It was another week of contrasts to finish up the official season for the Holmes Hole Sailing Association. Thursday’s race was eventually canceled due to lack of wind, but not before many hardy souls had floated aimlessly until almost dark in the forlorn hope that some sort of breeze would materialize. With help from the VHYC launch and those sailors with motors, all boats were made safe on moorings, including the Herreshoffs. Some were a little peckish at the last.
Sunday served up a final helping of ideal sailing weather. With temperatures in the low 70s, clear skies, sparkling waters, a 12- to 15-mph west-southwest breeze, the conditions were just right for the 10-mile triangle across the sound, a windward leg of a mile and a half, and then home. Although most of the sail was a reach, some wind shifts and gusts kept it interesting as well as beautiful. The shortest elapsed time was 1 hour, 46 minutes (Silhouette), and the longest was 2 hours, 6 minutes (Gloria), so everyone of every size was moving right along.
In the end, a new member of the 2020 fleet, Kintail, an Etchells sailed by Clayton Henke, took the coffee cup (again). In second place was the C&C 37, Trinity, skippered by David McDonough, who has had an excellent year as well. And Frank Sutula brought his Hanse 335, Soma Holiday, into the third spot.
The Holmes Hole Season Awards will be presented at the Moffett Awards presentation on Saturday at around 5:30 on the Vineyard Haven Yacht Club beach (bring your own refreshments this year). However sad it is to have the summer season over, postseason racing will be announced soon, and is expected to be well attended this fall, as people linger on our lovely Island rather than face the perils of the mainland. Consult holmeshole.org for details.
