2016 Newport Bermuda Race may be second largest ever

by Talbot Wilson on 7 Apr 2016

Bella Mente finishes off of St. David's Lighthouse at the northeast tip of Bermuda. She was one of the first of 164 yachts that started the 2014 49th Newport Bermuda Race to finish. Bella Mente will be one of three Maxi 72's in 2016. Talbot Wilson

2016 Newport Bermuda Race - As of April 5, 195 boats have been sanctioned by the Newport Bermuda Race Organizing committee as qualified entries in the 50th Bermuda Race. Since another 14 boats are expected to be sanctioned soon, this race has every chance of being the second largest 'Thrash to the Onion Patch' in the 110-year history of racing across the Gulf Stream to Bermuda. It follows only the 265 entries in the centennial race in 2006. The race in 2008 had 198 entries, hopefully a close third now.

Race Chairman AJ Evans noted, “Now that we have reached this first deadline, and we have such a large and diverse fleet, there is still plenty of work to do before June 17th. Skippers have until May 15th to complete the online entry process. All of the important dates and deadlines are in the Notice of Race. Getting yachts measured and inspected are priorities now.”

“We have 209 yachts invited or in the approval process,” Evans continued, “but as always we expect some attrition. The largest races have been 265 in 2006 and 198 in 2008. Let’s hope the numbers hold and we have the second largest fleet in the 50th crossing.”

Black Watch sailed in the 2014 Onion Patch Navigators Series, a new feature of the event in 2014. There was spectacular racing in the 2014 Royal Bermuda Yacht Club Anniversary Regatta, the final stage of the Onion Patch Series and the new Navigators Race Series. The series included the New York YC Annual Regatta presemted by Rolex, the Newport Bermuda Race and the RBYC Anniversary Regatta. © Talbot Wilson

'The entry list,” Evans added, “is proof the Bermuda Race continues to attract a diverse group of monohull yachts from mostly-amateur cruisers to professionally crewed racers with a variety of rigs, designs, hailing ports, and vintages. The diversity of boats and crews provides good competition in the ocean and interesting walks on the RBYC docks with Gosling's in hand.'

Potentially, the fastest boat in the fleet will be Comanche, Jim and Kristy Clark’s flashy 100-foot VPLP-Verdier design. She will be going for line honors and a try at the record set in 2012 by George David on Rambler with his passage in 39hrs 39min 18sec.

Actaea, Michael Cone’s Hinckley Bermuda 40, among the smaller boats in the fleet, will be back to defend her title as the 2014 winner of the St. David’s Lighthouse Trophy, one of the most coveted prizes in yacht racing. Actaea, won the cruiser-racer St. David’s Lighthouse Division defeating 96 finishers.

Owner George Sakellaris led his Maxi 72 Shockwave to line honors in 2014. This year he will put his new Maxi 72 Proteus to the test against two other Maxi 72’s, Hap Fauth’s Bella Mente and Dieter Schoen’s Momo.

Winner of Class 7 in 2014, High Yield (GER 5335 ) short tacking Castle Hill at the start of the Newport Bermuda Race organized by the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club and the Cruising Club of America. In 2014, 164 boats started just off Castle Hill in the mouth of Narragansett Bay, off Newport, Rhode Island. Boats finish off St. David's Lighthouse on Bermuda's South shore after racing 635 miles through the Gulf Stream and the open Atlantic Ocean. © Talbot Wilson

Look down the list of entries and you will recognize many returning skippers, some with new boats. About 40% of the skippers are new to the Newport Bermuda Race, coming out to make their rite of passage in the 50th ‘Thrash’. The majority of the fleet, as always, are traditional Cruiser Racer types and pure cruisers… 95% of the boats are amateur driven as Double Handers, Cruisers and Cruiser Racers.

The diversity of the Newport Bermuda fleet is unique in yacht racing. There are five regular divisions defined in the Notice of Race, St. David’s Lighthouse, Cruiser, Double Handed, Gibbs Hill Lighthouse, and Open. There are two additional ‘special’ divisions, Spirit of Tradition and Super Maxi. Division placements have not been published to date. The largest is the St. David’s Lighthouse Division that had 99 entries in 2014.

