Larchmonters Shine at Block Island

Race Week XXIII

June 22-26, 2009

Block Island, RI

   “Start of IRC 35 Class, Lora Ann mid-line, Troubador at the pin.” 

     Photo by Dan Nerney]

 

 Storm Trysail Club’s XXIII Block Island Race Week, presented by Rolex, was a great success despite fears that the economy might reduce entries.  The fleet of 153 boats and 1500 sailors ranged from one design and PHRF boats to high-end IRC racers. LYC has a long tradition at Race Week.  The Storm Trysail Club’s Race Week founders were also LYC members, including Paul Hoffmann, Arthur Wullschleger and Vincent Monte-Sano.  This year Larchmont was represented by Carl Olsson’s J/105 Morning Glory, Roger Widmann’s Club Swan 42 Quintessence, Bill Baxter’s Abbott 33 Pirate, and Rich du Moulin’s Express 37 Lora Ann.    

Day One dawned with a 25-30 knot northeaster. Rather than risking mayhem with short-course windward-leewards, the Committee called for the Around-the-Island Race.  153 yachts beat from the start to the bell “1BI” off the north end, sailing into 4-6 foot lumpy seas.  Rounding 1BI onto a broad reach, most boats set chutes. There were spinouts, donuts, knockdowns, and ripped sails everywhere. There were also well-sailed boats surfing at 15-20 knots.  Rich duMoulin found the conditions exciting: “On Lora Ann we set in a puff (unintentional), got knocked pretty flat, and popped up to 15 knots. Not bad!  Our crew executed a perfect gybe at the Southeast Light and we reached around the bottom of the Island.  From the southwest corner we all short-tacked the beach (rocks) to avoid strong foul current.  We finished second, about 30 seconds out of first-- a pretty exciting start to Race Week.”  LYC crew aboard Lora Ann included Patrick Slattery, Buttons and Allie Padin, and Lora du Moulin. Ed du Moulin arrived mid-week to spell his father at the helm, along with Steve Streit.

Bill Baxter’s veteran 33 footer was doing well in the Around the Island Race until it launched off a wave a mile from the finish and came down hard, losing its mast overboard.  End of game for Pirate for the week, but not for Bill, who seemed to enjoy the post-race festivities in the Big Tent without any worries about his boat’s sleek new look.

  

The next four days of racing witnessed extremely close results in steadily diminishing winds.  The IRC fleet completed  9 races for the week.  Lora Ann finished second in a tough class, losing to a very well-sailed Troubador, which despite its New York YC flag was full of LYC sailors, including driver Jamie Anderson, Ward Young, Annie Davidson and Pete Lelek.  Troubador also won the U.S. IRC Trophy for best performance in the IRC fleet, and a Rolex watch for owner Mort Weintraub.  Anderson commented on the win: “We were conservative starting a few boat lengths in from the favored end.  We kept the maneuvers simple.  For instance we never gybe set, instead always setting conventionally keeping up our momentum and then rolling into a gybe.  Our crew also did an excellent job.”

Morning Glory and Quintessence competed in the two largest one design classes at Block Island Race Week, the J/105s and the Club Swan 42s, finishing 16th and 14th overall respectively.

Block Island Race Week is a voluntary effort, with over 100 Storm Trysail members working very hard. Among those, STC Rear Commodore (and LYC Fleet Captain) Nick Langone and his wife Penny spent countless hours on and off the water ensuring the event was a success. For daily recaps and photos, please visit the event website.  Results.