Moderate breeze, classic cannons mark second day of Vineyard Cup

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With more than 60 boats competing, there was plenty of close racing in the Vineyard Cup regatta. — Photo by Steve Myrick

Steady southwesterly breezes of 12 to 13 knots pushed the Vineyard Cup fleet around a 19-mile course across Vineyard Sound, back to a buoy off Edgartown Harbor, and finally back to Vineyard Haven Harbor, on the second day of the regatta. More than 60 boats competed Saturday.

On the last leg of the race, just before rounding the final mark before the finish, shifting breezes confounded many of the sailors. At one point, much of the fleet was nearly becalmed off East Chop, until the wind freshened, and the boat crews made a mad dash for the finish line just off Eastville Beach.

At about 10 am, many of the Island’s classic wooden vessels formed a parade of sail along a course around Vineyard Haven Harbor with flags flying and cannons roaring, to the delight of shoreside spectators.

Race officials plan to post preliminary results from the first two days of racing on the Vineyard Cup website Saturday evening.