The ancient Greek historian Thucydides allegedly said, “A collision at sea can ruin your entire day.” Debate continues about the actual origin of this sardonic idiom but most readily agree to its accuracy. At the very least, your day will be ruined if your vessel attempts to occupy the same latitude and longitude of another vessel at the very same time. So how do we go about preventing such a circumstance if we have the benefit of a high-tech marine Radar?

Rule 7 of the International and Inland Navigation Rules establish that a vessel with operational Radar “shall” use it to determine if risk of collision exists; the mariner has no choice here. However, as an alternative to the dying art of Radar Transfer Plotting, Rule 7 does allow for an equivalent systematic observation of detected objects. So what does this all mean to vessels with operational Radar?

It is clear from maritime case law involving collisions that a vessel with Radar is usually held to a higher standard; she will likely bear a greater percentage of fault for a collision where an increase in liability will undoubtedly equate to an increase in monetary damages assessed. So, if you’re not breaking out a Radar Transfer Plotting Sheet while underway, what is your equivalent systematic observation of contacts that brings you into compliance with Rule 7? Below is but one possible method and it’s quite simple.

A very basic collision avoidance technique involves a function commonly found on all modern-day marine Radar units but perhaps not used as often as it could be. This simple technique calls into service the Electronic Bearing Line (EBL). Most marine Radar units
have two of them.

By placing an EBL on a target, the trained Radar operator will be able to determine if his/her vessel is on a collision course with another; if a circumstance of constant bearing with a decreasing range exists (CBDR). Unless you are underway aboard a law enforcement vessel or perhaps a fast-attack submarine patrolling the North Atlantic during the height of the Cold War, CBDR is to be avoided like the plague.

Once the EBL is placed on the target, the prudent mariner will periodically check the target’s progress along that line, perhaps every 3 minutes or so.  If the target then remains on the EBL, and its range is obviously decreasing, you may have to take action to drive a rate of change into the target’s bearing (maneuver to avoid). Under most circumstances, the bearing to another vessel can be changed by changing your course, changing your speed, or by changing both your course and speed. However, there are two exceptions when a change of speed alone just won’t do; that is when overtaking or meeting another vessel. In either case, a course change must be part of your effort to drive a change into the bearing of the other vessel. Keep in mind that the International and Inland Navigation Rules dictate how a vessel is to maneuver in a variety
of circumstances and also establish what actions should be avoided and these rules must be followed when maneuvering to avoid another vessel.

I think we can all agree that knowing how to use your vessel’s Radar is a skill that is better acquired before you need it. Training at the beginning of the Long Island Sound boating season, or perhaps during the week in-season when there are fewer vessels underway, is a great way to become familiar with your Radar’s full range of functions and also its limitations.

So, as Thucydides perhaps once said, “Don’t let a collision at sea ruin your entire day.” Be safe out there. And if you have the benefit of marine Radar, mastering what it is trying to tell you well before you need it is a noble pursuit.

The author is a retired USCG Chief Bos’n Mate and former USN fast-attack submariner. He was the Training Officer at several Coast Guard units during his military career and is now an instructor at Landfall Navigation in Stamford. Chief Natale is available for boat handling and navigation instruction aboard your vessel and also for group seminars sponsored by organizations that share Landfall’s goal of raising the level of awareness of Long Island Sound navigators. He specializes in traditional navigation techniques and radar navigation after sunset. Contact info: barry@soundnavigation.com

Part 1: Bermuda, June, 2016

After racing 635 miles in 104 hours and 25 minutes both Verissimo, an Alden 63, and Metoluis, a Frers 84, were dueling as they approached the finish.  These were two magnificient classic racing yachts reminiscent of what comes to mind when one thinks of the Newport to Bermuda race.

Metoluis tried to pass two times and succeeded on the third attempt.  Verissimo tacked at the last moment crossing the finish line at 1:45 AM to claim line honors by 12 seconds in the Cruising division.  An exuberant Owner, Chris Cannon, he ordered a round of Bermuda’s signature drink, “Dark N Stormys”, for all hands.  This was Chris’ fifth Bermuda race and first in which they grabbed line honors.  A bit later they learned they had secured second place on corrected time.  A very successful cruise indeed!

