United States Coast Guard Academy - Department of Athletics - Sailing - J/44 Glory 3rd at Fisher's Island Round Island Race

On Saturday September 1st, The United States Coast Guard Academy’s Offshore Racing Team participated in Fishers Island Yacht Club’s 51st Annual Round Island Race. West Harbor, where the Fishers Island Yacht Club is located acted as home base during this regatta, setting the scene for the start and finish of the race.

The Coast Guard Academy’s two Mumm 30s along with J/44 Glory arrived in West Harbor around 0930 hours, allowing for plenty prep time prior to the 1100 hours start their class, “Juliet.” The Coast Guard boats spent this time doing practice spinnaker sets and gybes.

The starting gun sounded and the boats were off, close-reaching on a port-tack hugging the green-markers indicating the area of safe water. The course for this race was a clockwise rounding of Fishers Island. Conditions were remarkable with a steady wind and amazing visibility. The real amazing part of this sail was the competitor’s ability to round the entire island jibing once at the Eastern side of the island and tacking once at The Race on the island’s westernmost tip. J/44 Glory hoisted the spinnaker twice during this 15 mile course, including a breathtaking moment as Glory breezed across the finish line for a 3rd place finish with the spinnaker flying. The Mumm 30s finished 8th and 9th, suffering from shorter waterline lengths. The much more maneuverable Mumms had trouble keeping up with the larger boats in this competitive division over a 15 mile circuitous course comprised primarily of reaching legs. Glory’s 3rd place finish was recognized by the Race Committee at the awards ceremony ashore following the day of racing. The Glory crew took a beautiful silver engraved plate home to the academy.

The Coast Guard Offshore Sailing Team would like to thank the Fishers Island Yacht Club Race Committee for accommodating our team and running a great race on Saturday. The 51st Annual Round Island Race certainly was a success.