Fickle breezes

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From left: Penelope, Altius, Heimkehr, and At Last. — Lisa Stout

Thursday, August 15, served up a focused and energetic 12- to 15-mph ENE wind that brought most of the 14 sailors around the scalene triangle of the harbor course in under 40 minutes. Tyche, one of the few remaining Vineyard 15s, was skippered by Bow Van Riper, and took the top spot in the B Division on corrected time. An Alerion 28, Angelina, sailed by John and Lisa Stout, came in second, and Alan Wilson’s Stuart Knockabout, Altius, was third. 

Taking advantage of the good breeze, Mike Powers sailed his Tartan 3500, Artful Dodger, over from Falmouth for the race, and came in third in the A Division. Second place was taken by Sienna, a Catalina 34 owned and sailed by Jerry Goodale. David McDonough drove Trinity, his C&C 37, into the winner’s circle.

Like suitors following the belle of the ball, 13 boats trailed around the harbor on Sunday behind the Vigilant as she tried to figure out the wind direction and therefore the start line. The race was postponed for 20 minutes until the light breeze settled briefly in the north. What wind there was flitted around the compass, at times disappearing entirely. Nevertheless, everyone completed the 3.2-mile course, the same one as Thursday in reverse, but even the winner and fastest competitor took over an hour in elapsed time to do so. That winner in the A Division was Steve Besse sailing Apres, his J 120. Two more J Boats followed: Escape, Tom and Laurie Welsh’s J 100, was second, and Phil Hale placed third at the helm of Tango, also a J100.

The top three finishers in the B Division were Alerion 28s. Mead Wyman’s Heimkehr was third, and Providence, belonging to Stuart Halpert, came in second, within a minute of the winner, Tom Wescott’s Tamu, in both elapsed and corrected time. A close finish after a frustrating afternoon.

Sept. 7 is fast approaching. That is the 2019 date of the annual George Moffett Race, always an exciting day. For more information about registering, visit holmeshole.org.