TYC Racers Battle Shifting Winds in 70th Fishers Island Round the Island Race

September 17, 2026  | appletim1  | Comment  | Latest News

Duet and Aries put TYC on the podium, finishing first and third, in the Short Handed Class in the 70th annual Fishers Island Round the Island Race on a beautiful Saturday of Labor Day weekend.

In total, four Thames Yacht Club boats joined more than 60 boats in a race that demanded patience, smart tactics and the ability to make the most of every puff of wind.

In the Short Handed Class, Duet, skippered by Greg Locke with his wife Yuan Yuan Chen as crew, won on corrected time, while Aries, skippered by Dave Knecht with crew Tom Loughman, finished third—after roughly three hours of racing. Aries was also second across the finish line in the class and third across the line overall.

The race started at West Harbor, with the Short Handed Class starting first among the 10 classes. From the beginning, Aries was locked in a close battle with Raven, a Beneteau 36.7 out of Ram Island Yacht Club, while Duet followed closely behind.

“We were chasing Raven, and we were closer and then farther—it kept going back and forth,” said Knecht, who has competed in the race more than half a dozen times. “And Duet was chasing us the whole time.”

Loughman said the race offered a new experience for him.

“It was a very fun race,” he said. “I’ve never done the race clockwise around the island. There was plenty of wind, but once we rounded the corner, the wind went away for about 40 minutes. When it came back, it was on our nose.”

Locke agreed that the conditions made for an exciting race. “The race was great,” he said.

Then the wind disappeared

After the fleet worked its way along the north side of Fishers Island and approached Lord’s and Wicopisset Passages, the race took a dramatic turn.

TYC’s Stu Caplan was aboard Set Free, an IMX40 with the Mudheads, skippered by Jim Slavin. The boat went on to win its class and take the overall fleet award, but even the fastest boats had to contend with the disappearing breeze.

Caplan, who was trimming the spinnaker, said the fleet was fortunate to have the current working in its favor when the wind died.

“It was a good race until Lord’s Passage when the wind died, but we were lucky as we had a half knot of forward motion and the current was with us,” Caplan said. “It was a bit of a parking lot, but the wind filled in soon enough from a southerly direction and we were able to fly the kite most of the way.”

For some boats, however, the combination of little or no wind and the tide turned the race into a frustrating drift. The radio came alive as boat after boat announced that they were dropping out.

Duet managed to get through Wicopisset Passage just before the wind completely died, allowing them to nearly catch Aries.

When the wind finally returned, the boats accelerated on a beam reach toward Race Point, with Aries gradually pulling away from Duet. The unusual conditions also dramatically changed the normally fast downwind leg for the spinnaker fleet.

“After rounding Race Rock Buoy, one spinnaker-class boat came charging past Aries and likely went on to take line honors,” Knecht said. “Under normal conditions, many spinnaker boats usually rocket past us on the downwind leg.”

But these weren’t normal conditions. Many of the boats were caught in the windless waters and adverse current leaving them well behind.

A smart call by the Race Committee

With the fleet facing another potentially long stretch of light air and adverse current, the Race Committee shortened the course, ending the race at North Hill Bell.

“It proved to be a smart decision,” Knecht said. “Had the race continued back toward West Harbor, sailors could have faced a long and frustrating slog against the tide in very light wind.”

Aries crossed the finish line approximately three minutes behind Raven and about 10 minutes ahead of Duet. But once corrected times were calculated, the results shifted.

Duet took the Short Handed Class with Aries a close third, just 22 seconds behind the second place finisher. 

Strong showing across the TYC fleet

The TYC boats made their presence known throughout the race.

Roy Adams, aboard Heron with crew Steve Currier and Jackie Cameron, finished fourth in Non-Spinnaker Class A, while Tom Doyle, aboard Bagatelle, finished seventh in Non-Spinnaker Class B.

With the TYC boats among more than 60 competitors, the 70th running of the Fishers Island Round the Island Race delivered plenty of competition and plenty of drama.

For the TYC racers it was another memorable day on the water ending with a beautiful rainbow.

TYC Racers Brave the Pounding Rain in Annual Commodores’ Race

September 17, 2026  | appletim1  | Comment  | Latest News

The forecast called for a wet Sunday, and it delivered.

Twenty-five boats signed up for the 78th annual ECSA Thames Yacht Club Commodores’ Trophy Race on Sunday, September 13, but as the rain clouds gathered and the forecast grew wetter, many sailors made the decision to keep their boats—and themselves—dry.

But six diehard racers had other ideas.As the saying goes, the show must go on.

With rain pouring down, the race committee moved the start to Queen Mary, with the first boats heading off at 1 p.m. Two spinnaker boats sailed toward Silver Eel, while the double-handed and cruising boats headed toward Buoy No. 1 at the mouth of the Thames River.

