Shelter Island Yacht Club Race Week 2024: Something for everyone

Sailing is going through difficult times. The commitment for the sport is up against pressures like family commitments to other activities, time constraints that inhibit hours on the water, and of course, the expense of all things marine-related.

Somehow the Shelter Island Yacht Club (SIYC), host of an annual Race Week, has managed to avoid this by offering something for everyone afloat.

The races are PHRF-handicapped and open to all sailors with a rated boat. The Club hosted competitors from as far away as Newport, R.I.

For the big boats, Friday was the “Around-The-Island” race, and 34 vessels were on the starting line just off the Greenport breakwater. There were five divisions ranging from the newish “sport boat” to the heavier non-spinnaker cruising boats that make up Division 5.

These sport boats are Vipers, elegant V-shaped, low-on-the-water crafts that not only get you wet but require serious athletic ability to sail well. Since they are stored on trailers, the expense to campaign them is low, but they provide serious sailing thrills.

Of note was the presence of 12 J-Boats on the roster. There are different models but all are serious racing machines.

The day didn’t start with much wind promise, but by 1:40, as if by Race Committee willpower, it filled in from the southwest.  VHF’s crackled and horns, signaling the starting count-downs, blew.

On the counterclockwise course, there was plenty of wind for the lighter boats and just enough for the heavier ones, with beats upwind to the South Ferry channel followed by a downwind spinnaker leg (for those divisions flying one) into Northeast Harbor and Gardiners Bay, with a finish back at the entrance to Dering Harbor.

Winners

Division 1: The Wards, Andrew and Sedgwick on Bravo, Abhijett Lele on Varuna, Jeff Pribor on Renegade.

Division 2: Commodore John Sommi on Cloud 9, Harry DiOrio on Pronto, Niels Ruigrok on Coronet.

Division 3: Mike Rouzee on Starlight, Chip Whipple on Rum Punch, Peter Levenson on Sophi.

Sport Boat (Viper class): Jay and Rachel Rhame and Ryan Dempsey on Glory Days, Jim Praley and Peter and Rachel Beardsley on Robot Flamingo, Colin Santangelo on Vellamo.

Division 5: Doug Davis on Gypsy Moon, Ross Allonby on Athena, Peter Swerdloff on Wyvern.

The fastest time around was 3 hours 19 minutes. The slowest (unfortunately, your columnist), 4 hours 30 minutes.

All in all, the sailors acknowledged a very successful race day around our beautiful island.

DAY TWO, SATURDAY

Saturday was one of those lucky days when the wind spirits decide to grace their human dependents with their gifts. From the early morning to the late afternoon there was a sweet warm breeze, not always in the same direction, but enough for the SIYC Race Committee to successfully run three races around the buoys and marks in Gardiners Bay.

It was a full day of racing featuring four divisions and 26 boats.

Like all buoy races, the courses are windward to leeward, ensuring that everyone stays on their toes as every minute counts when putting up and dousing spinnakers or rounding marks. This competitive boat racing means little time between boats in their respective classes.

For the final results of Saturday’s races, go to Yachtscoring.com and search for Shelter Island Race Week 2024.

Back on land, there were smiles aplenty on the back porch of the SIYC due to unanimous agreement that another successful Race Week was sailed. Committee volunteers and the Club staff are to be congratulated for making the Club and the Island shine.

It’s always best summed up by Jeff Bresnahan, SIYC Director of Sailing: “What a great event. Having a week of sailing events with all of our fleets racing for their fleet’s anniversary trophy, has been a lot of fun. Our sailors supported each other and volunteered to help others. We are all so proud to be part of a yacht club where sailors run events for other sailors.”