The just completed 2014 edition of the Vineyard Cup featured 66 competitors and a full third of that number, 22 boats, came from the ranks of the Holmes Hole Sailing Association. Over the three-day, three-race event weekend (July 11-13), the hometown fleet captured one first, two seconds and two thirds. Overall, HHSA skippers finished in the money in all of the four divisions in which they competed.

The races featured a Jekyll-Hyde wind profile with Friday’s race being canceled due to winds so benign that the fleet was becalmed. The wind turned on its heels mid-race Saturday to allow bobbing boats that had remained on the water to suddenly come alive and finish. Sunday the pursuit race enjoyed southwest winds that rose to 25 knots and more as the fleet finally had some power to show off its skills.

Frank Satula led the way aboard Soma Holiday, taking first place in the Spinnaker Division followed by Steve Besse in third in Apres.

The PHRF, Non-Spinnaker, Class 1 Division was a near-HHSA convention with 10 of 18 boats participating. Mo and Pam Flam guided their Alerion 28 Penelope to second while Commodore Jerry Goodale came in fifth on Stormalong. Positions 8 and 9 and 11 through 18 were all HHSA.

In PHRF, Non-Spinnaker, Class 2 it was Andy Berry who skippered his Cal 33 Isobar to a second place finish. Trinity (David McDonough) and Escape (Tom and Laurie Welch) battled each other all weekend and finished tied for fifth.

And in the One Design Division, John and Lisa Stout helmed Isabella to a second place finish.

Beck Colson returned home to skipper the family Nonsuch Silhouette in the competition and escaped a scary moment in Sunday’s pursuit race when the steering cable broke. The crew smartly threw out an anchor and then pulled out an emergency tiller which enabled the boat to return home safely.

The next HHSA race will be on Thursday with a 6 p.m. start. Sunday features the annual Robinson’s Hole Rendezvous Race with a 10 a.m. start.