Seventeen spectacular yachts competed for Bucket honors under sunny Newport skies. Blessed with beautiful New England weather, well sailed races were completed on each of the regatta days. The winds were light and challenging but the yachts all rose to the challenge.

Indio’s consistent good sailing brought them to the podium to accept class and overall honors. The 102 foot Frers designed and Wally built sloop won both races in the very competitive Gazelles class.

 

Sejaa was well-sailed on both days and won top honors in the Mademoiselles class. A good light air boat, conditions were on their side. The Grandes Dames trophy went to Tenacious - another well sailed yacht.

 

Saturday’s race presented light but very sailable conditions and the Race Committee sent all  classes  on more lengthy courses. The Gazelles had a 26nm course and the Grandes Dames and Mademoiselles were sent on a 22nm one. The course was set to challenge all with beat, run and reaching legs. The tacticians rose to the challenge and the best sailed boats rose to the top. The first four boats crossed the line within 45 seconds, making for a very exciting finish.

Sunday’s weather projections were for very light air, with some saying that the Bucket would be very lucky to get a race underway. After a half hour delay the wind did fill in and two short courses were set. The Gazelles were sent on an 11nm course and the other two classes on a 9nm one. Halfway through the race the breeze abated, making it of a bit of a struggle for some, but the racers hung in there and sailed their very best.

Race Director Peter Craig remarked that despite the light conditions, there were “two fun races, and as is usually the case, the best sailed boats were on the podium.”

Bucket Regattas are famous for their 26 years of shoreside fun and camaraderie. The 10th edition of the Newport Bucket was no exception. Friday and Saturday night socials at the Newport Shipyard marquee were filled with enthusiastic partygoers. Live music kept people dancing and the laughter and libations were in great supply! The ALLY Foundation was honored on the first night and their supporters and organizers joined in the welcoming celebration.

The Sunday awards ceremony took place at Salve Regina’s beautiful Ochre Court Mansion. A gorgeous sunset and gleaming crystal trophies made for a lovely presentation. In addition to the coveted perpetual Bucket trophy, Indio received a spectacular custom inscribed Mariner Chelsea Clock. Second and third place overall winners received beautiful Ship’s Bell Chelsea Clock trophies.

 

Special Trophies were awarded to three very deserving yachts. The Wolter Huisman Memorial Spirit of the Bucket Trophy was presented to Lady B. Both ashore and on the water, their hospitality, enthusiasm and energy were in evidence. The Vitters Seamanship Trophy was awarded to MITseaAH in recognition of their great sportsmanship. Last but not least, the Chippewa Bomb was awarded to Wild Horses for their creative and fun “branding” of the other yachts.

For More Newport Bucket Regatta Photos click  HERE 

For All the Results in Detail click HERE

 

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A vintage WWII Airshow featuring the Texas Flying Legends will follow racing at the ninth annual Newport Bucket Regatta on Saturday, August 27 and Sunday, August 28.  From 4:30 to 5 p.m. on each of those days, the Coast Guard will literally stop boat traffic off Fort Adams and Castle Hill as the public enjoys the spectacle. The Newport Bucket Airshow celebrates the 25th Anniversary of the Bucket Regattas (held in Newport and St. Barth’s); it will feature six rare WWII vintage aircrafts including Last Samurai, one of only two Japanese Zeros still flying in the world; the FG-1D Corsair Whistling Death; the P-40K Aleutian Tiger; two P-51D Mustangs Dakota Kid II and Little Horse; and the Mitchell B-25 Bomber Betty’s Dream. 

“We’re always trying to think outside the box and figure out how to make the Bucket Regattas exciting for participants and spectators,” said Tim Laughridge, co-founder and director of the Newport Bucket Regatta. “In the past, the Bucket Regattas have been much more private events, and this year with the Texas Flying Legends making a debut in Newport, we can get the local community down to the waterfront and more involved than ever before.”

 

The Newport Bucket is the sister regatta to the St. Barth’s Bucket held each Spring and is known for a legendary combination of thrilling big-boat racing and memorable shore-side celebrations set in the spirit of the Corinthian ideal. With 20 yachts registered to compete in Newport – including J Boats Velsheda and Ranger, the 37 meter Dubois/Fitzroy Moonbird, 42 meter Frers/Royal Huisman Hyperion and 35 meter Fontaine/Holland Jachtbouw Whisper – the regatta will once again live up to its reputation for hosting some of the world’s finest yachts afloat. Ironically, they are competing not for a fancy silver trophy but for bragging rights and a highly-sought-after tin bucket. The event is open to yachts over 100 feet LOA with the exception that those in the Demi Class can be 76 feet or over for 2011, in recognition of the earlier days in the regatta when the yachts competing were smaller.

