United States Coast Guard Academy - Department of Athletics - Sailing

Thames Yacht Club hosted their 60th annual Commodore’s Trophy Race on Sunday September 9th.

The day began with a postponement due to inadequate wind for a start. The Race Committee decided to move the starting line from its original location to a more westerly location near Vixen’s Ledge. The Coast Guard Academy’s “Division 1” boats consisted of J/44 Glory and Mumm 30s Hammer and Ebur had the final start of the rolling sequence. The Coast Guard Academy’s four Colgate 26s were “Division 4” and started fifth in the sequence.

The race began with an upwind beat to a dropped tetrahedron two nautical miles away from the starting line. Boats were initially moving upwind with all weight to leeward, unfortunately a dying breeze compounded with unfavorable tidal ebb translated to a lengthy initial leg. Glory and the Mumms overtook the Colgate fleet within an hour and a half of the Division 1 start, as the race committee announced to the fleet that the course had been shortened due to wind velocity issues, eliminating two entire legs. The lack of wind and the current eventually led to an unusual strategic decision. Glory and a portion of the Colgates decided to drop their anchors during the race, opting to hold their positions rather than risk moving backwards in the strong west to east tide. Glory was able to hold a position close to the windward mark as they waited for any signs of wind. The Coast Guard Colgates waited for breeze to fill in, but were significantly behind the majority of the fleet. Colgate sailors anticipated being unable to finish within the regatta’s predefined time limit and decided to retire for the day beginning the long motor home. At this pivotal point in the race Hammer and Ebur were already safely around the windward mark and riding the tide towards the shortened course’s finish line just off Fishers Island’s Silver Eel Cove.

Division 1 was won by Ebur skippered by Nick Custer 2/c who spent the final moments of the regatta anxiously looking astern at Hammer in second place. Custer commented on the final moments of the race. “I sat there looking behind me at Tim while steering, just thinking of all the possible ways he could get around me if the breeze picked up more for him,” referring to Team Captain Tim Andersen 1/c at the helm of Hammer. Ultimately both Coast Guard Academy Mumms glided to a victorious 1-2 finish. Glory finished 4th of 9 in Division 1 just missing a 1-2-3 Commodore’s Trophy Race clean sweep by the Coast Guard Academy.