The race began with a downwind start, but conditions quickly became more challenging as the wind eased and a strong ebb tide charged out of the river. The sailors had to work hard to make their way back upwind, battling the current and the steady pounding rain.

In the end, the TYC boats showed they were up to the challenge, with Thames Yacht Club racers taking first place in each of their respective divisions.

Race Results

• Aries — First, Double-Handed (Dave Knecht)
• Duet — Second, Double-Handed (Greg Locke)
• Heron — Third, Double-Handed (Roy Adamson)
• Syrah — First, Cruising ( Yakov Bar-Shalom)
• Xcellent — First, Spinnaker Class 1 (Eric O’Sullivan)
• Trilogy — First, Spinnaker Class 2 (Josh Hazelwood)

Two TYC racers also won the Harkness Cup, the combined results of Niantic Bay’s Early Bird Regatta and TYC’s Commodores’ Trophy Race. Heron took honors in the non-spinnaker class and Xcellent in the spinnaker class. 

Principal Race Officer Jeff Lamothe said that while getting the race underway in the heavy rain presented a few challenges, the race committee worked closely with the sailors to create a course that would provide a good test for the fleet.

“I enjoyed the collaborative process with the racers to decide on a challenging course that resulted in a great race,” Lamothe said.

And while the sailors may have been soaked by the time they crossed the finish line, the real reward was waiting back at the club.

Despite the rain and cancellations, about 60 members turned out for the Commodores’ Trophy Race party. Fortunately, the skies finally began to cooperate. By the time the party got underway, the sun had made an appearance, allowing members to spread out onto the deck and enjoy the afternoon.

There was plenty of good food to go around, including barbecue chicken, corn on the cob, macaroni and potato salad, baked beans, cornbread, and watermelon.

Behind the bar, Commodore Colin Redhead kept the drinks flowing, mixing up Dark ’N Stormy cocktails and serving beer as members swapped stories about the day on the water.

Vice Commodore Nina Jeannotte said it was especially nice to see the weather turn around and the deck fill with members after such a soggy start to the day.

“It was great to see the rain stop and everyone come out to enjoy the sunshine and the party,” Jeannotte said. Redhead also praised the members who showed up early to help with setup and stayed to make the event a success.

“That’s what makes our club what it is—the members working together,” Redhead said.

At TYC, a little rain may change the course—but it doesn’t stop the fun

Nonsuch 30C for Sale!

September 10, 2026  | appletim1  | Comment  | Latest News

Please take a look!

• 2025 updated the electronics to Garmin, installed a new Garmin AIS-enabled VHF (with a remote microphone at the helm),
• replaced the black water system with a composting toilet,
• varnished cockpit furniture and swim ladder,
• 2026 painted the bottom,
• prop speed on the propeller,
• brand new plexiglass hatchboard,
• upgraded the propane for the galley stove,
• new on demand propane water heater,
• new main halyard,
• Fairclough full two-piece cover

Teamwork Put to the Test in Ensign Championships

August 21, 2026  | appletim1  | Comment  | Latest News

Thames Yacht Club’s Eric Jones and his crew aboard Teamwork competed in the 2026 Ensign National Championship at the Toms River Yacht Club in New Jersey, August 12-16. Despite broken equipment and challenging conditions, the team finished an impressive fifth out of 23 boats.

Unfortunately, during one of the races, Teamwork’s starboard winch barrel flew off, leaving the crew without a working winch. They sailed the remainder of the race manually, pulling the jib in by hand to get it cleated. Despite the equipment failure, Teamwork managed to finish second in that race. 

The crew had to sail the next two races without the winch, leaving them exhausted by the end of the day. Fortunately, they were able to borrow a replacement winch the following day from an Ensign that was not in the water.

For Jones, the championship was a true family affair. His crew included his son, Rick; his granddaughter, Emma; and Emma’s boyfriend, Harrison. Eric’s wife, Lorena, managed the support and non-racing schedule, while his daughter-in-law, Kathy, took to the water to photograph  the races. 

Besides Jones, the local Ensign contingent also included Thames Yacht Club Member Russ Carr aboard Swoose (22nd place), Robin Durrschmidt aboard Magic (9th place), and John Moulthrop aboard Brimdyr (10th place), both from the Niantic Bay Yacht Club, and Mike Macina aboard Firebird (11th place), representing the Wadawanuck Yacht Club in Stonington.

The captains of the top 10 boats were awarded trophies, and each crew member also received an award.

The National Ensign Championship attracted sailors from across the country, including competitors from as far away as Texas. The event featured excellent racing, and a presentation by Betsy Alison, a U.S. National Sailing Hall of Fame inductee and five time Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year. Sailers participated in starting and maneuvering practice and seminars. There was also an Ensign accessories market, a Parrot Head Party, and plenty of food, drinks, music and fun.

After a week of challenging conditions, equipment problems and exhausting racing, Teamwork’s fifth-place finish was a testament to the skill, determination and teamwork of its crew.

Enjoy the great pictures!