100-mile race celebrates MYC

bveneri@hotmail.com

Six boats have entered, and more are expected to enter the first-ever, 100-mile Centennial Race sponsored by the Mattapoisett Yacht Club and scheduled for July 28-29. The Centennial Race will consist of two laps through Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound.
"We expect more boats to sign up after the Tower Race," said MYC Commodore Fran Grenon of Mattapoisett, referring to the Parker Converse Tower Race scheduled for this weekend.
Skippers have until 8 p.m. Friday, July 27, to enter the race commemorating 100 years of boating by the MYC.

Some boating enthusiasts who cannot enter the 2001 Centennial Race this year because of scheduling conflicts have asked that the MYC sponsor the same event next year, so, Grenon said, "this could become an annual event."
Grenon noted that there are only two other races of similar distance and duration in the area, the Round-the-Cape race (not raced every year) and the New Bedford Yacht Club Whaler Race to Block Island (in the fall).
According to Grenon, organizers of the Centennial Race decided to keep the course local so boats "don't have to go too far."
Organizers considered a straight 50 miles out, 50 miles back course, but that would have taken boats too far offshore, he said. Then, they thought of following the MYC Round-the-Bay course (20 miles) for five laps, but "you would have had people scratching their heads saying 'which lap are we on?'," said Grenon, who also thought five laps of the same course would get too monotonous.
They finally settled on a course similar to the Tower Race, but for two laps. Complete racing instructions can be found on the MYC Web site, www.mattapoisettyc.org
"I hope we get some good weather," said Grenon, "and everybody has a great sail."
The course is set so that boats race from outside Mattapoisett Harbor to Nye's Ledge, then to the Buzzards Bay Light Tower, back to Devil's Bridge in Vineyard Sound, then through Quick's Hole back into Buzzards Bay, north to Centerboard Shoals, around to Angelica Point and Nye's Ledge. Then, they sail off to do it all again a second time.
The race starts at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 28, with racing boats (spinnakers allowed) starting first, followed by cruising boats (no spinnakers). Boats should have to make only one passage through Quick's Hole at night, said Grenon, and all boats are asked to contact the Committee Boat when they pass Angelica Point on both laps.
Grenon's 33-foot. C&C Focus will serve as Committee Boat, with Harvey Pentleton and Carol Marten of the MYC Race Committee, as well as Grenon, aboard for the duration of the race. The first boats are predicted to finish Sunday morning.
The Centennial Race has two classes, PHRF Racing and PHRF Cruising. Entry fee is $40 ($35 for U.S. Sailing members), $25 for MYC members.

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