October, 2004: After four years of active charter use in Rhode Island, the Newport charter fleet has migrated north, to Portland, Maine. These 8 identical Ynglings now form the core of the keelboat fleet at the new Casco Bay Community Sailing Center. The Yngling is not new to Casco Bay—the Portland fleet hosted the North American Championship in 1988, and there is another fleet in nearby Prout's Neck. It is good news to have another group of boats in the area! Here are some links to the new sailing center and its Ynglings in Portland.
The Yngling fleet at Sail Newport consisted of 10 identical charter boats (now moved to Portland, Maine), and a half-dozen privately owned boats. It's been a busy group of boats, thanks to Olympic selection, a popular frostbiting series, the World Championships in July 2001, a full regatta schedule, and charter boats available for all of it. The Newport boats were raced in a variety of events, including local regattas, women's events, college regattas, summer racing series, winter Saturday series, and other events. Here's a recap of the events of 2000–2004, some of which we might resume in the future:
Two Racing Series:
Three Regattas in Summer:
Memorial Day Regatta, May
Newport Regatta, July
Fall Equinox Regatta, September
The Ynglings frostbited on Saturdays, out of Sail Newport. We got the inner harbor all to ourselves, and racing was early afternoon, followed by chowder, beers, and stories in a local watering hole (Zelda's, on Thames street).
After racing on Tuesdays in previous years, we planned to race with the burgeoning Newport one-design Saturday group.
Jody Swanson won the 2002 event! Carol Cronin was second, and Courtenay Dey third.
Come sail an Yngling in future sailings of the Newport Regatta.
On September 13 & 14, 2003, we wrapped up the summer's racing in Newport with the Fall Equinox Regatta. Racing was Saturday and Sunday.
Summer's swell in Newport ... but fall is fabulous. The weather was beautiful, we sailed 10 (!) races, and had a fun Saturday evening BBQ.
Plus—early-comers enjoyed the Newport Boat Show the preceding Thursday and Friday!
Bruce Chafee won this year's event, trailed by Ellie Field and Walt Jacquemin.Bruce Chafee won the 2002 Equinox. Hannah Swett was second, and Canada's Lisa Ross third. 15 boats competed, including 5 Olympic campaigners, several junior boats from Michigan, and local aces.
CHAMPIONSHIP OF CHAMPIONS
For the second season in a row, Sail Newport chose the Yngling fleet to host its annual all-star regatta, the Sail Newport Championship of Champions. The 2002 Champ's Champ was Carol Cronin, who bested other Newport fleet champs such as Laser ace Dave Moffett, Yngling builder John Ingalls, Shields expert (and Rolex-regular) Betsy Alison, J-24 former world champ Brad Read, and 4 others. 2000 Champ was Bruce Chafee.
COLLEGE REGATTAS
College sloop regattas have been held in Ynglings since 1998.
College regattas in 2002 included a Columbia invitational.
Sloop regattas in 2001 included:
- Women's Olympian September 29
- Co-ed invitational September 30
- NEISA Champs on October 13-14.
In fall 2000 there was a co-ed sloop invitational, the New England "Women's Olympian" championship, and the New England co-ed championship (congrats to Dartmouth for winning!).
SEARS CUP
2002 Narraganset Bay eliminations for the Sears Cup (junior 3-person) were held in July in Ynglings.
The 2001 Area A eliminations were sailed in Newport's Ynglings, on July 30 & 31.
The national finals were held in the Ynglings at Newport (hosted by New York Yacht Club) in August, 2000.
2001 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
The 2001 Yngling Worlds were raced out of Sail Newport, in July 2001. 45 boats from around the world competed. Christoph Skolaut of Austria was crowned Champion.
NEWPORT WOMEN'S MATCH RACING TROPHY
Sail Newport was the host site for a WIMRA (women's match racing) Grade 4 event in September, 2000, sailed in the Newport Ynglings. Congratulations to Hannah Swett and crew for their victory!
To find out more about the Yngling or these or other events, please contact:
Bruce Chafee <usa-president[at]yngling.org>, Yngling class president.
Brad Read <brad[at]sailnewport.org> or Kim Hapgood <kimh[at]sailnewport.org>
at Sail Newport (401-846-1983).