Nantucket IOD Invitational 2013

The Nantucket International One Design Fleet Association (NIODFA) hosted the 13th annual Nantucket IOD Invitational on June 14-16, 2013 at the Nantucket Yacht Club in Nantucket, MA. Eight teams from across North America joined 5 Nantucket teams for the three day regatta.

IOD fleets have been established worldwide over its 77 year history. The first IOD was built in 1936 for Cornelius Shields of Long Island Sound. The Nantucket fleet was formed in 1997 and arguably has some of the best one design racing of IODs in the world.

The quality racing is due to the fact that none of their fifteen teams own any one particular boat of the fifteen boat fleet, but instead own a one-fifteenth share of the entire fleet. All boats are maintained equally by a fleet manager and are in nearly identical condition. The boats are rotated weekly such that each Syndicate team races a different boat each race day throughout the season.

For the Nantucket IOD Invitational, visiting fleets were represented by Bermuda – Craig Davis, Gibson Island Yacht Squadron – Tom Price, Fishers Island – Bill Reed, Long Island Sound – Marion Maneker, Ida Lewis – Dan Faria, Marblehead – Greg Mancusi-Ungaro, and two teams from Northeast Harbor – Wells Bacon Jr. and Fred Ford. Nantucket Syndicate teams sailing the event included Bravo, Foxtrot, Golf, Peoples, and Sierra.

The sailors arrived on Nantucket just in time to avoid travel delays from the approaching bad weather. The storm did ultimately result in the decision to abandon racing on Friday. Yet, with no sailing during the day, the sailors gathered Friday evening to enjoy a buffet dinner at the Anchorage room of the Nantucket Yacht Club.

Saturday dawned clear with light winds from the N. Race 1 began with an 8 knot breeze and the boats split evenly on each side of the course upwind and down. Team Bermuda got off to a solid start claiming the first win. The second race was abandoned before the boats reached the weather mark as the breeze had steadily died off. The fleet waited three hours before a good breeze filled in from the SSW. Two more races were completed late into the afternoon. Both races were won by an in-form Nantucket Team Bravo skippered by NYC Commodore David Poor. Team Bravo was the first to gain the advantage of the stronger pressure on the left side of the course.

Sunday started with a steady 10 kts breeze from the SSW. As the day progressed the breeze built to a solid 17 kts. The fleet completed 3 races in these perfect Nantucket sailing conditions under the shore of Dionis. Any of the top 4 teams – Bermuda, Bravo, Golf and Northeast Harbor 1 – could have won the regatta going into the final race.

However, the young team from Northeast Harbor, Me. skippered by Wells Bacon Jr. sailed to a convincing victory to claim overall honors leaving Team Bermuda to reflect on what might have been had they not misjudged the current at the weather mark in Race 5.

Results: http://www.nantucketyachtclub.org/files/IOD_Invitational_2013.pdf

IOD fleets have been established worldwide over its 77 year history. The first IOD was in built 1936 for Cornelius Shields of Long Island Sound. The Nantucket fleet was formed in 1997 and they arguably have some of the best one design racing of IODs in the world. This is due to the fact that none of their fifteen teams own any one particular boat of the fifteen boat fleet but instead a one-fifteenth share of the entire fleet. All boats are maintained equally by a fleet manager and are in nearly identical condition. The boats are rotated weekly such that each Syndicate team races a different boat each race day throughout the season.

Other active fleets outside of the United States include Bermuda, Norway, Nova Scotia, UK , and Sweden. Persons interested in learning more about the Nantucket IOD fleet please contact the NIODFA Fleet Development Officer at info@nantucketyachtclub.org.

Report by Ian McNeice
Photos by Karen Ryan