After a celebratory diner among crew and family members, it was time to think about 2018.  Chris met with his watch captains and navigator to review the race: what worked, how the crew worked together, and how the boat performed. The weather had cooperated with smooth seas and clear nights.  Cruising along under a full moon at night at 7-8 knots almost made one forget this was a race!

Cannon who is a long-time customer of Landfall agreed to have us tag along for the next few months as he and his crew prepare their 2018 Newport Bermuda campaign. We will follow him through preparation of Verissimo for this year’s race. How he, his navigator, and watch captains evaluated the last race and what they felt would help the boats performance.  We will get his views on what makes a good crew, their qualifications and experience, and how they will train for this year’s race.

We will have information on strategy sessions and some pictures of their practice sessions leading up to the race itself.  Finally, we will have coverage of the race from the owner’s perspective and a post-race review.

Part 2: 2018 Newport Bermuda Race

We continue to follow Chris Cannon as he prepares for the 2018 Newport Bermuda race.  This is the second update on his preparations. Here he considers the crew for this race.

Although it was an off year for the Bermuda race, 2017 was not a year to rest on his laurels, so Cannon decided to test Verissmo and his crew by participating in the Marblehead Halifax Ocean Race (MHOR) in July and the Conanicut Yacht Club Around the Island Race around Conanicut Island in Narraganset Bay in September.  Indeed, they were on a roll! Verissimo took best corrected time in the ORR Class 2 in the MHOR (Landfall Navigation is one of the sponsors for this race) and 1^st in the Conanicut race.

The Marblehead Halifax Race is important to Cannon, who believes the race helps him and his crew maintain an edge between Bermuda races.  MHOR began in 1905, actually a year before the Newport Bermuda Race.  It is a very challenging 363 mile race, combining both coastal and ocean seamanship skills.  A skipper crossing the Gulf of Maine to Brazil Rock off the tip of Nova Scotia needs to take into account the tidal effect from the Bay of Fundy (one of the largest tides in the world!) and then race up the coast to Halifax, inevitably encountering fog along the way.  The race is a true test of seamanship for skipper and crew. The 2017 MHOR was especially exciting as they flew their asymmetrical kite 47 of the 48 hours of the race!

These races were opportunities for the full crew to work together in the similar conditions (the September race began in 25-30 knot winds) to what they may see in this year’s Bermuda Race.  Cannon sails with a crew of 14.  The “co-ed” crew ages range from 31 to 73 years old, or as he likes to put it “a nice combination of AARPs (8-9) and Millennials (5-6)”.  They are divided into two watches, each comprising six crew members with the navigator and a floater filling where needed.  Each watch stands four hours on between 0800-2000 and three hours on between 2000-0800.

The crew all have their ISAF rating ( not to be confused with another group beginning with IS) made up of eleven Group 1 and three Group 3 sailors.  This means that Verissimo will be driven almost equally between the millennials and the AARPs since only Group 1 are allowed to drive in this race.  It is vital to keep refining the crew’s steering skills; “you want your best drivers on in light air”, Cannon commented.  “If you stall out it can be very difficult to jump start 30 tons of yacht in 4-5 knots of breeze. So more challenging races present an occasion to get different hands on the wheel in order to build experience and confidence.

Cannon needs to make sure his crew have maintained their safety certifications.  For example, the 2018 Bermuda race requires a crew of 14 to have at least 5 members, including the captain, navigator, and watch captains, to have attended a qualified Safety at Sea Seminar in the past two years.  Because he is so keen on safety, this year at least 13 of the crew of 14 have their current SAS certificates.  In addition, two crew members need to have a valid World Sailing approved Offshore Personal Survival Course certificate.

Cannon relies on his experience in managing and evaluating people gained during his very successful business career. He looks for crew members who have talent and have shown how they can work together.  He relies on input from key players, including watch captains, tacticians, and navigator to help evaluate the potential team that will compete.  By Christmas the 2018 crew is in place.  This year Chris will again have his daughter, Caroline, aboard for their second Bermuda race together.  Also returning will be Navigator, Dr. Robert Ranzenbach, and Co-Tacticians, Dave Flynn and Mike Keyworth. When asked what he thought about the personality of this year’s crew, Cannon said “this occasion to bond and banter is probably the one of the most important memories we’ll take away from this race”.

