Jambi takes Marion Bermuda Race line honors

by Talbot Wilson on 15 Jun 2017 ‘Jambi’, a new Hinckley Bermuda 50 skippered by John Levinson crossed the finish line off St. David’s Lighthouse at 12:47:00 ADT to take line honors in the 40th Anniversary Marion Bermuda Race. ‘Jambi’ had an unofficial elapsed time of 4 days 23 hours 36 minutes 11 seconds. Based on her starting time of 12:55 EDT on June 9, that is 118 hours 52 minutes and 11 Seconds.

Alan McLane, Executive Director of the race and Willy Forbes, Compliance Chairman, awarded the crew’s effort with Beer and Champagne and a Line Honors banner. A Tray of those Gosling Dark ‘n Stormy cocktails followed.

Levinson said he has done the trip six or seven times and the entire crew had done many Bermuda Races, too. This was the first for his new Bermuda 50 to leave the US. ‘Jambi’ was a “wind machine,” he said, “outstanding, flawless.”

“There was no wind for most of the race.” He said. “The beginning and the end were fantastic” with good wind then. “Total calm and then nice wind, total calm, nice wind… not rough weather.”

“ We saw a lot of boats every day,” a crewmate chimed in. “The race started over again every day.”

“The best thing on the race,” Levinson said, “was moving ahead at night because it happened a bunch of times. Boats would catch up during the day then we would do it again. We worked hard at night.”

‘Lady Georgina’ finished second at 13:09:48 EDT with an elapsed time of 5 days 14 minutes 48 seconds or 120 hours 14 minutes 48 Seconds.

The fleet was still clustered together along the Rhumb line to Bermuda from Marion with a majority of the fleet expected to finish Wednesday evening and a few expected on Thursday morning.

'Yaquina' appears to still be in Marion so Rich Robbins at Race HQ called to check. The incident reports shows. “Since we have received no YB position for Yaquina, I called to check on them and spoke with skipper Charles Samuelson. They have lost the transponder overboard--it is missing from the place where it was lashed to the rail.
Robbins reports, “Yaquina has been calling in with their position - as of 6/13 9:02 EDT they are at 34 degrees, 25 .8 minutes North, 066 degrees, 11.5 minutes West and proceeding to BDA.”