Day 2 Update
Sunday, September 12, 2010

J-Class Hanuman wins the Newport Bucket!

Sunday dawned steely silver gray with high overcast but a promising easterly breeze of about 12 knots. In crafting a course for the day, the RC was challenged to "think out of the box" and conceive a course more interesting than the offshore triangles that have been sailed off of Newport for a century. They noted the day prior, that the un-navigable fish traps that have obscured the shore of Newport's Cliff Walk Mansion District for over thirty years, had been removed the week before. Immediately they set two courses of geometric complexity -- that sent Les Grandes Dammes des Mers and Les Gazelles des Mers on courses of 19 and 26 miles respectively, which brought the whole fleet to a jibe mark just off the mansions for a long reach along the cliffs. Finally, sightseeing from the ocean off Newport, is back! We wonder if the view was better from the land or the sea -- both spectacular!

Sailing different courses from the common starting line, the two classes disbursed to their best advantage toward the common turning mark. Mid way through the race, with yachts near and far on all points of the horizon, the RC looked at each other thinking that it would take a miracle to bring the entire fleet together at the finish. Our ratings Guru just smiled.

AZURRA, the Jongert 96' Sloop found her feet after her first day's last in class. She started first and held that spot all day, for a decisive win of Sunday's Race! In true Bucket fashion, AZZURRA crossed the finish line with the ten ladies aboard each waving. . .their brassieres at the RC!!! The Classic Schooner, GLORIA, crossed the line in second place and the next twenty minutes were a thrill as the entire remaining fleet of nine boats converged and finished. The Huisman Shipyard built, J-Class HANUMAN, crossed the line to claim third overall for the day.

In the overall combined results among Les Gazelles, HANUMAN won first place, the W-Class 76' Sloop, WHITE WINGS placed second overall and the Swan 80', CLEVELANDER in third.

Among Les Grandes Dammes, first place overall was handily won by METEOR, the Classic 169' Schooner by Royal Huisman Shipyard, with a first place in Saturday's Race and third on Sunday. AZZURA claimed second place and Schooner GLORIA, third.

Overall Fleet Honors for the 2010 Newport Bucket went to HANUMAN in first place, the 76' W Class Sloop WHITE WINGS claimed second and CLEVELANDER placed third overall.

The Awards Celebration was hosted by Newport's Museum of Yachting and the International Yacht Restoration School, on the lawn at the entrance to Newport Harbor. Along with class awards, the Vitters Seamanship Trophy for seamanship and the best demonstration of Corinthian Sailing, was aptly earned by 12 Meter, EASTERNER, Paul Callahan and the Sail to Prevail Foundation. With the yacht converted to be handled by handicapped sailors, this crew sailed hardest, without a doubt.

The other award of note is the Newport Bomb, a World War Two bomb that has been earned by, and decorated by various fleet members over the years in recognition of those who perpetuate the non-adult behavior that pervades all Bucket Fleets. The Bomb was well earned this year, by AZZURRA, for her fine demonstration at the finish line!!

Day 1 Update
Saturday, September 11, 2010

White Wings Wins Day 1!

The 2010 Newport Bucket Regatta was launched in a Carnival Atmosphere on Friday evening with three significant splashes.  Our Ratings Guru, Jim Teeters, Charlie Dana, our host at Newport Shipyard and race director Hank Halsted, were sacrificed to the "dunk tank" where amid cheers and laughter they were dumped one by one, into the tank with our guest juggler, fire thrower and stilt walker entertaining the crew all the while.  With light wind forecast for the weekend, the Skippers meeting also called for a special tribute to our patron God, Neptune, wherein all in attendance served up a toast of vintage Calvados  - with a tot into the sea, and a hearty cheer for the wind gods. 

Unfortunately, six of sixteen yachts which were entered in the regatta were forced in the past week to withdraw for a bizarre set of circumstances involving two serious engine problems, a cruising permit issue, a death in a family and a couple other disabling events.  Regardless, ten boats arrived at the starting line, five "Grandes Dames" and five "Gazelles" filled the cruising and racing classes.

Saturday was a sparkling fall day with a brisk 15 knot northerly blowing in the morning, forecast to diminish substantially.  The starting line was well recognizable, with magnificent 160' Trinity Motoryacht,  VITA, as committee boat, loaned to the Bucket by the Owner of J Class, RANGER.  Thank you John!!  The two classes sailed courses of 14 and 19 miles respectively, from the same start to the same finish, with reasonably close racing within the classes. 

Even sailing the extra five miles, the Gazelles dominated the day with the W 76, WHITE WINGS finishing first in class and overall, a minute and a half ahead of the classic 12 Meter, EASTERNER, driven by Paul Callahan, director of the "Sail to Prevail Foundation" which uses sailing as an instructional format for the handicapped.  HANUMAN, the J Boat by Royal Huisman Shipyard finished third. 

Among the Grandes Dames, the Royal Huisman 169' Schooner, METEOR won her class by over five minutes, having sailed a tactically beautiful race.  The yacht is simply, a visual feast!  PALAWAN, the Little Harbor 75' Sloop finished second with AURELIUS, the 77' Modern Classic Dykstra design sloop, in third.

In sum, this was a perfect fall day of sailing off Newport with sun, crisp breezes that never died, thanks to our patron, Neptune, and a good time had by all!

Race #1 Course and Start Information
Saturday, September 11, 2010

Custom Course #7 (Long) - Gazelle

(START - B/port - D/port - G/stbd - FINISH)
approx. 19.3nm

Custom Course #8 (Short) - Grand Dame

(START - F/port - D/port - G/stbd - FINISH)
approx. 13.7nm


Start Times for Race #1

  1)  1200 - Easterner (Gazelle)
  2)  1201 - Fearless  (Gazelle)
  3)  1205 - White Wings  (Gazelle)
  4)  1228 - Clevelander  (Gazelle)
  5)  1232 - Gloria  (Grand Dame)
  6)  1239 - Hanuman  (Gazelle)
  7)  1247 - Palawan  (Grand Dame)
  8)  1251 - Meteor  (Grand Dame)
  9)  1252 - Azzura  (Grand Dame)
10)  1300 - Aurelius  (Grand Dame)