Next time we will talk about maintenance and repairs to Verissmo before she splashes in late May.

Part 3: 2018 Newport Bermuda Race

Getting the Boat Ready

Chris Cannon, the owner of Verissimo, has finalized his crew for the 2018 Newport Bermuda race.  She is ready to splash in early May and begin serious practice with the crew.

Chris and his crew had a good deal of success in 2017, competing in some significant races including Marblehead to Halifax and Conanicut Yacht Club Around The Island race, taking a first In Class in each by the way. By late fall Verissimo was on the hard at the Newport Shipyard getting some needed maintenance.  As she is turning 20 this year, it was time to evaluate equipment and take a hard look at all systems.

When it comes to evaluating what needs to be done, Chris relies on Captain Matt Reinhardt.   Matt has a 100 Ton USCG Masters Certificate and has been sailing the waters from New England to the Caribbean for almost fifteen years.  Matt and Chris spend many days sailing together either discussing Verissimo’s performance or simply enjoying a cruise on Narragansett Bay.  Chris believes that having someone with Matt’s experience is a necessity.  Their first step is to create a “wish” list.  The items/tasks on the work list are bounced off friends, crew, and vendors. Kicking around ideas and concepts that will improve Verissimo’s performance and continue to ensure safety during offshore racing and cruising helps refine the final work list.  He says “Matt is very good at herding cats” meaning he gets things done in a boatyard…on time and on budget.

One of the first items on the list was to install a new powered, line driver traveler control, as the original system had a tendency to bind up more and more often.  It was felt that this upgrade should yield benefits trimming the main.  Although with a crew of fourteen racing, there were enough hands to work through any issues with the traveler’s quirks.  Chris and Matt, believe the new traveler will be more comfortable when sailing with family and friends …and maybe pick up a minute here or there during the race!

Another, rather significant task had to do with changing the steering ratio, essentially making the wheel more responsive.  On the surface this seems a rather simple adjustment, however involved considerable labor including adjustments to the rudder itself.  This modification will enhance steering, particularly in light air, and facilitate sail trim.  In our last installment Chris talked about the importance of getting all the crew time at the helm.  This modification should help his trained crew hold a true course and cut time.  Verissimo captured line honors in the Cruising Division in 2016 by only 12 seconds!

Part 4: 2018 Newport Bermuda Race

Safety Requirements

When first asked about the most important things about participating in the Newport Bermuda Race (NBR), Chris Cannon said:” Safety is goal #1!  Boat speed is next, solid navigation, and making memories.”  We soon realized that safety preparation is a daunting task. The NBR publishes sixteen pages of detailed safety requirements.  These requirements are not a replacement, but a supplement to requirements of the US Coast Guard, the Racing Rules of Sailing, the rules of various Class Associations and all applicable racing rules.

The NBR is very specific about who bears the responsibility for the safety of the crew and vessel.  As owner of Verissmo and retired business owner, Chris Cannon, takes this responsibility very seriously.  After maintenance has been addressed during the winter months, Chris and his Captain Matt Reinhardt will spend considerable time reviewing all aspects for the race.

All boats are subject to inspection by the Technical committee of NBR.  These inspections thoroughly cover the hull and construction, safety equipment, and crew’s safety skills. They require that “equipment must function properly, be regularly checked, cleaned and serviced, and be of a type, size and capacity suitable for the intended use and size of the boat and number of crew”.  The crew must be able to demonstrate their capabilities to use all equipment while underway.  Wouldn’t it be nice if this was standard for all boaters whether it’s an Optimist, a 52 ft sport fisherman, an 80 ft schooner, or a 20ft center console outboard!

Guidelines for the Hull and Structure Construction   This category focuses on the seaworthiness of the vessel which means any openings including ports and hatches, must be able to be secured immediately to maintain watertight integrity.  The boat must be properly rigged and ballasted, but most importantly sturdy enough to withstand ocean waves and possible knockdowns.

Among some of the more specific requirements, which may not be found on many recreational cruisers, include the following:

Bilge Pumps - There must be two operational manual bilge pumps with capacity of 10 gallons per minute (GPM). One must be able to operate below deck and the other topside with the cabin closed.

