WindCheck Magazine 3rd Annual Rhody Regatta rewards perseverance in 30+ knot breezes

The third annual Rhody Regatta will go down in the event’s short history as one of the toughest due to demanding winds and formidable waves encountered on an 18-mile course around Conanicut Island. The event, held May 31, was hosted by the International Yacht and Athletic Club (IYAC) and benefitted the Rhode Island Community Food Bank.

“Of the eighteen race boats that entered, three did not start and six did not finish,” said Event Co-Chair Mick Harvey. “The remaining nine teams that managed to stick it out, however, said they had a great day!” He added that a downwind start just west of Gould Island preceded a counter-clockwise trek around Conanicut and included a beat up the West Passage of Narragansett Bay to the Jamestown Bridge, then to Beavertail Lighthouse on the south side of the island. Once past Beavertail, the fleet sailed off the wind in steep waves back to the Bay’s East Passage where it finished near where they started.

Turning in the most impressive performance was overall winner (and winner in PHRF class 3) Das Blau Max, a Farr 30 skippered by Mark Sertl (Rochester, NY/Jamestown, RI). According to Sertl, the team had been stoked about the race, as it would be good practice for Block Island Race Week in June.

“The downwind start was fun and out of the norm…a nice change,” said Sertl. “We started on port behind the others who were on starboard so we could get in our own lane, because we are fast downwind in a breeze. We’d call that ‘winning the start,’ because we did what we wanted to do and sailed the first leg how we wanted to sail it.” Sertl added that after Beavertail Light, the waves kept getting bigger and Das Blau Max surfed them, hitting 21 knots of boat speed. “The wind speed was 30.5 at its highest and it never blew under 21 knots.”

Rich Moody (Jamestown, RI), who steered his R/P 66 Boudicca to victory in PHRF 4 for the largest boats, said his boat does well in 25 knots; when the wind increased into the high 30s his crew talked about retiring but decided against it. “We’re practicing for breaking a record in the Newport to Halifax Race this year,” he said. “At the start we didn’t put up a spinnaker because we were going 15-18 knots and it was only 4 ½ minutes to the first turning mark, then we would need to be on a tight reach to get to the northwest corner of the island. Going to the Jamestown Bridge was tight on the wind; we can only go under the very center of the center span, so we had to plan our tacks to line up just right.”

On Picante, the J/109 entered by Sean McNeill/Rob Nye (Newport, RI), things were “hairy” at best. “We were hanging on, something I haven’t done in a long time,” said McNeill, who skippered. “On the last run to the Newport Bridge (and then to the finish), when we saw other boats broaching we thought, ‘We should take the spinnaker down,’ and that’s when the sail’s head patch blew out. We finished under main and jib, and we were still going 11 knots! It was a great race. We had a good time.”

Das Blau Max won PHRF 3 and overall. © Stephen R Cloutier

More about IYAC

The IYAC serves as a favorite sailors’ bar in the heart of Newport and is an official US SAILING affiliated club, with registered members. The IYAC Race Committee runs several area regattas for everything from sport boats to Maxi yachts.

For more information, visit iyacnewport.com/ or email IYACNPT@gmail.com or mick@mickharveyyachting.com. ■

PHRF 4 Winner Boudicca © Stephen R Cloutier

2025 Rhody Regatta

Race Results (top three)

Place, boat type, boat name, skipper, hometown, race finish, finish position.

PHRF 1

1. Etchells 22, Free Bird, Ben Wilkinson, Newport, R.I., DNF2. VX One, Triskele, Thomas Newman, Middletown, R.I., DNF3. Melges 24, Zephyros, Tim Grimes, Newport, R.I., DNF

PHRF 2

1. J109, Picante, Sean McNeill/Rob Nye, Newport, R.I., 1, 1.

2. S&S 52, Dorade, Matt Brooks, Fremont, Calif., 2, 2.

3. Custom 30, Slim Shady, Moose McClintock/Jeff O’Brien,
Portsmouth, R.I., 3, 3.

PHRF 3

1. Farr 30, Das Blau Max, Mark Sertl, Rochester, N.Y., 1, 1.

2. J/122, Leading Edge, Tom Sutton, Houston, Texas, 2, 2.

3. J40, Dov, Jeff Johnstone, Portsmouth, R.I., 3, 3.

PHRF 4

1. R/P 66, Boudicca, Rich Moody, Jamestown, R.I., 1, 1.

2. Ker 50, Redwood, Pike Severance/Oakcliff, Oyster Bay, N.Y., 2, 2.

3. Swan 56, Defiance, Peter Noonan, Saratoga, Calif., 3, 3.