Friday, August 19, 2016

Brilliant Buzzards Bay Regatta!

J/24 sailing Buzzards Bay regattaPIPE DREAM Wins J/24 NE’s & PEARLY BAKER Wins J/80 Tie-breaker
(Marion, MA)- The 44th Buzzards Bay Regatta, presented by Mozzone Lumber featuring Marvin Windows and Doors, was held from August 5th to 7th at the Beverly Yacht Club in Marion, Massachusetts.  The BYC Principal Race Officers for the event were as follows- Spyder Fortier on the PHRF Course and Charlie Cooper on the One-Design Keelboat course.  The PRO’s were blessed with absolutely classic Buzzards Bay sailing conditions, for the most part, sunny, windy and choppy; permitting them to run up to ten races for some classes over the three-day weekend!

The 2016 BBR served as the J/24 Northeast Regional Championship, with Mike Marshall’s team from Jamestown, RI sailing PIPE DREAM into a scant one point lead over Carter White’s SEA BAGS SAILING TEAM from Portland YC.  Taking third behind the dueling leaders was Matt & Kevin Coughlin sailing RISKY BUSINESS from East Greenwich YC.  The rest of the top five included Chris Stone’s VELOCIDAD from Atlantic Highlands YC in 4th place and Lee Buress’ crew sailing ON THE BEACH in 5th position.

J80 sailing Buzzards Bay regattaThe J/80s also had some great racing with the top five determined by two tie-breaks!  The top two boats ended up on 19 pts each with the tie-break going in favor of Jamey Shachoy’s PEARLY BAKER from Beverly YC and Dan Cooney’s AMERICAN PRAYER getting the short end of that stick!  Yet another tie-break determined the bronze; with Peter d’Anjou’s LE TIGRE taking that split on 27 pts each over Nick Kotsatos’ WARRIOR from Beverly YC.  Fifth place all alone was Scott Miller’s NEXT ADVENTURE.

PHRF Race I division had five J/crew participating.  Top dog amongst them was Mark Verville’s J/120 ISURUS from host Beverly YC, winning class by a country furlong, counting three 1sts and two 2nds for a mere 7 pts net.  Second J/team and 6th in class was Doug Curtiss’ J/111 WICKED 2.0.  Third J/crew was Ted Herlihy’s J/109 GUT FEELING.

PHRF Race II division had six J’s racing in a class of ten boats.  Winning was Tom Sutton’s J/35 LEADING EDGE, the same crew that also won the New York YC Round Island Race during the NYYC Annual Regatta in mid-June!  Good sailors those Texans are from Lakewood YC on Galveston Bay!  Matt Schmitt’s J/105 HARD TACK from Buzzards YC was third in class.  Eric Wagner’s J/105 DARK’N’STORMY was fifth.

In the PHRF Cruise division, it was Richard Fontaine’s J/44 SPIRIT taking third place.  For more Buzzards Bay Regatta sailing information