Companionways must be able to be closed off securely from the main deck and watertight integrity.

Main deck must be completely enclosed by lifelines and pulpits which strictly comply with NBR specifications.

Sleeping arrangements – there must be enough bunks on board to provide sufficient space for off-watch crew.

Cooking - boats must be equipped with a stove with a fuel shut off.  The barbeque grill off the stern will not be available on this trip!

Potable Water - there should be a water tank with a delivery system that will make water available to the crew in the event the primary system fails.

Verissimo was built for ocean cruising and racing to many of these features were part of the boat from the beginning.

Safety Equipment

When it comes to safety equipment, at the top of everyone’s list is PFDs or life jackets.  This year’s race, in addition to having his own Type 1 or Open-ocean life jacket, each crew member is required to be equipped with his own AIS overboard beacon.

Since Chris is extremely safety conscious, his crew all carried personal AIS devices in the 2016 race as well as the Marblehead Halifax race in 2017. Each AIS device is tested for battery power, to verify the ships radio is notified by DSC upon activation, and the device appears on the chart plotter.

Both Chris and Matt discussed some of the other safety equipment onboard :

Safety harnesses and clipping points – every crew member must have a safety harness and the vessel must be equipped with jack lines and clipping points throughout which will allow crew members to clip on when emerging from below.

Emergency capabilities – as we discussed safety Chris told us, “the only time navigation lights don’t work is when you need them!”.  How true, Verissimo carries two sets of navigation lights which can be connected to alternative power sources.

Another example of back up are installed and handheld VHF radios (which can operate in International and US channel mode) as well as a spare antenna. Verissimo also carries a satellite phone which remains on for the duration of the race.

The MAGNETIC compass at the helm and the electronic instrument compass are primary.  Then are handheld compasses onboard which can be used in an emergency. Just to be sure both are good, Chris gets his compasses compensated before the race.

Binoculars, both day and night vision with internal bearing compass, are helpful batteries for them as well as flashlights, searchlights are essential and replaced along with extras stored on board.

Emergency Drinking water – each vessel is required to carry at least one gallon of water in sealed containers for each crew member in addition to any other water carried.  This water with seals unbroken must be aboard after the finish of the race!  For Verissimo that means lot of water!

One final and important piece of safety equipment is the medical bag.  The contents of the bag are based on the diversity of the crew and aim to ensure all possible mishaps can be addressed.  As in past voyages, Chris has included a defibrillator …just in case.

To check out all of the safety equipment each race is very time consuming.  For Chris and Matt it is much more than inventorying all of the equipment (by the way what we mentioned here is only a fraction of the equipment required), each item must be examined tor wear and tear and a determination made to replace or repair.  This year the only major replacement was one of the two inflatable life rafts, each with a capacity of eight.

Crew Training and Skills

In a previous segment, we discussed the selection and qualifications of the crew of Verissimo.  Most of the crew have now sailed together in at least one NBR and the Marblehead Halifax race and Chris has a good feeling for their capabilities. Still there are several training cruises scheduled before the June 18^th dash to Bermuda.

One of the requirements of the NBR is that at least 30% of the crew must have attended a Safety at Sea Seminar within the past five years.  Currently 13 of the 14 crew members have met that standard.

The first practice will be on the weekend of May 12, Mother’s Day…sorry Mom gotta work!  Most of the time will be spent adjusting to some of the modifications made during the past winter (Steering ratio and power traveler) and just getting back to working together as a crew.  Chis will be evaluating the steering capabilities of some of the less experienced sailors and how different members of the crew work together.

These practice cruises help the crew ensure all safety equipment is in working order. Among some of the exercises they will go through are: sailing with the Storm trysail, use of the life raft, safety harnesses, communication equipment, procedures for steering without a rudder, dismasting, discussion of the muster list, and abandoning ship.  Weather permitting there will be man overboard and recovery drills with testing of AIS devices.  All of this in preparation of demonstrating these skills to NBR officials before the race!   Quite a daunting task indeed!

Next time we will look at the game plan for the race, discussing the possible routes, what the weather predictions hold for Chris and his crew.

