Cruising with Grandkids What's New at Noroton YC? Racing Roundup
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Sailing the Northeast CruisingCruising withwith GrandkidsGrandkids What’sWhat’s NewNew atat NorotonNoroton YC?YC? RacingRacing RoundupRoundup October 2018 • FREE windcheckmagazine.com MCMICHAEL YACHT BROKERS Experience counts. Mamaroneck, NY 10543 Newport, RI 02840 914-381-5900 401- 619 - 5813 List your boat with McMichael and be part of the Northeast’s largest selection of quality new and brokerage boats Six brokers, three offices and two yards mean McMichael has you covered! Since Since Since Hanse 418 in stock and on display Dehler 38 in stock and on display at the Annapolis Boat Show at the Annapolis Boat Show The MJM 40z Downeast express J/121 on order and on display at cruiser. Stock boat on order the Annapolis Boat Show Discounted winter storage available for brokerage boats! Our display of brokerage yachts is a destination for boat shoppers year round. www.mcmyacht.com publisher's log Back to work (and school)! Sailing the Northeast Issue 180 Phew! It feels like these last two months, August and September, were like a mad scramble to enjoy summer while it lasted. Junior sailing wrapped up, Publisher Benjamin Cesare family vacations happened in August, then the big, season ending or [email protected] championship regattas all went down in September. (And due to that family Publisher Emerita vacation, you may not have been as prepared as you would have liked!) Anne Hannan Cruisers and day sailors were out trying to milk the last few nice weekends [email protected] and evenings before the non-stop string of low pressure systems rolled Editor-at-Large through. For those in the industry who support our passions, they had all Christopher Gill this plus back-to-back-to-back boat shows to deal with. Fortunately this year, [email protected] the weather cooperated for the most part and at the time of this writing, Senior Editor before our friends in Annapolis have theirs, the Newport and Norwalk shows Chris Szepessy had great products, good weather and good attendance. [email protected] In this issue, we cover what went down in this flurry of activity but we Contributing Editor do want to highlight two things. This month’s cover photo, by Rich LaBella, Joe Cooper [email protected] is dedicated to Rob Roden of East Hampton, NY, founder of The Captain’s Guide, who crossed the bar in August. Rob also founded the Antigua and Graphic Design Kerstin Fairbend Barbuda Hamptons Challenge, which is featured on the cover. Rob was very [email protected] proud that this event had the largest prize of any amateur sailing event on the East Coast, and likely anywhere at all. The winning team earns free flights, Contributors Rick Bannerot, Billy Black, Cate Brown, Eileen Campbell, accommodations and a boat to race at Antigua Sailing Week in the spring. Peter Carroll, Chad Corning, Julia Cronin, Kevin Dailey, Sadly, Rob died at his sister’s home in Hampton Bays just a couple of weeks Ivy Dash, Brad Dellenbaugh, David Dellenbaugh, before the event. He was 70 and had been diagnosed with an aggressive form Kara DiCamillo, Adam Eggers, Jake Fish, Wilson Fitt, of cancer just six weeks prior. Rob’s wife Teresa told me right before The John K. Fulweiler, Cynthia Goss, Tom Kenney, Challenge that many people would understand if the event did not happen, Caroline Knowles, Diane Kropfl, Rich LaBella, Lucie Maranda, Dan Nerney, PhotoBoat.com, Vin Pica, but, Teresa said, “Rob will haunt me forever if I don’t pull this off.” Well Captain Kevin Reed, USCG, Will Ricketson, Teresa, family and friends from the Peconic Bay Sailing Association did Michael Rudnick, Bill Sandberg, Meghan Sepe, Alexa Shea, indeed pull it off and our hats go off to them! Quite sure Rob is smiling Alan Staniforth, Stuart Streuli, Walt Suchon, Riley Ulster, and will probably be present as always at Antigua Sailing Week next spring Elizabeth van der Voort, Andrea Watson, Kate Wilson to make sure that this year’s winners, Phil Walters and his team from Lloyd Ad Sales Harbor Yacht Club and Centerport Yacht Club, have a great time. Erica Pagnam The other item to mention here is that last month, I broached the topic [email protected] of the value of the Optimist as a trainer and I promised a full follow up. I Distribution have conducted no less than twenty hours of conversation on this and the Man in Motion, [email protected] feedback, as expected, has been enormous and varied. The Letters section this Rare Sales month gives a sampling. I have probably another twenty hours or more to go WindCheck is published ten times per year. Reproduction of any before being able to fairly frame the discussion for our Community. That will part of this publication is strictly prohibited without prior consent of the members. WindCheck encourages come