Record 25 Boats Compete in Thursday Night Race

Call it an Instant Regatta. A record 25 boats competed in last Thursday's

evening race, eclipsing the record of 22 set last year, as Holmes Hole

continues to enjoy a successful summer of racing. The gathering was the largest

single-division competition in Vineyard Haven harbor since last year's

Moffett Race which featured more than 35 boats.

 

Nineteen Division A and six Division B boats competed in the evening event

representing more than more than 75 sailors out having a great time on the water.

 

Bow Van Riper on the Vineyard 15 Tyche took the blue ribbon just 34 seconds

over Mike Power aboard Artful Dodger, a Tartan 35. Just 15 seconds later Ed Cerullo

on Undine, a Morris 36, grabbed third.

 

Twenty-nine seconds after that John and Lisa Stout brought their Bella design Isabella

in for fourth. And on it went as boats whipped around the course and raced for

the finish at buoy six.

 

Some boats were making their first appearance in a good while such as John Felvey

who captained his sleek Knickerbocker Phoenix to fifth. Overall, 18 different sail boat

designs competed from Sonars and Solings to a 42-foot J/120 to the 28-foot yawl Tern

built by Gannon & Benjamin and skippered by Woody Bowman.

 

The next Holmes Hole race is Thursday evening, followed by two harbor races on Sunday,

August 10 with starts at 10 am and 2 pm. All are welcome! More info at www.holmeshole.org/

 

--David Lott