Part 5: 2018 Part Newport Bermuda Race

Weather and Navigation

Finally, we are at the point where the Chris Cannon’s 63’ Alden Verissimo is in the water.  The first shake down cruise off Newport was successful, the crew has begun to get acclimated to the improvements completed over the past winter and everyone is looking forward to the start on June 15.  Now comes the most important element of the race prep, the strategy.  The initial steps began several months ago reviewing the navigational equipment including electronics. By now instrumentation including water temp sensors, GPS, AIS, Chart plotters, barometer, VHF, and Sat phone have been calibrated and synchronized.  The shakedown cruise in early May did not indicate any issues with the current equipment.

It is interesting to note that it was not until the 1980’s that electronics were allowed in the Bermuda race from start to finish.  One might think, considering the level and sophistication of today’s electronics and weather data, the job of the navigator would be relatively comfortable.  On the contrary, most of today’s racers are equipped with the same array of state of the art equipment and the truly competitive boats are the ones with the most skillful navigators as we will learned is the case on Verissimo.

The Newport Bermuda Race is often thought of as three races in one.  The start to get out to the Gulf Stream approximately 200 nautical miles out in the middle of the ocean, the second requires navigating an always surprising Gulf Stream.  Finally, a dash to find a small island more than 600 miles out to sea.

Again, this year, to handle the navigational duties for this year’s race, Chris chose Dr Robert Ranzenbach who by trade is a naval architect and aeronautical engineer.

The initial phase in strategizing for the NBR is to review the prior performance. In the months before the start of the 2016 Race, forecasts indicated a rather predicable weather picture consistent with prior years.  Unfortunately, many racers were surprised by changes that developed shortly before the start.  Robert and Chris recalled a conversation they had before making the final call about whether to go or stay (as many boats decided not to race!).  Robert said, “before we left on the Bermuda race last time, facing an uncertain weather forecast, we had agreed to continuously assess the conditions to ensure that we experienced only two things SAFETY and FUN. This flexible strategy was the prudent choice since numerous weather forecasts would remain extremely uncertain for the first 24 hours of the race. If the weather held they were good.  But after the start, if everything went to “custard”, they would be able download updated weather information and decide, if necessary, to turn around before the Gulf Stream crossing.  It would be disappointing, but they would have quite an enjoyable sail back to Newport. The ability to use the technology to learn more about the impending weather circumstances, knowing the strength of the crew, and the integrity of the yacht, it was an easy decision.

Perhaps the lesson learned here is rather than hoping things would turn out “ok”, it was a carefully measured approach (Robert’s trademark saying is “Hope is not a strategy”).  Robert ensured that the crew did more than have fun and keep everyone safe. He navigated a course for Verissimo to cross the finish 12 seconds ahead of the nearest competitor in their division, a Frers 84, and as a result Verissimo was awarded the Herbert L. Stone Memorial Trophy for the first boat in the cruising division to finish.

The final strategy preparation is almost complete with Navigator Robert Ranzenbach, Co-tacticians Mike Keyworth and Dave Flynn along with owner Chris Cannon. There are some long sessions reviewing the prior race to focus on the weather changes and how they reacted at the time.  Was there an alternative that might have given their boat an advantage?  Chris and navigation team are looking at weather maps from early May which are showing patterns consistent with last year at this time.  Are these consistent with other models?

The Verissimo team subscribes to pre-race routing advice from Commander’s Weather out of Bedford, MA to include weather and Gulf Stream influences. This helps put context to the GRIB wind forecasting files which will be used later.  It’s also assists Robert to determine what future weather models might be more reliable for the race.

The NBR Notice to Race does not permit racers to receive outside advice or use outside routing tools, however, “information freely available to all boats even if that information is only accessible at a cost” is allowed. Robert has subscribed to two services: Squid and PredictWind. Using the data capability of the satellite system onboard Verissimo, these services provide timely high resolution European and US weather models (as well as the specialized PredictWind models) on a scheduled basis. This information plus Gulf Stream conditions is used within Expedition software to recalculate an optimal course throughout the race at every forecast update (multiple times per day).

As if this was not enough data analysis, this year Robert is trying something new (he has realized sleep was overrated!). New this year will be “Model Accuracy” which is provided as part of their subscription to Commander’s Weather. This software allows a navigator to compare observed conditions stored in the boat’s log to conditions previously predicted by various weather models. In this way, helping the Navigator to pick the most appropriate model for the next update to the optimal course.