 

A public viewing will be available at the Quonset Air Museum from noon to 7 p.m. both days of the Airshow and will include access to the planes and pilots along with a viewing of the launching (approximately 4 p.m.) and recovery (approximately 5 p.m.).

 Best vantage points for spectators are Fort Adams, Castle Hill and Brenton Point State Park in Newport, R.I.; Fort Wetherill and Beavertail in Jamestown, R.I..

 History of the Newport Bucket Regatta:

The first Bucket regatta was organized in Nantucket, Mass., in August, 1986. Between 1986 and 2001, the Nantucket Bucket flourished, becoming a premier Mega Yacht Regatta that invited owners and crews of the world’s largest sailing yachts to sail to peak performance in a safe venue, in the spirit of wholesome competition. The concept of pursuit racing was brought to life by the Bucket, with each yacht assigned its own start time on a clear starting line for safety, and the start time calibrated to induce the yacht’s speed handicap.  Consequently, the first yacht to cross the finish line, wins. Following the announcement that 2001 was to be the last Nantucket Bucket, the founders passed the torch to the present Bucket Organizing Committee:  Hank Halsted (Exeter, R.I.), Ian Craddock (Italy) and Timothy Laughridge (Newport, R.I.). The summer venue was shifted in 2002 to Newport, R.I., where the event has since been hosted by the Newport Shipyard.

 

 

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Overall Winners

1st   Place   Hanuman
2nd  Place   White Wings
3rd   Place   Clevelander

Les Gazelles – Racing Class

1st   Hanuman
2nd  White Wings
3rd   Clevelander
 
Les Grand Dames – Cruising Class

1st    Meteor
2nd   Azzura
3rd    Gloria

Vitter’s Shipyard Seamanship Trophy

Easterner

Chippewa Bomb

Azzura

 
For More Images from the Newport Bucket Regatta visit our Images Page or click Here

Descriptions of Awards

Overall
These awards, first through third, are presented for the best performance overall for combined results, all classes, all races.

 
Les Gazelles & Les Grand Dames
In 2005, when the Bucket Regatta grew beyond all expectations and the fleet doubled in size, it was determined that the yachts should be split into classes that considered their essential attributes.  However, the distinction of “Cruising Division” and “Racing Division” seemed just, oh so pedestrian, for a fleet of this stature.  In the RC’s opinion, the designation of “Les Gazelles des Mers” for the Racing Division and “Les Grandes Dammes des Mers” for the Cruising Division, seemed far more appropriate.

Each Division has trophies presented for best performance overall, first through third.

 
Vitters Seamanship Trophy
Awarded to the yacht that demonstrates the best seamanship and sportsmanship in the interest of promoting safety on the race course.  All participants in the Bucket acknowledge that superyachts have serious limitations operating safely in close quarters and therefore, the RC has always valued safety well above performance.  This award will recognize the yacht that best demonstrates that understanding.  It also goes to prove that nice guys don’t always finish last!!

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The 2010 Newport Bucket Regatta was launched in a Carnival Atmosphere on Friday evening with three significant splashes.  Our Ratings Guru, Jim Teeters, Charlie Dana, our host at Newport Shipyard and race director Hank Halsted, were sacrificed to the “dunk tank” where amid cheers and laughter they were dumped one by one, into the tank with our guest juggler, fire thrower and stilt walker entertaining the crew all the while.  With light wind forecast for the weekend, the Skippers meeting also called for a special tribute to our patron God, Neptune, wherein all in attendance served up a toast of vintage Calvados  – with a tot into the sea, and a hearty cheer for the wind gods. 

Unfortunately, six of sixteen yachts which were entered in the regatta were forced in the past week to withdraw for a bizarre set of circumstances involving two serious engine problems, a cruising permit issue, a death in a family and a couple other disabling events.  Regardless, ten boats arrived at the starting line, five “Grandes Dames” and five “Gazelles” filled the cruising and racing classes.

Saturday was a sparkling fall day with a brisk 15 knot northerly blowing in the morning, forecast to diminish substantially.  The starting line was well recognizable, with magnificent 160′ Trinity Motoryacht,  VITA, as committee boat, loaned to the Bucket by the Owner of J Class, RANGER.  Thank you John!!  The two classes sailed courses of 14 and 19 miles respectively, from the same start to the same finish, with reasonably close racing within the classes. 

Even sailing the extra five miles, the Gazelles dominated the day with the W 76, WHITE WINGS finishing first in class and overall, a minute and a half ahead of the classic 12 Meter, EASTERNER, driven by Paul Callahan, director of the “Sail to Prevail Foundation” which uses sailing as an instructional format for the handicapped.  HANUMAN, the J Boat by Royal Huisman Shipyard finished third. 

Among the Grandes Dames, the Royal Huisman 169′ Schooner, METEOR won her class by over five minutes, having sailed a tactically beautiful race.  The yacht is simply, a visual feast!  PALAWAN, the Little Harbor 75′ Sloop finished second with AURELIUS, the 77′ Modern Classic Dykstra design sloop, in third.