In the mix of yachts in the race this year are 36 J Boats, 19 Swans, and nine Beneteaus making up the largest production brands. Except for Super Maxi and Spirit of Tradition entries the maximum length is 100 feet and the average, ironically, is 50 feet.

The largest boat in the regular divisions is Comanche at the maximum100 feet. The smallest boat is Jeroboam a Beneteau Oceanis 351 signing in at just a smidge under 34 feet. More than 100 feet longer, the largest application for entry so far is the replica of the Schooner America which is 139.2 feet. She will be some much-needed competition for the 112-foot Spirit of Bermuda in the Spirit of Tradition Division.

Yachts berthed at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club following the 2012 Newport Bermuda Race. The 2016 race with about 200 entries will pack the marina to full capacity. © Talbot Wilson

Royal Bermuda Yacht Club Commodore Leatrice Oatley reminds skippers, “The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club and the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club marinas and other private marinas will be crowded with the large fleet racing this year. Skippers should reserve berths now. The Bermuda Berth Reservation forms for the RBYC and the RHADC are online on the Official Newport Bermuda Notice Board.”

“Also”, she added, “boats in Bermuda racing in the Onion Patch Series or just the RBYC Anniversary Regatta need to indicate their participation on their berth reservation form so they will be assigned an appropriate location. The Onion Patch Series includes the New York Yacht Club Annual Regatta presented by Rolex and the RBYC Anniversary Regatta. All feature racing in the traditional Onion Patch Series format and the Onion Patch Navigators Series introduced in 2014.”

Bermuda boats are invited to race the Navigators Series race of the RBYC Anniversary Regatta using a free ORR-ez rating certificate issued by the Offshore Racing Association. The RBYC Anniversary Regatta, sailed Friday June 24 on Bermuda’s Great Sound, site of AC35 in 2017, and adjacent waters, is the highlight of Bermuda Offshore Sailing Week. Register for great day sailing in Bermuda at RBYC AR entry.

A list of Frequently Asked Questions is maintained on the race website to help explain rules and procedures.

Entry List:

Yacht	Design	Captain
Actaea	Bermuda 40	Michael Cone
Airborne IV	Beneteau 50	William Greenwood III
Alibi	J-120	Gardner Grant
Altair	Oyster 475	Kenneth Bacco
Andiamo	Gunfleet 58	Byrne Murphy
Apogee	Valiant 40	Benjamin Morris
Apres	J-120	Stephen Besse
Araucaria	Amel 55	Aldo Roldan
Arcadia	McCurdy & Rhodes 69	Bruce Lebens
Arrowhead	J-42 Mod	Steve Berlack
Attitude	Beneteau 423	Shawn Dahlen
August West	J-122	Jamey Shachoy
Aura	Swan 44 Mk1	William Kardash
Azura	Swan 56	Jamie Walker
Bandana	Swan 47	Charles Benson
Bandera	Yawl	Kenneth Luczynski
Beam Reach	Little Harbor 50	Thomas Flocco
Bella J	J-133	Raymond Rhinelander
Bella Mente	Maxi 72	Hap Fauth
Berlla PITA	Custom	Jim Grundy
Black Watch	Yawl	John Melvin and Trevor Fetter
Blue	C&C 51	Daniel Epstein
Blue Note	Bristol 433	Gary Nackman
Breezing Up	J-46	W. Bradford Willauer
Brigand	Cookson 50	Sean Saslo
C ‘est Bon	Sense 50	Carl Merz
Cadence	Able Apogee 50	David Warters
Calusa	Sabre 386	Peter Holmes
Cappella	Sabre 452	David Millet
Carina	J-37	Will Passano
Carina	Custom	A. Rives Potts
Cecilie Viking	Elan 450	Vidar Skjelstad
Challenger	Whitbread 60	Christopher Stanmore-major
Chasseur	Little Harbor 54	Miles Cook
Checkmate	Alden 44	Frank Flores
Choucas	Sunfast 36	Frederic Cosandey
Christopher Dragon	Sydney 43	Andrew Weiss
Comanche	VPLP-Verdier	Jim Clark and Kristy Hinze Clark
Crackerjack	Cambria 40	Alan Krulisch
Crazy Horse	JV 50	Kevin McLaughlin
Crossfire	J-125	Brian Hillier
Cygnette	Swan 441	William Mayer
Defiance	Swan 56	Peter Noonan
Defiance	Navy 44 Mk II	James Reynolds
Deviation	J/120	Stuart McCrea
Dharma	Hylas 56 Rs	Doug Robinson
Dirigo	C & C 41	Eric M. Johnson
Donnybrook	Andrews 80 Custom	James Muldoon
Dreamcatcher	Swan 48	Stephen Kylander
Eliminator	C & C 35 Mk II	Christopher Vantol
Entropy	Tripp 41	Paul Hamilton and Patricia Young
Equinoccio	Swan 57	Martin Westcott
Escapade	Oyster 55	Larry Caillouet
Fearless	Baltic 55	Shaun Ensor
Finesse	J-42	Eliot Merrill
Flyer	Cal 40	Douglas Abbott
Flying Lady	Swan 46	Phillip Dickey
Free Range Chicken	Perry 59	Bruce Anderson
Freebird	Swan 44	Philip Asche
Froya	McCurdy & Rhodes 46	Briggs Tobin
Garnet	X-412	Joe Naroski
Glim	C & C 402	William Klein
Glory	J 44 2.45	Jack Neades
Gold Digger	J-44 New Rudder	James Bishop
Grey Ghost	Zaal 38	Philip Parish
Haerlem	Swan 55	Hendrikus Wisker
Hakuna Matata	Cal 39	Christopher Andrews
Helios	Swan 44	Morgan McCauley
Helios	Sunfast 3600	Adrian Little
Heron	J-120	Greg Leonard
High Noon	Tripp 41	Peter Becker
Hiro Maru	Swan 43	Hiroshi Nakajima
Hooligan	Tp-52	Matt Robbins
Ice Bear	Morris 48	Carolyn Harrington
Illusion	Grand Soleil 45	Ralph Racca
Indra	TP-52	Hugh Greville
Inigo Montoya	Elliott 35ss	Michael Piper
Inisharon	Frers & Cybils 44	Jim Murphy
Isola	Baltic 52	Howard Eisenberg
Jacqueline IV	Southwest 42	Robert Forman
Jambi	Bermuda 50	John Levinson
Kenai	J-44	Emmett Dickheiser
Kinship	Baltic 52	Tom Selldorff
Kiva	Hinckley 51	Mark Stevens
Kodiak	Custom Sloop	Llwyd Ecclestone
Kurranulla	Sydney 38	Stuart Jones
Lady B	Swan 62	John Madden
Laissez Faire	Alden 55	Robert Young
Lecheile	Hylas 49	Brian Palmer
Legacy V	Alden 54	Michael Wiseman
Liberty Call	Oyster 54	Matthew Pilon