Robert’s job is not merely to ensure Verissimo stays on course.  He is very aware of boat speed, remembering the 2016 NBR margin of 12 seconds at the finish.  In very light conditions, he is a big fan of keeping the boat moving at top speed even if that requires some deviation from what might be an “optimal” course. He explained, ”because of my background as a trimmer, I am carefully monitoring the boat is sailing at peak performance by comparing actual and predicted speed (information available to the crew at all times) and prodding the team when performance needs to improve”.

With all of this information, Robert carefully calibrates a strategy to avoid chasing too much craziness. Robert believes that constant communication with Chris, Mike, and David complement the flexible strategy to help optimize Verissimo’s performance.

The 2018 NBR start is set for 1300 hours on June 15 and there are a few more details to take care of before Verissimo is ready to go!

Part 6: Start Day Newport Bermuda Race 2018
On June 14 we arrived dockside in Jamestown Harbor just across the channel from Newport, Rhode Island. There was Varissimo sparkling in the morning sun; as I walked down the dock my long time friend and her owner, Chris Cannon waved me aboard. Tomorrow was the big day; after nearly a year and a half of planning, modifying, organizing, and agonizing, the Newport Bermuda Race would start in less than 24 hours.  We expected to see a furious state of activity, making sure all was well for tomorrow's start; instead we found relative calm.  Chris Cannon assured me all was well since the planning had been so meticulous.  Everyone had completed their "To Do" lists and were comfortable.  This was the only opportunity anyone would have to rest and relax for the next three to four days.

Earlier in May the crew had assembled over the Mother's Day weekend for a few days of intense practice. Watch duties had been assigned and crew members sharpened up their skills. Ironically, it was now Father's Day weekend when they were sailing again...not for practice this time!  (Had this been the intent to disappoint both Mothers and Fathers equally?)    Most of the crew are veterans of several races aboard Verissimo including the 2016 NBR and they were experienced and knew what was ahead.

Chris and Matt Reinhardt, Verissimo's Captain, gave us a tour to show off  some of the improvements made over the past eighteen months.  The boat was rigged and gear was being stowed below as each of the crew arrived.  The salon was temporarily modified to accommodate all of the crew's gear in one place.  Matt  inspected rigging and safety equipment, secured hatches, cleaned deck drains, and checked each crew member's PFD, AIS, and harness.  Earlier in the day he had donned his scuba gear to remove shaft zincs and prop shaft line cutter to reduce weight and drag.  Soon he was instructing a diver to clean the bottom one more time.  Non-perishable food and water were loaded and stowed.  More food and ice would be loaded in the morning.  Defibrillator, medical supplies, and seasick meds were verified and secured.

One final run through to check all systems

Before heading out for lunch, we spent some time with Robert Ranzenback, navigator for the race.  Robert was running through some scenarios based on the latest weather data he received.  More importantly, he was ensuring all systems were functioning.  At noon time on Thursday the wind looked favorable for Verissimo to make a good start, but would dissipate Friday evening, into Saturday.  At this point in 2016 many boats were looking at some dire weather conditions and deciding if they would start the race at all.  This year all systems were pointing to a good start and clear to Bermuda.

The arrival of the crew like many other things in preparing for this race required logistical planning. Since not everyone was going to sail back to Newport after the race, many used public transportation to come to Rhode Island. Inevitably,  they would all arrive at different times and places. Some stayed with friends and relatives in the area, while six were staying at Chris's home in Jamestown.  So cars, Ubers, and Chris's power boat were deployed to run to the train station in North Kingston, RI, around Jamestown, and over to Newport to gather crew members.  We conjured up visions of  the Royal Navy's practice of impressing seamen in the 18th Century as we picked up sailors at various locations, however  these seamen were excited to join the crew.

Later in the day the entire crew met for dinner.  Although it had only been a month, since they had practiced together, the occasion felt like a family reunion and the mood was jovial.  Many of the crew had also raced in 2016 or in the 2017 Marblehead Halifax race.  One original crew member who had trained in May was not able to make the race due to an injury, but came along to lend moral support .  There was much friendly banter among the crew. Everyone was expecting a good sail with no problems and speculating as to who among them would get the "Golden Blanket" Award for the most sleep during the race!

