Regatta Roundup
Photos: Andrew Madding
Sept 12, 2024
M242 North Americans
The 2024 North American Championships were held in Cowichan Bay on Vancouver Island this year on the August long weekend, sailed in perfect conditions of 8-14 knots of breeze.
Mike George of Los Angeles on “All In” put on a master class in speed and tactics to top the competitive fleet of 21 boats. Royal Vancouver Yacht Club’s Michael Clements and Team (Adrienne Mennell – RVYC, Alan Barnes, Colin Gilbert) on “Too Wicked” in 2nd overall and Bob Britten/Jose Grandizo of Royal Victoria YC on “No Worries”in 3rd.
This was Mike George’s 5th NA’s win while Michael Clements has won it 4 times.
Convoy Cup Regatta Basin Race (Veterans’ Cup) Sept 7
Dartmouth Yacht Club and the Convoy Cup Foundation are proud to host and coordinate HRM’s premier ocean race! The Convoy Cup Foundation was founded over 20 years ago by Steinar Engeset and past commodore Jim Jerram in order to preserve the memory of the historical contribution of the port of Halifax to the convoy lifeline to Europe during World War II. We also commemorate the courageous men and women of the merchant marine, navy, and air force.
As the memories of the Battle of the Atlantic and World War II sink further into the past, Dartmouth Yacht Club, and the Convoy Cup Foundation, are dedicated to making this important part of our history accessible to the latest generation and all generations to come.
Results: here
Scotch Bonnet Light Race
Walking out to the dock to board the J35c Blue Knight mid Friday afternoon, I did not know how much fun I was in for. This was the Genesee Yacht Club’s 53rd Scotch Bonnet Light Race, but it would be my first time competing in the 82 nautical mile race across Ontario to Canada and back. For those on the Canadian side of Lake Ontario, The SBLR is an 80 nautical mile overnight race from Rochester to the Scotch Bonnet Island just off the tip of Prince Edward County near Wellington, Ontario. Sort of a Susan Hood race with warmer weather!
The race started at 6:45 PM Friday night, where the wind started at 5-12 knots from the west, and shifted to a south to southwest at the same speed for the rest of the night. Rounding the buoy in third at Wautoma Shoals, the chutes went up to make the way across the lake and make up for lost ground. In the 30 plus nautical miles, Blue Knight was able to round the historic Scotch Bonnet Lighthouse in first. With the chute down and the genoa back up, it would be an upwind battle against time and exhaustion to return to Rochester before the wind died. By 10:35, as the wind began to fully die out, the J35c crawled across the finish line.
It was an excellent weekend for Bay Sails, with Blue Knight coming in first and the Soverel 30 Dirty Thirty coming in third for the spinnaker division. And as for myself, I know I will not be passing up the chance to sail this race any time soon.
A.J. Peelle ( son of Anthony Peelle at Bay Sails New York)
