The Holmes Hole Sailing Association continued its summer season of handicap sailboat racing from Vineyard Haven harbor with a night race on August 18 and two harbor races on August 21.

Thursday night was a nice summer evening with a 12 to 15 knot southwest wind. Fifteen boats posted for the 6 p.m. start at red nun 6. The course took the fleet to green can 23a at East Chop, then to red nun 4 at West Chop, and back to nun 6. The first leg was a broad reach on the port tack.

After rounding the nun, the fleet sailed a beam reach on the port tack, followed by a beat to the finish.

Finishing first was Dan Culkin in the Vineyard Vixen, Magic Time. In second was Stuart Halpert in the Ensign, Providence. In third was Andy Berry in the Cal 33, Isobar. Fourth was Phil Hale in Wicked, fifth was John and Lisa Stout in Isabella, sixth was Roger Becker in Gloria, seventh was Jerry Goodale in Stormalong, eighth was Ed Cerullo in Undine, ninth was Brian Roberts in Aileen, 10th was Ernie Mendenhall and Kathy Logue in Rocinante III, 11th was Geoff Gibson in Latonka, 12th was Woody Bowman in Julia Lee, 13th was a Vineyard Haven Yacht Club Sonar, 14th was Stephen Besse in Après and 15th was Frank Desimone in Lagoonah.

Sunday was a warm humid summer day with a steady 15 to 20 knots of west-southwest wind. In the morning, the race committee called for a 5.4-mile course from nun 6 to red nun 4 at West Chop, then to red bell 2 in the Sound, then to buoy RW NW, then to green bell 23 near Oak Bluffs, with a final leg to red nun 6 in Vineyard Haven harbor, honoring green can 23A at East Chop. Thirteen boats posted for the 10 a.m. start. The fleet started on the port tack and broad reached for nun 4. After rounding the nun, the boats sailed to bell 2 on a beam reach, jibed onto a broad reach on the starboard tack to RW NW, hardened to a beam reach to green bell 23, and beat to the finish line.

In the A division, first was Phil Hale in the Shields, Wicked. In second was Andy Berry in the Cal 33, Isobar. In third was Frank Satula in the Hanse 35, Soma Holiday. Fourth was Roger Becker in Gloria, fifth was Jerry Goodale in Stormalong, sixth was Mo Flam in Penelope and seventh was Matt Thomas in Grasshopper.

In the B division, first was John and Lisa Stout in the Gannon and Benjamin sloop, Isabella. Second was Rebecca Colson in the Nonsuch, Silhouette. Third was Michael Hoff in the Nonsuch, Evelyn Mae. Fourth was Dan Culkin in Magic Time, fifth was David Lott in Avanti, and sixth was Diane Hartman in Triumph.

At 2 p.m., 10 boats came to the line. The race committee set a 5.2-mile course from nun 6 to green can 23A, then to red nun 4, then to buoy RW NW in the Sound, and finishing at nun 6. The fleet sailed on a broad reach on the port tack to green can 23A, a close reach on port to nun 4, a broad reach on the starboard tack to RW NW, and beat to windward to the finish line.

Finishing first in the A division was Phil Hale in the Shields, Wicked. In second was Mo Flam in the Alerion 28, Penelope. Third was Mike Loberg in the Morris 36, Masquerade. Fourth was Roger Becker in Gloria, fifth was Andy Berry in Isobar and sixth was Irving Gates in King Kiwi.

In the B division, first was Dan Culkin in the Vineyard Vixen, Magic Time. In second was John and Lisa Stout in the Gannon and Benjamin sloop, Isabella. Third was Stuart Halpert in the Ensign, Providence. In fourth was David Lott in the Cape Dory 27, Avanti.

For the August 11 evening race, conditions were pleasant, with a west-southwest wind of 10 to 12 knots. Nineteen boats came to the line at red nun 6 outside the Vineyard Haven harbor breakwater for the 6 p.m. start. The race committee called for a triangular course from nun 6 to red nun 4 at West Chop, then to green can 23a at East Chop, and back to nun 6. The first leg was a broad reach on the port tack. After jibing around the nun, the fleet reached to the can on the starboard tack and beat to windward to the finish.

Finishing first was Phil Hale in the Shields, Wicked. In second was Mike Loberg in the Morris 36, Masquerade. In third was Andy Berry in the Cal 33, Isobar. Fourth was Michael Hoff in Evelyn Mae, fifth was Roger Becker in Gloria, sixth was Jerry Goodale in Stormalong, seventh was David Lott in Avanti, eighth was Ed Cerullo in Undine, ninth was Geoff Gibson in Latonka, 10th was Ernie Mendenhall in Rocinante III, 11th was Mary Worrell in Second, 12th was Dan Culkin in Magic Time, 13th was Stephen Besse in Apres, 14th was Dan Pesch in Remedy, 15th was John and Lisa Stout in Isabella, 16th was Woody Bowman in Julia Lee, 17th was David Mcdonough in Trinity. Nell and a Vineyard Haven Yacht Club Sonar also participated.

For the Chappaquiddick Rendezvous race on Sunday, August 14, the day was warm and overcast with a 10-knot east-southeast wind. Eighteen boats posted for the start gun at red nun 6 outside the Vineyard Haven harbor breakwater.

The race committee set an 8.8-mile course in the waters of Nantucket Sound, which took the fleet around East Chop, across Cow Bay to nun four on the Edgartown harbor channel, then to green can 3 off Cape Pogue, with a finish at red nun 8 off the Chappaquiddick shore near the Edgartown harbor entrance. The leg to East Chop was a beam reach on the starboard tack. Once in the Sound, a close reach to nun 4 was followed by a broad reach to the can and a beat to the finish line.

In the A Division, finishing first was Andy Berry in the Cal 33, Isobar. In second was Mike Loberg in the Morris 36, Masquerade. Third was Jerry Goodale in the Pearson, Stormalong. Fourth was Roger Becker in Gloria, fifth was Mo Flam in Penelope, sixth was Brian Roberts in Aileen, seventh was Paul Young-Hyman in Eclipse, eighth was Stephen Besse in Apres, ninth was Mathew Thomas in Grasshopper, and 10th was David Mcdonough in Trinity.

In the B Division, first place was Art and Caroline Spengler in the Nonsuch, Raven. Second was Dan Culkin in the Vineyard Vixen, Magic Time. In third was Michael Hoff in the Nonsuch, Evelyn Mae. Fourth was David Lott in Avanti, fifth was Rebecca Colson in Silhouette, sixth was Diane Hartmann in Triumph, seventh was Woody Bowman in Julia Lee, and eighth was Jim Pringle in Myfanwy.

The summer racing was set to continue with a night race yesterday, A Sound Race is scheduled for Sunday, August 28 at noon. New members are actively encouraged, as are guest boats. Anyone interested should contact Diana Hartmann at 508-693-4592.

Meanwhile the notice of race for the annual Moffett Race has been issued. Entries are due by Sept. 2. Please check the Holmes Hole Web site for further information and entry information.