Lir	Swan 45	John McNamara
Lora Ann	Express 37	Richard Du Moulin
Lucy Georgina	Xp 44	Peter Bacon
Madison	J-120	Brian Spears
Magic	Santa Cruz 52 2.75	Ken Laudon
Matador	J-133	Michael McIvor & Dale McIvor
Maximizer	Farr 72	Jose Diego-Arozamena
Meridian	Tartan 4600	Murray Beach
Metolius	Frers Custom	Stephen Sherwin
Milky Way	Dufour 40e	Alexander Natanzon
Miracle	R/P 44	Michael Cashel
Mireille	J-120	Hewitt Gaynor
Misty	Sloop	Fred Allardyce
Momentum	Hinckley 51	Paul M Kanev
Momo	Maxi 72	Dieter Schoen
Moondance	Swan 56	Michael Johnson
Moonracer	Little Harbor 60	Michael Hudner and John Graham
Morgan Of Marietta	Centurion 42 2.35	Colin Golder
Moxiee	J-122	Daniel Heun
Next Boat	Morris 45	Mark Ellman
Nicole	Cal 40	T. Coleman Dupont
Oakcliff Farr 40 – Black	Farr 40	Elizabeth Shaw
Oakcliff Farr 40 – Blue	Farr 40	Tim Kent
Oakcliff Ocean Racing Team	Ker 11.3	Hobie Ponting
Odette	Hylas 56	Jasen Adams
Old School	Farr 395	Ganson Evans
Orca	Island Packet 38	Harold Guidotti
Pau Hana	Catalina 36	David Wilson
Pleione / Pleiad Racing	Class40	Edward Cesare
Privateer	Cookson 50 3.50	Scott Innes-Jones
Prospector	Farr 60	Terence Glackin
Proteus	Maxi 72	George Sakellaris
Razor’s Edge	Sabre 362	Frank Kendall
Reindeer	Morris 48.6	Tony Parker and Peter Driscoll
Restive	Alden 48 Custom	George Denny
Rocket Science	J-120	Rick Oricchio
Ruse	Swan 44	William Marsh
Sail La Vie	Jeanneau 409	Louis Bourget
Sarah	X-41	Gregory Manning
Selemat	McCurdy & Rhodes 66	Ronald Rossetti
Selkie	McCurdy & Rhodes 38	Sheila McCurdy
Shazaam!	Sloop	Roger Gatewood
Shearwater	Mason 43	Daniel Biemesderfer
Shearwater	Sydney 36	Chris Bjerregaard
Shinnecock	J-120	James Praley
Simon Says	Andrews 68	Dawn Riley
Simpatico	Pearson 39	William Riley
Siren	R P 57 Custom	William Hubbard IV
Skull Cracker	J-111	Daniel Kitchens
Slide Rule	First 44.7	Scott Bearse
Snow Lion	Ker 50	Christopher Huntington
Solarus	J-130	Noel Sterrett
Soulmates	Ctm 40	Adam Loory
Spectre	J-125	Brian Prinz
Spirit Of Bermuda	Bermuda Sloop	Stuart Birnie
Stormy Weather	Swan 44 Mk1	Michael Maholchic
Sugar & Spice	C & C 41	Fraser Forsythe
Sunset Child	J-120	Richard Mainland
Swift	Navy 44 Mk I	Ethan Doherty
Tarahumara	J-122	John Gregg
Temptation – Oakcliff	Ker 50	Arthur Santry
Temptress	Taylor 41	Jay Gowell
That’s Ridiculous	First 36.7	Francis Nilsen
Time Out	J-109	Douglas Evans
Toujours	Tartan 37	Brian Bush
Trebuchet	R P 65 Custom	Jan Majer
Triage	Tripp 41	Angela Earley
Triple Lindy	Swan 44 Mk II	Joe Mele
True	J-160 Deep Keel	Howard Hodgson
Valkyrie	First 44.7	Drew Chapman
Vamoose	J-120	Bob Manchester
Vamp	J-44	Leonard Sitar
Verissimo	Alden 63	Connell Cannon
Visione	Custom One-off	Hasso Plattner
Warrior Won	XP44	Christopher Sheehan
Wassail	440 CC	Nicholas Orem
Whisper	Hinckley 48 Yawl	Thomas Vander Salm
White Rhino 2	Carkeek	Matthew Mullan
Why Not	Swan 56	Fabio Scalzi
Wily Silver Fox	J 122	Christopher Hall
Windborn	J-120	Richard Born
Windwalker	Hood 60	Craig Bliss
Wischbone	Oyster 53	Jeffrey Wisch
Wizard	Reichel/Pugh 74	David Askew
Yankee Girl	Morris Justine 36	S. Zachary Lee
YYZ	Jeanneau 53	Justin Bonar
Zest	Hinckley 42	Brian Swiggett
Zipporah	Express 37	Doug Mann
Zoe II	First 40	Francois Brassard