grimes' J/35 Breakaway took the silver while Bill Kneller's J/109 Vento Solare won the bronze. Taking fourth was Kevin Dakan's J/110 Memory. The J/35 was 2nd overall and the J/109 4th overall.
More New England Solo-Twin Race sailing information here.