Stamford Block Island Race (prelude to Bermuda)  By Randy Needham

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The BI race starts in Stamford, goes around Block Island, then back to Stamford.  It's about 70 miles to the end of the sound, then you exit either through "the race" or "plum gut", traverse Block Island Sound (18 miles of an arm of the ocean), go around Block Island clockwise, then back (usually through the gut), then back to the barn (185 mi total).  This 59th edition of the annual race, sponsored by the StormTrysail Club, is "an annual rite of passage for many racing yachts."

We got to the boat early Friday afternoon, having scheduled ourselves to do some drills in preparation for June's Bermuda Race.  Plus, we had a number of new crew to get to know, and introduce to the boat.  The forecast was highly variable, with a front scheduled to come through "sometime after 2PM".  We kept our internet connection alive, searching for the latest, greatest weather information.

The race was scheduled to start at 5PM Friday (5:40PM for us in PHRF division 2).  The wind was light and variable ... a front was expected at almost any time to bring new, fresh breeze.  The race committee signaled postponement.  We motored in slow circles for an hour an a half before RC told us to "get ready".  A decent breeze filled in and we finally started (our division) at 7:20PM.

Falcon Manhasset Bay Series photo credit Doug McFadd

The breeze started light ... and stayed light for two hours.  Finally after 7PM it got strong enough that reaching with a kite we made 8 knots boatspeed.  It held pretty well for a few hours, then crapped out around 9PM.  We were mid-sound ... it was frustrating watching boats on the CT shore "motor" right past us while we were virtually becalmed.  Half an hour later our breeze filled in (again) and we went past a number of those same boats.

By 10PM we had already made six sail changes, jib up, jib down spinnaker up, spin down, then we tried the jib top, then the code zero ... by 11PM I'll admit I was feeling tired.  But that just wouldn't do.  At 5PM (during our pre-race briefing), our team captain told us "since this race is practically a sprint, less than 24 hours, we'll stay full press the whole time, nobody leaves the rail for more than an hour".  The breeze was up and down, but never terribly strong.  Thankfully we had no rain ... but it wasn't real warm.  Around 11 I went below to put on the rest of my clothes.  I guess I packed a bit TOO lightly ... I was still cold. Another couple of sail changes ... we were approaching the end of LI Sound when I went below for an hour and a half to warm up.  When I returned on deck (for another sail change at 4:30 AM), it was starting to get light and BI was just under the horizon. It was neat watching things get light ... with the better illumination we started seeing competitors we hadn't seen since dark.  I didn't get any pictures of dawn but I did grab some action photos off BI.