Sailing: Wind still is elusive

The Herreshoff 12½ fleet successfully completed two races on Saturday, July 30. Unlike previous weeks, the fleet was blessed with 7-10 knots of wind as they competed in Pipes’ Cove. Coupled with the strong wind, the ebbing tide both aided and hindered the sailors as they navigated the lengthy courses.

The first course was an infrequently raced port triangle coupled with a windward-leeward shorter course. The last race of the day was another port triangle yet the competitors sailed an additional windward leg before heading to an oft chosen marker set off Dering Point. The finish was between a buoy and the North Pier.

Larry Landry placed first in Saturday’s races; Jeff Bresnahan followed in second. Peter Dinkel won third place and Chuck Tiernan rounded out the top four overall finishers. Toni Landry said they “had some great competition.” She also felt that “everybody sailed very well.”

Due to the unreliable wind this summer, the Herreshoff 12½ fleet held a make-up race on Sunday, July 31; however, the continued lack of wind forced the lengthy channel race to be significantly shortened. The contestants started off the North Pier, raced to the mark off of Dering Point, then to a channel marker aside the Greenport Breakwater and finally to N10, where the Race Committee placed the new finish line.

The first four finishers were McCarthy, Bresnahan, Landry and Tiernan. Eleven boats turned out for the light wind day.