Sunfish Finish

Sunfish Finish, photo by Willie Waw.

The two leaders make for the finish line in a late summer race in Narragansett Bay; you can tell they're racing because they have white racing sails. Most Sunfish sailors with white racing sails hardly ever go out unless they are racing.

I don't know why that single little fluffy cloud is above the fleet -- looks like someone painted it onto the print with Whiteout...

Narragansett Bay Yawl

Narragansett Bay Yawl, photo by Willie Waw.

A fair breeze drives a handsome yawl into Wickford Harbor -- looks like he may be single-handing.

Schooner Coronet at IYRS

Schooner Coronet, photo by Willie Waw.

Schooner Yacht Coronet -- built in 1885 for industrialist Rufus T. Bush -- is being restored at the International Yacht Restoration School (IYRS) in Newport.

Link here to see a beautiful painting by John Mecray of Coronet blasting along in a good breeze. And visit the IYRS site here to learn more about the restoration and all of the great work they do.

Coronet has been called the oldest, largest and most original grand yacht in the world. Arthur Curtiss James owned the yacht in the 1890s; he sailed it twice around Cape Horn.

September Sunrise

September Sunrise, photo by Willie Waw.

Late summer morning on Narragansett Bay -- wouldn't it look nicer without the new dock?

Newport Boat Show Opens Tomorrow

Boat Show Preview, photo by Willie Waw.

Many boats are being readied for the boat show this weekend in Newport -- opens tomorrow and runs through September 17th.

I've already picked out the one I want -- a Bruckmann 42-foot Daysailer -- isn't she handsome?

To learn more about this boat and others by Zurn Yacht Design, link here.

Newport Moorings

Newport Moorings, photo by Willie Waw.

The aqua Nonsuch catboat and the Hinckley yawl have prime mooring locations in front of the 'cottage' known as Beacon Rock in Newport's Brenton Cove.

Neighbor Out in a Good Breeze

Neighbor Out in a Good Breeze, photo by Willie Waw.

You can see that conditions are rough and breezy -- most of the other boats at anchor are pitching and rolling. But my neighbor is having a nice Narragansett Bay ride.

You know you've been meaning to try windsurfing -- go ahead; do it! If you have never tried it, take a lesson -- you'll learn faster....

Cuauhtemoc in Miami

Cuauhtemoc in Miami, photo by Willie Waw.

The majestic Barque Cuauhtemoc of the Navy of Mexico is shown here docked at the Port of Miami just before the start of the Tall Ships Challenge Series in 2004.

In 2007, the series will have stops in Charleston, Norfolk, Newport and Halifax. Ships wil be coming from as far away as India, Brazil and Germany.

Visit the American Sail Training Association ASTA web site for details.

Charleston Ships

Charleston Ships, photo by Willie Waw.

Tall ships fans view and go aboard the visiting vessels in Charleston, South Carolina during the Tall Ships Challenge Series in 2004.

Vessels pictured (from right to left) are the Tenacious from the UK, Cuauhtemoc from Mexico, Mircea from Romania and Cisne Branco from Brazil.

Grand Nellie in Camden, NJ

Grand Nellie in Camden, NJ, photo by Willie Waw.

65-foot Schooner Grand Nellie from Duluth, MN and Oriental, NC crosses ahead of the 887-foot Battleship New Jersey in Camden.

Grand Nellie's visit to Camden was during the Tall Ships Challenge Series visit to Camden and Philadelphia in 2004.

Link here for more info on the Grand Nellie and here for the Battleship New Jersey web site.

The 2007 Tall Ships Challenge Series will be back on the Atlantic Coast of North America with stops in Charleston, Norfolk, Newport and Halifax.

Sunfish Panorama

Sunfish Panorama, photo by Willie Waw.

The Dutch Island Rounding is usually the final race in the annual Sunfish Super Sunday regatta at Saunderstown Yacht Club in Narragansett Bay.

Downwind starts keep the fleet together for half the race.

Appledore III

Appledore III, photo by Willie Waw.

Appledore III operates from Rockport, Massachusetts and takes visitors out for daysail trips.