Later in the evening at Chris's home the tactician (Dave Flynn), navigator(Robert Ranzenbach), and Chris began to discuss the weather and instructions from the Captain's meeting earlier in the day.  Much of the jokes and frivolity were over.  It was also time to discuss what other decisions to consider before the 15:00 EST start for their Division .  The late afternoon forecast had now changed since noon, calling for very light air at the start.  The group chose to delay any decisions on possible sail changes until after the 07:30 weather briefing in the morning.

June 15, Friday morning, was raining steadily.  Robert and Chris  attended the 7:30 weather briefing.  After they conferred with Dave, they decided to change out the foresail more one more suitable for lighter wind.  As the crew assembled dockside, all hands turned to helping change the sail. (clearly much easier while still tied to the dock).   The entire crew was now on board and Chris announced they would shove off at 13:30 to head out to the start.  The last of the food, contributed by family and friends of the crew was loaded on board.  Many well wishers and friends stopped by to offer best wishes.

The crew was ready to go with PFDs and harnesses on.  It had finally stopped raining, but the wind was calm.

Owner Chris Cannon at the helm heading for the Start

So, after 18 months of planning, strategizing, and training, the crew was anxious to get underway.  The joking was over as each crew member checked their gear, waved farewell to family, and a few delivered cards and a hug to fathers on the dock.  The wind that had been negligible up until now began to build and Verissimo was on its way to Bermuda!

Part 7: Newport Bermuda Race 2018 The Finish!

As we watched Verissmo, and her owner Chris Cannon, leave the dock in Jamestown, the weather had cleared but the wind was very light.  Most of the crew had been aboard in 2016 when they took line honors in their class and second on corrected time.  So this year's expectations were high to match or improve upon their previous performance

The 2018 NBR would not be as kind to Verissmo and crew finishing 4th in their class! This year's race gave an advantage to the smaller boats that perform better in light air.

Heading for the Start!

Chris Muesler, a journalist covering the race, summed it up best: "They call it the rubber band. ... in 2018 the faster boats would stretch out to a lead, then park in a no-wind zone. Smaller boats would ride the old wind right up behind, and the race would practically re-start when the new breeze came in".  In the end those smaller, lighter boats were ones taking home the hardware.

However, this is not to say this was a lackluster event.  Two-thirds of the way through the race they finally got some meaningful wind. Navigator Robert Ranzenbach commented: "As the slower boats sailed up to the generally faster boats, at that point we knew we had to push Verissimo really hard".

Early in the Race, calm seas at night

Chris added this last third of the race was what he would remember for a long time. "We tacked over to starboard on the rhumb line and traveled over 200 miles at 55 degrees AWA direct to the finish line averaging 9-10 knots, Verissimo’s sweet spot.

Finally moving!

This was what most of the crew was expecting to experience during this type of race.  As Chris put it so well, "it was similar to surfing a wave that never ended or being up on edge on skis for hours and hours".

At this point, they might be able to catch the third place boat ahead of them.  The crew responded to the challenge, working hard and tirelessly to maintain a steady course, picking up minutes where they could.

Finally finishing up at 3:00 AM, everyone was on deck with the traditional Dark N' Stormys and high fives all around.  The crew was pleased with how Verissimo performed, particularly in the light air conditions that were troublesome to all but the smaller boats.  It was a great race! Back at the dock, there was the usual conversation about the "what ifs", but there will be memories for a lifetime.

The demographically diverse crew of fourteen worked extremely well together. The mood was always light with some ribbing and trash-talking particularly between generations. The ages for the crew ranged from 25 years ( the "millennials") to 72 years (the "AARPs").  It is interesting to watch a millennial come off watch, go through a pre-sleep ritual of washing, brushing of teeth, etc., versus an AARP who collapses in a berth and is snoring in minutes!

Friends and relatives surpassed all expectations in provisioning the boat with food.  There was not a can of Dinty Moore Stew to be found!  The crew had to make do with Shepard's Pie, Chicken Marsala, Beouf Bourgoin, and homemade Blueberry Buckle.  One Millennial commented he had not eaten this well since the 2016 race!

