Holmes Hole Fall Racing Series Begins

Photo caption: Stuart Halpert and Providence sail to a first and a second in first two Fall Series races.

 

by David Lott

 

One season ends. Another begins.

 

That's how it goes for the sailors of the Holmes Hole Sailing Association

who bid adieu to the summer series of races two weeks ago by crowning the

season's winners at the Annual Meeting and Pot Luck Supper at

John and Lisa Stout's Vineyard Haven home.

 

Three days later, they turned their tillers for Vineyard Sound in the 37th Moffett Race.

 

Then without missing a beat, the chase for the Hugh Schwartz Cup and the

Fall Racing Series title commenced just five days after that when eight boats

came to the line on a beautiful fall evening with winds coming out of the southwest

at a leisurely 10 mph.

 

Thursday Results
Mo Flam and Stuart Halpert kicked off the competition on their respective

Alerion 28s, Penelope and Providence, by notching a 1-2 finish separated by just three

seconds on the traditional harbor triangle course. Commodore Jerry Goodale was third on

Stormalong, a Pearson 31.

 

A special salute must be given to Frank DeSimone who employed his Columbia 32 as

the committee boat and worked to fulfill all the race committee roles by

himself--raising the course, counting down to the start, sounding the horns and taking

times as the boats crossed the finish line. Frank will admit that watching a sausage

being made would have been a prettier sight. But once all the scores were tallied at

the after-race gathering at Rocco's, the standings finally emerged.

 

Sunday's Race Results

Last Sunday eight competitors lined up for a double loop around the three

harbor buoys in what was anticipated to be a quick race. The wind started

enthusiastically from the north northwest at 15 knots for the 10 am start, but increasingly

lost interest and stamina over the next two hours.

 

Two boats bailed on the second lap and a couple more struggled to the finish

with the light air. In the end it was Providence taking first and an early lead

in the fall series. Steve Besse grabbed second on Apres his J/120 and Jim Dixon

aboard his Alerion 28 At Last took third.

 

Final A & B Summer Series Standings

The official standings for the summer series released at the Pot Luck

revealed that Mo Flam and his Penelope had maintained their lead and took not

only took the A division crown, but also the Frank B Jewett Award for the best

overall score for the season. HHSA Commodore Jerry Goodale on Stormalong was

second and Roger Becker aboard Gloria, a C&C 24, took third.

 

In the B Division, David Lott guided Avanti, a Cape Dory 270, to the B Division

summer series title over Bow Van Riper on the Vineyard 15 Tyche and Dan Culkin on

Magic Time, a Vineyard Vixen.

 

Fall racing continues on Sunday with a 10 am start. Check here on the Holmes Hole

blog at for complete fall racing updates.