She recently returned from her third 'round-the-world voyage.

She will probably race in the Gloucester and Provincetown schooner races this fall.

Six Appledore schooners have been built by Herb and Doris Smith -- Appledore II is in Maine and Appledores four and five are in Bay City, Michigan. Not sure where the others are.

For info on Appledore IV and V, and a short history of the Appledore schooners, link here.

For info on Appledore III, link here.

Spinnakers Astern

Spinnakers Behind, photo by Willie Waw.

The Ensign fleet starts at the same time we do in the cruising (non-spinnaker) division of the Wickford Wednesday evening series.

It pays to get clear of them downwind so we aren't blanketed by their spinnakers.

There Goes Our Fleet

There Goes Our Fleet, photo by Willie Waw.

We were well below the line when the gun went off for our start -- but managed to make a strong comeback to place second that evening in the cruising division in the Wickford Yacht Club Wednesday series.

I was sailing aboard the wooden 8-meter sloop King Haakon, named for a king of Norway. The sloop was built in Norway in the '50s.

Jacksonville Square Dance

Jacksonville Square Dance, photo by Willie Waw.

Four tall ships jockey for position for the best shot in a mock gunbattle in Jacksonville in 2004.

From left to right, Schooners Freedom, Pride of Baltimore II, Voyager and Brigantine Meka II participated in Tall Ships Challenge 2004 organized by the American Sail Training Association.

Messing About in Small Sailboats

Fun on Small Sailboats, photo by Willie Waw.

Daughter Chelsea and her boyfriend Tom out for a spin on the simple, stable beginner's boat, the Escape Solsa.

I could hear them hooting and laughing from shore -- fun is what sailing is all about!

A J Meerwald in New London

A J Meerwald in New London, photo by Willie Waw.

Schooner A J Meerwald from Bivalve, New Jersey alongside at New London's State Pier for the 2004 Tall Ships Challenge Series.

In the background from left to right are naval sail training ships Cisne Branco, Mircea and Cuauhtemoc from Brazil, Romania and Mexico respectively.

The 2006 Tall Ships Challenge fleet is currently in Chicago and will be open to the public through August 9 at Navy Pier, DuSable Harbor and on the Chicago River. Next year's tour will be on the Atlantic Coast of North America and will include stops in Charleston, Norfolk, Newport and Halifax.

Hyannis Mark Rounding

Hyannis Mark Rounding, photo by Willie Waw.

104 Club 420s competed in the Hyannis (Massachusetts) Regatta last weekend -- it was a windy weekend for the junior sailors, except during the last race which had to be abandoned when the wind died.

Saunderstown Classics

Saunderstown Classics, photo by Willie Waw.

The classic division at Saunderstown Yacht Club's weekly races includes Herreshoff 12-and-a-halfs, catboats, Javelins and Bullseyes.

Saunderstown Yacht Club is on Narragansett Bay's West Passage.

Juan Sebastian de Elcano

Elcano in Cadiz, photo by Willie Waw.

Spain's naval sail training ship Juan Sebastian de Elcano is shown soon after the start of the Tall Ships 2000 race from her home port of Cadiz to Bermuda.

Juan Sebastián de Elcano (1460-1526) was the first to circumnavigate the globe and Spain's best-known naval hero

Link here for more photos of the Elcano.

Evening Light

Evening Light, photo by Willie Waw.

Wickford Harbor in warm, summer evening light...

The lighthouse belongs to the home on the point and is no longer used for navigation.

Wickford Catboats

Wickford Catboats, photo by Willie Waw.

Serene evening racing on Narragansett Bay -- the Wickford Catboat Association holds races for Marshall 18 and 21 catboats each Tuesday in the summer.

Concordia 41 Yawl Suva in Padanaram

Concordia 41 Yawl Suva in Padanaram, photo by Willie Waw.

Suva and two slightly smaller Concordia 40 yawls grace Padanaram Harbor, Massachusetts, home of the famous Concordia Company. Most of the 103 yawls were built for Concordia by Abeking & Rasmussen in Germany between 1938 and 1966 and were delivered to Boston by ship.

