Last week, Newport was witness to a truly historic gathering of J Class Yachts that hadn't been seen in years. Most of these boats sail in the occasional superyacht or classic event, but they haven't been prevalent in the area since the America's Cup days pre-WWII. The J Class Association, pledged with maintaining the legacy of the J Class yachts that were once competitors in the America's Cup,...
My last event for the summer sailing season was J24 Worlds hosted by Sail Newport, with the racing area 5 miles offshore of Brenton Point. There were over 70 boats competing from all over the world in 5 days of racing. I was on the water for Day One and it was quite the new experience. With a strong 15 knot northwesterly breeze all day and huge 6-10 foot seas from the south, there was no refuge...
This summer, Newport was host to multiple Volvo Ocean Race teams as they completed Trans-Atlantic crossings in preparation for the big race starting next year! The Volvo Ocean Race takes teams around the world, with a combination of offshore and inshore racing at multiple city ports. One of the last ports of call for the VOR will be Newport, so several teams found it a perfect location to complete...
The seasons are changing and everyone is looking ahead to autumn. But before the summer was over and school was back in session, the Wickford Sailing Association had one last day of classes which I was lucky enough to be on the water for! It was a picturesque summer day, beautiful sun and temperatures, a steady seabreeze, and the Racing class was hosting a Pro-Am Regatta in conjunction with...
Narragansett Bay Yachting Association organizes events for sailors all over the bay, particularly junior events that give young sailors an opportunity to race with juniors from outside their own programs. There are multiple events for Optis, 420s and Lasers throughout the summer, and then there's Race Week. This US Sailing Junior Olympic Sailing Festival for the past several years has been hosted...
