Sailing
The Martha’s Vineyard detachment of the Coast Guard Auxiliary will offer a two-week GPS course for mariners beginning Nov. 28. The course will meet Wednesday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m. through Dec. 5 at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School. Pre-registration is required.
Fred Murphy and his crew and schooner Ishmael were a top winner in the annual Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race, held late last month. The 48-foot schooner from Vineyard Haven received a first place in her class. There were four classes. The schooner won the Michelob Chesapeake Bay Challenge Trophy for having the best corrected time at Windmill Point of 16 hours, two minutes and six seconds.
“Our strategy was to win our class, and we won fourth overall, on corrected time,” said Mr. Murphy.
On Thursday, Oct. 25, five boats came to the start line for a Holmes Hole evening harbor race. The fleet sailed to West Chop on a beam reach aided by a seven-knot east wind. The next leg, to East Chop, was assisted by a flooding tide. Then came the final leg back to town.
Steve Besse won the race in Apres, a J 100. Second on corrected time was Dan Culkin in Magic Time, followed by Roger Becker in Gloria, Mo Flam in Penelope and David Lott in Avanti.
Sunday’s end-of-season race was cancelled as skippers prepared for Sandy.
The stories of Capt. Zeb Tilton and his coastal schooner Alice S. Wentworth have come alive again in North Tisbury. A replica of the famous 1905 schooner is on the Island, and she is only 32 inches long.
Richard T. Olsen commissioned the model not so much for himself, he said, but for his family, friends and the Vineyard community. Mr. Olsen is the grandson of the famous Vineyard Haven sailor.
Nat Benjamin and his 50-foot schooner Charlotte are featured in the November/December 2012 issue of WoodenBoat Magazine.
Mr. Benjamin, who runs Gannon and Marine Railway with Ross Gannon and Brad Abbott, wrote the story, which is spread across 10 pages. His good friend and highly-regarded marine photographer Ben Mendlowitz produced a photo spread to accompany the article.
The Holmes Hole Sailing Association continued its fall racing series with a 3.25 mile harbor race on Thursday, Oct. 18. Six boats came to the 4:30 p.m. start. Phil Hale’s Wicked, a 30-foot Shields, won first place in moderate easterly wind. Mr. Hale was followed by Roger Becker in Gloria, Jerry Goodale in Stormalong, Geoff Gibson in Latonka and David Lott in Avanti. Moffett race winner Jared Hammond sailed a good race in Andiamo, but was disqualified for an early start.
The evening race series will conclude on Oct. 25.