To learn more about the history of these beautiful craft, link here.

New Bedford Junior Regatta

New Bedford Regatta, photo by Willie Waw.

Son Lyle and crew Katie power downwind in the New Bedford Junior Regatta -- they did well with a 7th out of about sixty-five 420s in the regatta.

Additional regattas in Maine, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New York will keep them very busy this summer -- that's the way we like it!

Brigantine Fritha out of Newport

Brigantine Fritha out of Newport, photo by Willie Waw.

The beautiful Fritha, built in New Zealand, is gearing up for charter work from Newport, Rhode Island. She will also be used as a sail training vessel for the American Sail Training Association and Northeast Maritime Institute.

Link here for a beautiful photo of the Fritha under sail.

Schooner Brilliant from Mystic Seaport

Schooner Brilliant from Mystic Seaport, photo by Willie Waw.

61-foot Brilliant was built in 1932 at the Henry B. Nevins shipyard in City Island, New York. Designed by Sparkman and Stephens, she was raced for many years and served with the Coast Guard during World War II.

Brilliant is shown here at anchor in Newport with a teen group aboard -- some of them can be seen swimming alongside. Brilliant has hosted more than 9,000 adult and youth sail trainees during her illustrious sailing career.

In 1933, Brilliant sailed from Nantucket Lightship to Bishop's Rock in the Scilly Islands (48nm WSW of the Lizard) in 15 days, one hour and 23 minutes. In 2000, under current Captain George Moffett, Brilliant won the race from Halifax to Amsterdam during Tall Ships 2000.

For more details on the Brilliant, her history and programs, link here.

New Record for Orange II

The maxi catamaran Orange II team established a new transatlantic sailing record finishing this evening in a time of 4 days, 8 hours, 23 minutes and 54 seconds (from New York's Ambrose Tower to the Lizard, the southwestern point of England). Their average speed was 28.02 knots and they shaved more than 9 hours off the old record held by Steve Fossett and crew on Playstation.

They would have finished earlier had their rudder not been damaged when it hit ice or debris -- speed had to be held under 30 knots for the latter part of the crossing. Congratulations to Bruno Peyron and his eleven speed-demon crew.

See post below for links.

Orange II Seeks Transtlantic Record

Orange II Seeks Transtlantic Record, photo by Willie Waw.

Bruno Peyron and his all French team aboard G-Class catamaran Orange II left New York City today just after 7:00 am local time in an attempt to beat the record held by Steve Fossett's Playstation since October 2001. The record stands at 4 days, 17 hours and 28 minutes to the southwest tip of England.

They are currently speeding along at about 30 knots and will have to average about 26 to set a new transatlantic record. In August 2004, Orange II missed setting a new record by just 31 minutes. If they break the receord, they will have to arrive at the southwest point of England (The Lizard) by 2:28 am on Friday morning, July 7th, New York time.

To follow the progress of Orange II, link here or to learn more about the vessel and the team, link here.

12-Meter Heritage in Newport

12 Meter Heritage in Newport, photo by Willie Waw.

Heritage, recognizable by her bright topsides, was built by Charley Morgan for the 1970 America's Cup. Since she wasn't selected to defend the cup, she was later converted into an ocean racer.

During the 70s and 80s, she won many races on the East Coast and in the Great Lakes, including two Chicago to Mackinac races.

Link here to learn more about sailing aboard Heritage and other vessels in Newport.

Continental Sloop Providence

Continental Sloop Providence, photo by Willie Waw.

The Sloop Providence crew make final preparations for their departure for Cleveland via New York City, Albany, and Oswego.

They will spend most of the summer with youth aboard touring the Great Lakes in the American Sail Training Association's Tall Ships Challenge Series with visits to Cleveland, Bay City, Green Bay and Chicago.

The mast has been removed for the trip through the New York Barge Canal and will be re-stepped in Oswego on Lake Ontario.

During her short but distinguished naval career during the Revolution, the original sloop sank or captured 40 British ships.

For more info, visit the Sloop Providence website.