Artful Dodger from Falmouth took the cup on Thursday evening. Mike Powers’ Tartan 3500 beat Tom Wescott’s Alerion 28 by 2½ minutes on corrected time, and Angelina, another Alerion 28, sailed by John and Lisa Stout, came in third just nine seconds later. Truckin’ was first across the finish. A guest competitor, Shooting Star, an Alerion Express 20, was a most welcome addition to the reverse triangle around the harbor. The refreshing 15-knot southwest breeze made being on the water (if not in the water) the best place to be, after a debilitatingly hot day ashore. The wind was substantial enough to inspire reefing on some boats, sheeting in on others, while the heaviest craft enjoyed keeping up with the breeze. The start was a bit boisterous, and as four Alerion 28s rounded the dreaded East Chop Can 23 A neck and neck, some chaos ensued, but in the end all 12 entries finished within 10 minutes of each other.
The Jewett Bowl race was sailed on Saturday, August 6, under conditions similar to Thursday’s. It was a pursuit start, with Gloria crossing first at 1:00, and the next 10 starting over the following 36 minutes. The scratch (fastest) boat, Apres, started last, the object being a close finish for all, which is exactly how it worked out. Four boats flew spinnakers, which are not used in the regular HHSA races. Gloria held the lead until the last leg heading in from East Chop, where the fleet was greeted with an even stronger wind, and Gloria was overtaken by Alerions Tamu and Penelope, with Apres gaining fast, and Bliss closing the gap. In a tribute to expert handicapping, the finish was as exciting as could be hoped for, with six boats finishing in just over three minutes after a 10.9-mile race. In the end it was Apres, a J 120 sailed by Steve Besse in first, followed by Penelope, Mo Flam’s Alerion 28, and then Bliss, a J 35 skippered by Adam Hayes in third.
Sadly, with gusts up to 30 knots predicted for Sunday, the afternoon race was canceled.