In sum, this was a perfect fall day of sailing off Newport with sun, crisp breezes that never died, thanks to our patron, Neptune, and a good time had by all!

For More Photos Of Newport Bucket Regatta 2010 click HERE

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Newport Bucket Regatta Image Gallery by George Bekris

 

(click on image below to view gallery)

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Newport Bucket Regatta 2009

 

(Click on Hanuman photo above to view Gallery of Newport Bucket Regatta Photos By George Bekris)

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Athena, the 295′ Huisman yacht and this year’s race committee boat, was even hard to make out in the foggy start conditions on Saturday for the first race start .  Soon after the start the sea breezes kicked in and blew the fog out leaving a beautiful New England summer day. The breeze held for the afternoon at around 20kts. The 19 boat  Bucket Regatta fleet flew around the course in the ideal conditions.

Timoneer, the 147′ DuBois/Vitters Ketch, dominated the day. Her seasoned crew racing flawlessly and furnishing first by 5 minutes. The new Perini Navi Performance 125′ Sloop, P2, came in second.

The two J Class yacht entries Ranger and the newly launched  Hanuman (Endeavour II)  were reminiscent of the old America’s Cup days with their beautiful long lines. The New Hanuman took third place after a close contest between the two boats. They beat Ranger ,who placed fourth, by only 38 seconds. Avalon finished fifth, followed 13 seconds later by the Swan 100, Virago in 6th, and the Swan 80, Selene 36 seconds later in 7th.

(click on images to enlarge)

Broken down into classes the results were: Les Gazelles des Mers (Racing Division), P2 finished first, Hanuman second, with Ranger in third place. Among Les Grandes Dames des Mers (Cruising Division), Timoneer is in first place, Avalon in second and Taza Mas in third place.

It was hard to tell which boat team won the party following the race.  Clearly a great time was had by all the crews.

In another Bucket first, the 156′ Pendennis Shipyards, MITSEAAH, engineered to power at over twenty knots and sail with respectable performance, was challenged on day one in keeping up with the racing yachts on the upwind leg.  Respecting the fact that the Bucket is also here to showcase the best attributes of each yacht while cultivating good racing, MITSEAAH was invited to start the race under full power, then execute a high speed 360 degree turn and roar off to the windward mark, where she re-converted to a sailing yacht, shut down the power and got into the race!   Her left-field handicap worked well too; she crossed the finish line in fifth position.

Sunday’s racing started out with Mitseeah blasting across  the start line  at 20 kts without a bit of sail up.

The  racing  started out with light wind but sea breezes filled in during the afternoon. Summer Wind placed first, followed by Taza Mas in second , Sea Diamond took third for Sundays racing.

Jerry Kirby must not have gotten enough sailing time in during the Volvo Ocean Race. He was onboard Hanuman  as Bowman.

These awards, first through third, are presented for the best performance overall for combined results, all classes, all races
Overall

1st     P2
2nd   Avalon
3rd   Timoneer

Les Gazelles   (Racing Class)

1st       P2
2nd    Hanuman
3rd      Wild Horses

Les Grand Dames   (Cruising Class)

1st       Summerwind
2nd     Taza Mas
3rd      Timoneer

All Star Crew Award presented by Holland Jachtbouw
(also presented by The Yacht Report and Crew Report Magazines)

At each Bucket Event, every yacht is asked to cast a ballot for the yacht crew among the fleet that demonstrates the most professional service in all tasks, while maintaining the best voie de vivre, camaraderie, teamwork and respect among the crew.  This is the crew that displays the pinnacle of the profession and has the most fun at it – the yacht that everyone wants to work aboard.   Because the award is earned by peer recognition, it has earned serious stature within the marine industry.

Sea Diamond

Vitter’s Shipyard Seamanship Trophy

The Vitters Seamanship Trophy is awarded to the yacht that demonstrates the best seamanship and sportsmanship in the interest of promoting safety on the race course.  All participants in the Bucket acknowledge that superyachts have serious limitations operating safely in close quarters and therefore, the RC has always valued safety well above performance.  This award will recognize the yacht that best demonstrates that understanding.  It also goes to prove that nice guys don’t always finish last!!

Taza Mas

Skullduggery Cravat

Avalon

Newport Bone

Easterner

The  Chippewa Bomb

MitSeaah.

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     Hanuman On Narraganset Bay, Rhode Island, USA  (Photo by George Bekris)

 

Most of the yachts are docked at Newport Shipyard.   They are making the last of preparations for this weekend’s events.   The First Gun/First race for the Newport Bucket will be at 12 noon Saturday July 18.  Courses to be announced.   Fair Weather Courses will be sailed in Rhode Island Sound. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 No, they are not planning to Grill Out on P2.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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