“Mission Accomplished”
Fall Race #3
September 10, 2025
Race Report
Loyalty - #222
“Mission Accomplished”
In order to understand our race last night, I thought I would share our season’s outlook for some color. For the start of our 29th consecutive season aboard 222, it was coming together like a perfect storm. Travel and work delayed our launching until after July 4th, crew commitments were minimal at best, and summer travel was already looking to cut several weeks from our already truncated schedule. As a result, each week we were sailing with new and different crew, sometimes entirely new to racing, flying a spin, or even sailing!
So, we uploaded our trusty 2003 soft and comfy main and our happy go lucky 2017 jib and decided this year was going to be all about just getting out to the racecourse whenever we could – and nothing more. So, for only the fifth time this season, last night we made it out! (6th if you count our humiliating spin-wrapped DNF first race.)
As we gathered around the kitchen picking through the jackets and bibs we would likely be needing for the night, I reminded everyone of our season’s mantra, our goal, and our weekly pep talk to define what success looks like for this season.
“Don’t break anything, don’t hit anything, and try not to be last” Pretty lofty goals if you ask me! The announcements came through at 4pm, and the RC headed out to set up a course for the highly unusual N.NE wind direction. Predicted to be at the very top of our wind limits, there was always the possibility of cancelations or abandonment. We actually got out early and scoped out the course (for once). The flood was growing mid-bay, but the waves were calmer close to Goat Island. And, Rose Island effectively cut off much of the upper left quadrant, leaving anyone coming in from mid-bay would be forced into a “follow the leader” scenario for the very long port tack needed to fetch to rounding mark.
By repeating our season’s mantra at the warning signal, we knew exactly what our plan was. Start late at the boat, flop immediately on to port tack, head for calmer water away from anyone, and there was no way we were going to attempt to fly our last remaining spinnaker (with our mix-matched crews, we’ve already hour-glassed / torn a spin every week we’ve raced this season.)
So, back of the pack we were, entertainingly crossing tacks with our friends on Weetamoe 17, Wizard 80, and Defiance 39 all the way to the top mark. Surprisingly, we ended up right up with the majority of boats for the rounding. Not too shabby we thought.We rounded right on the heals of 17, 39, 121 and others. They popped their chutes; we went wing and wing and flew low and fast down the course. Arriving at the leeward mark, guess what? We didn’t loose an inch. We actually closed the gap and picked up a few boats who struggled with their gybes and take-downs. Second and final windward legs we played the lifts and headers around the anchored megayachts, and along Rose Island – pretty much maintaining our speed to cross the finish line a nose ahead of our closest competitor, Weetamoe 17. All smiles as we head back to our porch for a gourmet meal starting with signature Cosmos, shrimp cocktail, and assortment of exotic cheeses. The main consisted of fresh caught salmon grilled and topped with home-made sauce using our garden fresh dill and sautéed onions and peppers. Dessert included a guilt free pumpkin spice cake and Sweenor’s Chocolates.
We went out sailing on a day we normally wouldn’t. We caught up with our friends we hadn’t spoken to in a while, we had an awesome mid-week break, and got out on the bay for another night of sailing on beautiful Narragansett Bay. As for the race results?
“We didn’t break anything, we didn’t hit anything, and we weren’t last!”
All in all… Mission Accomplished!
Bill Doyle
Loyalty 222
