J/Teams sweep Stratford Shoal Gear-buster overall

66th Annual Indian Harbor Stratford Shoal Race - the Gearbuster © Paul Todd / www.outsideimages.com

Living up to its name, this year's Indian Harbor Yacht Club Stratford Shoal Gear-Buster Race saw winds gusting to 30 kts and, of course, lots of gear getting busted up in the steep, breaking seas on western Long Island Sound!

Despite the weather forecast, fifty-two boats signed up for what promised to be epic sailing conditions in true "blowing dogs off chains" weather. The event has two races, the classic Stratford Shoal Light turning mark for 46.5nm and the shorter Eaton's Neck course of 19.0nm. J/Boat teams reveled in the demanding, challenging conditions, winning three of the five divisions.

Winning the eight-boat PHRF Spinnaker Under 20 Division was Steven Levy's J/121 EAGLE. It was a close race on handicap, taking class by a mere 21 seconds after 6 hrs 45 minutes of racing! However, that performance was good enough to also earn the bronze medal for PHRF Overall results!

In the ten-boat PHRF Spinnaker 21-50 Division, the Beery and McLaughlin's duo on the J/120 SPECK took the silver medal, while Pito Chickering's J/111 The Roost took the bronze medal. Round out the top five were two more J/Teams, Arthur Hanlon's J/112E Dauntless in fourth, and Kevin Kelley's J/122 Summer Grace in fifth!

Leading a clean sweep of the podium in PHRF Spinnaker 51-99 Division was The Young American J/105 teams, not only winning class, but winning PHRF Overall. Also, second in class and second overall was yet another J/105, Randy Bourne's Strange Brew. Then, taking third in class was Justin Scagnelli and Tim Price's J/88 Albondigas!

While there were a large number of dropouts (retired) in every division in the race, some had more than 50% of their class score RET, it was yet another tour'de'force of J/crews in the Eaton's Neck Course PHRF division. Winning was James Reichel's J/105 Scapegoat by the comfortable margin of 45+ minutes on handicap. Fourth and fifth places went to two J/92s, James Weil's Vixen and Ray Gustin and Dave Kaplan's Redline, respectively.

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