Great sailing for the 2024 American YC Fall Regatta

2021 American Yacht Club Fall Regatta © American Yacht Club

The American Yacht Club's annual Fall Regatta marks the close of the summer offshore sailing season on Long Island Sound. It's always a well-attended event and it attracts dozens of J/Boats owners up and down the Sound for racing in one-design classes of J/44s, J/105s, J/70s, and a half-dozen PHRF handicap classes.

The fleet was treated to great sailing and good breezes for the two-weekend event, enabling racing all four days and the one-design classes to have nine races!

J/44 Class

The five-boat fleet was yet again treated to a "schooling" by former New York YC Commodore Bill Ketcham's MAXINE. After a "slow start" of a 2-4-2, Ketcham's team peeled off six straight bullets to win by a country furlong with just 10 pts net!

Learning quick and good students of the sport of racing sailboats has been the women duo of June & Amanda Kendrick's PALANTIR 5. This year they started well with a 1-2-3, then ripped off straight deuces to take the silver medal with 15 pts net. Rounding out the podium on the bronze medal step was Willets Meyer's BEAGLE with 25 pts net.

J/105 Class

Getting back to his old form after sailing J/105s for 30+ years was Damian Emery's WARLOCK. Emery's WARLOCK team dominated the J/105 fleet with five 1sts and four 2nds en route to solid performance for 11 pts net. Not to be outdone, veteran J/105 skipper Paul Beaudin and his LOULOU team also counted all podium scores to take the silver medal with 13 pts Net. Then, the balance of the podium was David Owen's ECHO with 30 pts net.

J/70 Class

Jean Marc Papin/s PEN SEGAL simply wiped the slate clean with straight bullets for all seven races in this fleet. Caelan McMichael's USA 1725 took second with 15 pts net, while Lucas Swain's USA 1747 took the bronze medal.

Coastal PHRF 1 Division

Loving the conditions and courses for their four days of sailing was Len Sitar's beautiful blue J/160 COUGAR. They posted a blistering scoreline of 1-1-1-3 for 6 pts total to handily win their fleet.

Coastal PHRF 2 Division

It was a clean sweep for J/crews in this fleet. Winning was Ron Richman's J/133 ANTIDOTE with a 2-2-2-1 tally for 7 pts. Second was last year's division winner, Erik Asgeirsson's J/45 ACADIA with a 3-3-1-5 scorecard for 12 pts. Then, taking the bronze medal was Bill Klein's J/120 SPECK with a 4-4-3-2 record for 13 pts.

Coastal PHRF 3 Division

The top five was dominated by J/crews. Taking the silver was Steve Landry & Derek Soohoo's J/100 SANGUINE. Third was Todd Aven's J/99 THIN MAN, fourth went to Ray Warner's J/99 AGENT 99, and fifth was Robert Schwarz's J/109 NORDLYS.

Coastal PHRF 4 Division

The top two podium steps were determined by a tiebreaker at 7 pts each. Winning the countback was Jason Viseltear's J/80 UPSETTER, followed by JC Zucconi & Jim Townsend's J/92 EASY RED.

PHRF J/100 Class

The J/100s on western Long Island Sound have been enjoying a renaissance in this beautiful 33-foot "eye candy" of a daysailer. Winning again was the trio of Tom Boyle, Bob Clyatt, & Doug McKiege ono BLUEFIN. Second went to William Hennes's LIBERTY and third was the duo of Drew Fung & Pat Jakobson's FREEDOM. For more American YC Fall Regatta results and sailing information.