Sunday’s Holmes Hole Sailing Association (HHSA) race was dedicated to Bob Jewitt, who died recently. He was the son of Frank Jewitt, one of the founders of the Holmes Hole Sailing Association, and an avid sailor in his own right. He sailed his O’Day Outlaw, Intuition, for many years, and took over Andiamo II from the legendary Harry Duane. His experience and knowledge made for a big racing advantage whenever he crewed for other members, as he often did.
Bob will be sorely missed, but he would have been grinning ear to ear had he been sailing in Sunday’s race to Robinson’s Hole. The 11.2-mile course was a straight shot after honoring Hewitt at Nun 4 in the harbor. Robinson’s Hole is one of the passages between Vineyard Sound and Buzzards Bay, cutting between Pasque and Naushon Islands. The southwest wind clocked at a sporting 17 mph under cloudless July skies, and the tide was favorable. Pretty close to perfect. It was a pursuit start aimed at having everyone arrive at the finish at about the same time, the handicaps having been applied at the start. Some chose to anchor, have lunch and pass through the Hole and return on the bay side. Either way, a lovely sail home.
Zenith, a Whitbread 45 sailed by Tom Colon in Division A, was first across the finish line at 12:00 sharp, with Sienna in hot pursuit. Sienna is a Catalina 34 skippered by Jerry Goodale. Geoff Gibson’s Hanse 455, Full Circle, crossed third out of five boats.
Roger Becker’s Gloria, a red C&C 24, won the B Division, arriving just 10 minutes after Zenith. Julia Lee, a 21-foot Catboat belonging to Woody Bowman, was second just five minutes later, and Altius, a Stuart Knockabout skippered by Alan Wilson, crossed five minutes after that to grab the third spot out of eight competitors.
The harbor race on the previous Thursday was almost as ideal. Slightly less wind, but a balmy evening. Two Alerion 28s came in first and second of five in the B Division: Tom Westcott’s Tamu (roughly meaning everything wonderful about life, in Swahili) was first, and Jim Dixon’s At Last was second. The sprightly Gloria was third.
Truckin’, a J100 with skipper Zander Meleny at the helm, was first of seven in the A Division. Another J boat, Tango, Phil Hale’s J100, was second, although first across the line, and Starfish, a Sail Martha’s Vineyard Brenda 38, came in third.
HHSA races are held on Thursdays and Sundays. All are welcome. Please consult holmeshole.org for details.