in the November/December double issue, and it is my hope that folks reader feedback and welcomes editorial on all sides can work towards improving the opportunities for kids in their contributions in the form of stories, anecdotes, own pieces of water. One thing that is abundantly clear is that the challenge photographs, and technical expertise. Copies are available for varies depending on your local conditions. This is a very important topic and free at 1,000+ locations (yacht clubs, marinas, marine retailers, restaurants, sailing events & transportation centers) in the North- we want to do a really full exploration for all to review. So if you have not east. Businesses or organizations wishing to distribute WindCheck weighed in yet, please don’t hesitate! should contact us at (203) 332-7639. While WindCheck is While I wait for your feedback…it’s time to get the InterClub dinghy available free of charge, we will mail your copy each month for an annual mailing fee of $29. fired up before it’s too cold to do the work she needs. (Hey, there’s always a Mail payment to: WindCheck Magazine first time!) 870 Boston Post Road, Darien, CT 06820 See you on the water! Phone: (203) 332-7639 E-mail: [email protected] WindCheck is printed on recycled paper. 4 October 2018 WindCheck Magazine windcheckmagazine.com THE NEW OCEANIS 46.1 READY FOR TOURING AND TESTING CONTACT WILLIS MARINE FOR MORE INFORMATION www.willismarine.com 631-421-3400 Many New & Pre-cruised Beneteau’s On Display! Yacht Sales, Service, Storage, Slips & Moorings contents Publisher’s Log 4 14 Sailing with Grandchildren on the Bras d’Or Lakes Cruising Club of America members Wilson Fitt and his wife Thelma Costello Letters 8 built their 38-foot cutter Christina Grant in their backyard and have sailed her to the Caribbean, Bermuda and Newfoundland. Last summer, they explored Cape Breton’s inland sea with a pair of their grandchildren. Checking In 10 20 What’s New at Noroton Yacht Club? Captain of the Port 24 Founded in 1928, Noroton Yacht Club in Darien, CT has a rich sailing tradi- tion with numerous America’s Cup winners, Olympic medalists, and world Sound Environment 26 and national champions among its members. And as Jim Frayer reports, the club’s enthusiastic membership is looking forward to the next ninety years through the windows of a spectacular new clubhouse. Book Review: Uncharted Waters 28 35 Super-Charged: Overcoming adversity in the Vineyard Race The Boating Barrister 29 Based in Rye, NY, the Young American Sailing Academy is on a mission to develop the next generation of capable American offshore sailors. As attested Calendar 30 by Alexa Shea and Elizabeth van der Voort, two teenage members of the not- for-profit organization’s Level 100 program, this team is prepared to press on regardless of whatever’s thrown their way. The Vineyard Race Aboard Argo 38 40 Racing Roundup The JYRALIS Reunion 39 The 2018 season is winding down, and we have race reports from Long Island Sound, Narragansett Bay, Buzzards Bay, Noyack Bay and Sandy Hook Bay, Up to Speed & Smarts with Dells 50 along with photos from some of the best shooters on the water. 62 On Watch: Sam Crichton Coop’s Corner 52 Growing up in a place where droughts often last for years gave Samantha Crichton a profound appreciation of the preciousness of water. Now residing Brokerage 54 in Newport, RI, this event management consultant is an enthusiastic member of the team that runs one of the most inspiring sailing events in the world. Classifieds 56 On the cover: James Sanders’ Advertisers Index 61 Beneteau 42s7 Team Tonic crosses Steve & Liam Kenny’s J/109 Gossip in this year’s running of a race with the largest amateur sailing prize on the East Coast, the Antigua & Barbuda Hamptons Challenge. © Rich LaBella/RJLaBellaPhotos.com find us on facebook facebook.com/windcheckmagazine Scan to visit our website. 6 October 2018 WindCheck Magazine windcheckmagazine.com LETTERS Whither the Opti? Editor’s note: The following letters were submit- ted in response to the Publisher’s Log in our September issue in which Ben Cesare began a discussion on the nearly universal use of the Op- timist in junior programs by stating, “I think the Optimist stinks as an early trainer.” We’ll have a full article on this topic next month. I agree. I was greatly dismayed when my kids reached a young sailing age, and our yacht club began switching to Optimists from 7’ 11” Dyer Dhows. The Optimist was a tiny tub with no ability for multipurpose use, neither rowing nor motoring. The club expected us to shell out large dollars for this little pram which had no use other than a kiddie trainer. A boat that was supremely uncomfortable for a normal-sized A New England Science & Sailing Opti Team member practices roll adult or father and son (or daughter) to sail together, although tacking in Stonington Harbor.