Off to a good start

Dana Paxton reports on the Annapolis-Newport race

Despite a prevalent low over the mid-Atlantic states and dire wind predictions at the skippers meeting, yachts in the 2005 Annapolis to Newport Race enjoyed building southerlies for today’s start off Annapolis at noon.

In the PHRF II Class, starting on time at 1200 hours, Henry Morgan got a quick start in 10-12 knots aboard Dolphin at the pin end. Dolphin, a J/42 hailing from Annapolis is a member of the New York Yacht Club’s team competing for the Club Challenge Trophy, a new trophy presented by the City of Annapolis this year. Bringing up the rear of the 11 boat class, Ned Dunham’s Mistral 33 Bienstar, racing for the Corinthian Club of Philadelphia, was acknowledged by the Race Committee after he crossed the line at the boat end a few minutes late.

In the 13 boat IRC II Class, the majority of the fleet approached from the pin end, led by Ken Comerford on the Beneteau 40.7 Moon Racer, a member of one of Annapolis Yacht Club’s teams.

Continuing the favored pin-end trend, the 14-boat PHRF I Class watched the white caps beginning to build as veteran Annapolis to Newport racer Newbold Smith jumped to the starting line ahead of the pack aboard Philadelphia-based Reindeer, his 47ft Custom Payne competing on the Corinthian Club of Philadelphia’s team.

The final start featured the largest yachts, as the 10 boat IRC I Class started in about 14 knots of wind. Raider, David Ross’s S&S 47, from Annapolis reached the line first, followed by Donnybrook. Annapolis-based Donnybrook, Jim Muldoon’s custom 72 footer racing on one of Annapolis Yacht Club teams, stole the pin end. Sjambok, Michael Brennan’s TP 52 came into the line with boat speed to leeward of Donnybrook and just upwind of Raider, to take the lead less than a boat length over the starting line. Donnybrook and Sjambok are rivals for first-to-finish line honors.

Soon after the finish, the majority of the fleet was tacking toward the eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay north of Bloody Point on Kent Island. However, with a long upwind leg down the Bay ahead of them and enough breeze to overcome most current concerns, few boats were favoring one shore or the other, and an hour later saw most of the fleet tacking across to the western shore south of the South River.

At press time, the online leaderboard showed the on-course class leaders to be:
PHRF II: Actaea, Michael M. Cone, Corinthian Yacht Club of Philadelphia Team
IRC II: Cheers, Richard Walker,
PHRF I: Air Mail, Tom Carrico
IRC I: Agincourt, LT Gregory Hall (U.S. Coast Guard Academy)

48 yachts started the race, after John Gregg’s Baltic 38 Spirit was hit by lightning and withdrew earlier this week. 23 yachts are competing under the IRC Rule, though more would have liked to do so if ratings rulings had been received in time for the start. With six Club Challenge teams of four yachts each, half of the fleet is competing in the new Club Challenge.