To the Editor:
The latest change to the MV Derby has not been well received by many, and the voices of a few have changed the derby for the worse. For years, many have asked that Nantucket be taken out of the Derby, which would have been a better solution to the voices of the up-Island community. Yes, some of the big fish have been on the backside of Nantucket, but no one likes spending all the money for gas to get there no matter where you start from. A bigger problem is the boat category is all one, so a 17-foot boat has to compete against the 35-foot boats that win the Derby year after year. With a smaller inbound area, it helps to level the playing field for the unfair advantage the big boats have. A smaller boundary also makes it safer in that you are not tempted to go where the waters are rougher. This decision caught most everyone by surprise with little public comment from the thousands that join every year.
Jim Joyce
Edgartown
