99th Conanicut Yacht Club Around the Island Race - Recap
by Conanicut Yacht Club Around the Island Race 7 Sep 09:35 PDT
September 6, 2025
A northerly forecast holding for an entire day is a foreboding sight for Narragansett Bay sailors—and for the Race Committee tasked with getting more than 80 boats around Jamestown for the Annual Conanicut Yacht Club Around the Island Race.
But when the first division started in 12 knots of breeze at 11 a.m., there was reason for optimism. The northerly continued at 8-12 knots throughout much of the day, delivering what some competitors affectionately called "personal puffs" to the 11 PHRF divisions spread around the course.
Much of the fleet converged beneath the Jamestown Verrazzano Bridge creating close racing and more than a few calls for room. As the breeze began to fade, the Race Committee made the smart decision to shorten the 18.1-mile course at Beavertail Lighthouse, approximately three-quarters of the way around the island. It proved to be the right call: by the time the fleet would have reached the original finish, that area of the Bay was nearly glass.
Jamestowner, Rich Moody and his crew aboard Boudicca - Gill Race Team were the first to cross the finish line with their 66-foot Reichel/Pugh design with an elapsed time of 2:08:23.
That evening, sailors gathered on the lawn at Conanicut Yacht Club for a barbecue taco dinner and awards.
At the top of the overall results was Alex Wadson's Manic, a Shaw 6.5 and one of the smallest boats in the fleet. Manic finished with a corrected time of 2:46:10. He was surprised when his name was called. "I know we sailed well and it was our conditions, but that is always a happy way to end the regatta."
Second overall was Cory and Mark Sertl's Farr 30 Das Blau Max, with a corrected time of approximately 2:49. The Sertls raced with four family members aboard, along with several "surrogate children."
Cory reflected on how far back her own history with the race extends. Her first Around the Island Race was in a Blue Jay with her brother Harry as part of the CYC Junior Program.
"I think they started us at 9 or 10 in the morning to make sure we got around the island," she recalled.
Her husband, Mark, said the race remains a "not-to-miss event" for their family. "We make sure it's on everyone's calendar," he said. "We can't wait for the 100th."
Joining the Sertls among the podium finishers was Moose McClintock, who believes he sailed his first Around the Island Race at seven years old in 1971—also aboard a Blue Jay alongside a sibling.
"It has been a tradition on Narragansett Bay for decades," McClintock said. "I'm not sure how many I've done, but this was one of the best for us in many years."
McClintock and boat partner Jeff O'Brien raced Slim Shady, a JS9000 and another of the fleet's smaller entries. Although this year's conditions may have favored the smaller boats, the competition remained remarkably close, with several classes separated by only a handful of minutes.
Race Chair Peter Schott and his team of CYC Volunteers were pleased with this year's race but they are already looking ahead to the milestone celebration.
"Hearing all the stories on the lawn at CYC tonight makes me look forward to next year, when we can bring back generations of memories," Schott said.
Save the date for Labor Day weekend 2027, when Conanicut Yacht Club will celebrate the 100th Around the Island Race.