John Corwin
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Aug 31, 2009, 5:45 PM
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Longest/Closest One Design Match Race sailed in J/105s
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Kevin Grainger, using Ullman Sails raced his J/105, GUMPTION3, to win first in division and second overall in the 2009 Stamford Yacht Club Annual Overnight Race, around Stratford Shoal and back regarding the PJ whistle off Port Jefferson and Bell 18 off Stratford Point. On August 21st and 22nd under the finger tips of this year's second hurricane with Bill Howard, John Corwin, Andy Okun, and Hailey Okun, the 2009 Stamford Overnight Race became the Longest/Closest J/105 Match Race in history and gained, Kevin Grainger and the crew of GUMPTION3, two new J/105 Hall of Fame honors.
GUMPTION3 defeated ECLIPSE by 15 seconds after an all night endurance race of boat handling and tactics in which two thirds of the race was sailed in unfavorable tide, but the passing, crossing and wind changes kept the race on edge. The scheduled Fleet 6 J/105 One Design season qualifier had a low turnout, crushed by Hurricane Bill, but it became a great match race among J/105 Hall of Fame skippers, Kevin Grainger and Damian Emery, and their boats, GUMPTION3 and ECLIPSE, under extreme conditions, both highs and lows with a challenging mix of clear sky, clouds and squalls.
It was an intense match up with Kevin Grainger as the challenger (East Coast Champion and two time North East National Offshore One Design Champion) leading most of the race. Damian Emery, the contender, (an East Coast Champion and a three time North East National Offshore One Design Champion who has won Block Island Race Week three times, along with being a Southern Circuit and St Pete's National Offshore One Design Champion) had the lead at the start but lost it before dark. Damian, a living J/105 legend known nationally as the winner of the Most Consecutive One Design Regattas, tried everything from going into Smithtown Bay to hugging the Norwalk Islands. So it was no small challenge and not fair weather. The wind dropped to 0.00 more than a few times and the worst rain was in the middle of the night. "Not a race for the frail."
No PHRF boat rating 90 or higher finished before the time limit expired except GUMPTION3 & ECLIPSE, finishing 2nd and 3rd Overall for the 2009 Stamford Overnight Race. Also GUMPTION3 & ECLIPSE (PHRF rating 105 sec/mile) crossed the line 4 minutes before a King 40, AMERICAN GIRL (PHRF rating 6 sec/mile) and defeated an X41, PENDRAGON (PHRF rating 15 sec/mile) and a J/120, SOULMATE (PHRF rating 45 sec/mile) on corrected time. After 47.6 miles a Frers 45, CRAZY HORSE (PHRF rating 36 sec/mile) won first place by only 2 minutes and 31 seconds corrected.
New J/105 Records set by GUMPTION3 out of American Yacht Club:
Longest J/105 Match Race
2009: 47.6 miles, GUMPTION3 (USA 59) vs ECLIPSE (USA 50), Stamford Yacht Club Overnight Race, (Fleet 6, Long Island Sound), won by Kevin Grainger, GUMPTION3, Hull #59.
Closest J/105 Distance Race (top 2 boats)
2009: 0.3 sec/mile, (15 seconds, 47.6 miles) Stamford Yacht Club Overnight Race, (Fleet 6, Long Island Sound), won by Kevin Grainger, GUMPTION3, Hull #59.
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