On a sunny July 5, a fresh breeze brought 17 boats across to Falmouth in the Sunday Sound race. The tide was flooding east for the afternoon, and thus favorable for most of the race. Crossing the Sound to the mark, racers had to guess the compensation for being set to the east. Similarly, on the return it was a bit of a struggle making the turn into the harbor across a current that wanted to take everyone to Oak Bluffs.

Mike Loberg, singlehanding (by no means easy) his Morris 36, Masquerade, swept the A Division. He was followed by the J/100, Escape, owned by Tom and Laurie Welch. Another J/100, Phil Hale’s Tango, took third. In fourth spot was Isobar, a Cal 33, skippered by Andy Berry, and Apres, Steve Besse’s J/120, was fifth, despite once again having the shortest elapsed time.

David Lott won the B Division in his Cape Dory 27, Avanti. Trinity, a C&C 37 sailed by David McDonough, was second. In third, Irving Gates’s Sabre 38, King Kiwi. Stormalong, a Pearson 31 skippered by Jerry Goodale, came in fourth. Fifth was Tyche, a Vineyard 15sailed by Bow Van Riper and his daughter Katie. Next were two Alerion X28s, Stuart Halpert’s Providence followed by Mo and Pam Flam aboard Penelope. In eighth place was Isabella, a G&B Bella sailed by John and Lisa Stout, with Gloria, a C&C 24 owned by Roger Becker just one minute behind on corrected time. In 10th place, our newest racer, Heimkehr, an Alerion X28, sailed by Mead and Betsy Wyman, new to racing, who say they are still struggling to grasp the intricacies of flags, courses, rules and start times. Understandable.

The third Thursday evening race on July 2 brought 19 Holmes Holers to the start under overcast skies. Two guest boats joined the fleet as well, bringing the total to 21. Bob Lurie returned aboard Mischief and Sam Peterson sailed his O’Day mariner, both turning in very respectable times. Everyone made it off the start safely despite some pushy situations. A perfect 10-knot wind came out of what had appeared to be a light air floater.

Charlie Felder and Zander Meleney led the A Division over the line in the J/70 Truckin’. Michael Loberg’s Masquerade was second, Pieter Pil secured the third spot in a VHYC Sonar. Two J/100s were next — Escape skippered by Tom Welch and then Phil Hale’s Tango. Soma Holiday, a Hanse 335 belonging to Frank Sutula, finished sixth. Steve Besse in the speediest boat, Apres, finished seventh (corrected time), with Artful Dodger, Mike Powers’s Tartan 3500, next. Isobar, skippered by Andy Berry, was in a very tight finish with Go Time, a Sonar sailed by Alex Pardo. Elapsed time found Isobar two seconds behind Go Time, but one second ahead on corrected time.

In the B Division, Bow Van Riper took the honors in his Vineyard 15. Next came Roger Becker’s Gloria. The next four boats, all Alerion X28s, finished within two and a half minutes of each other (elapsed time). One of the Alerion X28s, At Last, owned by Jim Dixon came third. Mead Wyman, skipper of Heimkehr, finished in fourth place, Mo Flam’s Penelope in fifth and Stuart Halpert’s Providence in sixth. David Lott aboard Avanti was seventh, and David McDonough on Trinity, a C&C 37, rounded out the division.

Because of the Vineyard Cup, there will be no HHSA races this week.