Indian Harbor Classic Yacht Regatta September 2023

Photo Credit. Patrick Sikes

Following the Nantucket race week and to close off the 2023 season Ranger will participate at her home yacht club Indian harbor for their annual classic yacht regatta in September where classic yachts from across New England come to compete for the prestigious Founder’s Cup, Spartan Cup and Victory Award.

The Annual Indian Harbor Classic Yacht Regatta saw 19 beautiful classic yachts take on the Long Island Sound in difficult and changing conditions as former Hurricane Lee spun its way up the East Coast of the USA.

Day one dawned with a gusty northerly, with gusts up to 25 knots generated by the outer edge of former Hurricane Lee, Division 1 sailed on a 21 nautical mile course that followed the Connecticut coast towards New York. Ranger passed SY Delta House before rounding a government mark and sailing downwind towards Long Island. The crew set an A5 spinnaker and Ranger enjoyed a fast downwind leg hitting speeds of up to 13.5 knots as she cruised past SY Sophie before the bottom mark. Ranger then reached eastwards along the Long Island coast before rounding the last mark for a true beat to the finish. On this final leg Ranger passed all her remaining Division 1 competition except SY Spirit and SY Golden Eye to Finish 3rd for the day.

Day two started with a postponement at 9am due to a lack of wind, with the storm passed, all the race committee could do was hope for a south westerly sea breeze. Right on cue at 11am a light 8-10 knots filled in and it was time to go racing. The days course was a 10 nautical mile triangle. With the wind on the beam for the first leg we set out at a reach with the yankee and staysail flying. Half way down the reach a wind shift meant SY Sophie hoisted their spinnaker, so the crew of Ranger followed suit. Broad reaching with the A5 flying Rangers crew gybed her around the first mark and set out in pursuit of SY Sophie and Ticonderoga in the distance. The light air proved to favour Sophie and while Ranger made her way pasted Ticonderoga before the finish the crew would have to settle for fourth on the day with Gleam, Sophie and Spirit ahead. Ranger finished 3rd overall in Division 1 and had a very enjoyable weekend with some fantastic sailing.