What will be one of Chris' fondest memories is the opportunity of sailing with his daughter, Caroline, for her second NBR. There is no better Father /Daughter bonding than being together on an ocean race.

Caroline, Chris' daughter at the Helm

Since the race covered Father's day it was only right there would also be a Father/Son duo in the crew.  Bernard and Win Wharton participated in their fourth ocean race.  Happy Father's Day!

Captain Matt Reinhardt had worked diligently over the past eighteen months getting the boat in superb shape. The attention to detail preparation for this race was manifest in the smoothness of how she sailed.

Navigator, Robert Ranzenbach, and Tactician, Dave Flynn, valiantly tried to find a course with more wind and encouraged the crew to save minutes wherever possible. Other members of the crew who made this race memorable included Mike Keyworth, Ben Hall, Bob Webbon, Rick Doherty,  Brandon Somers, Becky Esterle , and Devlin Keogh.

At the very beginning when we started following Verissimo for this Race, Chris stated he had two objectives to accomplish in the Newport Bermuda Race be safe and have fun!  The crew of Verissimo certainly achieved the objectives set out by her owner.  They worked hard for nearly two years getting ready to compete in this unique ocean race that does not offer a multi-million dollar purse.  Both Captain Matt and crew dedicate long hours and owner Chris spends his money (Chris jokingly refers to himself as the "Check-tican" since his job is writing checks) to participate in one of the most spectacular ocean racing events.

Thanks to Chris and crew for allowing Landfall to follow along on their great adventure!

On February 25th, 2019 the Chicago Yacht Club publicly released their report on the fatal crew overboard accident that occurred during the 2018 Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac.

The report was put together by a diverse group of sailing and safety experts. The eight-member Safety Enhancement Committee, established by CYC after the accident, developed the report. The members included the chairs of U.S. Sailing’s Safety at Sea and U.S. Sailing’s Offshore Committees, as well as individuals with extensive high-profile offshore racing and regatta management experience from the America’s Cup, Volvo Ocean Race, Transpac, and Races to Mackinac. In addition, CYC worked closely with the U.S Coast Guard.

They provided an overview of the incident and recommendations to help avoid a similar situation in the future. The findings were derived from extensive interviews with both Imedi's crew as well as witnesses to the incident and those who stood by to render assistance.

As a result of the Committee’s investigation, important lessons are shared with respect to malfunctioning personal safety gear, use of additional safety equipment on board, and boat control in challenging conditions. In addition, the report includes:

• Detailed recommendations regarding team communication and importance of having clearly identified crew overboard procedures
• Safety gear inspection
• Practice drills for boat handling in crisis situations, and for the person in the water
• Overall enhanced training and maintenance recommendations for inflatable life jackets
• What to watch for in drowning situations.

Please read the full report text for additional information here

Below is an example of a request for public comment that was recently hiding in plain site. If you have, currently use or anticipate using controlling depth information from paper charts, click on the link below with your comments. The link takes you to a NOAA comment page just reference the title in your comments.

LOCAL NOTICE TO MARINERS
District: 1 Week: 04/19
COASTAL WATERS FROM EASTPORT, MAINE TO SHREWSBURY, NEW JERSEY

NOAA ELECTRONIC NAVIGATIONAL CHART (ENC) FOR NAVIGATION IN U.S. WATER

NOAA recommends that mariners take advantage of the most recent chart updates by using the NOAA Electronic Navigational Chart (ENC) for navigation in U.S. waters. ENCs provide the most up to date information, whereas paper and raster nautical chart updates may be up to one month behind the corresponding ENC coverage. Over the next few years, mariners will see continued improvement in the extent and detail of ENC coverage, while there will be a reduction in RNC and paper chart coverage and service. ENCs will include routine changes between editions that are not published through notices to mariners. One significant change to the RNC and paper charts will be the removal of controlling (minimum)depth information from many maintained channels. Controlling channel depths will still be provided on ENCs. Comments or concerns can be addressed through ASSIST, NOAA’s Nautical Inquiry and Comment System. https://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/customer-service/assist/.  LNM: 51/18

Do not miss this opportunity to let your voice be heard.